DesignHER is a platform that celebrates the vision, craftsmanship, and innovation of women in design. By curating stories from leading female designers, artisans, and creatives, our latest series, in collaboration with Women Create, offers an intimate look at the diverse paths these women take to shape their industries and their own businesses. Through thoughtful interviews and features, the platform illuminates the artistry and technical mastery that define their work, while exploring the deeper narratives of creativity, resilience, and leadership. DesignHER honors the unique perspectives of women, fostering a community where design excellence and empowerment intersect to inspire the next generation of trailblazers.
Jennifer Miller is a Los Angeles-based artist and interior designer, principal of Jennifer Miller Studio and founder/owner of Miller House — a line of original, handcrafted products for the home. Jennifer instinctively understood design’s influence on our lives at a tender age. She holds vivid memories of painting at an easel as well as rearranging her bedroom furniture to create a more pleasing layout. This early-found passion moved her to seek degrees in art history, painting and interior design. Her education, along with extensive world travel and a deep appreciation for the natural world, continue to inspire her aesthetic. As an artist and designer she strongly believes in the eclectic blending of the old and new to bring serene, soulful designs to life.
adh: How do you stay motivated and inspired in your work?
JM: There takes a level of discipline that comes with staying motivated and inspired. I see myself as having a relationship with my creativity and I do have to tend to it, nurture it and feed it. Slowing down, observing and connecting with nature are quick ways for me to sync up and stay inspired. Travel, experiencing other cultures and seeking out things I may not be exposed to on a regular basis. Spending time seeking to see an experience and a wide range of what is being created today; whether it is by up and coming artists or work that has been created by masters.
adh: What advice would you give to your younger self at the start of your journey in this industry?
JM: Stay true to your vision and your own timing of advancement. All will unfold exactly as it is supposed to, enjoy the process. In the advent of social media and heavy competition, it is easy to compare oneself to others. The photos we quickly scroll over that mostly show success leave out the grit, failures and dedication over time it takes to achieve at a high level. Getting there gives the work its true soul, embrace it!
Flora prints inspired by California’s native greenery.
adh: What are the most important values or principles that guide your work?
JM: I strive to put things out in the world that have integrity and will stand the test of time.
aspire design and home: Have you faced any particular challenges in your industry because you are a woman? How have you overcome them?
Jennifer Miller: With the empowerment and rise of women, there has been a learning curve in how to lead and achieve. Most of our culture operates in the energy in a masculine way versus as a true woman operating in a feminine way. Understanding the top-down system of running things and being told things have to be a certain way. I think women are in the process of a rebirth and resurrecting the wisdom, the power, the fierceness, the knowing, the sensing, the acceptance, and leading with consciousness.
Inspired by the beauty of California’s vineyards, this intricate pattern reflects the organic flow and intertwining movement of grapevines.
adh: What’s your favorite part of the creative process, and why?
JM: Starting with a blank page, endless possibilities and the element of surprise that comes. I can plan and have ideas, but one element that is created informs the other, and there is always something that shows itself that is unexpected. There are times I am in awe of what develops in that creative time.
“Luxury to me is not about buying expensive things; it’s about living in a way where you appreciate things.” – Oscar de la Renta
adh: How do you handle creative blocks or periods of low inspiration?
JM: I really surrender to those moments to allow a regeneration of creativity to happen on its own. Everything has a season, nothing is constant. I have learned when the inspiration isn’t coming to me, it is signaling me to be in more of an observer role. Taking the pressure away from the deadline too.
This delicate pattern was inspired by the Pittosporum plant found in Jenny’s home garden.
adh: What role does experimentation play in your creative process?
JM: It is important to me to be able to give myself experimental leeway. Being space to be messy, “coloring outside the lines,” playing with new techniques or materials without the pressure of having it be anything assists in the development of my work. It allows me to explore new directions that may not have come about if I didn’t give myself that grace.
adh: What do you think are the biggest opportunities for growth in the artisanal craft industry?
JM: With all the AI advancement, people are going to yearn more for artisanal craft. It will become more cherished having something that was created by a human. Having a human touch will be noticed and valued more and more.
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