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Jake Arnold - A Masterclass On Redefining Comfort
873 Plays28 days ago
Today, I’m thrilled to be joined by none other than Jake Arnold.
From his British roots to his current homebase in Los Angeles, Jake has taken the interior design world by storm, earning a coveted spot on the AD100 list and redefining what it means to create spaces that are both luxurious and inviting. Without a formal degree in design, Jake carved his path through instinct, passion, and an unparalleled eye for detail, crafting interiors that feel effortlessly timeless.
But Jake isn’t just transforming spaces—he’s transforming the way people access design expertise. As the founder of The Expert, a groundbreaking platform connecting homeowners with top-tier designers for virtual consultations, he’s making high-end design more collaborative and accessible than ever.
We dive into Jake’s journey: from his first project to the inspirations behind his signature style, his love of collecting furniture, decor, and materials, and his career-defining collaborations with brands like Crate & Barrel, Lulu & Georgia, and Parachute. We’ll also chat about his recent coffee table book, Redefining Comfort, and the lessons he’s learned designing his own home.
It’s truly an honor to have him on the show and I hope you all enjoy it just the same. So without further adieu, please welcome Jake Arnold, to Collectors Gene Radio.
Jake Arnold - https://jakearnold.com/
Collectors Gene - https://collectorsgene.com/
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Transcript
Introduction and Collecting as Lifestyle
00:00:00
Speaker
Growing up, I didn't. I was always about new. everything like Every time I would have a new room growing up, I would always want everything new. And so I've only learned that collecting is really is really a choice, and it's it's a lifestyle choice of like having things around you that you love that don't necessarily have purpose, and that's okay.
Introducing Jake Arnold and His Design Impact
00:00:24
Speaker
What's going on, everybody? And welcome to Collectors Gene Radio.
00:00:28
Speaker
This is all about diving into the nuances of collecting and ultimately finding out whether or not our guests have what we like to call I'm thrilled to be joined by none other than Jake Arnold.
00:00:52
Speaker
From his British roots to his current home base in Los Angeles, Jake has taken the interior design world by storm, earning a coveted spot on the AD100 list and redefining what it means to create spaces that are both luxurious and inviting. Without a formal degree in design, Jake carved his path through instinct and passion and an unparalleled eye for detail, crafting interiors that feel effortlessly timeless.
00:01:14
Speaker
But Jake isn't just transforming spaces. He's transforming the way people access design expertise. As the founder of The Expert, a groundbreaking platform connecting homeowners with top-tier designers for virtual consultations, he's making high-end design more collaborative and accessible than ever.
00:01:31
Speaker
We dive into Jake's journey from his very first project to the inspirations behind his signature style, his love for collecting furniture and decor, and his career-defining collaborations with brands like Crate & Barrel, Lulu & Georgia, and Parachute. We'll also chat about his recent coffee table book, Redefining Comfort, and the lessons he's learned designing his own home. It's truly an honor to have him on the show, and I hope you all enjoy it just
Jake's Move to the US and Career Beginnings
00:01:55
Speaker
the same. So without further ado, please welcome Jake Arnold for Collectors Gene Radio.
00:02:03
Speaker
Jake Arnold, welcome to Collectors Gene Radio. Hi, thank you so much for having me. My pleasure. So you have British roots and now you're based in Los Angeles. So I think it would be great for our listeners to know when you actually came from the UK and made your way to the US. Well, I actually last week officially became a citizen. So like that's ah ah a major change because I came almost 14 years ago. Wow. Congratulations. Thank you. So when I came, I did an internship over a summer and then fell in love with it. I'd never been here before. And then I decided when I went back to London that I was going to live a delusional life and tell everyone that I was moving to l LA. And eventually I kind of put it out there and it happened.
00:02:56
Speaker
And then I got on a plane, came here and worked for another interior designer and another architect. And it was really difficult and really hard because I had no, I didn't know anyone. It was very hard. And then I eventually worked for just the architect and he had a client who Let go I should say not fired to let go of the designer that she was working with at at the time and Asked me if she knew anyone who could do the house and I was ballsy enough and just said I'll do it and this was at a time when I literally had no experience or relationships with any any vendors or anything here and I just learn as I went and then I kind of built a
00:03:45
Speaker
the design interior design part of the architects business. And we kind of worked together for the next like six years until I ended up to it working on my own. So it was a journey.
00:03:58
Speaker
and How did that first project go? Was it a success? Was it a little rocky? yeah we actually well um In all honesty, that was one one moment I'll never forget where I went to the job site to do a check-in. When I tell you everything was wrong, like every electrical location, I just was so out of my depth.
00:04:21
Speaker
And I just burst into tears and was like having a full meltdown and and wanted to go back home. Cause I was just like, I can't do this. Well, I feel like the interior design world is pretty welcoming to anybody, you know, with open arms to answer questions though. So I'm sure you were probably able to use some resources, right? Yeah. I mean, look, I didn't have chat GPT then. So that was, that thefront but no, it was, and ultimately like anything worth it is hard. And like, that's just life. And I'm such a self starter and learn on the job. So I just pushed through.
00:04:56
Speaker
And then the house got on the cover of Better Homes and Gardens.
Design Influences and Brand Collaborations
00:05:00
Speaker
And so it went really well and still very close to the client now as a good friend of mine. And it was an incredible success. And I'll never forget, she turned around to me one day in the car and was like, just so you know, I can't tell you how.
