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Inhale deeply. Exhale calmly. No, it’s not yoga. It’s the feeling Angela Adams hopes to elicit with every new pattern she creates. Awash in swishes and swirls, moss greens and sandy tans, her look is organic, simple, and natural. It’s inspired by the colors and textures of coastal Maine, then translated into every imaginable form, including rugs, fabric, furniture, tiles, handbags, housewares, and stationery. Even the lower-case letters in the name of her company, angela adams designs, reflect her steady focus on beauty and form. “I like the softer shape of the lower-case ‘a,’ rather than the triangular shape of the capital ‘A,’” she says from her studio in downtown Portland, just blocks from the beach. She and her husband, furniture designer Sherwood Hamill, love their work: “You do a better job when you’re totally passionate about it.” Her style translates to many different markets, and her products sell in more than 500 retail stores in North America. Yet she sees her current success as only a beginning. “We’re still expanding categories and distribution.” (a) Angela constantly seeks new creative horizons. (b) The company’s business card expresses her love of clean, geometric lines. (c) Her designs come to life in many different forms, including this tangerine Hannah purse and rainbow Pooky rug. “I name my products after my favorite people, pets, and places.” (d) Angela and associate creative director Karen Gelardi coordinate fabrics and colors. (e) The Lulu rug is available in an array of stock sizes. (f) Angela’s patterns translate well to a wide variety of fabrics and textures. |
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Angela's Tried-And-True Tips |
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What’s going on in the world definitely affects how we design,” Angela says. For example, in response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, she was moved to create a line called Utopia, a series of calming, serene patterns and colors. “Our business is about inspiring the senses.” Because she believes there’s no beginning and end to a collection, but rather an evolution, she is constantly testing looks and searching for new manufacturing methods. Asked to name a critical turning point in the development of her business, she says, “There wasn’t any big moment. It’s been a thousand little steps.” But she admits she’s faced her share of challenges. “Things always take longer than you think they will.” As head of a constantly growing company with many different layers, she finds that controlling the pace is often difficult. “Between all the traveling I do and all the meetings and shows, finding a few spare hours in which I can actually design things gets trickier every day.” At any given time, hundreds of products are in various stages of production, supported by a modest staff of 22 employees. Angela usually starts the process with doodles in a sketchbook, on paper scraps, and even candy wrappers. “I rarely use a ruler or any other tool—I’d rather let my imagination roam.” Then, depending on the product, her staff scans the designs to make technical drawings. Whether they’re creating small letterpress posters or large commercial carpets, the same attention to detail goes into every project. “We all work as a team,” she says. Before starting her company in 1998, Angela, who had studied art and interior design, made a living by hand-painting patterns on walls and furniture. She began translating her designs into custom rugs. Upon realizing that she didn’t want to make every single item by hand, she established her own rug production studio. “We weren’t afraid to come up with our own techniques and tools.” (These days, she partners closely with a manufacturer.) Guided by a strong belief in the quality of her work, she vigorously marketed it, selling designs to top New York merchants. She’s now considered a trendsetter in design circles. Her distinctive products can be found in books and magazines, and have been featured on the sets of television shows such as Good Morning America and The Apprentice. It helps that her personal life is as successful as her professional life. “Sherwood and I very much share the same dream,” she says. “We want to keep growing the business while creating beautiful patterns and a comforting environment.” (g) An alluring Lulu bed ensemble. (h) Angela and marketing director Betsy McDonald finalize the season’s handbag collection. (i) A note card set in four fun patterns. (j) Corice tiles for kitchen and bath. (k) Angela’s downtown Portland retail showroom. Studios and offices are on the second floor. Her husband also designs and manufactures furniture here. |
