If interior designer Jonathan Adler’s lifelong body of work could be summed up in one word, it would undoubtedly and inarguably come down to the simple adjective, “happy.”
Born in 1966 in rural New Jersey, Adler became enamored with pottery-making in adolescence and never gave up his obsession, even while studying art and semiotics at Brown; after working at a talent agency for three years and becoming depressed from his time in the entertainment industry, he returned home to New Jersey to get back to basics and make more pottery.
An order from ultra-chic retailer Barneys set Adler’s design career on a dramatic trajectory into design stardom.
By 1998, Adler had hooked up with a non-profit organization helping artisans in developing countries sell their wares in America, had spent time in Peru feeding his need for visual and cultural stimulation, and had opened his own shop in SoHo.
Fast-forward to 2001: Adler goes bi-coastal with an LA store and global with a furniture collection the following year. He made his way into our living rooms as a judge on Bravo’s Top Design in 2007, and a Happy Chic series of books followed in 2010 as his empire continued to grow.
Since recently jumping across the pond to open a store in the UK, landing a partnership with Lacoste, and being tapped to design a real life Malibu Dream House to celebrate Barbie’s 50th birthday (making amends for decapitating his sister’s Barbie in 1974, his website claims), you could say the man is well on his way to world domination, and we’re pretty positive he couldn’t be happier.
Neither could we; his designs really do inspire joy, whimsicality and contentment. Who can argue with that?
Photo credits: Jonathan Adler
