With fun new projects and collaborations scheduled throughout 2019, I decided to make getting rid of clutter and improving productivity our first order of business. So, it was time to do a little remodeling in the Laura U office. The team needed more than one place to hold meetings and our inventory needed to find a permanent home. And as the team has grown since we first moved in, they needed more room to design and source for projects.
After a few months of construction and lots of intentional cleaning, we finally have a newly functional conference room! All of our accessories for projects and photoshoots are neatly tucked away in a brand-new closet and the designers have new work spaces. As an added bonus, we also organized our studio Library! Today I’m excited to give you an inside look at the newly redesigned Laura U office.
Getting a Handle on Our Inventory
Between movers, vendors, and the design team, pieces are constantly moving in and out of the studio. Realizing how disorganized this made the office feel, I decided to create a separate closet area for our inventory. To make the closet, we closed off a small section of our office. There’s now direct access to the closet from the outside of the studio. This makes it much easier on the movers and less distracting for the designers. Having a designated and functional space for our inventory has made such a difference!
A Conference Room to Actually Use for Meetings
Constructing a closet for inventory meant the conference room could actually be used as a meeting space again! Now that it serves its original intended purpose, we added white French doors and a gorgeous Corbett chandelier from Hudson Valley Lighting. Hudson Valley Lighting is known for their commitment to producing beautiful, high-quality pieces. It’s one of the reasons I love incorporating their pieces into our projects. And why I have some of their fixtures in my own home. This year I was selected as an HVL ambassador and I couldn’t be more honored!
Two New Spaces
In the studio remodel, I wanted to incorporate a new area for pinning samples and have a dedicated video space. Whether it’s for upholstery, window treatments, or pillows, the design teams are always pairing textile samples together. This gives them a snapshot of the colors, patterns, and textures used in the design. Pinning the samples on a wall makes it easy for the teams to reference their materials. They now have a gorgeous new upholstered wall where they can keep everything pinned and organized.
What I love about the new video space is that it’s the perfect spot for making an unexpected statement. And nothing makes a statement quite like an eye-catching wallcovering from Olivia + Poppy. Though I’m usually drawn to their black and white wallpapers, I had a change of heart when I saw this gorgeous Aquarelle design. The serene shades of blue create a soothing and relaxing space. (Take a look at the full design by checking out the “5 Questions with a Designer” episode I did with Blair.) The blues work beautifully with the neutral color palette and gold accents used throughout the office.
Less Clutter, More Creativity
With three teams of designers working in the same space, the physical ephemera was becoming overwhelming and somewhat claustrophobic. As an interior designer, you’re constantly looking at samples, sorting through finishes, and flipping through brochures. All of those resources not only take up physical space, but mental space as well. Being surrounded by clutter can negatively affect creativity, productivity, and the ability to focus. One of my goals for the studio remodel was to give the designers more space to work.
Creating Space
In order to create more space, I moved Blair and Lexie, two of our designers, to the other side of the office. Moving one of the teams from the main area helped give everyone more space. It also cut down on the visual clutter and created a more inspiring work environment.
After spreading our design team around the office to maximize space, all of their work stations’ unsightly electrical cords were exposed. To create a more clean and sophisticated look I worked with the professionals at Heine’s to fabricate desk skirts for each desk. Since every Friday is “bring your dog to work” day, we regularly have clients, vendors, and pets in the office. It was important for me to select material that could hold up to all of that. I went with a Revolution high-performance fabric in Haley Bone. The neutral color gives the office a fresh, tailored look.
The fabric I chose is a textured, heavy duty (and stain resistant!) material that can stand up to everyday wear and tear. But its best feature is that it’s washable, durable, and still beautiful. After testing out the Revolution textiles at High Point Market last year, I knew their fabric would be the perfect choice for our office!
Fresh New Studio Library
One of the other projects I decide to tackle was organizing the studio library. I connected with Cathryn Linn of the Organizing Organization on Instagram and she agreed to help us sort, edit, purge and label this space. With her help, we now have a revamped, restored, and functional studio library the team loves using!
Embracing our beautiful new office
Although it took time to create this clutter-free, functional, and beautiful office, it was totally worth it! There’s plenty of space to hold inventory, host meetings, and for our designers to create. And as a finishing touch, we placed beautiful blooms from Joybox flowers around the office. Interior design is a creative profession and I’m so happy that the Laura U office is now a place that allows our team to feel organized and inspired!
Wow, there’s been a lot happening behind the scenes at the Laura U office this year. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the year holds!
Get a behind the scenes look at what’s happening at Laura U by following along on Instagram.
