I admit it: I’m an HGTV junkie. I love watching shows like “Love It or List It,” “White Room Challenge” and “You Live in What?” There’s an abandoned firehouse here in Philly that I used to drive by that I’d love to make my own. This week for our home-improvement issue, I spoke to internationally renowned interior designer Jt Christensen. Christensen’s style has been described as East Coast urbane meets L.A. meets Copenhagen. Originally a fine-arts major, Christensen uses that influence to create fresh new spaces for both his commercial and residential clients.
PGN: So where are you from? JC: I’m actually from upstate New York and Valley Forge. I lived in Valley Forge for about 10 years.
PGN: What’s something you miss about New York? JC: I miss the deep snow we had growing up. We were in the weather belt above the Great Lakes so we had a lot of snow.
PGN: What was the worst? JC: The time the snow was so deep, I ended up pulling my bumper off trying to get my car out. I drove around without a bumper for some time after that.
PGN: Are you an only child? JC: No, I have five older brothers. I’m the baby.
PGN: No sisters? JC: [Shrugs.] All boys! And all our names start with “J”: Joel, John, James, Jeffrey, Jacob, Josh. I’m Josh: Jt stands for Josh.
PGN: That sounds biblical. Were you from a religious family? JC: Yes. I’m not religious anymore, but growing up, yes.
PGN: Catholic? JC: No, nondenominational Christian Evangelical.
PGN: What do the folks do? JC: My mom’s a nurse and my dad’s done a lot of things. At one point he was a blacksmith. He designed chandeliers and custom doorknobs and other ironwork, mostly for historic homes.
PGN: Is that where you got your decorating artistic side? JC: I suppose so. Also my brother John was an architect and I really aspired to follow in his footsteps with that at first.
PGN: What was growing up like in an evangelical family? JC: It was great. I really appreciate my conservative family values. I still carry them, even though I’m not religious anymore.
PGN: A favorite family memory? JC: Vacationing in Maine. We used to do a lot of camping. Renting boats and having fun.
PGN: What kind of kid were you? JC: I was very quiet … and chubby. I was a chubby kid.
PGN: I would guess with that many boys you’d have to be one extreme or another. JC: Yes, you either dominate or become submissive!
PGN: What things were you into in school? JC: I was a band geek. And I took a lot of fine-art classes. I did a lot of painting and drawing.
PGN: Favorite teacher? JC: Mr. Rice, my art teacher in my senior year. He encouraged me to express things I couldn’t say in words through my art, my painting. It was very, very therapeutic.
PGN: What were you dealing with? JC: Probably just mixing being gay with my religious beliefs, dealing with those conflicts.
PGN: Were you subjected to antigay sentiments? JC: Since I wasn’t out, not really. It was more things that were implied than actually said to me. Once I finally did come out, my parents asked me if I would go to the pastor to be mentored. I said no.
PGN: What was a favorite art project? JC: That would probably be a self-portrait I did my senior year. It was of me sitting on the ground casually covering my face with a big minimal-abstract structure above me. It was done during a difficult period of my life.
PGN: Did your parents ever see any of the paintings and wonder what was going on? JC: Yeah, probably, but they were very soft-spoken as well. But they did show concern and were supportive.
PGN: Where did you go to school? JC: I graduated from the Art Institute of Philadelphia.
PGN: I love AI. When I had my production company, I got all my interns from there. They were always on top of the latest trends and technology. JC: Yeah, I’ve used interns from there myself.
PGN: What did you study? JC: I studied interior design with a focus on corporate interior architecture.
PGN: Why not fine art? JC: I actually started as a fine-arts major, then I tried photography and art education, but my main interest always came back to architecture, like my big brother. When I did photography I thought I’d specialize in photographing architectural spaces, or when I did art education I thought I’d focus on interior design. [Laughs.] I also did graphic design and thought I’d work for an interior-design magazine and then I finally thought, instead of fine arts, why don’t I just go for an interior-design degree?
PGN: Which brings us to christensen: studio. How did you get started? JC: Even when I was still in school, I was freelancing — doing kitchens and bathrooms, small projects. Then right after graduating, I worked for a small company but soon realized that I really wanted to be my own boss. I was developing a nice client base, so I decided to jump right in and go out on my own. And it was a great decision; things have really taken off and I’m so happy I did.
PGN: So my only reference to interior design is watching HGTV. What do you do? JC: Right, so think of me as an architect, except that I deal with the interior, as opposed to the exterior. If I do anything that needs an architect, they just preview my drawings and stamp them. I do a lot of corporate branding for small restaurants like HipCityVeg and OCF Coffee House, places like that. I help new small businesses come up with a corporate brand and translate that into the space — everything from the walls to the fabric selection.
PGN: How long have you been in business? JC: At least four years, maybe five. I also do residential properties too, though my focus is on corporate clients.
PGN: What was a favorite project? JC: I helped a client decorate their vacation home in Costa Rica. It was incredible. The house was on the side of a cliff and you walked down to get into it. There was a swimming pool with a waterfall that went down to the lower level. We became very close to them so I can’t wait to go visit. I’ve already picked out my room!
