Jen Dallas, Interior Designer – Help at Times of Transition

Jen Dallas, interior decorator - help at times of transition
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Jen Dallas was born to be an interior designer – that was clear from a young age. As a child, her mother found her up well past her bedtime, rearranging the furniture in her room.

That young bedtime-defier is now an artist and designer who helps people bring to life the intimate connections between themselves and their living space. Dallas, who heads her own firm, strives to make a broader impact resulting in new lines of home décor and design elements.  “It’s a lucky thing to know what you want to do from such a young age,” says Jen Dallas, “and to grow up in a family where having that purpose meant something – to have parents who encourage creativity and encourage who you are.”

Jen Dallas

Dallas oversees the work in her design studio (jendallas.com) as well as her studio which offers a growing line of products under the brand name Maple Jude & Co. (maplejude.com) where she collaborates with her senior associate and creative partner Perry Helderman. “I’m more of an un-decorator,” says Dallas.  “I’m trying to serve the people who are my clients, not my own artistic interests.”

Interior design projects include: an English-inspired manor in Kentucky, a mountain retreat off the Malibu Coast, a posh Manhattan Beach country club, or a secluded bungalow in St. Barth’s, and each client’s specific tastes and needs are considered, guided by a spirit of collaboration and creativity.  “It’s really about knowing my clients and how they live their lives,” she explains.  “I like to ask them – how could your life work better?  

Bathroom by Jen Dallas

What do they value?  Cleanliness?  Comfort?  Entertaining?  Do they need places for people to sleep because they have a big family who likes to visit?  Do they value their holiday China and always want it accessible?  Do they have allergies?  When you see a finished designed room on a DYI show on TV, it looks easy, but a good designer will work with the client to refine and personalize each space so the rooms are truly livable and function the best for the people that live there.”

This personal touch has been very important the last couple of years, as the impact of the pandemic has made people re-think their priorities, and the connection between their bodies, the spaces they occupy and share, and the newly blurred lines between home, work, and social spaces.  Dallas says “There are a lot of multipurpose rooms, the family room becomes mom’s office.  We’ve had to think about furniture differently: corners for desks, pin-up boards, and the goal is always to not make it look like it’s an add on, but has always been part of the room and part of the plan.”

Jen Dallas

Dallas believes that her own native sensitivity and intuition help her to navigate the changes and demands of the past few years.  “I’m a people person, and I’ve always been very sensitive,” she says smiling. “I was teased about it as a kid, but now it’s such a blessing, because I know I can pick up on things my clients want and direct my questions the right way.  I’ve always been into psychology and at one point thought about being an art therapist, and my son always says ‘mom, you’d be the best life coach.”  Most people work with designers at moments of great importance or transition: “My clients are empty nesters, or have new babies, or have relocated for a job – there’s always a life-changing event going on when I’m meeting them, and I need to be ready to ask them the right questions and listen to their real needs.”

Kitchen by Jen Dallas

This fall, Maple Jude & Co.  will introduce their second collection of fabrics and ceramic tile with plans for Maple Jude’s first wallpaper collection to debut this fall.  Dallas has her own namesake lighting collection launching in 2023 and is working on her own line of furniture for summer 2023.

In her spare time, Dallas likes to get her hands dirty (literally) and “sculpting a garden.”  She’s also “obsessed” with animals and dreams of a future where she has a farm that can sustain an ecosystem of goats, chickens, and dogs.  “I really want an African grey parrot,” she confesses.  

Jen Dallas finds the most satisfaction in knowing that her work results in connections and experiences that help people create comfort in their most personal and sacred spaces, whether that is in the form of a large design concept, or simply a lighting fixture or tile that speaks to the client’s deepest desires.  Jen Dallas is there to help.

Photos are courtesy of Jen Dallas

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