Laura U Design Collective have been Shortlisted for Interior Design Scheme – Americas Award & Living Space – Americas Award in The International Design and Architecture Awards. Read more about Founder & CEO, Laura Umansky, below:

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Name: Laura Umansky

Company: Laura U Design Collective

Position within company: Founder & CEO

Website: https://laurauinteriordesign.com/

Tell us a little about your background in design:

Internationally celebrated residential designer Laura Umansky founded the Laura U Design Collective in 2006. This quaint boutique and interior design studio offered furnishings and design to Laura’s Houston-based clientele. This humble beginning launched the international, full-service architectural and interior design practice we are known for today.

For 15 years, Laura and her growing team built a reputation for elegant interiors that were bright, bold and contrasting. In 2020, her firm evolved once more: the Laura U Design Collective is a multi-disciplinary studio with a diverse team from a variety of backgrounds, including interior design, architecture, and graphic design.   

Laura has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master’s degree in Architecture from the University of Houston.

How would you describe your personal design style?

At the Laura U Design Collective, we design homes of myriad styles and approach each project by focusing on our clients’ interests first. The most beautifully designed home is one which showcases the homeowner’s personality. Whether it’s collecting art, traveling, raising a family, or entertaining friends, their passions should be reflected in the home. We have found that the term Classically Current best embodies the full breadth of our work; we source inspiration in iconic design, classical architecture and inject current innovations. This approach results in a fresh, timeless, and unique residence.

Where does your design inspiration come from?

Our client! Our unique guided design process starts with an in-depth discussion to learn more about the homeowner’s style, design needs and the overall space plan of the home. The process focuses on understanding their favored design aesthetic, what they value most, and what they like to collect or display. Our goal is to blend the homeowner’s needs for functionality with their desire for high style in an approachable way. It’s a process that is fun for our clients – and seeing them realize the potential for their home is always inspiring for me and my team.

In what direction do you feel that design is moving towards in a general sense?

Design is focusing more on wellness and sustainability while intersecting with function. COVID-19 expedited this direction exponentially. Individuals are putting a higher value on physical and mental wellness and it affects how we are designing. Social responsibility is influencing design as well. It is changing how homeowners live and the brands they want to associate with. People want to feel good in their homes and the design community wants to feel good about designing them.

Name five key themes to consider when approaching design in 2020 and beyond.

COVID-19 definitely has impacted design styles and things to consider when renovating or designing your home. As designers, the changing rituals of home present an exciting opportunity to re-think the way that we live. Here are a few themes we are seeing in design:

– Touchless tech is a must for appliances and beyond! Cleanliness is more than a virtue. Recent events have taught us it can be the dividing line between good health and life-changing illness.

– More emphasis on sanctuary spaces for privacy, prep, and personality. While the appeal of an open-concept home will more than likely never go away, we do predict special-use spaces carved from more communal areas. We receive requests for separate prep kitchens that are hidden from the main entertaining spaces. With the entire family spending more time at home for work, school, and hobbies, personal space will become a must. We like to create separate reading nooks in bedrooms for homework, as opposed to needing an entire room. Transforming a guest bedroom into a hobby room will give homeowners the privacy they seek when they need a pleasurable escape.

– Kitchen Remodels. With more and more time being spent in the kitchen, we are seeing a trend in kitchen remodels. Homeowners are now using their kitchen in new ways – it’s not just for cooking anymore. Clients want it to be functional and spacious so there is room for the kiddos to do school work and a place for them to pull out their laptop. Appliances are being upgraded to smart options. Homeowners fell in love with cooking or baking during the pandemic and now they use their kitchen differently.

– Home Offices. This trend is probably the most obvious. After COVID-19, good design will solve one of the biggest problems during lockdown: how do we work? And more than that, how do multiple people in a home work concurrently and independently? Having a dedicated workspace or home office is essential to keep focus, especially as we transition from lock-down to a hybrid working rhythm. For those of us who tried to make dining room conference calls work, we quickly realized that they didn’t. Distractions abound in the modern household. Avoiding them is key to keeping the focus work-related. For dual-income families, homes will require two dedicated work-spaces.

– Exterior rooms and outdoor entertaining spaces have become critical to most of our clients. We are spending more time at home, enjoying this time with our friends and family, and a comfortable space to be out of doors has become paramount.

