By Katy Carrier
Meet Justina Blakeney, the multi-talented creative phenom and social media superstar sharing inspiration and how-tos from her Los Angeles “Jungalow”—a space she describes as “wild like the jungle, but cozy and homey like a bungalow,” and mixing “handmade items from cities all over the world with the sleek lines of midcentury modern design, sprinkled with a hint of the tropics and garnished with a whole lotta plants!”
How would you describe yourself and what you do?
I am a designer, artist and free-spirited mama! I love to spend my days being creative, experimenting, documenting and finding beauty in unexpected places. I also love to travel and to be right outside my comfort zone—it’s in those moments that I experience growth, both as an artist and as a person.
Your style aesthetic, in a few words?
My style aesthetic is colorful, patternful and jungalicious!
What projects are you working on right now?
Right now I am designing the Justina Blakeney Home collections. I’m busy creating color palettes, furiously painting patterns for textiles, and even designing furniture! We’ve just launched my wallpaper line with Hygge & West, which is inspired by tropical motifs and ancient symbology – there is also no shortage of palm trees in the collection, as they are my favorite! I also recently launched a collection of rugs and pillows with Loloi Rugs and a line of wedding stationery with Wedding Paper Divas. I am also traveling a lot, speaking at design conferences and doing book signings for my new book, “The New Bohemians, Cool and Collected Homes” (Abrams).
In 2016 we will be introducing even more fun home projects, as well as focusing on my blog, TheJungalow.com, where we share daily design inspirations with hundreds of thousands of people every month.
How does Palm Springs inspire you?
I’ve been coming to Palm Springs ever since I was little girl because my grandparents had a home not far from downtown. Visiting Palm Springs for me has always meant that I was in for fun, relaxation, pool time, gorgeous mountain hikes, date shakes, and of course, more palm tree inspiration than any designer could ever dream of! Now as an adult, I come for weekends away to soak up inspiration from some of my favorite locations including Moorten Botanical Garden and the Parker hotel. And then of course there’s Modernism Week! I also never miss a chance to go thrifting and antique-store hopping in Cathedral City and have scored some of my favorite finds there.
“The New Bohemians, Cool and Collected Homes” is available at the Trina Turk Palm Springs boutique (891 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs).
