We recently connected with Jason Lai and have shared our conversation below.

Jason, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?

My name is Jason Lai, Principal Designer and owner of JL Interiors. My company is a full service residential interior design firm located in Santa Monica, CA and my team is made up of strong diverse creatives. JL Interiors empowers homeowners to design their dream home that they can be proud of! Design isn’t just about making things beautiful; it’s also about making things work beautifully. My design firm offers services such as planning & consulting, new construction & remodels, interior design & project management. We pride ourselves on space planning and design, we never like to waste precious square footage in someone’s home.

Jason grew up in the quiet suburbs of West Covina – a native Angeleno! Interior design is not the typical career path of a Chinese American, especially in the 90’s in a traditional Chinese (Hong Kong) household. He was encouraged to continue his studies in marketing and communication while interior design was seen as a hobby. After a few years, Jason felt unfulfilled and knew he had to explore his creative passion for design. The motto he lives by is “You can’t learn taste, you have to have it!” With much back and forth, he started dabbling in design courses such as wedding planning, floral design, fashion and ultimately stumbled upon interior design. It just came so easily. Growing up, he never saw diverse representation within the media, especially a gay Asian interior designer. So he made it his mission to be his own representation as an openly proud gay interior designer to inspire the next generation.

Growing up with immigrant parents and family, Jason’s family either owned Chinese restaurants or worked in the food service industry within the San Gabriel Valley, he understands the value of hard work and the difficulties that comes with owning a business. Jason’s drive, discipline and determination to succeed has never wavered from the hard work required to build his dream because of his passion for design.

What sets Jason apart from other designers is that he listens to his clients on how they use their space and focuses on resale value. Jason doesn’t just focus on one aesthetic, he believes that a true interior designer can adapt and be creative in any aesthetic but with their own spin on it. At the end of the day, the client will be living in their home, not anyone else. His personal design style is contemporary design but that doesn’t stop him from being as creative as he can be!

He had the pleasure of being featured in different media outlets such as, Bravo’s “Best room wins!” which he took the crown for contemporary design, “Million dollar Listing LA”, and “Open house” on NBC showcasing his personal home in Santa Monica, CA. Jason has also been featured on Tastemade Home “Weekend Refresh” showing his design skills to the world. Recently, you can find his YouTube series called “Restoration Renovation ” by KILZ. His work has also been seen in Los Angeles Times, Elle Decor, Pasadena Now, The Global Design Post, Locale LA, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, and other published magazines.

In addition to being featured, Jason has collaborations with Hydrosystems (freestanding tub), Area Environment (Mural wallpaper), and soon with AllStone (marble tile). Jason is just getting started, watch out for him!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Jason Lai, Principal Designer and owner of JL Interiors. My company is a full service residential interior design firm located in Santa Monica, CA and my team is made up of strong diverse creatives. JL Interiors empowers homeowners to design their dream home that they can be proud of! Design isn’t just about making things beautiful; it’s also about making things work beautifully. My design firm offers services such as planning & consulting, new construction & remodels, interior design & project management. We pride ourselves on space planning and design, we never like to waste precious square footage in someone’s home.

Jason grew up in the quiet suburbs of West Covina – a native Angeleno! Interior design is not the typical career path of a Chinese American, especially in the 90’s in a traditional Chinese (Hong Kong) household. He was encouraged to continue his studies in marketing and communication while interior design was seen as a hobby. After a few years, Jason felt unfulfilled and knew he had to explore his creative passion for design. The motto he lives by is “You can’t learn taste, you have to have it!” With much back and forth, he started dabbling in design courses such as wedding planning, floral design, fashion and ultimately stumbled upon interior design. It just came so easily. Growing up, he never saw diverse representation within the media, especially a gay Asian interior designer. So he made it his mission to be his own representation as an openly proud gay interior designer to inspire the next generation.

Growing up with immigrant parents and family, Jason’s family either owned Chinese restaurants or worked in the food service industry within the San Gabriel Valley, he understands the value of hard work and the difficulties that comes with owning a business. Jason’s drive, discipline and determination to succeed has never wavered from the hard work required to build his dream because of his passion for design.

What sets Jason apart from other designers is that he listens to his clients on how they use their space and focuses on resale value. Jason doesn’t just focus on one aesthetic, he believes that a true interior designer can adapt and be creative in any aesthetic but with their own spin on it. At the end of the day, the client will be living in their home, not anyone else. His personal design style is contemporary design but that doesn’t stop him from being as creative as he can be!

He had the pleasure of being featured in different media outlets such as, Bravo’s “Best room wins!” which he took the crown for contemporary design, “Million dollar Listing LA”, and “Open house” on NBC showcasing his personal home in Santa Monica, CA. Jason has also been featured on Tastemade Home “Weekend Refresh” showing his design skills to the world. Recently, you can find his YouTube series called “Restoration Renovation ” by KILZ. His work has also been seen in Los Angeles Times, Elle Decor, Pasadena Now, The Global Design Post, Locale LA, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, and other published magazines.

In addition to being featured, Jason has collaborations with Hydrosystems (freestanding tub), Area Environment (Mural wallpaper), and soon with AllStone (marble tile). Jason is just getting started, watch out for him!

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Growing up, he never saw diverse representation within the media, especially a gay Asian interior designer. So he made it his mission to be his own representation as an openly proud gay interior designer to inspire the next generation. Just because you grew up in a traditional household doesn’t mean you can’t chase your dreams! Just because you are not good in school doesn’t mean you can’t be successful!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an interior designer is when your clients absolutely love the space(s) you created for them. The home is so important, it has to feel like home! I love what I do, not only creating beautiful spaces but also be forever changing. A creative mind always needs inspiration.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jlinteriors.design/
• Instagram: @jasonlaiinteriors, @jlinteriorsdesign
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/jl-interiors-santa-monica?osq=jl+interiors

Image Credits
Photos by Jennifer Esteban, www.Jennifervision.com