Designer Jonathan Rachman on New Memoir and COVID Style Tips

As one of the world’s most celebrated interior designers, Jonathan Rachman brings an international story to all his work.

Now, he is telling his own personal story in his recently released memoir, The Garlic Peanut Story. Coming from a desire to pay tribute to his beloved adopted sister who has passed, readers will learn of the struggles and challenges he endured growing up in an archipelago where persecution of LGBTQ people remains commonplace. He goes on to contemplate about his travels abroad and thanks the gay mentors who empowered him with good counsel and kindness.

Being a top innovator within the San Francisco Bay Area, Rachman’s lavish designs have graced the covers of several stylish magazines such as Elle Décor, Modern Luxury Interiors California, and California Home + Design. After several months of quarantine and shelter in place orders, Rachman has been helping clients redo their homes to accommodate their roles and needs. He was never formally educated in interior design, but that did not stop Rachman from pursuing a career he loves.

Rachman took some time to chat with OFM to discuss more about his book, designing during these unprecedented times of COVID, and some destinations he would love to visit once it is safe to travel again.Hi, Jonathan! Thank you for taking some time to chat with me. I would like to begin by talking about your memoir, The Garlic Peanut Story, which was released right before the holidays. How has it been received?
I am completely overwhelmed in an amazingly positive way. Besides the LGBTQ media and press, I have been on a couple TV shows and podcasts, and I have been receiving most positive, loving, and overwhelmingly supportive messages from strangers. From Italy, Australia, all over the world. While I am a very positive and happy-go-lucky, and people know me as this jetsetter and trendsetter, behind all of this, people do not realize I had a miserable and completely horrific childhood.

Is this your debut book?
It is! This is my first ever. I did not plan to be a writer or author. When my sister passed away almost 15 years ago, she left a two-year-old and a four-year-old. When I wrote this, I was not going to publish a book. I was just writing a letter to my nephew and niece because I wanted them to remember my sister, and I suppose it was part of my grieving process. My husband actually encouraged me to write a blog. He happens to be a psychologist, and he encouraged me to write a book. I realized along the way that I think my story could help others.

What do you hope readers take away from The Garlic Peanut Story?
There are multiple layers to it. First and foremost, I want to share what an amazing woman my sister was. She was the first person who allowed me to be me and accepted me. Although, there was no name then. I did not know what gay or queer was. I only knew what people called me, anywhere from a sissy boy to a girl to a cocksucker. If you read deeper into the book, I was physically molested and raped. My sister was the first person who made me feel okay to be me. That I did not have to be anybody else and that it was okay to play with dolls. It was okay to sell flowers versus doing carpentry. So, I want to share that it is okay to be you.

Secondly, it is a message of unconditional love. Love always prevails, and love trumps hate. Yes, pun intended. Also, a message of forgiveness. I wanted people to realize there is already enough hate and horrible things in the world, and I want to forgive those who have wronged me and perpetrated against me. I want to share the message of forgiveness.

Lastly, indirectly, I grew up in a third world country. I was born in Sumatra and my parents came from a very poor family. By the time I was born, they were wealthy. When I was born, the road was not even paved. I grew up walking on mud and rock on the island of Sumatra. I never dreamed to be who I am. I did not dare to. I thought life was always about being abused, molested, and tortured in a muddy road. To be in a position where I am right now, I want to send a message that if a sissy island boy who was tortured, abused, raped, and molested can do it, so can you. Somebody out there will read and hear about this story, and I hope that person can be inspired to be who they want to be.

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Do you have any other books in the works?
[Laughs] It is interesting because people have asked me that. So, the answer is yes. There is one more book coming at the end of the year, but it is very different. The next book will be my first monograph of my design career. It is a coffee table book, and it is really beautiful. No tears. All gorgeous and beautiful things. More importantly, before I die, I plan to develop a movie based off The Garlic Peanut Story.

I do love telling stories, so there may be a sequel to this memoir because it stops at a certain period in my life. Now, readers have been asking me if there will be a second book. They want to see what happens next and learn more about my blissful life.

However, the next book I am writing, I think it is going to be more of a joke or comedy book. I am already thinking about the title, and it is going to be called, “I’m Not That Asian.” It means two things. I am not the Asian you think I am, and I am not too Asian.You are known as one of San Francisco’s top interior designers. Have you always had a passion for this line of work?
You know, it landed in my lap. My study was in hospitality management and hotel/restaurant management. I went to Switzerland for it, and I learned quickly that I would rather be a guest than an employee in a hotel or restaurant. Growing up, I did a lot of flower arrangements with my mom for the church because we had a garden that was professionally attended to.

