Famous Interior Designers Series - Jean Jansen

Jean-Henri Jansen (1854-1928) was a noted interior designer and architect from Holland. In 1880 he left Holland for Paris for establishing workshops to meet the increasing demands of clients. Jansen named his interior design firm, ‘Maison Jansen’ (House of Jansen). It was probably the first ever international design firm, and Jansen had identified various talented designers and employed them in his workshop. His leadership quality combined with the efficiency of skilled labor resulted in the creation of beautiful pieces of furniture incorporating exceptional aesthetic appeal and quality. Design concepts inherited from the eighteenth century models had become a hallmark for the design firm.

Jean-Henri Jansen’s interior decoration firm was so successful that it continued its operations from 1880 to 1989. In its initial days, the firm was unable to produce its own furniture and had to lend contracts to other cabinetmakers. However, by early 1890 Jansen established the firm’s own furniture manufacturing facility, producing contemporary designs as well as reproductions in Louis XIV, Louis XV1, Directoire, and Empire styles.

In 1915, during the First World War period, Jean Henri Jansen had to face many financial difficulties and hence decided to reorganize the firm. He opened a branch of Maison Jansen in New York at 25, West 54th Street, during this period. In 1920s, Jean brought in the talented designer Stephane Boudin to his company and made him director. It was Boudin who helped Jansen in expanding the offices of the firm which resulted in increased revenues for the company.

The patrons of Jean Henri Jansen’s business included princes, millionaires and industry leaders. The firm became so famous that Jansen was able to open an extensive network of sales and manufacturing facilities in Argentina, New York, London, Sao Paulo, Prague, Rome, Cairo, Alexandria and Havana. The global reach of his design firm also enabled him to import rare woods from Argentina and Cuba.

The quality of workmanship offered by Jean Henri Jansen’s firm had made it one of the major institutions not only in Europe, but also in Latin America, North America and the Middle East. Later works relating to furniture design by Jansen’s firm had shown the influence of various contemporary trends including the Vienna Secession, Modernism, and Art Deco styles, mainly in furniture produced between 1920 and 1950.

Maison Jansen’s works had an influence on various royal families, thereby securing the patronage of the Belgium Royal family, the Shah and Empress of Iran, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, celebrated designer Elsie de Wolfe, and Jackie Kennedy, wife of John .F. Kennedy. In 1928, the world of interior design saw the death of this pioneering creator from Holland.