Q&A With Elle Décor A-List Designer Jean Liu

Jean Liu walks the line perfectly between a modernist style that embraces negative space and personalisation that is vital in breathing unique life into a home. From her head-first dive into the design world through the realm of product development, Liu honed her skills as a businesswoman first and foremost. We spoke with the Dallas-born designer to delve deeper into her design process and what she sees on the horizon for the industry.

Custom Round Modern Dragon by Michael Chan | Photography: Stephen Karlisch

A: I studied Foreign Service and Religion in school, and interior design never occurred to me as a career path until my 20s when I moved to Dallas and renovated my first home. The process of renovating was such a daunting but positive experience, and I began flipping houses on the side. I always looked forward to checking on my projects after work and on the weekends. Eventually, adding soft touches became part of each project, like picking window treatments and selecting tile. So, when the economy began to soften, I traded flipping homes for focusing on interior design.

For almost 4 years, I pursued interior design while working a corporate job until 2007. Friends would ask me for help on smaller renovation projects and insist on paying me even though I was happy to hone my creative skills. A project here and there eventually grew to a moment in time when I decided to take the leap and pursue my passion full-time. There were certainly some bumpy moments, as with any small business, but I haven't looked back once. My path into the design world was paved by gracious industry friends who believed in people like me, an enormous amount of luck, and even more hard work.

A: It absolutely shaped my approach to interior design. I carried over two principles from working alongside the product development team in my former life. First, form is only as good as its function. Whatever we design or specify must work well, otherwise, it’s nothing more than sculpture or décor. Second, an emphasis on keeping mechanics hidden is still stressed in the work we do today. That means we are thinking about how to minimise attention to seams, joints, cords, vents, screws, etc.

A: In no particular order,
1. What are three words for how you want your home to feel…not look.
2. If there is a couple involved, who is going to be the decision maker?
3. What is your comfort level of investment for this project?

A: We believe art is the way to make a good house great. I have a dream of one day building our own house around the art we have collected over the years. Art is the visual storyteller that makes each part of the house interesting and unique. That is not to say the art needs to be expensive, important, or by a famous artist. Collecting what you love and going deep is my motto.

A: As with all showhouses, there never seemed to be enough time to finish the spaces, and Whole Home was no exception. Despite the challenges, we were excited and fortunate enough to start with the newly introduced rug design, Modern Dragon by Michael Chan. Getting to finalise this first allowed us to use the rug as a launching point for the rest of the room. We carried the same blush and black colours of the rug throughout the space, and we used the opportunity to celebrate Asian designers and artisans by incorporating not just Michael Chan’s work into our room, but also creators like Windy Chien, Eli Ping, Virginia Sin, Lauren Hwang, Kyung-Me, Sam Lee, Tabaimo, Bowen Liu, Middle Kingdom, Stellar Works, and Shoshi Watanabe. These AAPI designers are well worth knowing.

A: I'm particularly excited about the return of softer shapes, rounded lines, and scalloped details in furniture. It's a nice change from all the angles and rigidity that have seemed to dominate the furniture space for so long. I also continue to be interested in makers, vendors, and creators who continue to push sustainable design. It's a win-win for us to incorporate beautiful furnishings that are either responsibly sourced, made with recycled materials, or created in an environmentally conscious manner. Lastly, I'm enthused by the request for luxury in our work — it has never been more important than today. When clients describe what they want for the project, the first response is comfort. Nothing evokes that sense better than using pure, quality, considered materials and furnishings.

As for whether or not we say yes to a project, that depends mainly on whether or not we believe we are a good personality fit with a potential client. Most of our projects are multi-year, and it can either be a great ride that ends too soon or utter drudgery if there isn't a unified vision. I joke this is like dating—sometimes the chemistry just isn't there even if the project itself might be impressive.

Tableau Blue Smoke by Kelly Weartstler | Photography: Lisa Petrole

A: Before answering, I just want to say this is like the Sophie’s Choice of rugs, but if I must, here goes: Splendour by Guo Pei — I’d love to use this in a dining room where the border gets most of the attention. Coco for a dark, moody bedroom where the rug juxtaposes against the rest of the room. Gesture for the art lover in me — those bold black brush strokes are too memorable not to use. Avant Graphite Shaped by Kelly Wearstler — I am leaning into shaped rugs these days and envision this in an entry as a real showstopper. Monarch Fire by Alexander McQueen — the lushness of this rug gets me every time I see it, and it would be perfect for a lounge or study.