Checking in with...John Bernard:

John Bernard, the brain behind the furniture store Room Service, refers to himself as the architect and his wife, Taryn Bernard, as the one who uses her creative mind to design the store and handle merchandising.

Bernard, 47 and a graduate of USC with a degree in public relations, spent most of his career in the apparel business. But his love and passion for furniture design led him to start his own line about nine years ago. Bernard’s work is sought out by dozens of television shows and celebrities, and his prices are competitive because he also owns his furniture factory.

Bernard opened his first furniture store in Los Angeles. He opened his second store in Fashion Island two weeks ago.

How did Room Service start?

I’ve been in the apparel business my whole life, but I always liked architecture and furniture design and I wanted a change of pace. I was bouncing off the wall and I needed to find something creative to do, and that’s when I started this.

Why did you call your store Room Service?

I thought it was a clever name. We are a furniture store, and we come to your home and furnish your home. So it’s like a room service.

What’s your theme?

We have three themes: Hollywood, regency, glamour. It’s inspired by the 1920s, mid-century modern from the 1960s and ’70s and modern organic, which is all new. We try to be on top of what’s happening and a step ahead. We want to be innovators, not followers.

Why do you like the Hollywood, regency, glamour themes?

Every great and successful designer looks to the past for inspiration. We take what we find from the past and put a new twist on it. It’s old, but it’s also new.

What’s the modern organic theme?

We take beautiful, natural or recycled wood and turn it into a piece of furniture. We are not only about Hollywood glamour. And this is our way of staying environmentally responsible.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

After starting the furniture business I realized that we needed a factory here to make our furniture. We started one in Gardena. And what I love the most about it is that I can sit down with my carpenter or my upholster at 8 in the morning and create a piece of furniture, and at 5 o’clock can sit there and look at it.

What are some of the television shows you made furniture for?

We worked with “Nip/Tuck,” “Ugly Betty,” “Will & Grace,” “CSI Miami” and so many more. We’ve also done some work for Alicia Keys’ and John Legend’s music videos.

And who are some of the celebrities that buy your furniture?

Christina Aguilera, Drew Barrymore, Lamar Odom, Jay-Z and Beyonce, Susan Sarandon, Max Azria and Jessica Alba.