Born out of a collaboration between interior design star Jason Lai and Area’s design team, Jason worked closely with the team at Area, specifically, in-house designer Ethan Owusu, to share his ideas for this new capsule collection of wallcoverings. Reflecting on art classes in the past, Jason wanted to use his award winning line drawings for the inspiration and vision for this collection. Marrying his Chinese culture and the freestyle curving lines found so frequently in calligraphy and the tens of thousands of complex Chinese characters that are in use today, these designs will invoke energy and calm – a yin and yang to any space.
Jason Lai is the Principal Interior Designer at JL Interiors, with 15 years of experience in the design industry. He has mastered an array of styles; from contemporary to traditional and anything in between. He had the pleasure to feature his designs on television shows such as, Bravo’s Best Room Wins! where he took the crown for contemporary design, Million-dollar Listing LA, and Open House on NBC showcasing his personal home in Santa Monica, CA. His work has also been published in the Los Angeles Times, Elle Decor, Pasadena Now, The Global Design Post, Locale LA, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, and other published magazines.
What is mural wallpaper?
Unlike traditional wallpaper which has a repeated pattern or motif, a mural wallpaper shows one large image or pattern that is custom scaled in size to fit the space.
Designed by Jason Lai of Los Angeles-based firm, JL Interiors, the Millennium is a bathtub that will have all your guests talking. Jason Lai (who has been featured on Bravo & NBC) took a cue from the audacious form of the Crain Communications Building, and added asymmetrical embellishments which make the Millennium a striking and singular creation. Its name is a nod to Chicago’s Millennium Park, and a fitting salute when considering its next-generation design and cutting-edge approach to customization. Freestanding on its own or seamlessly integrating with built-in finishes – from classic marble and travertine to of-the-moment trends like subway tile – the design flexibility of the Millennium allows you to be the architect of your own ‘wow’ moment.
INSPIRATION | The Crain Communications Building, also known as the Smurfit-Stone Building, is one of the most iconic fixtures on the downtown Chicago skyline. Built in 1984, the 41-story high-rise was designed to accentuate views of the city’s spectacular lakefront. Clad in alternating bands of glass, aluminum and stainless steel, the structure’s exterior is slashed by a prominent vertical slit, which draws the eye to the upper portion of the building. Most noted for its unusual diamond-shaped upper façade, the Smurfit Building evolves into an even bigger showstopper when its slanted apex is illuminated at night.