00:05:14
Speaker
grateful I am that we're doing this together and I just love working with you and so it's it's important to know that even when you're struggling inside or something feels hard like not everyone can see that and that's okay like you kind of have to fake it a lot of the time and so that kept me and resilient and I just kept pushing through and then it was a huge success and I learned so much from that experience and then honestly that was at a time when like the phone was ringing like people would just call me randomly and say I saw you did like can you do my house like I wasn't speaking to like business managers or anyone I was like directly speaking to a lot of these clients would just call me on the phone
00:05:59
Speaker
And so I had to build my business around that, like building the plane while flying. So it was, it was very difficult. Well, I think you did it with such grace, you know, you've kind of entered into this world and and your success here has been meteoric. I mean, at at the minimum, and you've done so many product collaborations and all that stuff that we'll get to you've launched the expert, you've done all these amazing things and.
00:06:28
Speaker
Do you think that growing up in in Europe was able to have a significant influence on you? Because I do find that, you know, Europe has something that the US doesn't and that's this.
00:06:39
Speaker
ah charm, this old world charm, its history, its detail, it's all these things that a lot of times we don't get here. This was something I actually thought about last week when I became a citizen. it's like In my heart and soul, like I feel like an American in the sense that I'm so open to change and newness and opportunity and like really building something from nothing. like That's really my my natural state and I think from a sentiment of like history from both aesthetic and just like respecting the past I definitely was exposed to that naturally like it wasn't necessarily that I was going to these high cultural experiences but even just the school that I went to was like a Georgian and Edwardian like
00:07:32
Speaker
Manchin that turned into a school and I was always around architecture and design, but it wasn't necessarily like In it wasn't necessarily like a formal education whatsoever. And so I do think it definitely Sensibility wise had a huge impact and so my whole philosophy is like bringing the best of both where you have the European sensibility but with the relaxed and informalness of the US, which I think that Europe doesn't do that well, where everything feels very serious and not as livable. So I think that I try and marry those two ideas
Creating Livable Spaces in Californian Homes
00:08:15
Speaker
together. And it's kind of like why one of my biggest, I guess, someone that I look up to is like a Ralph Lauren type person who is able to connect all of those dots in a way that feels timeless, but also always interesting.
00:08:31
Speaker
Yeah, and I think what's interesting is that you know your style of design isn't traditional English by any means, but I think you know from what I see you know as ah as an outsider here is that there's so much inspiration from English design and you know the different text styles and using curtains instead of cabinets and things like that that you typically just don't see here.
00:08:53
Speaker
Totally. Yeah, I mean when I first started and especially being in in Los Angeles where everything was light and bright I was doing darker moodier like richer toned woods and stones and and other other materials that you just want people weren't doing that much here, so I definitely Think that at the time when I started like it was It was definitely a bolder approach, but it's how I personally like to live and create a cozy, comfortable, livable spaces that are impactful by nature and don't just necessarily look good on a picture, but really feel like your house or your home can support your lifestyle. And so that's a huge way in which I kind of draw on when I'm designing it. It's really like how I want to feel in the space, not just like, what does it look like? And in England specifically,
00:09:52
Speaker
It's got incredible architecture, craftsmanship and certain things that we don't have here in the US. And I do think that materiality, finish and, and, and again, craftsmanship and artisans is you don't have like the history that you do in the UK.
00:10:11
Speaker
specifically. So I definitely draw on a lot of those those aspects and it's funny for me because I've worked on a lot of like Tudor style or Georgian revival homes here. So I definitely bring that experience and exposure to the projects but it's it's again it's like it's it's an American Americanized version of but I think there's something great about that too.
00:10:39
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. I think, you know, when you look at homes like that and the history of of what they once were, um it's nice to see them revived still with a little bit of that touch because a lot of people will skip out on the outside, you know, the architecture and the facade of a home and just do whatever design style they want on the inside. And, you know, there's a time and place for that, but sometimes it needs to have a little bit of ah of an ode, right?
00:11:01
Speaker
Yeah, of course. i think I think anything in design is the difference between something that feels thematic and something that feels like inspired by. And I think that's what you have to be so careful with is that I'm a lot of the times working in architectural context where you're adding the soul, the depth, the character through millwork, cabinetry, architectural ornamentation, like whatever that may be.
00:11:30
Speaker
And it's not just like being in Europe where you can juxtapose and put any furniture in any space or go for the boldest color because the architecture really grounds everything. Whereas a lot of the projects
The Expert: Democratizing Design
00:11:42
Speaker
I've worked on especially on the West Coast, you don't have that grounded kind of juxtaposed nature of a space. And so creating that first has been always the challenge.
00:11:55
Speaker
I want to talk to you about The Expert. It's the company that you founded amongst all the other million things that you have going on. You decided to launch this platform that allows people to book consultations with designers to get advice, whether it's you or whether it's somebody else. They can actually book you and pay you to give advice. and you've curated an amazing shop and fantastic editorial and it's really in my opinion such a great platform and i've watched you started from the very beginning i remember when you you announced it that it was coming initially and it's been fun to watch it grow but what i love most about it is that it sheds light on just how
00:12:34
Speaker
collaborative and friendly the industry can be, right? Because yeah you're ah you're an interior designer amongst a million other people that are and you have your own clients and your own design style, but that doesn't mean that you're um you know going to turn your nose up about talking to other designers where I think a lot of other industries, you know, people don't collaborate this way.
