In a Baltimore rowhouse in 2010, Jennifer Walter founded Folding Chair Design Co. with a baby on her hip and another on the way. Her mission from the start has been to enhance the lives of her clients by realizing the greatest potential in their homes. “We are listeners first. No matter what, we hear our clients. We may encourage clients to branch out in different directions, but we always want to know how people want to feel and live in their homes,” Jennifer says. “It’s part the client and their likes, it’s part us and our influences, and it’s part everything else around that just moves us.” Learn more about Jennifer in today’s Designer Friday.
This inviting home office features sleek, dark built-in bookshelves adorned with an artful selection of vibrant books, adding a striking burst of color to the sophisticated space. The geometric desk plays on the idea of stacked books on the shelf and ties the room together.
Andrew Joseph: If you could be any animal in the world, what animal would you be and why?
Jennifer Walter: A mole. I read “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” last year and it restored my belief in kindness. The mole was the most kind. I could also live my life out of sight. Might be a nice change.
AJ: If you could guest star on any TV show -on or off air- what show would you guest star in?
JW: The White Lotus. I just want to live my life in some off-kilter world where everyone is kinda messed up. I feel like I’d fit right into one of those storylines.
Custom cable wine racks artfully integrated into the walls of this dining room create an illusion of floating, while a vintage, Italian glass chandelier suspends overhead which adds a mesmerizing glow upon the scene.
AJ: If you weren’t a designer, you’d be a ….?
JW: A florist. I love arranging flowers. I styled the flowers for several weddings in my 20s and 30s. I love the life and softness that flowers give to a room with hard edges. Sometimes we’ll use no other color in a room but the flowers within it.
AJ: What’s your design pet peeve?
JW: When draperies are too short! When I see a drape hanging in no man’s land, I feel like I’m going to pass out.
AJ: Are you a pet person? Why either way?
JW: Dogs or cats? Both! We have a pointer/pitbull mix and he’s about the sweetest and funniest dog in the world. We also have two cats who love attention and people. I never had cats before our cats, but the love runs deep.
This bathroom embraces a blend of textures and patterns, featuring reeded cabinetry with a striking black marble countertop, complemented by sleek black subway tiles adorning the shower walls.
AJ: Favorite piece of clothing you own?
JW: I bought a mandarin collar, tea-length black coat from J. Crew in 1997. I felt like it was ahead of its time. The coat was probably $225 back then which felt like a million dollars to me. I tried it on three separate occasions before I bought it. Which was a crazy splurge then. I still have it. I still wear it. I still love it.
AJ: Where is the first place you want to travel now that everything is opening up?
JW: Iceland. I need to see the Northern Lights right?
About the Designer | I’m a worker. When I take anything on, I obsess about it, and stay up nights thinking about it until it comes to fruition in a special way. It’s not about a need for control or perfection. Be it a birthday party, a friend’s engagement, or an event at my kid’s school: I’m all in. I’m in with all the bells and whistles. When it comes to decorating, I either get an idea in my head and immediately realize my vision for a space, or I spend weeks thinking about what that piece of greatness will be, and then it hits me and I’m running.
My team is also precious to me. Each person who works with our clients is special and brings a unique perspective. With so many moving parts, having a flexible, very patient, smart team who can make turns on a dime is crucial to keeping projects moving in the right direction. Everyone sits right on top of one another because we’re all so dependent on each other. We tried sitting apart, and it just didn’t work.
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