Interior design is not only a form of stagecraft; it is also directly related to the art of acting. So says award-winning designer Jamie Smith Jackson. She should know; a former actress, her film credits include Go Ask Alice and All The President's Men.
Today, Smith Jackson is the design director and owner of Honolulu-based Pacific Home Studio. Admittedly, any link between thespianism and home design sounds far-fetched at first. But when Smith Jackson describes it, the connection suddenly seems like common sense.
"I think all the arts are overlapping," she says. "In both design and acting, you have to inhabit the space, imagine what could be, and project emotion through aesthetics. Both as a designer and as an actor, you listen and empathize with another consciousness, and then you collaborate with a team of artists to make the magic happen."
Smith Jackson transitioned from the world of acting to the world of interior design almost by accident. Remodeling a kitchen for fun (while visiting friends in New York City) led to paid commercial and residential assignments - including some designs that won awards.
Smith Jackson launched her first Hawaii based interior design studio, Boobam Design, on Kauai before migrating to Honolulu. Three years ago, she partnered with Jenn Johnson and Aubrey Yee, owners of the Pacific Home furniture store. Two interns supplement their total staff of 12.
"I specialize in homes with that 'beachy' feeling - is that a word?" she laughs. "I strive to create home designs that are casual yet elegant, so people are comfortable where they live. The question is, how can we best integrate home design, lifestyle, and environment in a harmonious blend? The whole design process is about collaboration and I've had wonderful chances to work with great clients, architects, artists and builders. It's really fun when our creative contributions come together to realize someone else's dream."
The designer's current assignments include homes in several of the Hawaiian Islands, along with shopping centers, restaurants, and more. She says she places style ahead of functionality - "things must work, as well as be beautiful" - but she clearly delights in bringing a Hawaiian sensibility to her projects.
"One of my great pleasures is to be able to support local artists and work with them, incorporating their creations into my design," Smith Jackson explains. "Most people in Hawaii want a sense of place and that means both tropical geography and Island culture. Being sensitive to local art, local flora and fauna, and local craftworks are wonderful ways to create the indoor-outdoor lifestyle that all of us Islanders love so much."
Her Hollywood connections still count (she's married to actor Michael Ontkean); projects for celebrity clients include the Kauai north shore home of actors Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor. But Smith Jackson is quicker to talk about working with everyday families.
"I get a kick out of designing a home with colors, textures and fabrics that make it graceful," she says, "but where you can still feel free to track in a little sand, and sit down in your swimsuit, covered with tanning lotion."
