Anyone who knows me knows I adore Nate Berkus and Jonathan Adler above nearly everyone 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—who I secretly refer to as “J-Ad” in my head—I very nearly lost my mind.
I considered saying no because I knew I’d get awkward and squealy and probably make him think I’m nuts. After talking it over with John, though, he convinced me to take the 15-minute call. He pointed out that a brief conversation with Jonathan Adler might be one of those unforgettable moments in this blogging journey, and he was right. Despite worrying about clammy hands and too-loud laughs, I agreed to do it.
I replied to the email trying to sound cool and collected instead of hyper and maniacal, and was given a Friday noon time slot. I hardly slept Thursday night, second-guessing every question and prepping until I was exhausted. I even asked you all for question ideas on Facebook. Fifteen minutes before the scheduled call, I received another email asking if Monday would work instead. Half of me was secretly relieved to have a few more days; the other half went into a bigger tizzy because more time meant more planning, more waiting, and more second-guessing.
Then I heard his voice. Everything calmed down. I was still giggly, spoke too fast, and was far from the most polished interviewee, but he was so warm and gracious that it made the whole experience unforgettable. When I hung up, I loved him even more. I couldn’t stop talking about the conversation with John—this was absolutely highlight reel material.
I’m not great at taking notes while I’m speaking, so after asking J-Ad for permission I recorded the interview on my phone. I figured you might enjoy hearing the real-time interaction—laughs, overlaps, and all—so I shared the clip. Update: Click to play the sound clip if it isn’t showing up below.
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Isn’t he amazing? At one point he told me my “chakras were tingling,” which floored me and left me floating on air. We even exchanged “I love yous” (yes, really). One of my favorite takeaways was his approach to starting a project: don’t begin with walls or curtains—start with the vibe. Define how you want your home to feel in three words and let those words guide every decision. It’s simple and brilliant.
My only regret is not having John snap a photo of me while I was on the phone, but this pretty much sums up the scene: excited, a little frantic, and grinning from ear to ear.
I hope you enjoyed this little behind-the-scenes moment with one of my favorite designers. Have you ever met or called someone you admire, worried you might put your foot in your mouth or babble incoherently? It can be nerve-wracking, but it can also be unexpectedly wonderful—even if your heart is pounding the whole time.
P.S. If you can’t listen to the recording right now or would rather read the conversation, here’s a recap of the interview. The audio includes a bit more banter and some overlapping talk that was tricky to transcribe word-for-word, but this summarizes the main points and highlights.