Small talk

Designer Jonathan Adler's personality is just as bright and cheery as the whimsical products you'll find in his store (676 N Wabash Ave, 312-274-9920, jonathanadler.com). So when the New Yorker was in town a few weeks ago to hang out in his Gold Coast store, we jumped at the opportunity to hang out with him—and talk about his love of turquoise, the TV show Lockup and black funk stars.

I interviewed you a year or so ago. You were on the phone and walking around New York.
Probably walking around, trying to be recognized.

Do you get recognized a lot?
No, not often. But when I do, it’s always a delight because it’s people who know my stuff and like it. There’s something really great about being a Z-list personality because it’s nice when people see me and appreciate what I do…but it’s not too many people.

There’s a lot of turquoise here in the store—and it’s Pantone’s color of the year. You were on board way before this year.
I’m all about turquoise. I think I might have been…

The trendsetter?
I’m not going to say it, but I’m glad you said it for me. Turquoise rules. It is, like, the best way to punch something up. A little jolt of turquoise is like a handful of Prozac.

What are some of your favorite things in the store right now?
That’s impossible. I make them all, so they’re all my babies. But having said that, I’m going to say I love my banana bud vase. I’d never say no to a good squirrel candle holder. And, uh, God there’s so many cute things. I love the new carnaby lamps. They’re great.

There are many books in the store. Do you choose the selection?
I try to. I like a good book as much as the next guy. And books aren’t just for your mind. They make the grooviest decorative accessories. Not to sound superficial, but I think books are often just great to be seen and not read. I like to use them as little pedestals. It gives you an instant air of, like, casual intellectualism. Even if you’re like me and you’re just a reality TV junkie without a thought in your head.

But you’ve written books.
Oh yeah! I’m an author and an airhead! And I have two more coming out this fall. They are sort of “how to” books and musings on colors and accessorizing your home. They’re filled with really groovy photographs and, I hope, good hard-hitting decorating advice.

We’re focusing on hotels in this issue, and I was wondering what are some of your favorite hotels?
My favorite hotels are probably The Parker in Palm Springs, which I designed. So, there’s that. And my favorite, favorite favorite hotel on Earth is called La Scalinatella in Capri. It’s so groovy and surreal and singular. I live for it. Sometimes when I’m feeling sad and it’s winter, I just visit their website. It’s a little, mini instant holiday to go to the Scanlinatella website. And I would just advise all of your readers to get on a plane and spend the rest of their lives there. Even if it means robbing a bank to do it—which is kind of does. But it’s worth it. Just rob a bank and get a on plane. And even if you spend the rest of your life in jail, because at least you lived.

Your stuff is probably in a lot of hotels.
Yeah, we do a lot of business with hotels.

Do you ever forget that and are surprised when you see them?
Yeah! I like that. There’s something so satisfying and fun about seeing my stuff in use in the world. It’s a good vibration. We just posted this on Facebook and Twitter, there’s some picture all over the web of Kim Kardashian falling down. And in the background, there’s some guy waiting in line to get into a club with a giant Jonathan Adler bag. It’s the best.

So, I brought the interview from last year, and I’m going to ask you a question to see if you’re still feeling the same way.
Oh, nice. I like it. Probably not, because I’m very dishonest and schizophrenic.

We did a home décor issue inspired by TV shows, so what are some of your favorite TV show sets?
I would say Bewitched.

Yes.
Brady Brunch?

Yep, and you said one more…
Alright, Bewitched, Brady Brunch …And…

It’s the same time period as Bewitched.
I Dream of Jeannie?

Yes! Specifically the inside of Jeannie’s bottle.
Oh yeah. That was good! Maybe I’m not so dishonest! Maybe I’m more robotic. It’s so funny, my sister always says that her brother has been replaced by a brand. This actual human being that she used to know is no longer there, and I now I just say very on-brand messaging.

Is there going to be another season of Top Design?
I don’t think so. You never say never, but I don’t think so, which is fine.

What shows are you watching right now?
I watch, and this is really off-brand [laughs], my sister will be disappointed, but I’m obsessed with Hoarders. And Intervention. My TV show watching is actually really dark. Saturday night equals Lockup in my book…it’s my law enforcement night. I watch Cops, America’s Most Wanted and then Lockup.

Maybe because everything at work is so bright and colorful, you have to offset it somehow?
Yeah. I’m buying happy offsets with grim TV.

I actually rarely curse in real life, but I have a filthy mouth in my dreams. You have to get it out of your system somehow.
That’s interesting. And I believe that about decorating. If you look around Simon and I’s house… We have all this iconography. Like, we have this bust of Michael Jackson, this gigantic painting of Sly Stone, a big picture of George Clinton from Parliament Funkadelic and this paper mache head of Prince that Simon did for one of the windows at Barneys. Oh, and we have all this sort of soft-core straight porn, like Mel Ramos pictures. We look around, and we’re like, ‘Why is our house all like, black funk stars and hetero porn?’ Decorating is the weird opportunity to vicariously do the things that you’d never…It can express the side of yourself that normally doesn’t come out in life.

• More Shopping articles