It’s been way too long since our last window shopping adventure. As most of you know, these aren’t paid or perked or anything – we just walk through a store with a camera and take pics of whatever inspires us for you guys. This post is actually a few months overdue (woops) but now that I’ve uploaded the pics and sat down to write this post I’m all school-girl-ish again. See, I actually stepped foot into my first Jonathan Adler store ever a few months back (while we were in DC for a signing up the street) and I was OBSESSED.
Believe me, it’s not a good look. I get all squealy and grinny and I probably look like I’m one minute away from rubbing my face on everything. But the employees were very nice and nobody escorted me out, so I consider it a win. Here’s what was there to greet me when I casually sauntered in bounced my way around the store like a female non-tiger version of Tigger.
Pretty colors, right?
I loved every last mug design. Can’t you picture a collection of these stacked on an open shelf in someone’s kitchen? Heck a few of them even make for some awesome wall-stenciling inspiration.
And the lights.
Don’t get me started on the lights.
They were amazing. And of course since I was trying to play it cool I didn’t ask someone how much they were but my guess would be a million dollars each because they were that pretty. Probably overshot that a little (I’m a bad guesser) but as far as 100% free inspiration goes, this store was packed with it. And that, my friends, is why I love Mr. Adler.
Sidenote: if you guys haven’t read his books, I highly recommend them all. He’s real, hilarious, and inspirational. In fact this quote from his latest book (100 Ways To Happy Chic Your Life) was so awesome that I instagramed it a few months back…
Oh and speaking of loving what you love and all things happy-chic, how much fun are those two yellow and white ottomans? I petted them. I couldn’t help myself.
This pillow even had John laughing. Gotta love a pillow with a sense of humor (remember this old Joan Crawford quote from Mommie Dearest?).
Couldn’t you picture an entire kids room designed around one of these needlepoint map pillows? I’d do soft blue walls with pops of the brighter blue (from the pillow) in a ton of accessories along with hits of green and orange. And maybe a glossy yellow rocker? Me-ow.
This purty chair was sort of the cousin to our office chairs. So much happy, you just wanted to park your buns in it all day. The funniest thing is that a few years ago when we were in our super neutral phase of decorating (see our first house) I never would have described J-Ad as my style, but after having Clara and moving into our current place, we’re down with all things happy, cheerful, and bright. It’s like Sir Jonathan covertly wormed his way into my heart and I didn’t even realize how much my preferences had changed until I was walking around his store thinking “yes, yes, yes!” instead of “scared, scared, scared.” Haha.
These were my favorite. They were little faux zebra dishes in a few fun colors and I completely regret not buying the green one for my night table (wouldn’t it be cute for a pair of earrings or a watch?).
This needlepoint pillow is full of so many colors (yellow, red, teal, navy, gray, black & pink!) but it still felt like it could layer into any room. And I loved the two other pillows with the colored piping that were paired with it. I know some of you out there could DIY your take on those neon-piped pillows, right?
This plate inspired me a lot too. How many old white plates from thrift stores have you seen like this? None with gold, but maybe that could be added with metallic paint or gold leaf. It totally made me want to try my hand at a homemade version.
Here are some other fun ottomans. If money were no object I’d snatch them up for Clara’s big girl room. But even though they’re not in the budget, they’re awesome for inspiration. I love how there’s white, pink, and bold red all layered together in a fun ikat-ish way.
Here’s another example of sheer inspiration that I snagged while staring dreamily at one of the side tables. See that teal and gold egg? Well they sell wooden eggs like that at craft stores like Michaels for 99 cents each. So you could grab a bunch, spray them metallic gold, let ’em dry, then put some rubber bands around them at random angles and spray them bright teal. When you remove the rubber bands there should be bands of gold that show through just like the guy below.
And that side table was actually a cool white lacquered tray attached to an X base. So if you see any old table bases at a thrift store, painting them and adding a big lacquered tray to the top could be fun, right? You can whip something up like the tray-side-table that we made for our guest room thanks to some 3M command strips.
This was just a corner that I loved. See the art? Sorry about the glare, but it’s a giant picture of a bird. Yeah, I’m into it.
Another bird. Because one large bird print is never enough. And I mean that without any hint of sarcasm. Seriously, I want two.
This bed was so cozy looking with the tufted velvet headboard in that pretty platinum color. And I love how they added those bright yellow poufs along with some colorful pillows to keep it from being too neutral.
