Designer Crush: Miranda Kerr
Author:Lindsey ShookSupermodel, mom and entrepreneur Miranda Kerr has proved time and time again that she is a renaissance woman, capable of success with any venture she pursues. And her latest endeavor, LOVE. JOY.BLISS., a lovely collection of furniture and casegoods, doesn’t disappoint. Like Kerr, each piece offers a combination of laid-back California style with a touch of glam. Here she shares what inspired her foray into design and how she spends her Sundays.
–When did you first discover a love of furniture design and what sparked your interest? Design and interiors have been a passion of mine for a long time. Over the years I’ve decorated several of my own homes, from my apartment in New York to my home in Malibu, and most recently our family home in Los Angeles. I’m a homebody so my home is my sanctuary and I really put a lot of time and energy into making it look and feel just right – I’m extremely detail oriented. I’m also a very tactile person, so the way a room or furniture piece looks and feels is very importation to me.
When I was approached by Universal Furniture to collaborate with them on a full home furnishing range, it felt like an incredible opportunity and fit as I already had so much experience (and joy!) decorating and designing pieces for my own homes. I’m also a very creative person and love designing – I design all the packaging and creative visuals for my skincare line KORA Organics, and have also designed tea sets & giftware for Royal Albert, jewelry for Swarovski and a fashion capsule collection for Mother Denim.
Although each of my homes that I’ve designed was very different in terms of the look and feel, the one common thread amongst them was incorporating pieces that bring about a warm, loving energy into each of the spaces… and that’s what I’ve been inspired by and have set out to create with each piece of this collection.
–How would you describe the overall aesthetic of LOVE. JOY. BLISS.? I would say LOVE.JOY.BLISS. is timeless collection. It’s a contemporary mix of modern and traditional with soft, neutral colors and beautiful fabrics. Each item is unique in style and the collection is sprinkled with gorgeous brass details, geometric shapes, colored glass and mother of pearl inlay. What I love about the collection is that each piece has the ability to integrate with existing pieces in your home. They are effortlessly stylish, yet functional and family friendly.
My intention when creating this collection was to have pieces that not only were beautiful and functional, but also have an element of uplifting energy. Originally, Love was for the bedroom, Joy was for the kitchen and dining, and Bliss for the living room; however, the entire collection encompasses the energy of Love, Joy and Bliss and many of the pieces are versatile from room to room.
-How did you decide to collaborate with Universal Furniture and how does their philosophy and style align with yours? I was approached by Universal Furniture and as soon as I met the team, I knew it would be a great fit as we all connected immediately. They really understood my aesthetic and vision for the collection and allowed me the freedom to create. It’s a wonderful partnership and I’m so excited to finally launch the collection!
–What’s a typical day like when you’re in the process of designing pieces?A typical day is very busy and highly productive! I am certainly in my element. When I take on a new project I give it my all. I’m incredibly hands on and involved every step of the way. My mother always said to me “If you’re going to do something, do it right or don’t do it at all” – This has stuck with me and I feel inspired me in so many ways.
I have been very involved in the entire process from the initial concept. I came to our first meeting prepared with a full mood board, color palette and swatches of fabrics. I shared my vision for each piece, from design and sketching, to materials, fabrics, the colors and different tones and textures, through to prototypes and finished products, and now into the marketing side of things.
Throughout the process I collaborated, provided thoughts, notes, feedback and ideas, focusing on the detail of each piece, working on it until I felt it was right. I am very proud of what we created.
–What are some unique challenges in the world of professional design that are distinct from the challenges you’ve faced in previous professional roles? Distinct rewards? With each new experience comes new challenges and rewards. This collaboration allowed me to draw on my experiences in product development and manufacturing, and from the creative side, the design process, through to shooting the campaign and marketing as well implement my attention to detail in the fit and fabrics.
One of the challenges we came across that was a bit different than challenges I’ve faced in my other roles, was the fact that with furniture we are manufacturing much larger scale items so it can sometimes be a bit limited when it comes to small details. For example, as I mentioned earlier, LOVE. JOY.BLISS is the name and inspiration for the collection. I originally wanted to incorporate more individual notes/affirmations written somewhere special & unique on each piece – such as on the inside of a nightstand drawer when you pull it out. However, from a manufacturing standpoint, that was going to be too complex and costly to achieve on each piece. So I had to compromise and settle with a LOVE.JOY.BLISS tag or placard, depending on the item, instead. Each item still has those positive words and energy, and that’s ultimately what I wanted to achieve, so I’m happy.
I learned a lot from the wonderful team at Universal and like any project, there were a couple obstacles along the way, but that just made the final outcome that much more rewarding.
–What are some of your biggest design-oriented dreams and goals? This is something I have wanted to pursue for a long time, so to collaborate and work with the inspiring team at Universal has been a wonderful introduction into the industry that has really reignited my creative side. I have loved the entire process and can’t wait to do more.
–Describe your ideal Sunday from a.m. to p.m. Sunday is my favorite day of the week. I love to spend Sunday’s switching off from the outside world and enjoy some quality time with my family. We love to have a picnic in our garden, jump on the trampoline, play board games, and draw together. I try not to schedule anything in, so we can just be together at home and relax.
I like to begin winding down my Sunday evening by putting on a favorite playlist, lighting candles and cooking an early dinner for my family. After dinner we do the usual nightly routine of baths, stories and bedtime for the kids before I embark on my own Sunday night self-care routine.
Sunday’s for me are about replenishing my mind and body, and filling my heart with love and laughter. As they say… ‘A Sunday well spent brings a week of content’.
LIGHTNING ROUND!
–Go-to breakfast? Home-made oatmeal
–First concert? Stevie Nicks
–Favorite book? Power vs. Force by David Hawkins
–Number one destination on your travel bucket list? Somewhere over the rainbow…
–Current TV obsession? I very rarely watch TV, but a while back I watched a few episodes of West World with my husband and that was cool!
