The 2016 Southern Living Idea House: Meet Interior Designer, Lauren Liess.
Over the past few weeks we have introduced you to Mark Sikes, Amy Berry, and Ashley Gilbreath—3 of the 5 interior designers who were selected by Southern Living Magazine to curate the interior of the 2016 Idea House in Mt Laurel. This week we continue that series, featuring our interview with Lauren Liess—a Washington D.C.-based designer whose work has been featured in publications such as Garden & Gun, Better Homes and Gardens, and The Wall Street Journal
In our interview with her, Lauren told us a little bit about her personal style and experience transforming the master bedroom and bathroom in the 2016 Southern Living Idea House.
ML: Tell us a little about your signature style?
LL: My style is relaxed, natural, and collected. I love it when things are slightly “off” and tell a story.
ML: Where do you find inspiration for your interiors?
LL: Travel and nature are the elements that inspire me most.
ML: What does Southern Living mean to you?
LL: Southern Living to me means living for little moments and creating a home that feels welcoming and warm.
ML: What has it been like to work with Southern Living on this project?
LL: I’ve loved working with Southern Living on this project! Everyone on that team is so kind and sweet, and they really went above and beyond to help. The other designers are amazing, too. I’ve made some lifelong friends.
ML: What era of Southern Living’s history were you given to inspire your room? *
LL: The 70’s!!
ML: What else inspired you when designing your room?
LL: I wanted to create a textural, layered space that felt both light and airy, yet still cozy.
ML: Did the Mt Laurel community influence your design?
LL: I’d never actually been to Mt Laurel until after I’d completed my design, but I totally fell in love with the community! My husband and I brought our baby along to the installation and really enjoyed walking with her on the sidewalks and grabbing lunch at the deli.
ML: What should people be most excited about when they visit The House?
LL: I think people will be really excited to see so many unique points of view in one place that somehow all still feel Southern.
If you haven’t already, start planning your trip to the 2016 Southern Living Idea House, so that you can see Lauren’s beautiful master suite in person. The Idea House is now open to the public, and you can find all the details—from hours of operation to ticket price—here.
*In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Magazine, each of the designers was assigned a room in the house and given pages from past issues to inspire their designs.
