Blog

In the competitive world of corporate and hospitality interior design, custom furniture is often the element that defines a space. From hotel lobbies to executive boardrooms, bespoke furniture not only enhances functionality but also reinforces a brand’s identity.

Unlike mass-produced furniture, custom-designed pieces bring unique opportunities for branding, durability and spatial storytelling. But taking a concept sketch or 3D rendering and transforming it into a structurally sound, manufacturable product requires precision. This is where shop drawings become indispensable—serving as the bridge between an interior designer’s vision and a manufacturer’s execution.

Designed by Roya Gholizadeh and Rachel Barick for Jamie Stern, Luminous explores the way light interacts with color, fiber and texture in this curated collection of seven hand-tufted rugs. Inspired by the movement of light across the surface of the varying materials and textures, these designs highlight the softness of New Zealand wool as well as the shimmering qualities of bamboo silk. Each rug creates a backdrop that captures the magic of luminosity.

Read our interview with the collection’s team of in-house designers below to learn more about their creative process as well as the inspirations behind Luminous.

Leather vs. “Vegan” Leather

Many of us are already familiar with the numerous key advantages of leather from sustainability and durability standpoints. If not, please feel free to take a deeper dive into the subject with our Leather Sustainability post. In short, genuine leather is a by-product of the meat and dairy industries, it lasts long and wears in with time and use and will eventually biodegrade in a landfill if and when it is discarded.

Who hasn’t seen leather used in all the traditional ways? Upholstering Chesterfield sofas, elegant lounge chairs, banquettes in steakhouses. These are all classic applications and for a good reason! They look sophisticated, feel luxurious and boast exceptional sustainability and durability. At Jamie Stern, we love leather and we love these timeless uses. 

For the seventh year, the Jamie Stern team gathered to put on a favorite annual get together, our BDNY Showroom Event. There were some exciting new changes and updates this year including the location. Earlier this fall, we moved into our new showroom space, located at 231 W. 29^th Street. This new spacious setting is still only a few blocks from the Jacob Javits Center and makes for an easy walk to and from the show. 

Designed by Rachael H. Grochowski, Founder and Principal of Montclair, New Jersey’s RHG Architecture + Design, the Infinity Collection for Jamie Stern combines shapes inspired by nature with precise construction suitable for multiple market segments. Consisting of two chairs and two sofas, this collection creates seating that enhances connection, creativity and comfort.

The Dune Chair and Sofa as well as their armless counterparts, the Mesa Chair and Sofa, feature thoughtfully designed proportions and a careful balance of shape and volume, making the pieces of The Infinity Collection perfect additions to an unlimited range of interiors and spaces.

Read our interview with Grochowski below to learn more about her creative process, the inspirations behind the Infinity Collection and the designer herself!

Form and function come together beautifully in Peek & Trilogy, a quartet of new tables and stools designed by Timothy deFiebre for Jamie Stern. These deceptively simple pieces feature a careful balance of line and volume in streamlined silhouettes that work in multiple settings, including corporate, education, hospitality and residential, providing easy, lightweight options to choose from.

Read our interview with Timothy deFiebre below to learn more about his creative process, the inspirations behind the Peek & Trilogy Collection and the designer himself!

Jeannene Doub is a veteran textile designer who currently serves as the Director of Design & Development for Jamie Stern’s Fabric division. She first came to the world of textiles by training as a hand weaver before formally studying textile design at Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science (now part of Thomas Jefferson University) and the Scottish College of Textile in Galashiels, Scotland. After decades designing fabrics for the interior design community, she has developed a thorough understanding of the critical balance between design, production and sales. As a result, she has established herself as a creative force within the Jamie Stern Furniture, Carpet, Leather & Fabric team.

As we head into 2024, we wanted to take a look back at the past twelve months and all that it had in store for Jamie Stern Furniture, Carpet, Leather & Fabric. We launched a series of exciting new collections, ran a number of engaging design contests, contributed to a great deal of beautiful projects and worked with countless inspiring designers and architects throughout the year.

Although it would be impossible to touch on every wonderful endeavor, we did want to take the time and recognize some of our favorite highlights from 2023.