I thought this wall was really retro and fun with the vintage looking wallpaper paired with the giant feathered wall hanging. And there’s that lacquered tray side table again, so you can see the whole thing more clearly here (with a chesty vase on it to boot).
And since Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are my thing (Donatello’s my favorite because my favorite weapon in karate class was the bo), I could totally get down with this guy on a buffet or a console. It could be my little decorating hero in a half-shell. Turtle power.
The kids section was fun too. How great is that wallpaper? I would totally use that inside of a nook or a closet. I think it came in pink too. And the needlepoint pillow with the giraffes on it? I might have hugged it to my chest while slowly twirling and whispering “this is the best day of my life.” I told you I get excited.
Oh Jonathan Adler, I adore you. Let’s be best friends and exchange ceramic animals for every holiday.
Hope you guys liked that little virtual window shopping spree. It’s fun to duck into a purely-inspirational place every once in a while (we usually traipse through places like Target, World Market, Ikea, thrift stores, and smaller independent shops) but there’s definitely truth to the whole “eye-candy is everywhere” sentiment. What stores have you been ogling lately? Are there any projects or updates that are now on the agenda after seeing them in a shop (or even in a restaurant or coffee house)?
PS: Want to hear an interview I did with Jonathan Adler himself! Check out that link for all of the details and the audio recording, or read a transcript here.
So you guys are planning on taking the ottomans at the end of your bed and trying to make them look like J-Ad’s right?!?! :) I can totally see it now.
Sounds fun!
xo
s
Completely off topic (cause I haven’t even read the post) but PLEASE tell me Sherry saw Nate on Rachel Ray this morning, he made great jokes and justified her pillow obsession
Oh no! We missed him. We’re busy packing to hit the road for Charlotte so no TV for us this morning. Maybe we can find it online…
-John
too bad… but she usually does have segments up online on her site: http://www.rachaelrayshow.com
Thanks!
xo,
s
Now I’m on a mission to find a Jonathan Adler store to go play in (I just looked it up… there’s one in Dallas! Score!).
I love the zebra catchalls! And those fun ottomans wouldn’t be that hard to DIY… I’m thinking I may have found my next Pinterest Challenge idea!
Oh Jonathan Adler! So pretty…Y’all probably don’t remember, but I was at the DC signing when y’all visited this store, and when I talked to you at FLOR, I mentioned that I creepily spotted y’all at the JA store when I was on the bus on my way to the signing. Hope I didn’t freak you out! :) Oh, and I picked up one of the little zebra trays as a Christmas gift for someone – and almost kept it for myself since I love it so much!
Not at all – we totally remember that! We thought it was so funny that you had seen us from the bus driving by!
-John
Haha, that’s so funny! You saw me wigging out with my camera in there like a weirdo. I love that store so much. I laid in bed that night thinking about it. WEIRDO!
xo
s
this is why i love you guys!! I love jonathan adler. I have all his books and even went to a book signing and met him! he was SO NICE and normal in real life too. you walk into a jonathan adler store and you just smile. I try to make my little apartment as jonathan adlerish as possible. haha. well jonathan adler meets young house love is my design philosophy :)
Is that Larry Hagman in the frame under the bird print? That’s awkwardly awesome…
Yep – I love traipsing through stores with various styled sections. Even without making a purchase, you can get ideas of how to rearrange all the stuff you already have, see what colors might work, find new uses for old things, etc, etc.
Is that him? I can’t tell!
xo,
s
I think that it is! And I’m pretty sure Patrick Duffy (Bobby) is in the frame next to him.
I love that Jonathan Adler frames pictures of the cast of Dallas.
Looks like that may be the bedroom of Miss Ellie, the mom of all those good looking boys on Dallas. How neat is that? And I love JA style. I am going to have to duplicate some of those needlepoint pillows. The giraffe one reminds me of the art of Charley Harper.
Mr. Hagman caught my eye too!
xo,
Ashley
i see several of the cast from Dallas in that shot! Awesome!
When I don’t want to spend any money I like going to reaaaally expensive shops for inspiration. It’s so much easier to resist stuff you could never afford than stuff that’s just a bit of splurge.
Pros of online shopping: being able to squeel about amazing items with nobody to see or hear you. Cons: not being able to rub your face against anything.
Oh Jonathan Adler, I adore you. Let’s be best friends and exchange ceramic animals for every holiday – CRACK ME UP!
I might have hugged it to my chest while slowly twirling and whispering “this is the best day of my life.”—HILARIOUS! You are my spirit animal, Sherry!
