Designer Jonathan Adler has affinity for Flamingo, flamingos

Jonathan Adler was told no.

A pottery teacher at the Rhode Island School of Design made it clear that a career in clay was highly unlikely for him. “I heard, ‘I gotta be honest with you: You’re not talented,’ ” says Adler, calling from his home in the Hamptons on a warm summer afternoon.

What did the artist — today known for his chic sensibilities and irreverent point of view — do with that advice?

“It’s good to have someone tell you that you can’t do something. It’s very motivating,” says the 54-year-old New Jersey native who discovered pottery in summer camp. “I skulked away thinking, ‘OK, probably telling the truth. Making a life as a potter is a very bad idea.’ If any kid comes to a parent and says, ‘I want to be a potter,’ they should rush them into an intervention.”

But isn’t it a dream?

“Nightmares are dreams, too, but it turned out very well,” he deadpans.

To wit: In 1993, Adler sold his collection of pots to Barneys. Five years later, he opened his first store in Soho. And now he has a new partnership with the Flamingo, including his creation of an exclusive lamp inspired by the resort’s namesake bird. It will be installed in renovated rooms along with towels, sculptures, mugs, poker chips and other elements in a unique Sin City collection curated by Adler.

He has also created a retail line available for purchase at the Flamingo Promenade store. The Jonathan Adler x Flamingo Las Vegas line includes beach towels, sculptures, mugs and more.

Review-Journal: Where are you spending the pandemic? I’m imagining a chic island.

Jonathan Adler: Yes, I’m on Shelter Island, a heavenly very natural place in the Hamptons just off Long Island. It’s very mellow. I’m talking to you and staring at the sea. This is where I’ve been for the last six months, which is odd to say the least. I’m just trying to stay safe, sane and solvent. Otherwise, I’m a very lucky lockdown person. I’m hiking, swimming and paddleboarding.

Now that we’re living in a pandemic and staying home, how does one resist the idea of gutting the house and redecorating?

Yes, this time at home really does make you look around, because basically no one spends this much time at home. People are feeling the flaws. It’s like seeing yourself in the mirror the first time and thinking, “Everything has got to change.” I’m here to help.

Let’s talk about your Jonathan Adler x Flamingo line. What went into creating an exclusive lamp inspired by the namesake bird? Did you study real flamingos for inspiration?

When I think of Vegas, I think of the Flamingo. It’s just so iconic. So, I was thrilled to have a chance to play with the actual flamingo iconography. As for the bird, flamingos are so stylized that they’re a treat for any designer. God hit it out of the park and did a lot of work when he designed the flamingo. I wanted the lamp to feel like me and the resort. It also had to feel fresh. And I did spend time at the resort watching flamingos up close. They are very joyful birds.

Do you have a favorite among the retail items?

That’s like Sophie’s choice! I’m drinking out of a flamingo glass right now, so that’s my pick. And the playing cards are pretty great.

Do you remember the first time you visited Las Vegas?

I was 28 and I was on a rafting trip at the Grand Canyon. It was the perfect trip — picture-perfect nature and hedonistic fun at the end. During that trip to Vegas, we went to see the show “Crazy Girls.” It was a slightly cheesier era in Vegas. The most memorable part of the trip was going to the Liberace Museum. Later, we named our Norwich terrier Liberace.

Your work has been called happy chic. How do you describe it?

I try to create a sense of timeless luxury, elegance and chic. I like to add a little wink to everything, too.

Why can’t we novice home designers add the right wink?

It’s a varsity move. The important thing to remember when trying to combine cheeky with chic is that 99 percent of it needs to be chic and just 1 percent should be cheeky. Just a little nod. The cheeky can come in the form of a pillow or unexpected piece of art. The danger is when you try to make things wacky. Your goal: You want to be that person who when someone walks into your house they are blown away by your taste and then they want to have a drink with you.

What do you have to say about 2020’s design trends?

Oy. It’s been a very weird, weird year. People are cocooning and feathering their nests. I think the design trend now is more of a sense of coziness. The more people think about their homes, the more they want to fill them with the things they love. I say don’t even worry about the so-called rules. Rules are meant to be broken.

What is your favorite thing in your house?

Usually, it’s the last thing I made, which in this case was a lamp with tree branches. I’m looking at the lamp right now. It’s my favorite, which changes by the moment.

Was it an adjustment after you married Simon (Doonan, author and creative director at Barneys) as you tried to combine your decorating styles?

My husband is a brilliant writer, an aesthetic visionary and all-around genius. I hate to say the following, but it’s true. I believe when people imagine two gay men who are designers living together, they imagine a lot of bickering and arguing where the obelisks should go on the mantle. We’re anything but that. He lets me get on with me and recognizes I like designing our houses because it’s my creative world. He says, “It’s like living with a great hairdresser. You don’t cut your own hair.”

What does cause a teeny disagreement?

The temperature in our house since he wants it to be 95 degrees and I want it to be 50. It’s our only battle … along with who controls the remote control, which should be me.