Along the road of my career and travels, I've been extremely fortunate to meet and work with an array of incredibly talented people. Ramblings is my way of picking their brain for more insight and juicy tidbits to share with you.
I met Jean on my recent trip to NYC and was so honored that she would take the time out of her busy schedule to meet with me and discuss her experience in publishing. To say she is experienced in that world is an understatement. Jean is a journalist and the author of several books on architecture and design. She has served as editor of several decorating and design publications, including House Beautiful, Home Building, and Good Housekeeping Do It Yourself, and most recently served as Editor in Chief of the Woman’s Day Specials, where she produced Kitchens & Baths, Easy Decorating and Remodeling & Makeovers among other magazines. She has written for several consumer magazines, including Interior Design, Child, and Real Simple, and continues to contribute to various blogs and trade publications. An accredited green professional who lives in New York, she is also the founder of a blog called
The Happy Home Workshop and is currently writing a book called The Happy Home Project, due to be published by Filipacchi Publishing next spring. She is inspiring, and we share a similar design philosophy. She is definitely a great mentor and an overall interesting woman!
What is your greatest extravagance?
Sleeping later than my husband does.
What career would you pursue if you weren’t doing what you do now?
I think I’d like to be a nurse, but it’s probably too late. So I’d probably go into real estate, but my timing is off for that, too.
Which living person do you most admire?
My mother. She raised five children, then went to law school and started her career as an editor of statutory law when she was almost 50. I find that astonishing. I also think Oprah Winfrey and the Dalai Lama are amazing for their ability to bridge cultural gaps and have a profoundly positive influence on millions of people.
What three things can’t you live without?
My husband, my family, my friends.
What is your guilty pleasure?
A glass of red wine with dinner every night.
What is your favorite color combination?
I like browns and creams with any other color.
What is the favorite room in your house, and why?
The living room next to my home office. It’s at once dramatic and serene.
Dramatic because it’s a double-height space with two large works of art by talented artists, an Indian named Ram Kumar and a Mexican named Ricardo Mazal. It’s serene because of its soothing palette, long, soft curtains and a big tree outside the window that seems to quietly protect it.
What is the most memorable event you’ve attended and why?
My father’s wake. I’ve never experienced such a genuine outpouring of love in my life. The room was filled with what someone called a “joyful roar.” It was as if everyone was drunk on their positive memories of him—except no one was drinking. It was a testament to how deeply he was loved. And it was also interesting to me that my greatest loss was tinged with this particular joy.
What would people be surprised to know about you?
That I was able to put together a Pax organizing system from Ikea by myself—the directions say it’s a two-person job.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
Petty partisan bickering.