00:12:55
Speaker
Totally. I mean, look, I on a personal note and professional have really understood the sentiment that there's enough for everyone in this world. And I think it's really important to shine a light that we have to like celebrate other people and show that there is enough space for not only just different designers stylistically but personality wise and what people bring to the table like there's such a plethora of incredible talent out there and so when we started the expert during COVID it was a natural
00:13:34
Speaker
It was a natural evolution because we were I was getting a lot of DMs on Instagram asking for advice and and to potentially do a Zoom call. And my best friend Leo Segal, who's my co-founder of the xs expert, was like, wait, why don't you just do one of these sessions? And I was so resistant, like most designers, like a few years ago, like the idea of design has such a negative connotation. But I ended up trialing one and realized how much kind of knowledge someone could take in an hour and then realized how many other designers were probably getting the same messages and so i I naturally reached out to a lot of my peers and friends of mine in the industry and came to find out that everyone was having the same idea and as designers with such people pleases and so we
00:14:24
Speaker
want to help people but we also don't have time and like sometimes you want to get compensated i mean all the time you want to be compensated in the way that a doctor does when you ask for an advice like you're not just giving a paint color like you're not just giving construction advice like it's a business and like first and foremost i'm i'm proud of the expert because it supports both The designer is a business owner, but also allows the end user it to have the best part of the process, which is to to to only work on creative discussions. And like that the idea is that it's a platform that works for everyone. And it's not just designer forward, but it's it's also for everyone and for people to have access to designers that they love around the world without having to geographically be
00:15:15
Speaker
in the same place so it's yeah to to to really hopefully answer that question is like there's enough for everyone and i believe in democratizing design because it's happened naturally so i like to lean into what happens naturally versus resist it and i think in the past a lot of designers or people have still say to me that like why would you want to share all your tips or why would you want to share all this content that's helping other people and people pay you for that. And I think that it's like there's so many different markets, like a full service client who's building a house from the ground up or doing a renovation is not that customer, they're different customers. And so I think that again, it's like there's enough for everyone. And I like to celebrate and people have a platform
00:16:06
Speaker
to really showcase their work. And that typically and not hat doesn't happen in many industries. like we We want to bring people together and have a community.
00:16:17
Speaker
Yeah. And I think the other great part about it is the shop that you've curated. There's so many great brands on there, whether they're new or vintage. And I think that also is something that's important is that it shed, it sheds light on, you know, people will see photos of, you know, the projects that you've done or another designer has done and they want to know where some of this, you know, object or furniture has come from and they can look right in your shop. And I think that's special. Yeah, absolutely. I think, I think ultimately that's just like the, was the natural progression of,
00:16:47
Speaker
Again, like having communities online, especially on social media and and seeing what people want and and giving exposure to these smaller brands that we love. And again, giving them a platform, like it's a win-win for everyone this way. And I think what makes designers kind of special in the sense that they're always evolving. So the idea is that this platform and the store is always expanding, evolving with new designers, new artisans, new brands and companies and really showcasing them and keeping it as up to date as possible as we explore and discover new companies as we go. um And it's just really fun to see. and And I use it as a resource in my own studio. so
00:17:35
Speaker
It helps my team tremendously when everything's in one place and the expat has an incredible infrastructure that supports. everyone on the trade. um So we have a trade program where other designers who have the same access to the same brands that I do, but they go through the expert because it has the support of navigating that like relationship between the vendor and making it as easy as possible for our trade customers as well. So that's been like a fun evolution to see how it's not just
00:18:10
Speaker
the average consumer, but also other design studios who also use use the expert platform for efficiency in the studio as well, which has been pretty interesting.
Personal Journey in Collecting and Sourcing
00:18:24
Speaker
Certainly. And a lot of the items that are in the shop are actually a lot of the things that you like to collect, you know, decor and object and furniture and books. Were you a collector growing up or which of these came first as you started to get interested in interior design?
00:18:39
Speaker
So I have to tell you that I'm one of those people that's all or nothing. So I've gone through most of my life like I'm not going to buy this until I have that house or I'm not going to do this until I figured out the whole story of how I want to design this space. And what I've learned in the last few years is The idea of collecting is like you don't need the context. Like if you love something, buy it and you keep it, you make it work. I can use it on a project or I get to have it and use it in different ways and live with things that you love. And so I've started collecting personally in the last few years in a different way than I had in the past. Like they used to have to be such a specific purpose.
00:19:24
Speaker
And now I find that every time I've moved and I have things that I collected, that they get to take on a whole new personality and experience. And so I think growing up I didn't, I was always about new. everything like Every time I would have a new room growing up, I would always want everything new. And so I'd only learn that collecting is really is really a choice and it's it's a lifestyle choice of like having things around you that you love that don't necessarily have purpose and that's okay. Now you have to source all of these things for your projects that you work on as well. What happens when you find something that fits perfect in your collections but could also be perfect for the client or a project?
00:20:12
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, again, it's it's that's always the hardest thing is like, I don't like to be too attached to anything because i I do feel like big picture of being attached to things in general is a dangerous space to be. So I do like to let things go. And if it works for the project, I always tend to put that first.
00:20:34
Speaker
because I have the benefit of being able to always be inspired or excited by anything new. And if it really works for the project, then I let the project have it. I think people would probably be curious to know, you know, when you do one of these projects and you style it the way that you want to style it with all these antiques or furniture, whatever it may be, is the client always saying, we're going to take all of this or do they then, once the project is over, kind of pick and choose the things they want to keep?
00:21:01
Speaker
So I would say it's a mix. In the past, I used to bring everything in on the install only, and they would decide what they wanted to keep and what they didn't. Now what I do, especially if it's a long project, like over two years, we start collecting like a year into the project. Once we have a kickoff of like kind of the the north star and the narrative of the project, and we start sending things like as we find and so by the by the time we do an install like they are the clients or a part of that process it really depends on the client's desire to be involved in that process and if they're able to buy into something that they love without necessarily knowing exactly where it goes because some clients need to know exactly
00:21:51
Speaker
what individual object is going on, what shelf, and that doesn't work, obviously, in in the the prior example.
European Influence on Design
00:22:00
Speaker
So it's a mix and it's a combination, but I do find when people see things in situ, they're nine to times more likely to buy it and when they see it in in context and styled. Because I do think the styling and the usage and showing clients how things can be displayed as a huge part of that approval process. Yeah, for sure. Is there a place that you love to travel most to, to collect and source? I mean, I've followed along with you and you go to the Paris flea market and you bring back a bunch of amazing, you know, objects and vintage barware and all that sort of stuff. Is that kind of the, the grill for you?
