3 minute read
L.A Confidential
Designer Jaqui Seerman’s residential portfolio celebrates the city's creative spirit and indoor-outdoor lifestyle. / by roger grody /
BEFORE ESTABLISHING HER eponymous firm, Jaqui Seerman worked for two iconic interior designers, Waldo Fernandez and Martyn Lawrence Bullard, on luxury projects here and around the world. Anxious to provide a genuine client-driven experience in a field where some designers focus on burnishing a brand, she founded Jaqui Seerman Design nearly a decade ago.
“Some designers known for a particular aesthetic are more interested in promoting that trademark look and less inclined to pursue clients’ ideas that may not align with their brand identification,” says Seerman. “My approach is to provide an extremely client-focused experience, but still challenge homeowners to take chances in a collaborative process that doesn’t feel too risky.”
Because her practice is clientdriven, Seerman does not identify herself with a signature style—she’s as eclectic as her diverse clientele.
“The pinnacle of luxury is a style that’s bespoke to you,” she says, underscoring her priority of creating interiors tailored to her clients’ sensibilities. “Thankfully, I attract clients willing to take risks with me.”
Of her own sensibilities, she says, “I tend to be known as someone who doesn’t shy away from bold colors and patterns.”
Describing the early discovery process in a designer-client relationship, Seerman notes that the way clients currently live is an important—but not necessarily conclusive—indicator of what they might seek in a new living environment.
“It’s a very personal process.” she says. “I look for subtle clues from how they dress, how they wear their hair, what kind of jewelry or watches they wear…. I know I’ve succeeded when I introduce them to an element and see a kind of illumination occur, a recognition that the design is better than they could have imagined, yet still feels authentic.”
The Northern California native appreciates the creative spirit of her adopted city.
“In addition to the entertainment industry, there are creative people in technology, fashion, finance, and art who are not satisfied with the status quo,” Seerman says. “This alternative thinking is what makes L.A. so constantly fresh, that results in trends adopted across the country and abroad.”
But creatives can also be demanding clients, Seerman notes: “This is a competitive field in which you have to stick the landing on the very first try.”
For a Beverly Drive residence previously owned by Winona Ryder, Seerman introduced an interior that retains the integrity of the home’s Spanish Revival architecture without being constrained by it. She introduced a warm, masculine aesthetic; dining and living spaces effortlessly spilling onto tranquil patios enhanced the indoor-outdoor sensibilities.
In a home just off Benedict Canyon, whose prior owners were Hailey and Justin Bieber, the designer presents a more modern but equally warm aesthetic tempered with vintage pieces and natural materials. Clad in honey-hued white oak and Carrara marble, an approachably minimalist kitchen features floor-to-ceiling steel-and-glass walls with access to resort-like outdoor spaces.
Her typical client? “They’re usually in creative fields, have a strong sense of self and are looking for someone to push them into doing something unique,” Seerman says; they include entertainment industry heavyweights. “The common thread is that they’re looking for a high level of customer service and are willing to take risks."
Jaqui Seerman Design 916.502.0917,
jaquiseerman.com
