Jonathan Adler’s home sweet home

Jonathan Adler opened his 13th home goods store — and his second-largest —right here in Philly last week. The Jersey-born designer creates pieces that are bold and masterfully crafted yet lighthearted, making for a dazzling, spacious, two-story shop in Old City. We caught up with him for a little insight.

What is your philosophy on design?

I call my philosophy “happy chic.” It’s about creating a design that I hope is beautiful and chic and timeless, but that has an element of levity and is communicative.

How does it fit into Philadelphia?

I am a hometown boy. I’m from South Jersey and Philadelphia is my home city. And I’m a die-hard Eagles fan. I think Philadelphia is a nice town — it’s unpretentious, which I appreciate and I strive to be. I think my work will resonate with Philadelphia because Philadelphia is groovy and chic, and my work is approachable.

Where do you draw inspiration from?

I’m kind of inspired by anything and everything. I keep my eyes and my mind wide open. Believe it or not, I get a lot of ideas in my sleep.

Is there a specific audience for your work?

I am happy to say that I think my work is accessible. So I hope that it speaks to a lot of different people — groovy people of all shapes, sizes, orientations and ilks.

Sleep on it

Adler suggests checking out the store’s new bedding. “I have a huge bedding section. I think that the bedding is a perfect example of what my work is about. It’s gorgeous quality and craftsmanship. It’s 400-thread-count with a really soft hand. There’s an element of levity and happiness in the patterns.”