(From left) Madcap Cottage co-founders John Loecke and Jason Oliver Nixon
Business and life partners John Loecke and Jason Oliver Nixon are the founders and creative forces behind Madcap Cottage, their playful yet sophisticated global lifestyle brand that, in addition to interior design services, includes fabrics, rugs, lighting and more — all done in a riot of color, print and pattern. The Madcaps will headline at the Richmond Home + Garden Show March 7-8 at the Richmond Raceway Complex, sharing stories and advice from their own design work, including the renovation of their 1930s Regency-style home in High Point, North Carolina. Here, they offer R•Home tips on creating lively, livable homes.
R•Home: What design wisdom will you impart at the show?
Jason Oliver Nixon: We want to show people how using prints and patterns gives them entree to a world that says, “I never thought about it that way,” … give them architecture where they didn’t have it, paint a light fixture to make an impact in a foyer, et cetera. It’s not about being expensive but being expressive. It’s about pulling out your grandmother’s china. It’s not about going shopping, but about using what you have and adding elements.
R•Home: What’s a design rule we should break?
John Loecke: We don’t really believe in design rules, per se. The idea is that if you love it, then it’s the right thing to do. If you want to put 10 colors in a room, go for it. Most people think you have to pair a stripe with a floral. And yes, a geometric works well with anything, but that doesn’t mean you have to do it. If you want to put 10 florals together, go for it.
We believe what Auntie Mame said: “Life is a banquet, most poor suckers are starving to death!” People self-edit too much. Rather than just use patterned pillows, push it a lot further, push it around the room. Add a lampshade, wallpaper. If you bring lots of pattern into a room, the eye will read it as a cohesive.
Nixon and Loecke at home
R•Home: In your 2017 book, “Prints Charming,” you say, “Don’t be trendy, but do be on-trend.” How does that translate to today’s design?
Nixon: It’s about picking colors and finishes that you can’t identify to one period in time. Examples: 1930s with black-and-white tiles feels as fresh now as then. If you want to mix metals, go ahead, but don’t do it this year because it’s this year’s thing. You want to create a timeless look but also fresh. You’re changing things out little by little over the years.
R•Home: You have so many cool product collaborations. What’s next?
Nixon: We’re launching a new tabletop line with Certified International — one’s called English Garden, another is called Spice Route. It’s everyday ware, high-fired earthenware. We’re trying to give consumers a visual vacation with their plates. They work well mixed with what you have. We’re also launching floorings, actual ceramic tiles … new bedding, new fabric. … Remember, it’s just us — we keep it small, but always fun. No moss grows at Madcap Cottage.
