As 2019 comes to a close, we celebrate the year that was. Over the past 12 months, our team has accomplished so many great things. From attending High Point for the first time to the install of our largest project to date, it has been a year of successes. Today, we are looking back on our favorite moments of 2019.
The Publication of On Style
In September, we were ecstatic to announce the release of On Style: Inspiration and Advice from the Next Generation of Interior Design. Edited by best-selling Interior Design Master Class author Carl Dellatore and published by Rizzoli, the book features 50 of the top up-and-coming designers in the US, with Laura as one of these talented few. Each designer profile delves into the inspirations and approach of this exceptional cast, including never-before-seen photos of an unpublished project. The launch party in New York kicked off the book tour with speaking engagements and signings for Laura at fall’s High Point Market.
Keeping this secret under wraps for over a year meant we had been holding the photos of Laura’s Boulevard Oaks home – but we are finally ready for a full release. Next month, we will take a room-by-room tour of the final reveal. Stay tuned!
Taking the Design Team to High Point Market
While Laura attends the world’s largest furnishings market each year, it’s not often that the entire design team is able to go. We made an exception this year, with the senior and lead designers heading to High Point for the first time together. The sprawling North Carolina town comes alive during market, with every showroom opening its doors to designers, buyers, and bloggers – everyone eager to explore the newest additions.
We found handsome furnishings at Baker, Century, and Vanguard – our mainstays. We spent time exploring the newest fixtures at Hudson Valley Lighting, and even stopped to congratulate Martyn Lawrence Bullard on his latest collection. Probably best of all was simply enjoying it as a team. We also celebrated senior designer, Blair’s birthday at the lovely Print Works Bistro at the Proximity Hotel.
Landing the Cover of Luxe Interiors + Design
It seems like we waited for months for the November 5 release of Houston’s edition of Luxe Interiors + Design. Seeing our River Oaks project land the cover made the wait well worth it! Written by Mindy Pantiel, the piece was a lovely testament to this project, featuring nearly every room in the home. This fabulous pied-à-terre was a breath of fresh air for our design team, who exercised their mastery of color and pattern to assemble an interior like none other.
The clients had been inspired by their overseas travel to decorate their home in a way that would transport their guests to another place. As soon as you step foot in the home, you feel the kaleidoscopic energy.
Partnering with Our Favorite Vendors
This year, Laura became a brand ambassador for Hudson Valley Lighting. What a treat to explore their collection and select fantastic pieces to install in projects and vignettes throughout the year. One of the pieces, the Carayes from Martyn Lawrence Bullard’s collection for Corbett Lighting, was featured in Rue Magazine last summer.
We also partnered with Monogram Appliances this year. Laura’s own kitchen has a full Monogram appliance package and so it only makes sense we would work together! This year was Monogram’s first appearance at High Point Market and we made sure to support our friends at their glass pop up – a panel session on luxury entertaining ending in a book signing for On Style, as well as an invite-only dinner Laura co-hosted. For the holidays, we invited Monogram to Laura’s home. With the help of the super talented Kelli Bunch from KB Table, we pulled together a simple, sophisticated party that came together quickly. We love sharing practical ways to enjoy great design. It is important that our clients not only love the way their kitchens look, but feel comfortable cooking in them. We had such a blast and hope to partner again in the new year.
Launching Our New Website
2019 felt like the right time to revamp the Laura U website. We reconsidered the structure and thematic interpretation of our content to develop a site that was high contrast, clean, and easier to navigate. Most of all, our new website feels like us and our interiors.
We have expanded our portfolio, added a press page, and have included a nearly endless scroll with our Journal, allowing readers to explore our perspective on design today. With the addition of a new service line, residential building design, in 2020, be on the lookout for even more changes. All exciting!
Pebble Beach, Santa Fe, and Nigeria
We have always spread our design wings outside of Houston (New York, Aspen, and Miami to name a few). But in 2019, we began work in cities we hadn’t yet visited, including Abuja, Nigeria! Early in the year, we installed our biggest project to date in Pebble Beach for repeat clients – their 6th home we have designed. Later in the spring, we completed a home in Santa Fe – the 3rd home we’ve designed for the couple. And coming up in a couple of months, we will be rea
Our Donation Drive with the Furniture Bank
We do what we do for the love of home. From building something new to restoring a historic building to seeing the happiness our clients experience as we reveal their new interior, the love of home is at the center of everything we do. For us, a home is comfort, security, and the ultimate expression of what you care about most. Having a warm bed to call your own at the end of the night is crucial to that feeling of safety.
Sadly, there are thousands of children in Houston that do not have beds to sleep in at night. The Furniture Bank is committed to eradicating this problem. This year, we joined their mission by collecting soft goods donations to support their No Kids on the Floor campaign. The Furniture Bank provides mattresses for children in need, with a goal of 100 beds provided each month. Last week, they delivered 89 beds to children throughout the Houston area! We are so proud to partner with them, to bring comfort to every child needing their own bed to sleep on. Laura is joining the advisory board in 2020 as we strengthen our own commitment to the love of home for everyone.
Taking it to the Next Level
With all of the success we felt in 2019, we are thrilled to ring in the new year with even more energy and enthusiasm. We spent time this year upgrading our technology and fine-tuning our business process with the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). For more information on how we’ve upgraded our firm this year, you must listen to Laura’s recent spot on LuAnn Nigara’s podcast, A Well Designed Business. One of the biggest takeaways is that according to Laura, nothing happens accidentally and you must be prepared to be lucky.
We consider ourselves supremely lucky to end the year on such high notes. We are in an even better position to start 2020. We are expanding our services to include residential building design with the fabulous Gina Brown. And we have amazing projects on the horizon. We cannot wait to share them with you!
From all of us here at Laura U, have a happy new year!