We should all now pick out our favorite quote (or inspiration) from this post and reassure you we are all just as batty–or at the least–can appreciate public displays of rediculousness.
I, for one, am DROOLING over those gold starburst light fixtures, that blue animal print wallpaper, the tufted chair the needlepoint map pillows were on AND I spy a yellow chair/couch in the background of the neon piped pillows picture I would LOVE to get to know better….
LOVE all this happy, bright color–especially staged against the white store! Makes me feel better about not painting my entirely white house yet.
Haha I love you Alisha!
xo,
s
This was me in the Patch NYC minishop at Target. My boyfriend was so sweet he didn’t even try to stop me. He just waited patiently for my insanity to wear off.
This store looks awesome! Lots of cute things. I planned on ogling as West Elm for the first time the other day (after a fun trip to Ikea in Paramus, but I couldn’t get a parking spot!!! I was so upset. lol And of course, with how busy it is over there in Paramus, I couldn’t even get a spot at the attached parking lot to Container store. I am dying to get into that West Elm!
that parking lot is the worst! There’s more parking behind the Container Store, though.
I want to eat that store up!!!!!!!!!!
http://thedomesticlady.com/2013/01/29/home-improvement-a-pottery-barn-drum-pendant-look-a-like-and-a-patient-husband/
Whaaaat a fun store! I especially liked the mugs and the “no wire hangers pillow. Love it!
This post was fun! I’ve been in the Jonathon Adler store in NYC, but I didn’t have as much fun as you. I think I looked at the prices, realized I was the only person in the store and left. I should have took pictures for inspiration!
I’m in Heaven right now!! So amazing! And Donatello was my favorite turtle too! He was so smart and his purple arm bands and mask totally rocked my world. Haha!
Can I just say that I live in Charlotte and have been waiting for this day forever, only to find out that I can’t get out of work early enough to come see you guys? UNCC is my alma mater, and my husband even works there, so we were stoked to hear you guys were coming! Please enjoy yourselves and our beautiful campus :)
I recently visited DC and went to the J. Adler store in Georgetown and LOVED it. It’s like a grown-up version of what my seven-year-old self would have picked out for my house. Love it.
Aw you’re so sweet! So sorry to miss you!
xo,
s
Every time we remember to go in JA when in Chicago, it’s closed. We’ll have to make a point to go next time during the light of day.
If I had an unlimited budget, I’d buy up Restoration Hardware!
It looks like Rainbow Brite threw up in there… in a good way. I’ve noticed that stores with unique, branded styles (like JA) can look a bit cooky because it’s so much of one thing packed into one space but when a few pieces are layered into a home they become part of a much bigger picture. I love your DIY idea for the teal & gold egg. 2 of my fave colours!
JA is so great! Make sure you follow him on Instagram – eye candy every day delivered to your phone!
Oh yes, I love following him!
xo
s
Sweet! I’ve just started to follow him too now.
Thanks for the info Rebecca.
I have never been to that store, but now I really want to go! I love the pop of neon on the pillows, and I think it would be the perfect DIY for my sofa!
Wait, wait…..You bought NOTHING????
I love Jonathan Adler! I’ve been to stores that sell a few of his items but not one completely devoted to him. Did you buy at least one thing to commemorate the occasion?
I wish I had bought that zebra jewelry dish! Shopping fail!
xo
s
The giraffe pillow and elephant wallpaper is actually fairly similar to the Safari Soirée line of Birch Fabrics: http://www.birchfabrics.com/safari_soiree.html
So cool!
xo
s
Just so you know, Jonathan Adler will be selling stuff for JCP soon! I’ve seen some of the stuff, and it’s SOOOOO stinking cute AND cheap!
No way! LOVE that tip!
xo
s
no way, when????
Trish
http://www.mash-upchic.blogspot.com
Totally relate to your Adler adoration. RICH!
What a cool store…love seeing all the neat things!
Ah – so much color! I love it! Those map pillows are amazing (and maybe a potential DIY project…) and possibly the best thing I’ve seen this week.
I love that quote! And this store.
is that a picture of jr ewing (aka larry hagman) on that white dresser below the bird pics?
We think so! Isn’t that funny!
xo,
s
Best. Post. Ever. Just had an Adlergasm. Hope that passes your “mom” test. LOVE that store.
