Maple Jude & Co. - A Lifestyle Shop for the Home
Our Favorite Discovery:
Maple Jude & Co. - A Lifestyle Shop for the Home
Where Vintage-Modern meets Bohemian Chic
Jen Dallas (left) and Perry Helderman of Maple Jude & Co.
Visiting Maple Jude & Co. interior designers Jen Dallas and Perry Helderman at their new design studio in Santa Monica, California, I am enchanted by their colorful hand-designed organic textiles and ceramic tiles. Their designs are perfect for a coastal, indoor-outdoor lifestyle, their vintage-modern aesthetic mixed with a relaxed bohemian vibe.
“We’re inspired by the flora and fauna of landscape, the ocean and coastal life, and the celestial realm of moon and stars,” says Jen. Most of the textiles and tiles feature a variety of pastel colors with whimsical designs and names, as well as bolder graphic designs.
A variety of Maple Jude & Co. textiles and tiles, above
The powerhouse design duo started with Jen, who founded (and still runs) Jen Dallas Interiors Studio, a multifaceted interior design studio that focuses on high-end residential and commercial projects. Perry joined the company in 2013 as associate designer and project manager, fresh out of college on the East Coast. Together, they started Maple Jude & Co. - a lifestyle shop for the home - in 2018, officially launching at WestEdge Design Fair in Santa Monica.
They’re both into vintage, but love refining it for a modern aesthetic. “I’m passionate about the old house you can add new things to, to give your interiors the opportunity to tell more of a story,” says Jen.
~ Tell us about your passion for design and how you started ~
Originally from Chicago, Jen always knew she wanted to be a designer. “I have wanted to be a designer since I was young,” she says, starting her design career in the windy city. “My father was an artist and art history teacher, so my parents encouraged my creativity. It meshes all my passions into one – people, creative and space.”
Out of school she started designing hospitality interiors. “Hospitality was a great opportunity to see where my gifts were,” she recalls. “But I’ve always been all about materials – the beauty of fabric, stone and tile, and the textures.”
She launched Jen Dallas Interiors Studio 15 years ago, initially moving to California to work on a design project for San Ysidro Ranch, and then stayed.
Perry started her interior design career at Jen Dallas Interiors Studio. Graduating with a degree in art history and studio art, she later went back to Otis to hone her textile design skills. Originally from Connecticut, “my parents were artists, and I grew up painting and doing ceramics. I’ve always been into being creative. I love architecture and interior design is a mix of everything I love,” she says.
~ Tell us more about Maple Jude & Co. ~
“Maple Jude & Co. started with 21 different patterns, and we just launched our second collection this Fall. This newest collection adds 12 more to that foundation, carrying on that notion of nature,” says Perry. “We manufacture our fabrics in a mill in England, and our ceramic tiles in Mexico, and are launching wallpaper patterns in Spring 2023,” adds Jen.
“Stellar” in black on natural, above
~ Don’t Be Afraid to Use Color ~
“We just came out of a pandemic. There is a desire for fun color and to just lighten things up … lighten up our houses,” says Jen. I do love a soft, neutral house, but it’s so fun to have some boldness in it, too.”
Jen and Perry also showcase their sense of whimsy in the names of their fabrics, such as ‘Rosie Posie’ and ‘Don’t Put Baby …’ “It’s an event for us to come up with color ideas – we’ll open a bottle of champagne and name fabrics. And you know a good name when you hear it. It’s such a celebration when you land on the perfect name,” muses Perry.
~ On Entrepreneurship & Having a Women-owned Business ~
“I have Maple Jude & Co., Jen Dallas Interiors Studio – and my own lighting line that’s just about to launch. I’m a single mother of a teenager – he’s my ‘heart walking outside my body.’ I think if you’re a creative person, you don’t turn it off. Creativity is involved in everything you do,” says Jen. “I think we’re so lucky to be creative people and have that be our career. It’s really a blessing,” adds Perry.
~ Who Inspires You? ~
Jen: “Kerry Joyce – he’s great at colorations. The tone on tone.”
Perry: “Peggy Platner – she’s more textural; I love her fabrics.”
~ Advice for Aspiring Interior Designers? ~
Jen – “Going to school helped me focus on interior design. Don’t be afraid to try new things. I think when you really love something there’s a reason you’re passionate about it. It’s drawing you to it. Just keep doing what you love to do and see how it unfolds for you. Life can surprise you.”
Perry – “It’s important not to fear making mistakes – it allows you to learn about yourself and sets you on a more authentic track.”
For more information on Maple Jude & Co., please visit www.maplejude.com
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