Last month, we resolved to do something big: organize the Laura U studio library. The library is a very important part of our office and probably one of the most-used spots in the entire studio. It houses all of our design samples, from silk wall coverings to hard woods. It’s a place of inspiration, but also a place that has gotten so cluttered, we’ve been reduced to large catch-all baskets and full shopping bags.
I can’t tell you how excited I am to be able to share today’s post with you! I recently had the opportunity to partner with Nancy of Nan and Company Properties and Al Ross Luxury Homes to help stage The Branford on Avalon Place, a gorgeous home in River Oaks, for an event they were hosting. The event hosted local builders, realtors, architects, designers and potential buyers for bubbles and desserts as they enjoyed an exclusive sneak peek at this stunning home.
Getting the opportunity to collaborate with one of our go-to rug vendors has been such a fun experience! Over the past several months we’ve been meeting and working with the team at Tai Ping to create our own custom rug collection. And after a few brainstorming sessions, we were able to settle on a theme and learn all about the technical details of manufacturing a rug. We recently sat down with Corbin Perkins of Tai Ping to get an update on the rugs and sneak a peek at two completed rug samples, fully made based on sketches and selections from the last meeting.
This past April I shared a special blog post with you all detailing our plans to create a whimsical nursery interior design for my dear friend Carrie Colbert’s daughter (who at that time was still on the way). Now, fast-forward four months and sweet Elle Esther is two months old and I have some exciting updates to share!
As we head into the depths of summer, the design team at Laura U sat down for a pow-wow over fresh-squeezed OJ, pencils and butter paper in-hand. After putting our heads together with help from the fabulous Tai Ping team, we now have a clear direction for the design of our five custom rugs. In concert with Tai Ping’s manufacturing know-how and our design skills, we are confident that our Chopped and Screwed Chinoiserie rug collection is going to be a hit.
Read on for a behind-the-scenes look at our creative process and sneak peek of our designs!
As interior designers, it should come as no surprise that the Laura U team spends a good amount of time fawning over stunning products and pieces from the best vendors in the business. We are forever dreaming up ways to incorporate the most inspiring pieces into our clients’ designs. At the studio, we are privileged to host fab vendors from all over the world, sharing their new collections with us and getting our creative wheels turning. We recently met with Tai Ping – a Laura U go-to for fine and unique rugs – and talk about being inspired to create something amazing!
A collaboration was born at this latest presentation: Laura U + Tai Ping. The awesome team at Tai Ping has encouraged us to create a custom rug collection using our creativity and their depth of knowledge in beautiful rug manufacturing. The Laura U designers could not be more excited and the team is on a design mission to share ideas for our own rug designs.
Read on to learn more about what’s in-store for the team as they dream up their special Tai Ping creations and “pull the rug out from under” their design comfort zones.
I have always subscribed to two design philosophies when creating interiors: “classically current,” meaning I look to the past for inspiration and combine those influences with contemporary designs, and “livable luxury,” which is the idea that interiors should be stunning and able to stand up to the wear and tear of everyday life. There’s no sense in having a picture-perfect interior if one spilled glass of wine or coffee could ruin the whole design! Life happens, and I always try to ensure my designs will stand up to these everyday twists and turns for my clients.
I often test out new products or designs in my own home before recommending them to clients because if a product can stand up to my lively and curious 5-year-olds, then I feel much more comfortable recommending them to my clients.
When it came time to design my line of performance surfaces with Vetrazzo, I knew from the beginning I would want to install at least one of the four colorways in my home. I had worked with Vetrazzo on projects in the past and was always thrilled with the finished product so I was extremely excited for my own Vetrazzo install day!
Read on to see my kitchen transformation featuring the Fair Pearl surface from the Vetrazzo By Laura U line.
Of all the rooms in a home, nurseries and kids’ rooms are some of my absolute favorites to design! The creative use of color is almost always encouraged and the imaginative possibilities are endless. So, when my friend and always-fab fashionista, Carrie Colbert, announced she is expecting a little girl this summer, I jumped at the chance to help her create a whimsical nursery.
A long-time fan of Carrie’s blog, Wear + Where + Well, I have always admired her fun and creative use of color in her ensembles and, as a huge advocate of vibrant hues in my designs, I knew our styles would blend perfectly for this project. In fact, I missed my first chance to work directly with Carrie about five years ago when my team designed the interiors for her new home because I was on maternity leave with my twins at the time!
Now that the stars have aligned, I am super excited to collaborate with her on this project and share the process with you along the way. Read on to learn more about the start of this fab collaboration!
