by HIGH POINT — During the October High Point Market, Home News Now sat down for a talk with musician, actress and designer Jessica Simpson, who unveiled her first furniture collection with full-line resource Steve Silver Co. Also Steve Silver’s first licensed collection, Jessica Simpson Home features more than 70 pieces of wood furniture and upholstery, including accent chairs, banquette seating, sofas, sectionals and ottomans, available in more than 35 fabrics. Here, Simpson talks with HNN Editor-in-Chief Tom Russell about the inspiration for the collection and how furniture has long been a passion on her mother’s side of the family.
Here is an overview of their discussion at the Steve Silver showroom.
Home News Now: Jessica, thank you for taking time to speak with us today. Can you tell us the story behind Jessica Simpson Home and how it came to be?
Simpson: Steve Silver is from Dallas and I am from Dallas so it made sense to launch home where I feel at home, which is in Texas. So it is a beautiful thing.
What inspired you to help create a furniture collection?
Simpson: My mom’s grandmother had a furniture store so we are definitely celebrating her here today. But it has always been a passion of my mom’s, and growing up she was always shopping for furniture, always redecorating the house. And now as a mom, I find myself doing the same. So this is a perfect extension for us to collaborate on — it is a passion project of ours. Actually until we found Steve Silver, we really held out to find the perfect fit for the Jessica Simpson collection — like what would make the most sense and also who would actually be a good partner.
What is it that you enjoy the most about working with Steve Silver?
Simpson: They truly listen and they understand the marketplace. They have really helped us along the way and let my personality come into it. When you team up with people, you never know whether they are going to allow you to be yourself, but luckily they have celebrated my authentic style.
Tell us a little bit about how you shop and discover pieces that fit your style?
Simpson: I have a home in Nashville and I rent homes in Nashville so I am constantly drifting and am going into antique malls and stores, and finding like $45 chairs or a $100 settee. I love doing that and I especially like getting a good deal. But I also find inspiration in that, and when I am in Nashville, I am creating music so a lot of the colors you see here are pieces of my music, pieces of the recording studios, including some really cool vintage studios where I record with my musicians. I will even bring in a chair I purchased into the recording studio because I know that I will get a better vocal in a certain chair. So I do those things and that way I hold the memory of the music within the chair. I am very thoughtful when it comes to home design and I also definitely keep the customer in mind.
Color is big this market in upholstery and we see that here in Jessica Simpson Home as well.
Simpson: I understand that there are some things I want to do that we couldn’t do yet that would be just a little too eclectic. But I love it that Steve Silver listened to some of my ideas and actually went with the zebra print or let me do a teal or a rust color. There are also a lot of other really good colors such as blues and greens.
It seems like you really brought your artistic sensibilities to the table here — oops! No pun intended!
Simpson: (Laughs) Oh I like the puns! I am always saying no pun intended! I am creative for sure. So my creative mind goes into everything that I do. When you are an artist — and I feel like I am an artist in all ways — it is in the Jessica Simpson collection absolutely! It is the breadth of the Jessica Simpson collection. So much of what we do touches on things like a fabric I would tie around my mic stand. Or we will be in an old theater and I like the velvet on the chair. Everything is always inspiring me and I have Pinterest boards and inspiration boards and I am constantly inspired.
Do you have a favorite piece? Sorry, I know that is probably like asking which child is your favorite!
Simpson: I know it! And we have pieces that are named after each of my kids. There is even a July sofa that is my birthday month. We kept everything in the home; there is a Drew, which is my mom’s grandmother. Even my grandmother was born in May, so there is a May, which is my daughter’s middle name. Maxwell is my firstborn and I really love hers. But I am going to go with the Jessica — the Jessica couch is one of my favorites. It is a rust-colored couch. I like the texture of it. I like the feel of it; it definitely reminds me of Nashville Canyon, which is the new music that I just put out. And it reminds me of the recording studio that I was in.
Well this is great, congratulations, and we look forward to seeing more. It sounds like this will be a long-standing partnership.
Simpson: I hope so. It is so nice to be celebrated.