00:22:40
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, i the reason I've gone to France a lot is I honestly love spending time there in general. So i like to i've I've done taken a lot of trips there because I enjoy spending time there, regardless of collecting. So it feels like unless and it's not necessarily such an intentional trip just to go for that purpose, but now I would say that I'm trying to carve out more time to go to other like there's somewhere in Brussels that I really want to go to and this next year and a few other places I have on my list for collecting but when I was in Paris last time we actually went to
00:23:16
Speaker
a local, I don't even know what it was but what we call it in the US but we used to call it like a car boot sale where it's just like people sitting with their cars and it's in all their stuff in their trunk like it it was outside of the city and it was all just it was all local French people but going through all of those items and getting like the most amazing deals and just seeing things that are so like you would see in the in the other flea market and they'd be 10 times the price. So I think there's also like places outside when you're in Europe, like someone's selling that all their grandma's old stuff is going to be 10 times sheaker than anything you're going to find here. So
00:24:04
Speaker
I think it's just, it's interesting how design in European families is just an inherent part of their culture. It's not, you don't necessarily have to be into design. It's like weft into the culture. So someone has a beautiful chair or a lamp or an objet. It wasn't necessarily because that person was a design maven. It just is a more common thing that you see.
00:24:31
Speaker
Yeah, usually when you see people buying things out of trunks and in the US, it's it's usually not antiques. Yeah, it's not antiques. And it's again, it's like that that's that's what's so amazing about going outside of the city and in major European countries is that design is so is such a huge part of history. And I think it's what I really respect about France. And I love in a different way to maybe somewhere like Italy that while Italy is also very design focused. Like the average person in France has such knowledge on design in a way that i've it's is very interesting to see. Like there's this like excellence that they have and uphold so that the rest of the world can break the rules, but they're such rule followers and I find it kind of charming.
00:25:25
Speaker
Do you feel that being a collector yourself helps you a lot when it comes to doing projects and, you know, sourcing different objects and materials and all that sort of stuff? Is it, does it make it easier? Definitely. I mean, it's changed my whole perspective from when I first started to things being very rigid that I now have given myself the permission to be a lot more organic because collecting myself, I don't need the full context. Like one minute it could be,
00:25:55
Speaker
a chinoiserie cabinet, the next minute it's a Scandinavian light fixture. Like it doesn't matter what it is, it just, if you love it, then you buy it and you put it together. And it's really not the objects themselves that the magic happens. I think it's how things are used and placed and styled together is what brings something together. it's It's really how I approach even buying clothing. It's like, if you have,
00:26:24
Speaker
a closet what like of an amazing classic pieces and then a few fun pieces and you have that to draw upon. It's the same way of working and collecting beautiful furniture, lighting and object because it's it's always evolving and
Aesthetic Reflections and Critiques
00:26:42
Speaker
expanding. And I think that it helps when working on clients houses is my whole goal is that it doesn't look like they've moved into a brand new house that has everything has been and designed by an interior designer. like I want it to look like they've collected things themselves over time and that they've brought pieces of furniture in from different houses and and like created something from what they had. like To me, that's the skill that I've tried to expand upon is like letting other people who aren't collectors feel like they have been collectors themselves.
00:27:18
Speaker
Well, I think you've excelled at that. I mean, you do projects all over the world, not just California. I mean, you've done stuff in Stade, you've done stuff in in California, you know, across across the country. Is there a place, whether it's in the US or in another country, that you love to work on the homes the most, you know, based on the architecture or the style or the neighborhoods?
00:27:40
Speaker
I mean, i think i mean if i if i if I could do anything, I would love to do something in London because I haven't worked in London. And i since I was a kid, I've always been obsessed with Jordan townhouses. like That's my dream palette to work on. And yeah, working in Switzerland was an amazing experience to to have a completely different context.
00:28:03
Speaker
But i think I think it's just more to come, like more so like what I've done in the past, it's been so different because it's either been a lot of new construction or I will say what I do really enjoy working on specifically in Montecito is like the older like Spanish revival, like Italian, Palladian style houses. Like I do love working on those because they do have like a whimsical nature that when you go to like Italy specifically, it's just a different, it's a little more playful. So i do I do love the context of California projects because you don't have to be as serious, which I like. Yeah, Montecito is pretty incredible. I mean, the the architecture alone there, you really don't feel like you're in California. And I feel like for you,
00:28:53
Speaker
all that you do and all the different design styles that you mix, you know, a Scandinavian or a Swedish lamp here with French sconces, like those sorts of things lend to those homes, like perfectly. Yeah. I mean, but that's what's so amazing about California and and even in LA, it's that you can have a street with a Georgian style house, a Tudor style house, a French Normandy and a contemporary and it all works. Like it it, you don't have rules.
00:29:24
Speaker
And so while that can sometimes be difficult when there's bad design, it's amazing if you have the freedom to be creative. And there's this book, it's like a, I think it's called California Romantica, and it's just like an amazing, almost like love letter to how California creates a landscape.
00:29:45
Speaker
to imagine so many different lifestyles and I think that's what drew me to move her in the first place honestly is like I just find there to be such magic in in that and the idea of possibility and it's I kind of in my book had written about um like a chapter about charisma and I do think that like being in a place that allows you to have an open mind with no ceiling has kind of really given my design philosophy a huge boost, because now if I was working, even when I was working in Staab, it's like so strict. Everything is so by the book and being able to maneuver, being around people who are such purists, that it's like respecting the context, but also unknowing the rules so that you can
00:30:42
Speaker
rate them in a way that still feels respectful and timeless, but like gives them something to to feel different and interesting.
