This October High Point Market saw a unique collaboration in home furnishings. Australian-born international supermodel Miranda Kerr teamed up with Universal Furniture to launch the global style icon’s first home furnishings collection: Love. Joy. Bliss. Inspired by the refreshing energy of being at home, this new collection is designed to capture Kerr’s ideals of tranquility, authenticity and beauty in a practical home furnishings line.
Furniture, Lighting & Decor had the opportunity to talk to Kerr about her background, inspiration and the home furnishings development process.
Diane Falvey: What inspired you to design a furniture collection?
Miranda Kerr: Design and interiors have been a passion of mine for a while now, so when the opportunity with Universal arose, I was excited to explore more of my creative side. As soon as I met the team, I knew it would be a great fit as we all connected immediately and they really understood my aesthetic and vision for the collection. To be honest, I think they were a little surprised at the first meeting because I came prepared with a mood board, color palette and also the different materials I wanted to incorporate.
DF: Share some of your background and how home furnishings design fits.
MK: Over the past few years I’ve worked on my own private projects designing and styling my apartment in New York, my home in Malibu and most recently our family home in Brentwood — each home was very different in terms of the look and feel, but the one common thread amongst them was incorporating pieces that bring about a warm, loving energy into each space … and that’s what I’ve set out to create with each piece of this collection. The idea with the collection is that not only do the pieces look beautiful in the home, they also promote a positive energy, and balance function with style.
I’ve also been designing a collection of fine china and giftware for Royal Albert for many years, so it’s been great to expand on that experience too.
DF: What would you say your design aesthetic is? What draws you to the style your products represent?
MK: My personal style is about simplicity — the less is more approach — and creating a warm, positive energy in my home. I like softness and lots of natural light, and love the intimacy of framed family photos or the children’s artwork scattered around the home along with vases of fresh flowers, books and unique treasures collected on our travels from different countries. My collection with Universal is quite a contemporary collection with soft colors and beautiful fabrics. What I love about the collection is that each piece has the ability to integrate with existing pieces in your home.
DF: How much have fashion trends influenced your home furnishings design taste and how has that impacted this new collection?
MK: I’ve been inspired by working in the fashion and beauty industry; from the creative side, understanding the design process through to shooting the campaign and marketing. One of the key attributes from my modeling career that has influenced me, though, would probably be about the importance of attention to detail — the fit and fabrics, so to speak. Throughout the process I focused on the detail of each piece, working on it until it was 100 percent right. My travels around the world that my modeling career has provided are also a source of inspiration. Being able to experience different cultures and architecture around the world has influenced me on many levels.
DF: Share some details about your furniture collection that makes it special.
MK: My intention when creating this collection was to have pieces that not only were beautiful and functional, but also have an element of uplifting energy. Originally, Love was for the bedroom, Joy was for the kitchen and dining, and Bliss for the living room; however, the entire collection encompasses the energy of Love, Joy and Bliss, and many of the pieces are versatile from room to room. In addition to the words “Love,” “Joy” and “Bliss” that are marked somewhere on each piece, there are also beautiful accents throughout the collection such as gorgeous soft-gold detail, geometric shapes, colored glass and mother of pearl inlay.
DF: What is the target demographic you had in mind when creating this collection?
MK: I think it will be a combination of Millennials and also Generation X; I know many of my friends and family in both of those demographics who love the collection and want it for their own homes.
DF: How did you choose Universal Furniture as a partner?
MK: I first connected with the team at Universal about two years ago and I feel they bring a lot of expertise and insight to a project like this. We had some great initial conversations about what each was hoping to accomplish and it felt like a great fit. I created mood boards to show my vision and we were able to get off to a great start. It’s been a true partnership and collaborative effort from design and development to launch. They’ve been great partners!
DF: How involved have you been in the design and creation process for your collection and why?
MK: I have been very involved in the entire process from the beginning concepts. I shared my vision for the collection and each piece, from design and sketching, to materials, fabrics, the color palette and different tones and textures, through to prototypes and finished products, and now into the marketing side of things — from all marketing materials to content we create, social media, events and promotion — nothing happens without my input and approval. I’m incredibly hands on with the projects I take on and put my name to. Everything I create is an extension and representation of who I am so it’s extremely important for me to be involved across all details. I collaborate, provide thoughts, notes, feedback and ideas every step of the way.
DF: This is your first home furnishings launch. What can we expect to see next?
MK: Yes. This is something I have wanted to pursue for a long time now, so to collaborate and work with the inspiring team at Universal has been a wonderful introduction into the industry. I have loved the entire process; it’s been incredibly rewarding and I cannot wait to do more!
