Joanna Williams
Curator, tastemaker, and owner of LA's Kneeland Co.
I have been obsessed with Joanna’s taste in tabletop, art, decorative objects, and textiles since I first heard about Kneeland Co. from close industry friends. Joanna’s design picks are brave, soulful, instinctual, multicultural, and packed with texture, scale, and color. When I first visited her LA retail store, I wanted to move in and live amongst her globally sourced textile archives.
Plus, she has great taste in food, clothing, and people. She is comfortable looking for gems in a flea market bin or working with artists and designers of great provenance. It’s all about a feeling and an unparalleled design sense.
Kneeland Co. was founded in 2010 by Joanna as a framework for sharing her ever-evolving collection of discoveries and inspirations. As an homage to her family’s love of discovery and travel, she named the company after her maternal side — specifically her Irish grandfather and great-grandfather, the latter who fought alongside Pancho Villa during the Mexican Revolution after leaving his home of Scotland, while the former built an 85-foot schooner to sail the open seas before raising Joanna’s mother and nine siblings in a historic district of Mexico City.
Q&A
Who are your favorite emerging designers, artists, or chefs? Why are you obsessed with them?
I am really drawn to what Cornelia Brandolini d’Adda is doing with her brand d’AddA. She offers limited-edition clothing covered in print and color made from upcycled materials with an ultra-feminine sensibility that is timeless.
My dear friend and artist Anton Nazarko is doing some incredible things with textiles to create large-scale collages inspired by nature. He has a sophisticated way of using color and dyes to convey the many emotions of the natural world.
My other dear friend Susan Kim of Eat Doshi is taking food to another level with her style of Korean cooking. I recently had the pleasure of attending two of her pop-ups in Los Angeles to experience kimchi focaccia and a spicy halloumi dish, each of which was a culinary revelation.
What place or destination has changed the way you think about design and why?
India and Mexico for a few reasons but mostly because many beautiful, thoughtfully designed things cost under $5. There is an ingenuity in how things are made that is very inspiring. Traveling and experiencing the world at a young age really showed me that design doesn’t have to be expensive. I’ve always felt this way about both art and design, and will still hang a cheap vintage poster on my wall or display a cool object found in a pile at a flea market for next to nothing. For me, it's about a feeling.
What characteristics in design resonate with you?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always gravitated toward color, print, shape, texture, and material mixing in design. I also love typography and am a sucker for great packaging. I really appreciate when there is attention to detail in design because it articulates a point of view.
What fuels your creativity within or outside of your professional world?
Surfing, traveling, reading, music, and long conversations.
What is your idea of perfect hospitality in any service industry?
There is nothing more chic than anticipating the needs of a guest.
What is the most authentic or unusual hotel you’ve stayed in and why?
The most authentic hotel I’ve stayed in (twice) is The Bhuj House in Gujarat, India. It’s a small home that was turned into a bed and breakfast with four rooms, run by the loveliest family who I am lucky to call friends. I have never had a more charming stay anywhere in the world, nor have I experienced a better home-cooked meal. It is pure love.
Who are the women you admire most?
The women who are charting their own course.
What are a few pieces in your closet and home that you cannot live without?
In my closet: all of my Maison Mayle pieces, my vintage surf tees, Jamaican crochet by Diotima, vintage Levi’s, and my jewelry.
In my home: my collection of tantra paintings, Claudia Rankin ceramics, vintage Oaxacan pottery, and Sunset, a work of art by Anton Nazarko.
What is the best mistake you ever made?
Opening a store during a pandemic.
What restaurants do you consider a must-visit in both LA and your favorite cities?
My three mainstays in LA are All Time in Los Feliz, Elf in Echo Park, and L & E Oyster Bar in Silver Lake for the most delicious cheeseburger.
In New York, I tend to stick with the classics, like Raoul’s and Kiki’s.
When available, i/Edit uses affiliate links — if you purchase something linked in our newsletter, we may receive a commission to help fund our continued work! Rest assured, all product recommendations still come straight from our i/Editors and are not driven by sponsors.