Most people might recognize Chad Jensen as the founding director of Method & Concept (formerly the Thomas Riley Studio), an art gallery and design studio that represents some of the finest early and mid-career artists.
But as a craftsman and interior designer himself, Mr. Jensen has worked on some /of Southwest Florida’s most amazing properties. Luxe Living’s Michael Korb spoke to him Chad Jensen about his craft.
Q: When did you first know you wanted to do interior design?
A: It wasn’t until my late 20s, early 30s. I’m a fine artist and craftsman by education and training, but I’ve always had an interest in interior spaces and industrial design. The more my fine art and design practice evolved, the more I realized the importance of a holistic perspective, meaning it became less about the individual object and more about the sum of all the parts, with the interior space serving as the backdrop or canvas.
Q: Where did you learn the craft?
A: I studied fine art and industrial design at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit; however, my greatest education came from my father. He was an industrious man who, aside from having a formidable career in automotive
manufacturing, remodeled every home we lived in, so the idea of adapting a space to suit your needs was familiar to me at a young age. Per my father’s advice, I also sought out people who are the best at what they do and learned from them.
Q: How important is craftsmanship to good interior design?
A: Craftsmanship is paramount. The failed execution of a design can negate the entire project, no matter how good the idea. The client should be able to immerse themselves in what you’ve created without the distraction of flawed craftsmanship, otherwise that’s all they will remember. Too often people try to separate fine art, design, and craft, and they have a tendency to box you into one or the other. I have always felt those things share a symbiotic relationship, that neither can exist without the other. I articulate it this way:
ART = concept
DESIGN = human factors + problem solving
CRAFT = materials, process and execution
Q: Where do you find inspiration that translates to your interior design work?
A: It sounds too obvious, but clients are most often the muse. I rely on their interests, the way they live and their openness to explore new ideas. Beyond that, I rely heavily upon research. I love digging around to find little morsels of unrecognized potential and bringing that to the forefront to add a story or meaningful connection. When you find that, the design process truly becomes exclusive to the client.
Q: What do you ask of clients in order to know you’re on the same page?
A: The first thing we like to do is establish a firm level of trust, because we are about to embark on a journey together into the unknown, hopefully to a place that is completely unfamiliar to them because we are creating an experience they have never had before. As an artist I’ve developed the ability to withstand criticism, so I ask clients to be brutally honest with their responses to design ideas. We don’t let them off the hook with a simple “I like it” or “I don’t like it,” however. I ask them to examine and articulate why they are having that feeling, like the way one should appreciate and critique art. This can often be a profound perspective shift for our clients if they have never been asked to examine their intuitive response to something. ¦
—Method & Concept 26 10th St. S., Naples 239-529-2633 www.methodandconcept.com
This vignette-styled gallery installation features works by five artists: Brett Harvey, Kate Silvio, Matthew Shlian, Bower Studio and Chad Jensen.
This abstract expressionist painting by Method & Concept artist Carmelo Blandino is in an Aqualane Shores home.
The complete remodel of this kitchen incorporated flooring, ceiling, lighting, a La Cornue custom range and cabinets, one-of-a-kind exhaust fans and an artist-painted eglomise glass wall.
