Two powerhouses in the contemporary home furnishings industry—Thomas Lavin and Dakota Jackson—have decided to join forces in Los Angeles, with Thomas Lavin taking over the sales, marketing and management of Jackson’s representation in Southern California, Arizona and Nevada.

Thomas Lavin, Dakota Jackson

“We are marrying the look in the two showrooms,” said Thomas Lavin. “We’re going to ‘Lavin-ize’ the [Dakota Jackson] space by adding lamps, rugs, art and accessories. It will be stimulating for designers to see Dakota’s pieces in a different light, upholstered in fabrics from our lines.”

Desks will continue to be a mainstay at the Thomas Lavin-run Dakota Jackson showroom. “Dakota’s desks are the Rolls-Royce, and we’re excited about that because we now have more options for our clients,” says Lavin. Not coincidentally, it was a desk that launched Jackson’s furniture-making career in the mid-1970s, when he designed one for Yoko Ono as a gift for John Lennon.

“I recognized that the combined good will and integrity of our companies along with a shared passion for the highest standards in design and quality is the key to maintaining a dominant position in the home furnishing market across Southern California,” said Jackson. “Thomas, with his exquisite taste, vision, clear understanding of the needs of his clients and superb sales staff, is the perfect partner. My company, headquartered in New York City, has had a strong presence in Los Angeles since 1985. Thomas Lavin is the key to the future.”

Dakota Jackson furniture

The Dakota Jackson showroom is next to Thomas Lavin on the third floor of the Pacific Design Center’s Blue Building. As of June 3, the Thomas Lavin sales team has been performing a transformation of the Dakota Jackson showroom, retaining a mix of the latest and selecting iconic pieces, like the Library Chair.

There are also plenty of new products on the way from the Jackson. He’s set to introduce the Executive Suite, which he describes as "featuring an interactive ‘tuned in CEO desk’ a combination of furniture, machinery, system and style that anticipates the interconnectivity and adaptive needs of industry leaders,” in the fall.

Accompanying pieces include the Executive Console, Credenza, Satellite and Conference Center with each component housing a wireless interface. A new product group entitled “How We Hold and How We Keep” will debut late fall as well. The collection includes tabletop accessories, chests and an étagère. Materials range from composites, wood, glass, metal and polychrome finishes.

A group of sustainable products in development due for an early winter introduction. Entitled “The Natural World and The Built World,” the collections focus on natural fibers such as rugs, sustainable woods and binding materials sourced worldwide.