Trish
http://www.mash-upchic.blogspot.com
You’re in luck on your zebra dish since your ATL book signing is right next to a Jonathan Adler store! :)
No way!
xo,
s
I’m so bummed that I wont be able to see you guys in Charlotte (I used to live there) OR Atlanta (only an hour from me)!! I’ll be in Disney World with the family.. How about you come on down! You know you want to.. :)
Haha sounds fun!
xo,
s
LOVE the framed photos of the Dallas cast under the bird art! Hysterical. JAds is the man.
Oh man. I want to go to DC now just to check out the store!Road trip to drool about!
How did you not comment on that LUST pillow on the bed?!
My eyes were bouncing all around! Haha!
xo,
s
Love this! While looking for a place to rest my toosh in NYC (finding a seat anywhere in that city is a challenge), I stumbled upon my first Jonathan Adler store. Such fun eye candy – you are right! I snapped some pics too … so you’re not the only girl who walks in and starts taking pics. :)
Speaking of turtle shells…didn’t you snatch up a shell from Target? Haven’t seen that lately. Has it been placed in the “dude get on that already” pile? lol
Oh yeah I hung that in the office! We blogged about it a few months back :)
xo,
s
I’m absolutely in love with those bird prints! Those are brilliant!
Okay, I’m off to check out if
a) there’s an online store,
b) those prints are still available,
c) this above mentioned online store ships to Germany…
Yep, that would definitely make my day.
PS: Any plans to extend your book tour to Europe? ;)Pretty please?
Oh man we’d love that!
xo,
s
Answers:
a) yes, there is an online store,
b) yes, the prints are still available,
c) I didn’t even check that after I saw the price tag. My husband would kill me. Bummer….
I totally want to get my needlepoint on and make some awesome pillows now! So many fun ideas.
I’m glad there isn’t one of those stores near me because I would go broke, buying everything!!
I LOVE that you get all geeked out about this kind of stuff! Wouldn’t have it any other way! When we went to the showing for the house we eventually bought, I actually hugged the kitchen. HUGGED IT. Like, put my arms out in a big awkward embrace and squeezed the wall… all the while saying “I’mma live heeeeeeeere!!!!” (Thank God the sellers couldn’t hear me or I’d have shot our bargaining power all to crap!)
I can’t decide which of these items I love most. Squeeeeee!!!
Haha!
xo,
s
I hate so much that I’m going to miss seeing you guys tonight. I’m a UNCC graduate =) Enjoy our beautiful campus!
Aw thanks! We can’t wait!
xo,
s
So this post inspired me to go window shopping…at Target.com :) and look what I found on clearance – immediately made me think of Clara’s room! http://www.target.com/p/puntini-lamp-cream-pink/-/A-14001960#prodSlot=large_1_36
Cute!
xo,
s
Perfect with the rug!
I killed time in the Upper East Side Jonathan Adler store last summer, and enjoyed a a brief fantasy where I could afford his stuff.
My favorite thing though? His “manifesto,” which included the line:
“We believe that minimalism is a bummer.”
Well said, Jonathan, well said.
Katy
P.S. There is now a J.A. store here in Portland, which I need to go visit!
LOVE the Window Shopping posts and love J. Ad. Thanks for sharing your finds! Makes me want to go check out his Upper West Side store on my lunch break.
Enjoy Charlotte!
No Wire Hangers!!
Direct reference to the movie “Mommy Dearest”.
Joan Crawford had an obsession with padded hangers
She would “lose it” if one of her children used the wrong hanger aka a wire hanger!
I <3 that "No Wire Hangers" pillow!!! It's HILARIOUS!
I went into my first Adler store in Boston, a few weeks before we bought our new home. #uhoh Unfortunately, I wasn’t as successful at restraining myself. I wanted the Lampert Sofa so bad, but that puppy was WAAAY out of my price range. So I went back to Richmond emptyhanded and laid awake at night thinking about it. Every other couch I sat on looked sad and cheap by comparison. It was kind of a problem. So…. I did it! I bought it. All WAY-TOO-MANY-DOLLARS of it. I still love it 2 years later, thankfully, because it’s gonna have to be my couch for the rest of my life. I’ll probably just have someone DIY it into a casket when I die to make sure I truly got my money’s worth. #herelieslampert
HAHA!! That casket sounds amazing!
Can we TALK about the blue wavy lamp in the bird picture? I die.
I want to move in there. I would bring my retainer and just cozy up in a bed and be all, “What?” when they brought Security over.
Ooh, love your idea about the eggs :) I’m gonna try that. And I totally get Claras room now after seeing that great pillow! I saw it, and thought “Hey! Those colors DO look great together!” Ha ha :)