Jennifer Rhode

i have always been a “nester.” as a child, i spent hours designing and laying out the rooms in my dollhouse and thinking about the needs of the fourteen little stuffed mice who lived there. i began every year of college arranging and organizing my apartments, working to gain consensus among my roommates around curtains, bed spreads, and throw rugs. i was never able to focus on classes or a new job, until i could envision and actualize my space.

in my twenties, i left my home state of california for new york city and started my career in fashion and design at calvin klein inc., in the center of the garment district. while new york was a kaleidoscope of visual stimulation from the street fashion to the art museums to the architecture, calvin was a minimalist respite of calm. this pared down, simple aesthetic continues to influence me, although i have added color back into my wardrobe and my spaces.

from calvin, i became a wardrobe stylist for print shoots, TV shows and TV commercials, working on brands like VISA, MTV, VH1 and AT&T and several TV shows on ESPN. i used to joke that macy's was my office, as i used the herald square location as my home base when collecting wardrobe for the various characters i was dressing. in truth, the whole of retail manhattan was my costume shop.

a move back to san francisco enabled me to begin working as a window stylist for banana republic. designing and styling the banana windows felt like working in a life size dollhouse… i was right back to my childhood roots.

from san francisco, i moved to amsterdam. the incredible history of the city and the beautiful, creative ways the dutch architects and designers melded buildings erected hundreds of years ago with clean, modern interiors absolutely captivated me and ignited a desire in me to work in interiors and space. as did the concept of “gezellig,” the dutch word for “coziness,” which also encompasses social concepts like inviting and friendly. i was most fascinated with the “gezellig” interiors of the dutch apartments.

when we moved back to the states to boulder, colorado, i wanted to create my own “modern gezellig” in my family home, and later, in the homes of my clients. a modern space can be warm and inviting, as well as minimal and simple. including family or heritage pieces, mementos from travels, or art and photos with personal meaning in the mix with clean, pared-down selections give spaces intriguing contrast, depth and texture. i love the dichotomy of mixing antique and modern, blank areas with pops of color, simple structures with a striking piece. and i always love some whimsy thrown in. … modern gezellig.