00:30:53
Speaker
Why do you think, especially in a place like California, maybe more so Los Angeles specifically, that all the new homes that are being built are just these glass boxes? There's no molding, there's no you know architecture and arches. like like Even the homes that are in Montecito and Santa Barbara, you just don't see that being built anymore.
00:31:14
Speaker
Well, i feel I do feel like in the last couple of years, I've seen a shift that people are leaning towards homes with character or at least trying to replicate that because I think that and know in LA specifically, I think, especially when people have a view, they're trying to expand on the view and not realize that it's not,
00:31:37
Speaker
it's like have something to be surprised by and I think when you see everything at once it doesn't allow for those moments where in traditional architecture you have beautiful enfilades and interesting openings and viewpoints to create different moments and the idea of like contemporary glass box type houses Is almost like there's too much of a good thing. It's like there's too like almost like you don't want to wake up I don't want to wake up in a room that is glass floor to ceiling On three walls where I feel like i'm in a glass house and I think that it's not Considered how people actually live and what feels comfortable and cozy for a human being and not just for a party so Yeah, and also it's a question of taste like to some people they find
00:32:26
Speaker
older homes dark and have low ceilings like you see people tear down the most beautiful houses here to build the ugliest houses but again it's all opinion and that's the best and the worst part about design is that it's so subjective.
00:32:44
Speaker
Now, I picked a few of my favorite interiors that you've done. and A lot of these are older projects and and are what's shown on your website. and I know that you've done a lot since then, um but these are the ones that everybody can go out and see because I know a lot of clients like to remain private and don't necessarily want their pictures everywhere, so I get that. But these are a few from your website and I picked an item from each project that I just felt was interesting or or caught my eye and you know figured I would just see if you could tell me a little bit something, ah whether where you sourced it or why you felt it was special for the space. Does that sound good? Sure. I remember, yeah.
00:33:22
Speaker
So the first one's in ah Villa Vendome and in the living room with the fireplace, you have this Swedish floor lamp with two shades and the arms are kind of going in asymmetrical directions. And I just love how it's such a delicate looking piece in terms of simplicity, but it packs such a big punch in terms of design.
00:33:42
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, I would say a lot of light fixtures that I tend to use are more of like a feminine touch because I do think that they soften a space, especially in that room with like the stone fireplace and the darker sofa, like it just adds.
00:34:01
Speaker
a softness to it. um And that's why I really love the sculptural element of it too. And so I think when using, whether it's drapery, floor lamps, anything that's like your largest vertical in a room is being really cognizant of like the silhouettes that it creates. And like, that's a perfect example of something that has structure, has purpose and beauty. So like really combining all of those three is, is is I would say subconsciously part of my intention when sourcing that. Love it. The next one is the Montecito Tudor. And you have this French trestle table in the master bedroom that you actually use as a desk or a writing table. And I love this because most people don't think to use tables like these as desks. Right. Well, the one thing I learned when
00:34:55
Speaker
working in Europe and also just like thinking about growing up. Some of the people that I i went to this very small school and a lot of the people lived in these like very old like amazing houses. i was I was the poor one in the school, but I used to go to all these amazing houses all the time and I loved how you would just see beautiful pieces piece of furniture used in the way that they needed it to be used for. So instead of buying something as a desk or a nightstand or a side table, it's like this is what we have and like this is gonna be a desk because that's what we need it to be and it's perfect and I don't need to have every single drawer and compartment and I find a lot of times in the U.S. everyone wants
00:35:45
Speaker
That look but they also they want i want three drawers and i want an outlet and i also need it to have a swivel chair and it's like okay well now this isn't that so great it's it's retraining that like if you want that type of look that things for collected and.
00:36:02
Speaker
the usage is maybe not what it was intended for. like You have to accept the imperfection. And I think that that is a huge part of the storytelling when I work with clients. it's like There's an imperfection to Everything like you want to buy that console table for the dining room. It's going to maybe be slightly undulated and like maybe the plate when you put it on them might not sit perfectly flat but it works and people have been doing it for hundreds of years in Europe and you just have to accept that that is a a Reason why something is amazing not an imperfection certainly
00:36:42
Speaker
The next one is ah the Beverly Hills hillside home and flanking the fireplace. You have these two amazing, I believe they're Roy air sconces with the multiple arms and shades. And to me, it's such a state in, in that room and something that you would expect to see, you know, in a French country home that's just coming to the market out of been having been in a family for a hundred years. And I just felt like it was such a smart piece of, you know, lighting to put in that space.
00:37:11
Speaker
I mean, I think with those specifically, I always like to think of ways that I can introduce color without it being the biggest element in the room. And these were like this deep, almost like a burgundy red.
00:37:26
Speaker
And it was very intentional that we actually didn't do anything in the center of the fireplace because of these lights. And so they were chosen really for like the scale and the idea of bringing color in an interesting way. And again, like creating interesting silhouettes and shadowing. And I thought what was nice about how we installed them is that we we did leave the space around there for them to really be the focal point.
00:37:56
Speaker
Yeah, I love that because your eyes go directly to them. And I'm assuming they were Roy air sconces, right? Yeah, they were, they were old. One of them was like, we had to have refinished, but they were kind of little shades of new, obviously. But yes.
00:38:14
Speaker
So I'm curious about those because obviously Roy air stuff is very, you know, high end now and expensive and, um, and fairly rare. Is that something that a client specifies they want, you know, do they know like, Hey, I want, I want some genre air pieces, or is that something that you bring in and kind of surprise them with?
00:38:33
Speaker
I think it depends. This client specifically had a little more knowledge than most and definitely did throw out a few names. And again, like I think everything's a lot of people are talking about.
