The Tastemakers: A Conversation with California Home + Design’s Editor-at-Large, Jennifer Mehditash

It’s safe to say that Jennifer Mehditash is something of a Renaissance woman. The owner of a bi-coastal interior design firm, founder of the popular design blog Dec-a-Porter, and an Editor-at-Large for California Home + Design, Mehditash got her start in the art world. After studying Modern Art at Christie’s, Mehditash moved to Portugal, where she landed a job at Sotheby’s. She spent the next fifteen years involved in the valuation of spectacular private collections of art and furniture—an experience that deepened her knowledge of antiques as well as fine and decorative arts from a range of periods.

In 2008, After studying interior design at London’s venerable Inchbald School of Design (fellow alums include Zaha Hadid, Nina Campbell, and Henrietta Spencer-Churchill), Mehditash opened her own firm, Mehditash Design, in New York. A satellite office in Newport Beach, California, followed in 2014.

As a designer, Mehditash is known for her contemporary interiors that have a timeless appeal—an aesthetic she achieves by employing a thoughtful mix of art, modern design and traditional forms. This knack for curation has served Mehditash well at California Home + Design, where she is responsible for selecting exceptional design for inclusion in the magazine’s digital and print publications.

We caught up with Jennifer to discuss her love for Art Deco furniture, where she goes to find design treasures, and much more.

InCollect: You run a bi-coastal design firm and serve as an Editor-at-Large for California Home + Design (among many other things). How do these two roles go hand in hand?

Jennifer Mehditash: The world of design allows us to wear many hats. I am just one of many lucky designers that likes to share her finds and thoughts on design, whether it is through my own blog Dec-a-Porter or with the readers of California Home + Design magazine. Our world is so visual—with Instagram and Pinterest, among all of the other social media outlets—we are able to connect with potential new clients and brands in a very real and timely way. I do feel strongly that wearing my "editorial hat" makes me a better designer and forces me to stay very connected with trends and brands, which allows me to provide my clients with unique solutions to our design schemes.

InCollect: When did you join the California Home + Design team?

JM: Upon deciding to move to Newport Beach, California, and through the connection of friends in the media, California Home + Design magazine reached out. My own blog allowed me to share my editorial voice with them and it has been a fantastic time for me as a designer and blogger to connect with everything "design" as I cover the Southern California region for the publication.

 InCollect: How does your style/approach as a designer compare to your style/approach as an editor?

JM: I try not to allow my own interior design style to impact my evaluation of designers or brands that the magazine would like me to cover. It's a lot more about using my experience as a designer to evaluate the level of professionalism, creativity, and work of each and every designer in their own unique way. I respect the craft and hopefully can ask meaningful questions to the designers I interview and connect with them in a very personal way, which I aim for in every editorial endeavor that I take part in.

InCollect: As a designer, what is it like to run an office in California and another in New York? How do the clients, tastes, designs differ?

JM: Of course there are huge differences between both the east and west coasts, even if only considering the quality and color of the light on both coasts. I am of the belief that there is the perfect designer for every client that transcends any borders or geographical location. It is much more about creating that genuine connection between me as a designer and my clients that is most important. Once the connection is made, the magic can happen, and in many cases my clients have homes in multiple areas which allows us to use many aspects of our flexibility and creativity as we design in those different locations. The one great advantage of having a bi-coastal business is being able to provide my clients with trades and artisans from across the country that they might not otherwise have access to.

InCollect: Part of your role at California Home + Design is to curate great design objects for the magazine’s print and online versions. What are your go-to places to find great design?

JM: Under the leadership of our Editorial + Brand Director, Lindsey Shook, we all contribute through finding unique objects to share with our readers. Lately, I have been using Instagram as a means to find special artists and handmade objects, which is much more about the lifestyle of our readers than simply home design finds. It’s exciting to look outside of the box when curating finds for our readers.

InCollect: How would you describe your personal style? How is it reflected in the objects you choose?

JM: As my clients know, I love color and pattern and I'm not afraid of mixing them. I want every home I design to be much more reflective of a story—one that can describe the homeowners with little moments of surprise thrown in.  I would never want anything to look like it was straight out of a catalog, but instead should be much more focused on a layering of individual pieces that are woven together to create a story through the use of a combination of finishes, styles, and textures.

InCollect: What are some of your favorite design objects (and/or designers, movements) of all time?

JM: I have to admit I am partial to anything Art Deco.  I think it's the crisp linear lines paired with the organic elements that really speak to me. Some of my favorite moments when designing a home happen when I am working on accessorizing a client's shelves. I love to introduce unexpected pieces that are sculptural and unique alongside their books. I have used vintage handbags for a client that loved fashion, signed sports memorabilia, and art and sculptures.

InCollect:  You studied modern art at Christie’s and worked at Sotheby’s for fifteen years. How has your background influenced your work as a designer? What about as an editor?

JM: Starting my career at Sotheby's influences and impacts all of my choices. That is probably why I spend so much time buying pieces at auctions, antiques galleries such as those in Stamford, Connecticut, at flea markets like Brimfield in Massachusetts, or the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles. That’s what my clients expect from me—to ensure that their's is a one-of-a-kind design.

InCollect: What was it like to transition from the auction world to interior design? What sparked the shift?

JM: I worked at Sotheby's in Lisbon, Portugal, where I met my husband. His mother is Portugal's leading interior designer, Graça Viterbo, and it was through that connection that I began my career in interior design. I managed her interior design showroom for two years, where, thanks to her mentorship, I learned almost all of what I know today. Whether it was purchasing for the showroom at tradeshows, such as Maison et Objet, or working on design projects throughout Portugal under her leadership, it was that hands-on training that allowed me to achieve a very wide knowledge of the business very quickly. Soon thereafter, my husband, Bruno Viterbo, and I opened our own interior design firm and continuing education center connected to the Inchbald School of Design in London, where I studied. Through these courses, tradeshow events, and seminars, I not only helped to provide education to fellow designers throughout Portugal, but I was able to learn so much from them myself. It was an incredible experience and one that has shaped who I am today. I continue to feel that way about my blog—it’s that need to share and be as much of a contributor to the design industry as possible.

InCollect: What do you like to do when you are lucky enough to have a little down time?

JM: As a mother of three children ranging in age from seven to fourteen, free time is not something that I know much about. Every moment that is not dedicated to work is happily filled with family. It's not just the dance lessons or sports events, but also traveling with my family and watching them enjoy these moments and cultures for the first time. You can learn a lot from the way that your children see and experience the world.

InCollect: What and/or who are your greatest inspirations?

JM: Sound by Antony Gormley, in the crypt of the Winchester Cathedral, represents how I see design. It's the human form within an architectural space that fills with water, highlighting how nature plays a huge part in the fluidity of the relationship between the two. It’s magical and means a great deal to me.

InCollect: What is your favorite room to design and why?

JM: It's more about the room that presents the biggest challenge than the specific room for me. I enjoy rethinking the interior architecture, whether it's by re-defining the function of the room to better suit the family, or adding a wall in order to make better use of a space. Those are the contributions that I feel bring a tangible added value to the quality of life for my clients and goes beyond what many believe we designers do. It’s much more than selecting colors and layout—it’s about all of those things and everything in between!

InCollect: What’s the best advice you have ever received?

JM: Never regret.

InCollect: What advice would you give to designers (or editors) just starting out?

JM: Be open to advice, be open to asking questions, and make sure you listen to the answers. There is always someone out there that knows a little more and that will make you better at what you do. That's true of every profession.

InCollect: What is something our readers might not know about you (i.e., secret hobby, passion or interest)?

JM: It’s a secret.