Backstory: Jean de Merry Turns Katherine Heigl and Karolina Kurkova Into Designers

Filed under: Design, etc, News & Trends

Made-to-order furniture line Jean de Merry celebrates ten years by creating ten new pieces with a host of creative types.

Want to see a jewelry designer's take on a cabinet? Or a model-designed lamp? It's all at the Los Angeles-based, French Deco-inspired flagship of Jean de Merry, on display through September 2nd. Not only did it give the talented crew of ten the chance to work with de Merry on a piece of furniture, but 100% of net proceeds will go to a charity of their choice.


When picking the ten guest designers, de Merry and his partner Christian D. Maroselli looked for people connected with charities that were meaningful to them. They wound up with a great mix, including fashion world stars like Costello Tagliapietra, artist Joel Morrison, A-Listers like Katherine Heigl and Karolina Kurkova and more.

"When I initially met with Jean de Merry, I asked him to collaborate with me on a design that explores motherhood and nature and a passion for my career and my nationality as well," Kurkova told us. "We shared thoughts and ideas and finally we came up with a floor lamp whose voluptuous lines are representing the image of an elegant woman's body, flowing down with roots from the earth."

Of course, each guest designer's collaboration process was different. Browse the slideshow of the products then scroll down to see what de Merry told us about the process.





ShelterPop: Congratulations! The collection looks amazing. And Karolina told us she had a great time working with you.

Jean de Merry: Yes, isn't the piece so feminine and clean? It really looks like haute couture.

ShelterPop: It does! And tell us: How was working with all these different people from different backgrounds?

Jean de Merry: It was different with each person -- Katherine Heigl and I talked on the phone, she told me she'd like a vanity, because she had trouble finding one big enough. The Costello Tagliapietra guys sent me a drawing originally and then we sent photos back and forth. That was the piece we were still working on the night before.

ShelterPop: How are the pieces being received?

Jean de Merry: Well, you know, you create something and you never know how people will react. But it looks like people like everything we did -- we're already filling some orders, there are a few pieces on hold.

ShelterPop: And even if you don't buy something, it's easy to be inspired by all these pieces.

Jean de Merry: In the exhibit, and in the whole showroom, we try to let people find themselves. You have to create a lifestyle that fits with your needs and your home. It's not about decorating. It's about lifestyle. The first thing people say when they walk into the gallery is "oh my god, can we move in?" It looks like a home.

ShelterPop: So what's next for you guys?

Jean de Merry: The company's growing. We're doing showrooms in Dubai and Hong Kong. We're launching a new, more traditional line and also a very high-end line of fabric.

ShelterPop: Very exciting. One last thing: If you had to choose one of the ten pieces from the collaborations, which one would you bring home?

Jean de Merry: I want to be politically correct. I would like every one of them ... but my house isn't big enough.

 

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