When I was so frustrated with my first 10 years after graduation with corporate America, I opened a flower shop, and that is how I started. My graduate study was in fashion, so I wanted to be a fashion designer, not an interior designer. Because of my flowers, I did a lot of events for important people, celebrities, and dignitaries. I designed the 60^th anniversary of the United Nations and I did parties for MTV and VH1. I did flowers Sarah Jessica Parker, Oprah, and Marc Jacobs. Marc Jacobs was actually the one responsible for connecting me to all these celebrities. So, it just kind of landed on my lap, and I realized I loved it.

Where do you usually draw inspiration from for your designs?
I am a self-proclaimed romantic. I am melancholy. I always say, it’s the people. It is always the human factor. Every time I am hired either by an owner of a house or an owner of a hotel, or whoever it is that I am designing for, I always want to know who they are and what kind of image they want to project. What is this house for? Is it strictly for summer, or is this your full-time home? Is it a house that you just want to show off, or is it a house for your guests? I literally have clients who buy extra houses for their guests only. I draw my inspiration from the human, and I want to know who they are and what their lifestyle is like. Also, geographically, it should make sense.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has caused millions of people to remain in quarantine and work from home. What tips have you been offering to help one reconfigure, redecorate, and reorganize their homes to accommodate their needs?
Some people have the luxury of having a room as an office. Even if they do not have a dedicated office, they have a guest room or an extra room that they can turn into and office. Not everybody has that luxury because they don’t have the space, the money, or too many people are living in the house. So, it is very much important to create a space or even a corner of a room. If you do not have the room, just dedicate a corner of a kitchen or a corner of a living room to be your office. It helps you focus and puts you in this work mode. As soon as you are done, you can liberate yourself. Now that I am done with that space, I am done with working, I can now have my personal life. To have that delineation is so important, versus having it all over the house. That causes an unhealthy blend of work and home constantly.

Do you have a favorite room to design?
Wow, I never think about it. Every room has potential, and I love designing. I know it sounds very cliché, but I am not faking it. I can’t. I love my job, I love designing, and I design passionately whenever I can.

Can you talk about how mental health has become a primordial part of your design process?
Absolutely. To give you an example, I just made a statement that colors change your state of mind. Colors always remind you of a temperature, cool or warm. Being in a room with the wrong color for yourself, color is so subjective, it changes your state of mind. More importantly with interior design, I think in professional terms, but you do not have to be a designer to make your room be what you want it to be. It affects your mental health, your mood, and your outlook. Right before this interview, I had another one with a more real estate point of view. She asked, what is luxury to you? For me, luxury is being able to be in a room or space where it reflects who I am. Forget about being pretentious, superficial, and showing off. You do not need to have a designer or make things matchy matchy. It is not like that. Every room has to have a soul.You are also an avid traveler who usually takes a mini round-the-world trip. Have you been able to travel at all since the pandemic began?
We could have, but we decided not to because we think it is the right thing to do. We are not willing to take that risk. The farthest we have gone has probably been about 100-150 miles. We used to live in Carmel, California, and we loved it. It is very beautiful and calming, so we took two trips there. Originally, when I turned 50, which I just did, I was going to celebrate in Sumatra, Java, Bali, Singapore, and Hawaii. All my favorite islands. It was going to be with around 50 people from maybe 15 different countries. Instead, I launched this book to honor my sister, and my husband took me on a trip down the coast, but that has been it.

Besides the islands you just mentioned, do you have any other favorite vacation spots?
Oh my gosh, that is tough. I am a very sentimental person, so I would have to say, hands down, Bali. Bali is close to my heart, and if you read this book, you will understand why. There are so many memories, not just with my husband, but with my sister and loved ones. Besides Bali, some of my other favorite spots in the world include London, Paris, Carmel, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and the Grand Teton is one of our favorite mountains. Also, Africa. Especially Kenya under Ngong Hills. That is because I am absolutely obsessed with Out of Africa. I watch it a few times a year. My husband has never been, so I would love to take him to Karen Blixen’s Farm.

Are there any destinations on your bucket list?
Because I have never been with my husband to Kenya, so there. I have also never been to Myanmar or Burma. I would love to go when it is safe. I have been to India, but my husband has never been, and it is important for me to be there with him. I would love to show him India. It is so beautiful and rich in culture and history. Lastly, Indonesia. That is where I was born, but I was very young when I left. Indonesia has almost 18,000 islands. Although there are only about 6,000 that are inhabited, I would love to explore more of my home country.

To stay up-to-date with the latest news and projects, follow Rachman on Facebook and Instagram, or visit his official website. Click here for more information and to purchase your copy of The Garlic Peanut Story.

Photos Courtesy of Aubrie Pick, Suzanna Scott, & Lunghi Media Group