Jonathan Adler’s Entertaining Do’s and Don’ts
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If walls could talk. The only thing better than getting an invite to the spectacular home of ceramicist Jonathan Adler and author Simon Doonan is interviewing the ebullient potter about all his best tips on entertaining. WWD caught up with Adler on his recent trip to Paris, where he unfurled his spring collection of home decor at the Maison&Objet trade show.
WWD: What are some of your rules for a dinner party? Or are there no rules and if so please explain…
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Jonathan Adler: Put on groovy tunes, invite interesting guests, and serve “normal” food. No one wants a froth of this and a reduction of that.
WWD: How do you and Simon divide the roles at the party? Who and what do you like to cook for large groups?
J.A.: My hubby Simon Doonan and I will split the cooking and are big fans of serving “Thanksgiving dinner” at every dinner party. It’s everyone’s favorite meal and for some reason you only get to have it once a year. Once the food is prepped, I’ll decorate the table, and then we arm wrestle over who has to do the dishes later.
WWD: How can you make it easier?
J.A.: Take the pressure off! Your friends are coming to see you, not judge the dust in your corners or the drizzle on your crostini.
WWD: What was your last dinner party like?
J.A.: Intimate, yet unconventional. The key is to throw a few glamorous eccentrics into the mix. A random selection of high-low and everything in between is what makes a party fun. Ideally, I’d always have at least one heiress and a drag queen in attendance.
WWD: What are your favorite places in NYC or the world to fish for vintage or pottery or linens?
J.A.: There are too, too many to count. For vintage, I’d have to go with The End of History — a midcentury modern antiques store on New York City’s Hudson Street. Some of the glass is phenomenal. J’adore. For pottery, the only right answer is Jonathan Adler, of course!
WWD: What creations of yours are perfect to gift someone at a dinner party and why?
J.A.: It’s a Sophie’s choice, but everybody loves a trinket tray! Ours come boxed for easy gifting and many — like the Muse Sun Trinket Tray and Madrid Square Tray — are accented with real gold for extra glam. You’re welcome!
WWD: What do you bring when you are a guest? And what do you enjoy being gifted and why?
J.A.: I like to gift whatever is newest at Jonathan Adler. Right now, I’m stocking up on the Gilded Dora Maar condiment bowl, Vienna salt and pepper sets, and the Turner ice bucket for my holiday fetes. As for me, I’d never say no to a five-star vacation!
WWD: What are some recent items that you have added to your home to enhance conviviality?
J.A.: The Eden vases. It’s hard to be somber when poppy tones of yellow, blue, green, and orange are strewn about.
WWD: How can you make “fabulosity” in the home on a low budget?
J.A.: Save up for the pieces you love. Not only will the “splurge” items anchor the space, but they will quell your insatiable urge to redo everything in a few years.
WWD: Do you stick to Emily Post or do you have your own rule book?
J.A.: I don’t subscribe to many rules, but I do think the golden rule should be “do unto others and be eccentric.” Otherwise, what’s the point? It’s what you owe the world — to be an interesting, good person.
WWD: Do you bring your dog FoxyLady to dinner parties and how do you feel about your guests bringing pets?
J.A.: I think it’s important to read the room when thinking about bringing your pet to a party. Is your host a clean freak with dander allergies? A bohemian with a tolerant ‘tude? I’ll bring FoxyLady wherever she’s welcome.
WWD: How do you exit a convo at a dinner party?
J.A.: Easy — exit the party!
WWD: You talk a lot about making stuff Instagrammable and your fabulosity… some tips for our readers?
J.A.: Life is too short to look back and see an endless haze of beige. Go for whatever tingles your chakras most, and if you love it, it will work.
WWD: You have a lot of décor in your house, how long does it take to dust all of those things?
J.A.: Not as long as you’d think. I’m very old and have had years (and years!) of practice.
WWD: How can you make a room fun and maximal but not cluttered?
J.A.: My approach has always been to start with a chic and classical foundation and then layer it with playful punctuation.
WWD: How do you find balance in a world where your hands and your physical and business presence are so crucial? How long do you spend per day making pottery and ceramics?
J.A.: When I first started out, I would spend 14 hours a day making mug after mug, handle after handle, teapot after teapot and do it all again the next day. I have come a long way since then, thanks to my incredibly talented team who help turn my ideas into reality. These days, my 14 hours at the potter’s wheel have been cut down to a more reasonable amount, and I’m able to focus on the bigger picture.
WWD: You once referred to yourself as a Willy Wonka of pottery and ceramics — you create other worlds with your objects. Are they characters and tell a story?
J.A.: I think everything you buy and surround yourself with should reflect back your most glamorous, interesting self. So in a sense, the piece might not have a story, so much as it helps craft a story about you.
WWD: What are you up to in Paris and what are your favorite spots?
J.A: I’m here for Maison&Objet, where we’re unveiling our latest collections of furniture, accessories, pottery and more. It’s been great to hear people’s reactions to the assortment and always fun to walk the show and see what’s happening.
In general though, there’s nothing like the French flea market, and I love to explore the galleries and antique shops in Saint-Germain. I turn into an energizer bunny and can peruse the area all day until I crash at my hotel. I’m staying at J.K. Place this time, which j’adore.
WWD: What are some of your must-see spots at Paris Design Week?
J.A.: Other than Maison&Objet, I like to go rogue — I go with no itinerary, pop into whatever catches my eye, and let the week unfold however it may. My one non-negotiable? Stopping in somewhere for a tarte tatin with crème fraîche.
WWD: When you have pottery-block, where do you go to inspiration?
J.A.: The truth is, I don’t get potter’s block. I’m a restless potter, and the more I make, the more I want to make.
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