PGN: What’s a conversation piece in your house? JC: It’s actually a big painting that I purchased from that client! It’s very abstract but implies a human figure. It’s dramatic and bold and edgy.
PGN: How did you meet your partner? JC: He’s going to kill me. We met online. We chatted for months and months and months without ever meeting. I was the one hesitant to meet him. I felt I needed more time, but one day I was texting him as I was sitting in the park. He figured out where I was and came down without telling me and found me in Rittenhouse Square and introduced himself to me. It was awkward, but ultimately very cute.
PGN: Any hobbies outside of your artistic pursuits? JC: No, I work way too much. I work all the time, usually seven days a week. I do a lot of fundraising events. I’ll donate the lounge furniture and help put things together. For instance, are you familiar with Feastival? It’s a really big event. It’s the fundraiser for the Live Arts Festival so I’ll borrow furniture from different sources I have and create a VIP lounge. I’m also going to be a table captain for the HRC Gala next year. I’ve always donated to the auction but I want to do more next year. It’s a great event. Did you go?
PGN: No, it’s above my pay grade! But if anyone wants to take me as a guest I’m available. What kinds of things would you donate? Services? JC: Well, last year I donated an Eames chair and I think I donated a consultation as well.
PGN: When did you realize you were different than the other boys? JC: I’m a little bit naïve and gullible, which I think can be a good thing. I didn’t really realize I was different at first, I assumed that most boys married women but had sexual feelings for other boys. I didn’t tie sex and those feelings to marriage, and it was a long, slow process to realize that not everyone felt the same.
PGN: It’s weird how we can feel something different, not know what it is, but know enough that we’re not supposed to talk about it. JC: Yeah, I didn’t say anything until I had to. And then it was an issue.
PGN: What happened? JC: My mom read my journal.
PGN: Oh, snap! JC: Yeah, and at that point I had a boyfriend and I knew that they wouldn’t be OK with it.
PGN: So how did you get from being closeted to finding a boyfriend? JC: When I was young, I was really, really religious. Not just because of the family or their expectations, but personally. At some point, I just realized that there was something wrong with religion or the church, whatever you want to call it. I felt I had to choose between my religion and being gay. There was a very specific moment and it was really hard for me. That was during the time I was in art class my senior year with Mr. Rice. It was either kill myself or come out to myself. Obviously, since we’re talking, I chose to come out. It was a fork-in-the-road moment and once I made that choice to be true to myself, I went down that road 100-percent.
PGN: Where did you find your support? Did you tell your teacher Mr. Rice? JC: I had a high-school therapist who was very supportive. I would not be here without her. I didn’t talk to him specifically about it but I think he understood.
PGN: Now for some random questions. Who would you contact in a séance? JC: How about Eames? I’m a big fan of his and he was very influential in the design world. It would be amazing to have a chance to talk to him.
PGN: Last thing you read that made you laugh out loud? JC: A text message from my romantic interest. I’m not going to tell you what it was, but it was very funny!
PGN: The house is on fire; what do you take? Not counting things that breathe. JC: Believe it or not, I’m not that connected to material things, which is strange because of what I do, but I’m a minimalist. Perhaps a chair; I have a fetish for chairs. Hence my desire to talk to Charles Eames.
PGN: Favorite place to which you’ve traveled? JC: Scuba diving in the British Virgin Isles. So beautiful.
PGN: That counts as a hobby! JC: [Laughs.] OK, it’s been a while, though.
PGN: What was the craziest moment under water? JC: I was accidentally pushed towards an eel one time. It had its mouth open and was coming right at my face. The person I was diving with had been bitten by an eel before and it cut her tendon, so it was really creepy.
PGN: Yikes! What’s the best thing about being a grownup? JC: You can work hard and play even harder! PGN: Favorite toy as a kid? JC: Hmmm, why can’t I think of any? I had a penguin stuffed animal.
PGN: Are you an animal person? JC: Yes, yes. I love dogs. We don’t have any right now but my love interest has a parrot.
PGN: Ever play any instruments? JC: I was a flautist all the way through high school. I was in the orchestra, marching band, etc.
PGN: That’s right, you did say you were a band geek. What was a crazy band experience? JC: Probably trying to march in the snow. I remember one time we were in a really small-town parade, the weather was awful and no one was there except my family, but we still marched!
PGN: Since your mom read your journal, whose diary would you love to read? JC: Probably my partner’s! [Laughs.] I think he has a lot he hasn’t told me.
PGN: Are you a morning or night person? JC: I used to be a night person but I’m becoming more and more of a morning person.
PGN: Do you watch any HGTV shows? JC: Um, I like the shows that are about reselling the house. That kind of stuff is fun, but honestly HGTV is kind of a pedestrian version of what we do, so I disagree a lot of times with what they show. The shows are more for the general public and I’m not the general public, so they’re really not of interest for me. I don’t mean to be a snob, but there it is.
PGN: That makes sense. Any stupid human tricks? JC: No, I am boring.
PGN: The most important thing your mother taught you? JC: To be sweet. I don’t know that she went out of her way to teach me that, it was just how she led her life. But I try to follow her example.
For more information on christensen: studio, visit www.jtchristensen.com. To suggest a community member for Family Portrait, email [email protected].