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DECORATING IDEAS, ORGANIZING TRICKS, BUDGET BUYS
Designer Lauren Liess takes a laid-back approach to decorating
with a neutral palette and eclectic furnishings.
By Danielle Blundell
Photography by Helen Norman
Second Nature
A leather sofa from Anthropologie
and custom brass starburst
chandelier set a modern tone in the
living room. The exposed ceiling
beams were hand-sanded for an
aged eect, and the formerly dark
space was brightened up with
Benjamin Moore’s Ancient Ivory.
Lauren made lightweight curtains
from her Lauren Liess Textiles
Boho Stripe fabric. “I wanted the
emphasis to be on the trees
outside, so I decorated with quiet
patterns and shades of beige.”
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auren Liess likes nothing better than a design challenge. So in 2012, when perusing the local real estate listings,
Lauren didn’t hesitate to snap up a 1970s house in northern Virginia that needed a major overhaul. She saw a
renovation as an opportunity to test-drive her decorating ideas and share the decision-making process on her
blog, Pure Style Home. Lauren, her husband, David, and their three young sons (later joined by baby girl
Gisele) moved into the upstairs as construction took place below—new floors, more windows, a reconfigured
master suite and an enlarged cook’s kitchen made possible by removing one wall and relocating another.
When the dust cleared, the designer got to work creating a laid-back and airy environment with ivory paint,
kid-friendly slipcovered furniture and rustic finishes. Lauren layered in fabrics from her own Lauren Liess
Textiles line and peppered the walls with artwork scored over the years at flea markets and garage sales. “The common thread
running through the rooms is bringing the outdoors in,” says Lauren, author of Habitat: The Field Guide to Decorating. “For me,
earthy colors, woods with patina and woven fibers like jute and linen come together to create the perfect warm, welcoming glow.”
L
Left: Pressed botanicals, simply framed with glass
and black gaer’s tape, provide a focal point above
the sink and soapstone counters. Below: White
serving pieces collected by Lauren over the years
make a pretty display in a wooden hutch.
Left: Lauren hung three Ikea butcher-block shelves next
to the refrigerator to hold barware, storage containers
and decorative objects.
“Instead of a bunch of bright
colors,” says Lauren, “I like
to mix metals—iron, brass,
chrome and steel.”
Inspired by vintage baking racks,
Lauren designed the kitchen’s open
shelving with local ironworker Tom
Owens. The large marble and reclaimed
wood island is an ideal spot for meal
prep. Large appliance pulls make it
easy for the boys to grab their snacks
from the cabinet drawers.
Credit here
Credit here
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To give the small,
dark dining room a
cozy-not-cramped
vibe, Lauren covered
the ceiling with
inexpensive exterior
cedar siding. A mix
of materials and
furnishings—a vintage
capiz pendant light,
a metal table and
chairs slipcovered in
hemp—rounds out
the scheme.
The family eats most of their meals
in the sunny breakfast nook. David,
who’s also Lauren’s business partner,
holds Gisele, 6 months, while Louie,
3, Christian, 8, and Justin, 5, dig into
waes. Vintage printer trays,
mounted on the wall between the
windows, hold the kids’ collectibles.
Lauren’s grandparents gave the
whitewashed chairs to the couple as
a wedding present.
“Pair Roman shades with fabric
panels for privacy plus an extra hit
of texture,” says Lauren.
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Prop styling: Elizabeth Demos.
The master bedroom features
Lauren’s ever-expanding
gallery wall of black-and-
white nature-inspired
pictures. She fashioned the
duvet from Lauren Liess
Textiles Fern Star fabric. The
upholstered bed is from
Restoration Hardware.
“I’m obsessed with
ferns and botanicals
and always on the
lookoutfor vintage
bookplates to frame.”
