Designer Spotlight: Jenn Feldman
Today I'm excited to bring you a new installment of our Designer Spotlight Series. We're featuring Jenn Feldman, a former beauty and fashion publicist, who was inspired to launch her interior design business after her talents were recognized by Nate Berkus. Read on for a fun Q&A with her - she tells us about how she got on a big TV show, her favorite place to shop for vintage pieces, the two biggest design mistakes she sees people commonly make and much more!
Q: How would you describe your design style?
A: Traditional with a modern twist. High meets low, the created meets the found. A mix of style and layers to create a space that feels like home.
Q: How did you get into design?
A: Totally backwards! I got on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2007 for decorating my townhouse in Beverly Hills. I was chosen by Nate Berkus in a design contest and after the show aired, my phone started ringing - it was crazy! After a successful 10 years in PR, I finally realized this was my time, and my calling. It was always my passion, I just had to realize it was also my career path. In 2009 I opened Jenn Feldman Designs and the rest is history.
Q: What’s your design philosophy?
A: Anything you do is everything you do ... details matter. Style is your own set of rules, whether it's the way you dress or the way you live - if it doesn't work for you then it just doesn't work. Be confident in your choices and put yourself in a room with people that are smarter than you. You will always come out ahead!
Q: What’s a typical day like for you?
A: I've never had the same day twice! My mornings are filled with coffee and kids. After that it's off to the races. Clients, calls, curating, connecting, coordinating. If I'm lucky, we get a bite to eat in the middle of it, and then we juggle again through the afternoon. The days are crazy! But I wouldn't change a thing.
Q: Are there any daily rituals or routines that you feel have really served you?
A: I love my notepad and starting the day with a clean list. It's old school and I'm sure it would be more efficient to track it on the computer, but there's something very gratifying about crossing off what you've accomplished and flipping to a clean page every day. It's what my first boss taught me 20+ years ago in NYC and it's stuck with me ever since! 
Q: What do you usually start with when designing a room?
A: The feeling. How does the client want to feel in the space, and how can we help create that feeling for them?
Q: What do you do when you have a creative block?
A: Pinterest! Art books! I go searching for visual inspiration ... there's always a different angle to see something. You just have to unlock it.
Q: What's a design mistake you see people commonly make?
A: LIGHTING ... and scale. The most common mistake, and the most impactful thing to fix, is lighting. The right bulbs, the right lamp shades and the right layers of light can change everything. And the wrong size furniture makes everything hard. My one piece of advice is let the professionals lay out the space. Spatial planning is key to everything we do.
Q: What's your go-to pillow size?
A: 22" x 22". The bigger the better!
Q: What's something that clients are usually resistant to initially but then end up loving?
A: Dark paint colors! It's always a long, scary conversation - then it's their favorite space in the house!
Q: Are there any design "rules" you like to break?
A: Mixing metals. It's like jewelry! As long as there is a balance and rhythm, there's no reason a mix cannot exist.
Q: What's a color you never tire of?
A: Does leopard count as a color?!
Q: What keeps you sane?
A: Coffee?
Q: Are you a morning or night person?
A: Night! Call me anytime after 10 pm, we'll chat.
Q: What's on your nightstand?
A: Fresh peonies, photos of my boys, and an amazing vintage lamp.
Q: What's one of your dream home must-haves?
A: A walk-in pantry.
Q: What’s your favorite part about being a designer?
A: Being trusted in my clients homes to care for them and their families, and create spaces that allow them to live better and feel better every day.
I love the creativity that allows me to continue to be challenged, and the ability to run and grow a business of scale, with women that I adore.
Q: No home is complete without...
A: The people you love.
1. Flower: Peonies or anemones. But always monobotanical!
2. Favorite Arianna Belle pillows: Leopard Velvet, Olive Green, Painted Check Ink
3. Restaurant: Le Souflee in Paris
4. Houseplant: fiddle leaf fig
5. No-regrets home splurge: brass kitchen faucet
6. Luxury candle: Diptyque Baies
7. Go-to paint color: Benjamin Moore Simply White
8. Travel destination: London
9. Artists: Josef Albers, Matthew Brandt, Anna Ulman
10. Place to shop for vintage pieces: The Mart Collective in Venice
11. Style Icon: Iris Apfel
12. Everyday outfit: Denim jacket, Current Elliot gray tee, black jeans and golden goose sneakers!
13. App I can't live without: Waze
14. Guilty pleasure: jelly beans
15. Design tip: Measure it twice!
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Jenn is based out of Los Angles and serves clients all across the United States. To learn more about her and her full-service interior design studio Jenn Feldman Designs, visit her website and social media profiles:
Website: www.jennfeldmandesigns.com
Instagram: @jennfeldmandesigns
Twitter: @jennfdesigns
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Jenn Inspired Picks
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