If you could offer one piece of advice when it comes to design schemes, what would it be?

Keep it light, bright, bold, and contrasting! All Classically Current designs include neutral colors in the palette. We particularly like to contrast neutrals, like black and white or the less stark, cream and gray, as a base. These grounding neutrals won’t go out of style and provide the perfect backdrop for any timeless design. By pairing neutrals with colorful activators, we add personality, depth, and dimension. Rooms bombarded with tchotchkes and trinkets, with the intention of adding personality, often end up looking cluttered. When you have a grounding neutral palette, you can incorporate colors and lose the non-functional decor. 

How important are The International Design & Architecture Awards?

We are always thrilled to be included in The International Design & Architecture Awards. Design et al does an amazing job at showcasing the leading designers all over the world. The awards support and highlight the work of designers and architects – giving them a place to come together to celebrate the work of their peers and help motivate designers to be innovative and collaborative

What projects are you currently working on?

Our team is working on a LOT this year! When we became a design collective in 2020, we started offering architectural design services. This allows us to work on projects from Foundation-to-Furnishings and provide a cohesive look throughout the architecture and design. We also reopened our studio in Aspen, Colorado allowing us to work on even more projects out west including the Mountain Lane Show House that will double as Laura’s family home. The Show House will be the first show house experience ever hosted in the area. Built in 1995, the 4 bedroom, 3.5 bathroom residence located just north of Snowmass Village features exceptional views of the North American Continental Divide. The residence is undergoing renovation by our team, including a complete interior and exterior transformation. Follow our journey at https://www.mountainlaneshowhouse.com/.

What was your favourite project to work on and why?

Our North Boulevard project. Not only was it a complete renovation but the home was our first show house and it also doubled as Laura’s family home. The 1925 Tudor Revival rests on the iconic North Boulevard in the historic district of Boulevard Oaks in Houston, Texas. Laura had been dreaming of this street since she and her husband Michael moved to Houston in 2001. While the neighborhood was love at first sight, the home itself had fallen into disrepair and required an extensive restoration.

The design is a true reflection of Laura, Michael, and their twin daughters, Liv and Ryan. Collected, purposeful, and filled with beautiful details, each room was designed to feel both stylish and comfortable.

What was your most challenging project to work on and why?

Also, our North Boulevard project! When we kicked off the renovation Hurricane Harvey made landfall. This was a historic storm that devastated the Houston area and made it difficult to move forward with construction. This setback allowed us to realize the need for new, energy-efficient construction. The home was historically protected, so we worked hand in hand with the historic society to make sure the home honored its original roots and history. 

Which products/services could you not live without when designing?

Accent chairs: I have a serious chair obsession! What I love about accent chairs is that they’re functional and beautiful. The options are endless when it comes to accent chairs for your home. There are lounge chairs, host chairs, dining chairs, and hanging chairs to fit every style. With all the styles, sizes, shapes, and colors available, you’re sure to find the perfect accent chair for any space in your home.

Statement Lighting: In all of our designs, we always have bold statement lighting – the larger the scale, the better. In design there’s a practical purpose for everything, but that doesn’t mean fixtures have to be subtle or go unnoticed.

What are your aims and goals for the next twelve months?

As mentioned above, we are working on our second show house that will be complete towards the end of 2021 with a grand opening in March 2022. The home is a great marketing opportunity for the amazing vendors and for our firm. We continue to expand our work to the Western US and the show house will be a great tool to showcase our skills.

Final thoughts; tell us a little more about yourself and your daily inspirations:

Your most treasured possession?
My collection of vintage vernacular photography.

Your favourite holiday destination?
Grand Cayman or London.

Your favourite hotel, restaurant & bar?
– The Surrey in NYC or the Rosewood Baha Mar.
– Matsuhisa in Aspen.
– The Living Room bar at Hotel Jerome in Aspen.

Your favourite book, film & song?
– Crime & Punishment.
– Anything Scorsese.
– Anything Beatles.

Your favourite food and drink?
– Sushi.
– Grey Goose martini, slightly dirty, whisper of vermouth.

Your favourite way to spend an afternoon?
Relaxing with my twin daughters, reading, napping.

If you weren’t a designer, what would you be?
A travel writer/photographer.

Laura U Design Collective have been shortlisted in The International Design and Architecture Awards.

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