00:38:49
Speaker
like, Royère or Jean Oré or Torell, like, there's like a combo package of, I think, just designers that everyone, it gets so overdone that it becomes like, oh, I want this because this is, to a lot of people, it's like wearing a Birkin bag. It's like,
00:39:08
Speaker
It's not really based on design for them. It becomes more of a status symbol, I think. And I think at the time when we did this, like that was not really the case. But more so, I see people throwing out names for the idea of status and the things that they have. Owning it or? Yeah, a bus is like actually loving something.
00:39:32
Speaker
Right. And it's much easier for you to find them than for them to find them. Yeah, exactly. And then again, a lot of times people get a sticker shock on how much these things actually are. Right. Right. Like if you have a 20 foot dining table and you want all genre chairs, you better understand how much it's going to cost. Exactly. And I think some people value that and I have some clients who are, again, our collectors, they collect art, they value that. And then other people are like, I just like the look of that. And so it's a different, and then at that point it's like you have to look at something completely different because we're not making something like that.
Project Flexibility and Creative Design
00:40:05
Speaker
Because again, it's like the education of respecting design for people who don't necessarily have
00:40:13
Speaker
that much skin in the game, I think it's just re-educating. And I like to always give analogies to clients, especially if they're in entertainment or music or fashion or whatever. It's like explaining to them that it's the same thing of just disregarding like the past. It's like we can all be inspired by things. And I think there's nothing wrong with creating something that maybe has like a similar line or material, whatever, but like,
00:40:43
Speaker
Again, it' it all depends on the client and what they're willing to spend and what they value certain things. And the value is what's so personal for people. The last one I'll ask you about is the Brentwood Spanish Revival Home. And in the entryway, I believe, you have this really rustic triangular table with an opposing toned wood top. And it's such a statement piece, especially as you walk into an already very rustic home. Yeah. I mean that space was always very difficult because we didn't have that much space when you entered, but it always felt to me that it needed a specific piece, but any other console table wouldn't have worked and would have been far too large for the space. So,
00:41:33
Speaker
I, again, I think it was two weeks before we were doing the inst install, found that piece and actually in l LA. And I was like, Oh my God, this is perfect. Like this definitely, like we have to try this and we brought it to the house. And there are things like that, that I don't necessarily show the client first. And I bring it to the house to try it out, especially if it's local.
00:41:55
Speaker
And that's why the magic happens. Like I always allow for a certain percent of things to happen on the install week because some things you can't plan for. And sometimes you don't have the perfect piece until you find it. And I think that if the client accepts that and they want to have a beautiful house, like there's an element of patience that maybe you don't have every single thing done the day that the install is done because it's just not how I typically now work in the way that I used to where it was a mad rush to get everything done and then you'll start with it. So I think it's good to take your time. For folks that are decorating their own home,
00:42:37
Speaker
What do you suggest they do to think outside of the box, right? For example, I think it was a long time ago, maybe during COVID that you posted a picture. It was possibly Jen Rubio's house that you did in the Hamptons. And you took this hexagonal dining table base from what looked like House of Leon. And instead of using the glass top that they suggest on their website, you put this massive stone, maybe travertine top on it. And it was such a dramatic piece to just put in the middle of a room and I feel like it's creative thinking like that, which really takes homes to the next level. Definitely. I think, I think again, it's how do you take something that really like maybe doesn't typically belong in that context and reimagine it. So I always like to think about.
00:43:24
Speaker
not necessarily always reinventing the wheel from scratch but how do you use a certain material or apply it in a new way. Especially when it comes to like bathrooms, kitchens, spaces that people don't tend to add certain decor or accessories or aubergé or like reimagine things and so it's almost like to your your example is like, how do you change the top of a console table that maybe is glass, but you now put stone on it? Or how do you elevate like seating by maybe doing like two different fabrics for the that chair or on the cushion and like giving it a whole different personality or whatever it is. Like I think just thinking about the components and how to give it a new point of view.
00:44:17
Speaker
And I think when people are in doubt and they don't know what to do, I always say do less, like edit, it remove something because I think sometimes people get caught up that every surface or every single thing needs to have something and there's a beauty in the void.
00:44:35
Speaker
And so knowing what that void is and feeling it out, I think elevates the pieces that are remaining and makes things feel more elevated, in my opinion. I think if you're not going full maximalist and you're not someone that loves to be around so many objects, the idea of being minimalist, I think can be cold sometimes it for it to not feel cold. It's like the pieces that do remain, like thinking about texture, thinking about scale,
00:45:04
Speaker
And again, playing with scale, like do a tiny, tiny mirror over a sink in a powder room is so much more elevated than just buying any ah any old mirror. I think is just an interesting way to to do that. And lighting, vintage lights are everything. I try to majority only use vintage lighting, especially lamps for sure.
00:45:30
Speaker
And I think that's an easy way for anyone to kind of introduce soul into their space. Certainly. Yeah. And I feel like that's kind of what. a lot of contemporary or you know big box retail or furniture stores do wrong these days is they're showing all this outdoor furniture tables and all that stuff and it's like show how that looks in your home you know on the inside because it is stone and you know this stone table could look really interesting as a dining table or as a console table or you know as nightstands or whatever it may be and I think that
00:46:07
Speaker
that you know They've done a great job at creating beautiful products in some of these companies, but they don't do a good job at educating people on design.
Designing for Brands: Process and Philosophy
00:46:16
Speaker
Totally. But i but i think I think people have got a lot better, like these bigger brands have got a lot better in the last couple of years of just showcasing, especially with design and collaborations, and that's like why they do those collaborations is to give that educational insight, I think, to a much bigger audience.
