Jasmin Reese was born into a military family, and throughout her childhood she moved frequently. She lived in an array of residences from converted factories to vineyard homes, and was constantly adapting to new environments. These early transitions informed her worldview and understanding of how our surroundings shape our lives.
Reese put herself through college while working in high-end furniture showrooms, which sparked her love for interior design, and she realized that her intuition was an asset. “I have an uncanny ability to read a room, and I have a sixth sense about people and things that are going to happen,” she says.
It was when she used a bonus check to redo her office rather than go on vacation that Reese embraced her ideal profession. She moved to Chicago to study at Harrington College of Design, and launched her first interiors business on graduation day.
Reese founded her eponymous firm in 2014, and today has a 6,000-square-foot studio where she shares space with an upholsterer, which gives clients a behind-the-scenes glimpse at their custom pieces as they are being made. She’s known for signature elements like “color bomb” rooms and wallpapered ceilings, which bring whimsy to any setting.
With a number of projects to tackle at any given time, Reese doesn’t wait for the perfect concept to begin. “I am pretty reactive,” she notes. “I typically just start ordering materials or something related to the idea, and I journal every day.”
Today, Jasmin Reese joins us for Friday Five!
1. My Cat Nina
Here is my cat Nina playing with Samuel & Sons fringe. I love to watch her play, even if the fringe has a little static after.
2. Hercules Ring
I love this ring from the Grand Tour collection. A friend bought it for me to inspire me to always keep going. It’s funny because there are other options like Athena, Artemis, and Demeter, however she said I remind her of Hercules riding a bull, which always makes me laugh. I wear it on especially hard days when I know I have to be strong.
3. Driving Range
I love 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 casual and enjoy the city sky.
4. Wedgwood Cake
I collect Wedgwood, and this is a birthday cake my husband had made for me that looks like the real thing. He spent hours looking for the bakery to make it, and so many bakeries said it was too hard of an ask. But Coco and Eve were excited about the project and did an amazing job. It was very expensive and hard for me to cut into it to finally take a bite, but I loved this special 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, andI screen shot them and make sketches. I would love to create a wallpaper sometime.
Photography by Jasmin Reese.
Works by Jasmin Reese:
Guest Room
Red is one of our favorite colors to drench especially paired with vintage Wedgwood blue. We love adding layers of vintage to our projects and this guest room has a lot of truly special details.
Cat Canopy Bed
We designed this sweet little canopy bed for a cat. It was included in an auction that the River North Design District put on to raise money for PAWS Chicago.
Primary Suite
We used this lush velvet stripe from Christian Lacroix with saturated hues as a bolster in a primary suite. Details are everything and here we created a custom tassel to finish off this beautiful bolster.
Foyer With Chandelier
This foyer we designed is defined by saturated 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 cove ceiling with plaid wallpaper to introduce graphic contrast and dimension.
Powder Room
This Alexandria wallpaper by Designers Guild in the Lapis colorway reminds us of an English garden. One of our favorite things to design are powder rooms, as there is so much opportunity for delight and surprise.
Photography by Michael Alan Kaskel.
