Jasmine Rees she was born into a military family and throughout her childhood moved frequently. He lived in a series of factory-turned-vineyard dwellings and was constantly adapting to new environments. These early transitions informed her worldview and understanding of how our environment shapes our lives.
Reese put herself through college while working at high-end furniture showrooms, which sparked her love of interior design and realized her intuition was an asset. “I have an uncanny ability to read a room and have a sixth sense about people and things that are going to happen,” he says.
It was when she used a bonus check to redo her office instead of going on vacation that Reese embraced her ideal profession. She moved to Chicago to attend Harrington College of Design and started her first interior design business the day she graduated.
Rees founded it eponymous company in 2014, and today has a 6,000-square-foot studio where it shares space with a tapestry, which gives customers a behind-the-scenes look at their custom pieces as they are made. It is known for its signature elements, such as “color bomb” rooms and tapestry ceilings, which bring whimsy to any setting.
With a number of projects to tackle at any given time, Reese can’t wait to launch the perfect concept. “I’m quite reactive,” she notes. “I usually start by ordering materials or something related to the idea and write in the diary every day.”
Today, Jasmin Reese is with us Friday five!
1. My cat Nina
Here is my cat Nina playing with Samuel & Sons fringe. I love watching her play, even if the fringe has a bit of static afterwards.
2. Ring of Hercules
I love this ring from the Grand Tour collection. A friend of mine bought it to inspire me to always keep going. It’s funny because there are other options like Athena, Artemis and Demeter, yet she said I remind her of Hercules riding a bull, which always makes me laugh. I wear it on particularly tough days when I know I need to be strong.
3. Driving range
I like going to the driving range at night. My husband and I have been going for over 25 years in the evening where we can be relaxed and enjoy the city skyline.
4. Wedgwood cake
I collect Wedgwood, and this is a birthday cake my husband made me that looks real. He spent hours looking for the bakery to make it, and so many bakeries said it was too difficult. But Coco and Eve were excited about the project and did an amazing job. It was very expensive and difficult for me to cut it to finally bite, but I loved this particular cake.
5. Sketches
Here is a collection of sketches I made of members from my martial arts class, Benjilany. The owner posts videos on Instagram and I screen shot them and make sketches. I would like to create a wallpaper at some point.
Photo by Jasmin Reese.
Works by Jasmin Reese:
Hostel
Red is one of our favorite colors that goes especially well with vintage Wedgwood blue. We love adding vintage layers to our projects and this guest room has a lot of really special details.
Canopy cat bed
We designed this sweet little four poster bed for a cat. It was included in an auction held by the River North Design District to raise money for PAWS Chicago.
Primary Suite
We used this rich velvet stripe from Christian Lacroix in saturated hues as an accent to a master suite. Details are everything and here we created a custom tassel to finish off this beautiful brace.
Foyer with chandelier
This foyer we designed features rich red walls and ceiling, creating a bold first impression. A tiered crystal chandelier with a warm brass frame serves as the focal point, adding softness through diffused light. Above, we added a checkered wallpaper ceiling to introduce graphic contrast and dimension.
Powder room
This Alexandria wallpaper from Designers Guild in Lapis reminds us of an English garden. One of our favorite things to design is powders, as there are so many opportunities for delight and surprise.
Photo by Michael Alan Kaskel.
