31 Oct DESIGNING THE WEST: HOMES THAT SHARE STORIES

It’s never too early to develop a passion. Just ask interior designer Jaqui Seerman, founder and CEO of Los Angeles-based Jaqui Seerman Design Inc. “My parents recognized it in me before I really realized that I was gravitating towards design,” she says. “I was always creating make-believe sets with objects and boxes and doing dioramas.” Even when her suggestions weren’t well received, young Jaqui wasn’t shy about offering design advice to family and friends. “Their sweet niece had a very strong opinion on where their accessories should go and how they should have hung their art,” Seerman says. Fortunately, her parents took Jaqui’s natural talent seriously, and today, she is grateful for their constant encouragement in her decision to pursue interior design as a career.

This kitchen features paired CornuFé ranges, marble surfaces, Currey & Company light fixtures, and stools from Crump & Kwash.

The walls are painted with Farrow & Ball’s Purbeck Stone, making for a moody dining room. The table is from Eon Stone, and the chairs are from CB2.

Born in the San Francisco Bay Area, Seerman’s father worked as a custom home builder, so she grew up in an entrepreneurial environment that also offered insights into interior design. After she migrated to Southern California in her early 20s, Seerman spent nearly a decade gaining valuable on-the-job experience and mentorship at top interior design firms, including Waldo’s Designs and Martyn Lawrence Bullard. Strengthened by her knowledge and inspiration, she launched her own business in 2014.

Shades of mauve, caramel, and cream warm this family room, where a sofa with JAB ANSTOETZ fabric joins an ottoman from United Leather, a Crump & Kwash side table, lamps from Dumais Made, and a rug from woven.

“I started the company wanting to make sure that I represented the client in their home,” she says. “Quite a few designers have a beautiful design aesthetic, but when you walk into a space that they’ve designed, it’s immediately recognizable as the designer, as opposed to the individual who lives in the house.” Instead, Seerman prioritizes listening to her clients’ preferences and then provides a fully customized plan. “The fact that we’re focusing on that very personal, bespoke version of perfection is ultimately the highest level of luxury, in my opinion,” she says. “Our goal is to curate a cherished space that has a deep history and is the foundation for that family’s legacy.”

A 1960s Italian brass three-arm pendant illuminates a dining area; Seerman updated the vintage mahogany-finished chairs with sage upholstery from MIDCENTURYLA.

A bright kitchen offers casual island dining with counter stools from Hati Home.

One of Seerman’s favorite recent projects involved re-imagining a mid-century home in Los Angeles that hadn’t been touched in more than 50 years. “It’s very colorful, and fun, and vibrant, and very indicative of the young, fun family that lives there, and it was just a joy to do,” she says.

A travertine table from MIDCENTURYLA joins stools from HORNE near a stairway.

Seerman’s firm predominantly designs homes in their entirety, and the office of seven provides complete, turnkey services. “We’re really looking to create that storyline that carries with our client through their everyday life — from the moment that their eyes open to the moment that they rest their head on their pillow — that backdrop of living beautifully is our highest priority,” she says.

In this room, Rattan Mushroom Lanterns from Design Mix Gallery light and overlook a sofa upholstered in fabric from Holly Hunt, a Philip Arctander-style clam chair, and a white oak and Lucite coffee table.

Midcentury-inspired, walnut-framed lounge chairs join a custom desk in this sunny office space.

No detail is too small to escape the designers’ notice. Every aspect — from art procurement, architectural design, furniture selection and placement, curated shopping trips for antique products or specific artisanal pieces, to the toothpaste and toilet paper neatly organized in every bathroom — is considered. “There’s nothing that we’ll overlook,” says Seerman. “It’s been so rewarding for them, and for me, to be able to fully conceptualize a vision and put it into reality.”

In an art-filled living room, Seerman included a sectional sofa covered in deep blue Maharam fabric, Melrose Armchairs from Hollywood at Home, travertine coffee tables from Jonathan Adler, and a Royère-inspired daybed covered in fabric from Svenskt Tenn.

A family room is drenched in drama thanks to walls painted in Farrow & Ball’s Book Room Red and a sofa upholstered in Nickey Kehoe fabric.

Dreams are powerful motivations, and Seerman admits that her life’s vision has come to fruition. “We’re just celebrating 10 years of establishing my own company,” she reflects. “I’m literally living my childhood dream.”

Wallpaper by Andrew Martin provides a whimsical backdrop for a dining table surrounded by vintage Belgian razorback chairs and lit by a silk pendant light from STAHL + BAND.

Q&A

Jaqui Seerman, founder and CEO of Los Angeles-based Jaqui Seerman Design Inc., shares her expert tips and inspirations…

Q: Do you have a favorite interior paint color?

A: I use so many bright colors, but I do have a favorite white: Wimborne White by Farrow & Ball. It’s this warm, approachable white. I think there was a period in the early aughts when white was getting very gray and modern. It’s so nice that we’re gravitating towards a slightly warmer palette because it feels good to be in a cozy white room, as opposed to a white with a little bit of that grayness.

Q: Where do you find creative inspiration?

A: We have young children, and the number of times I drag them to the same museum over and over again is probably irresponsible, but I am obsessed with going and experiencing the same art at different times of the year and during different mental and emotional states. It always impacts me differently depending on the light or the season. And it’s fun to become familiar with art pieces and be inspired by them in different ways.

Q: Is there an interior design item or trend you’re obsessed with right now?

A: I am super into stainless steel right now. And chrome (not brass) and walnut (not oak) in furniture, hardware, architectural elements, cabinetry, and across the board.

Q: Is there something you like to add to a room to make it extra cozy in winter?

A: Loro Piana cashmere throws are an absolute indulgence but so chic and delicious to be under. That would be my number-one key recommendation if you want to fully indulge in the ultimate luxury.

Q: Are there any up-and-coming furniture designers you’re excited to recommend?

A: I discovered the woodworking company Crump & Kwash, which makes this beautiful millwork and furniture, and they’re so artisanal, and so fun, and so Arts and Crafts. And then, on the exact opposite spectrum, is Trueing. They make the most exotic, extraordinary lighting that’s also artisanal, handmade, and creative. We recently purchased one of their fixtures for our client, which is an out-of-this-world showstopper that’s unexpected and playful.

I always try to remind my clients: Don’t be so literal. Your space, your house as the environment, is the function. Allow the pieces we add — the decorative fixtures, the furniture, and other elements — to be ‘non-functional.’ Don’t take them so literally. Allow them to have personality.

Laura Beausire is a Colorado-based freelance writer specializing in design, art, and travel. She contributes to magazines and websites, including Mountain Living, 5280 Home, Modern in Denver, Luxe Interiors + Design, American Way, Hemispheres, Wine Enthusiast, Business Insider, The Telegraph, Sierra, and others; laurabeausire.com.

Photographer Madeline Tolle lives and works as a freelance editorial photographer in Los Angeles, California. Her work highlights the beauty of small moments often overlooked amidst the chaos of the world.