Anyone who knows me knows I adore Nate Berkus and Jonathan Adler as much as anyone in the design world — I also have big girl-crushes on Sarah Richardson and Candice Olsen. So when I received an email asking if I wanted to do a phone interview with Jonathan Adler (J-Ad, as I affectionately call him in my head), I honestly momentarily lost my mind.
I nearly said no because I pictured myself getting awkward, squealing, and coming across as totally nuts. After talking it over with John, he convinced me that a fifteen-minute call with Jonathan Adler could easily become a highlight in this blogging adventure of ours. He was right — I agreed to the call, clamminess and over-excitement be damned.
I replied hoping to sound cool and collected and was given a Friday noon slot. I hardly slept on Thursday, prepping questions, second-guessing everything, and even asking readers for ideas on Facebook. Then, fifteen minutes before the scheduled time I got a reschedule email asking if Monday would work instead. Half of me was relieved for the extra days to prepare; the other half immediately spiraled into more anticipation and plotting of new questions.
When the call finally came, I heard his voice and somehow everything felt right. I was still giggly, talking fast, and not exactly the smoothest interviewee, but he was incredibly kind. By the end of the conversation I loved him even more. I couldn’t stop talking about it with John — it really was highlight-reel material for me.
Because I’m terrible at taking notes while talking, I recorded the interview on my phone after asking J-Ad for permission. I thought readers might like to hear the real conversation, so I shared the audio clip for those who wanted the full exchange and the spontaneous banter. The recording captures all the laughs and overlapping chatter that don’t always translate to written Q&A.
Is he as awesome as he seems? Absolutely. At one point he told me my design instincts had his “chakras tingling,” which left me floating on air. We even exchanged affectionate “I love yous” on the call — yes, really. One of my favorite takeaways was his advice to begin any design project by defining the vibe you want, not by choosing paint colors or curtains first. He suggested summarizing how you want your home to feel in three words and using those as your guiding principles. Simple, smart, and immediately useful.
My only regret is that I didn’t get John to photograph me mid-call. I can picture it perfectly: me, phone to ear, grinning, talking too fast, and glowing from the conversation. It was one of those rare moments where fan-girl excitement and genuine professional exchange blended into something memorable.
I hope you enjoyed this little brain-picking session with one of my favorite designers. Have you ever met or called someone you admire, worried you’d say something silly or start babbling? Despite the nerves, those encounters can be amazing and energizing — you can come away inspired, validated, and full of new ideas.
Psst — if you can’t listen to the audio right now or prefer to read, here’s a concise recap of the interview. The recording contains additional banter and overlap that’s tougher to capture perfectly in written form, so consider the summary a helpful companion to the full conversation.
In short, here are the key points we covered: start with the desired feeling for your space and distill it into three guiding words; don’t let walls or curtains dictate the vibe before you know what mood you want to create; mix pieces that make you happy rather than following trends blindly; and trust your instincts — even small choices can change how a room reads and feels. Jonathan also emphasized the joy of embracing color, pattern, and personality as tools to make a house feel like a home.
The brief call left me inspired to approach upcoming projects with clearer intent and a bolder, more playful mindset. I returned to my own rooms thinking about what three words best describe the feeling I want to create, and I encourage you to try the same. It’s a straightforward exercise that can simplify decisions and keep your interior choices cohesive and purposeful.
Thanks for letting me share this experience. If you’ve ever had a memorable conversation with someone who shaped your interests or career, I’d love to hear about it — those moments often stick with you and influence the way you work and create for years to come.