00:46:37
Speaker
Certainly. and I want to talk about that because that's the other side of collecting, which is creating collections for brands like Crate and Barrel and Lulu in Georgia and Parachute. and You've done such a great job at creating interesting out-of-the-box items that that you've really never seen from these brands before and the way that you've styled them and photographed them. um It's the opposite of what I was just saying. It's like you saw this happening with these big brands and you're like, okay, let me do this right. Let me create these products and let me stage them in these photographs to show people how they can feel lived in. It's not just a white background on the product page. I have a lot of those items in our home. I have the Crawford sofa, I have the Murfield chair,
00:47:21
Speaker
the the state consult table simply because I do feel like they are timeless pieces and they are pieces that I will be able to travel with from home to home. and Well, thank you so much. It's so nice of you. um Yeah, I mean, that whole process for me was one of the best experiences I've had in my career. Honestly, like I loved every second of it.
00:47:46
Speaker
And it was just so fun to reimagine certain pieces. And again, like think about them as classic pieces, even or even if they're not vintage or antiques, is I think every single thing you typically see from big box retailers, like I never really see that like nice patina or finish or scale that is done in a way that feels like a more expensive piece. And I've been using these pieces from Crayon Barrow in multi-million dollar homes and projects and you can't really differentiate the difference once they're all mixed in with everything else. And that was the goal. Like I wanted to to not just put my name on something, but really be deeply involved in the process of working on all of the materiality and being such a stickler for that on my projects anyway. And just shining a light on how
00:48:42
Speaker
just because it's something that's more affordable doesn't mean it has to sacrifice on quality or detail. So it was, it sucked to me that like combines all the things I enjoy about this industry as the design element, but then sharing it with a bigger audience. And so it allows me to fulfill that versus with clients. It's a much higher end, more expensive time consuming process. So to be able to have that as a vessel has been so amazing.
00:49:12
Speaker
Certainly, and I think you know for me, the the the one piece or the two pieces of of that Crate and Barrel collab that you did that speak to everything you just said is is the Crawford sofa because one, I think um you see a lot of products that these big box retailers put out and you're like, okay, I get it. It's new fabrics, slightly different, maybe designed, but with yours, like the Crawford sofa,
00:49:40
Speaker
You did a bench seat, which not many people do in sofas and you did this like pleated skirt on the bottom of it, which you just don't see anywhere and the curve back and the arms. And I just, I love that they let you run with the design and they weren't like handcuffing you to, you know, their design styles and all that. And they just let you have it and and do whatever you wanted. And, uh, it shows.
00:50:04
Speaker
Totally. Yeah, I mean that that was really the best part about it is I didn't sacrifice one thing. Like there was lessons on the way in terms of materiality for like mass, like a larger consumption but I will say like the design process, they encourage that creativity. And that's why we're, that's why they're doing these collaborations. They want to expand the horizons and a bigger audience to have more access to well-designed thoughtful pieces that you don't see all the time. Like, and it's a benefit for their existing customer too. And so that, that, that they do exceptionally well. And I i have other,
00:50:49
Speaker
friends who have done the collaborations and maybe it's not the same at every company that doesn't have those sort of restrictions, but it's also the capabilities and with Creighton Barrow specifically, they have such a broad range of capabilities that allow for an exploration of design to happen. And so that that's the, the, the funnest pie I think of the process. Certainly. What's your typical approach to creating and designing these collections? I mean, is it,
00:51:18
Speaker
Uh, do you come in there with fresh ideas or fresh heart or is it, you know, let's start riffing on some, some inspiration. It's a mixed bag. I think it's some of it is okay. Like what do we have such a hard time finding naturally? And what do we typically make custom all the time? And how do we bring that into something that is available and easy and a huge part of it? Like, especially with upholstery pieces, 90% of the time I'm making custom pieces.
00:51:47
Speaker
And then when it comes to some of the cabinet, cabinetry and credenzas and consoles, it's again, it's like scale is never right. Especially with like larger, bigger box companies. Everything is always too small or it can be too big actually in other cases. I won't mention any names, but I know. And I do think that that element is so important like purpose and functionality is such a at the forefront of my
00:52:19
Speaker
design philosophy that I like to think about what's not available first, instead of just more of something just because of the sake of design, because this is not the audience where it's just about design without purpose. And then another part is I'm always talking about collecting. I collect imagery, like I'm ah um an image collector across the board and I have folders.
00:52:44
Speaker
of just images like from old books I have so many things that I collect and then I go through them and I see what was inspiring whether it's an architectural detail like whether it's materials or construction of of furniture or something and then take that and then come up with something that feels unique and interesting but also doesn't disarm people because I think that there's this idea that it's also for the customer, like that's currently shopping at the brand that you're working with. And so I like to consider who those people are who may have never heard of me know the work I do. There's no context. And so it needs to stand on its own and not have to have context for someone to appreciate it.
Personal Home Design and the Role of Art
00:53:34
Speaker
Certainly. Before we wrap it up with the collector's dream rundown,
00:53:39
Speaker
I've seen that you're working on your own home, which is so exciting to see the process go through and and all the decisions that you're making and everybody's standing on the sidelines and and can't wait to see the finished product. But I would have to assume that this is maybe the most difficult project that you've done thus far just because your your tastes are so broad and how do you hone it in to to something for yourself?
00:54:01
Speaker
It's so hard, I can't tell you. like it's It's so fun because i i'm so like lived I was just there this morning, just like pointing at walls, knocking things down. like There's no plan. Normally, I'm sitting with a plan for three years doing an electrical plan, a plumbing plan. Here, it's just like doing whatever I feel like that day.
00:54:23
Speaker
And so it is so hard because I know what's available. I know what's out there. I also don't want to be so tied down to one direction. And the house specifically might have not been my first choice originally when I was looking at houses, but I've come to love the modern element of the space. And so it's hard because I'm always like, how do I make this feel like me, but also what with the, with the space. And I think the honing in and the editing is really just about the finishes, because I think that having an element of consistency always ties things together. And no, there's no wrong decision is what I'm learning in this is like, there's 20,000 ways I could do this house. That would all be good. And I just have to commit to one. Well, I'm sure whatever it turns out to be, it's going to be amazing and we can't wait to see it.
00:55:18
Speaker
thank you wow Hopefully I wish I would didn't have to pay for it. That would make it easier. Yeah. Well, that's, that's the hardest part, right? Let's wrap it up with the collector's team rundown. You can answer these questions based on the things that you collect for yourself or whether it's things you're curating for projects or even the collections that you've done with some of the big brands like Crate and Barrel and Parachute, Lulu and Georgia. So the first one is what's the one that got away? Oh my God. Well, something just got away recently.
00:55:48
Speaker
this set of chairs that I was obsessed with. They were like, I think they were 1950s, like mahogany dining chairs that they had like a Shinwazuri feel to them, but they were incredible and they just sold. And I was desperate to buy them. So I'm sad about it. Were they at a dealer locally? They were actually in Missouri randomly. Like I don't even know how it's like, how did they end up there? I don't know how ended it ended up there, which is a whole nother story, but I, I loved these chairs so much and they would have been so perfect for my house. All right. Another, another set will come around. be Another set. I've just never seen anything like it before. Now now you're going to see a bunch of them. that life The on deck circle. So what's next for you in collecting maybe something else that you're hunting after for your house or for a project you're working on?
00:56:42
Speaker
So right now, oh my God, I'm looking for so many different things. It's like endless, but i i'm I'm looking specifically right now for a beautiful like oversized humongous cabinet that I can use in a project that has like, I think it's like, there's like 12-foot ceilings in the living room and I want to do this entire wall that's like a 10-foot wall.
00:57:08
Speaker
just covered in like a humongous cabinet. And I always seem to see them all the time until I need them. So I'm going to hunt for that for sure. And a less expensive like Carlo Bugatti set of chairs, but that's always hunting for those. The unobtainable. So this is one that's too expensive in a museum, a private collection, just complete unobtainium.
00:57:31
Speaker
Oh my god, that's such a good question. Oh, there was actually this desk that I saw in the Victorian Albert Museum in London. And I actually can't remember the design, the name of the designer I'd have to like send it to afterwards. And it was completely covered in, it was like in like a silver leaf, this desk. And it was the most stunning thing I've ever seen, like, unbelievable. And then when I looked it up, I think, I think the desk is like,
00:58:00
Speaker
maybe $600,000. Unbelievable. That's why it's in the museum that's it's in the museum. But it was, it was an amazing piece. This is the page one rewrite. So if you could collect anything else, money is no object. What would it be? If I could collect anything and money was no object. Oh my God. That's such a hard question. I mean, ah, I think like is the first thing that I would be collecting. Like I would be,
00:58:28
Speaker
that's There's so much art. I actually just installed this project in the Hamptons and the client has the most incredible art collection, which is something that is so hard to love someone else's art collection. like I don't think that's as common. And there were some pieces, and even artists that aren't necessarily as known, but just incredible pieces that I think in the last three years have become much more well known. And that's what I would buy. It's just the most incredible art collection. what What kind of art are you attracted to? Do you like, you know, more neoclassical and portraiture or old masters or more contemporary? Definitely a mix. I love old masters, but I also do love, like, I, there's like a, there's an element of some art that I do find the austere, almost a little creepy. I do like, to be honest. Yeah.
00:59:21
Speaker
like I like something where you really don't know its origins and there's a lot of like contemporary artists now that I find have so many sentiments of like the old mask like the depth and the richness of subject and color and but also doing it in a more contemporary way that feels I don't know like for me art I'm such a believer that There are things that you just love and you enjoy them and you enjoy being around them. And I don't look at art in terms of just collecting to collect from a financial standpoint. It's got to catch your eye. Yeah. and And I find that that's what I really love about this in this um house I just finished is like the pieces, like regardless of what the interior is and the furnishings were, like the actual art collection is so solid and strong and has such a unique
01:00:15
Speaker
perspective and different mediums and different origins that i I find made the biggest difference compared to projects in the past where I found the art collection is is weak and is not necessarily, again, being collected over time.
Conclusion and Rapid-Fire Insights
01:00:30
Speaker
Or commensurate maybe with the home. Yeah. Yeah. I think sometimes people choose art too decoratively, but I understand it's a very expensive investment, but I do think it's the difference between A great space and an incredible space and that again depends on for me working with clients. I like someone who has their own collection because it's working with some Boundaries, I think is good certainly How about the goat? Who do you look up to in the collecting world or who do you think is just another? amazing collector, I mean, I think Jacques brand is like an amazing collector because I felt like
01:01:09
Speaker
the way he uses objects and and pieces in a way that feels so unique but so grounded in the past in the same way and I just I love the mix of how everything is used because for me the collection like I said before is is all about its execution and how you're living with the pieces and I think that Jacques Grange has made pieces in all the walk, like so livable and beautiful to be around and doesn't feel so austere and serious. The hunt or the ownership? Which one do you enjoy more? The ownership. Definitely the ownership. Love it. And most importantly, do you feel that you were born with the collector's gene?
01:02:01
Speaker
Yes. Yes. I mean, yeah. But I'm also, the thing is why I say it with I'm hesitating is I'm also someone that doesn't need anything. Like I also am happy with, like I'm not tied to things. So it's like while I enjoy it and it's, and it's a passion, I don't seek identity from it. If that makes sense.
01:02:24
Speaker
Totally makes sense. Jake Arnold, thank you so much for coming on Collector's Dream Radio. Cheers to you and all the collaboration products and and projects and homes that you're doing and good luck with your own home. and ah you know you you You launched a coffee table book. You have so much going on and ah you deserve it. So cheers to you and and thanks again. Thank you so much for having me. It's such a pleasure. I love what you do and appreciate it.
01:02:52
Speaker
Alright, that does it for this episode. Thank you all for listening to collector's gene radio