home ideas: Dream Home: Lauren of Material Girls

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Dream Home: Lauren of Material Girls

Today, the sweet and uber-stylish, Lauren from Material Girls is sharing her dream home with us. Lauren is a fellow Houstonian and spends her days designing kitchens and interiors. Although lately, her days have been consumed by her sweet new baby girl, Sadie. Once you’re finished checking out Lauren’s “Dream Home”, be sure to check out the gorgeous nursery she designed for her daughter.

{Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles via Things that Inspire - Betty Burgess, Designer}

My Dream Home. I have to admit this is probably something I think about every single day in one way or another. I might discover a fabric that would be perfect on a future breakfast room banquette or select a paint color for a client that I just adore and file away in the back of my mind for future use. This exercise proved to be both super challenging (how to narrow it down??) and super fun! The floor plan is what would be analyzed and perfected probably to the point of exhaustion for all parties involved! I like rooms. Rooms with four walls. I also really like to throw parties and socialize so the flow between spaces is critical.

For as long as I can remember I've dreamed about having an interior courtyard with a pool. We would still have a large yard behind the courtyard for the kids and dogs to play of course!

Ideally the home would open up to a large foyer...

I love Windsor Smith's entry hall for several reasons. I adore checkerboard floors, and I especially like how she chose a blue/gray limestone in lieu of a black shiny marble or granite (don't get me wrong - I still love a black and white floor too). The soft gray tone of the floor really softens the look, but drama is still maintained with the black case goods and upholstered pieces. I also like that there are several walls for furniture and tablescaping! The simple stair banister balances the dressy with a more "relatable" feel.Nothing too ostentatious, but rather clean and elegant.

{Melanie Turner Davis}

On one side of the entry would be this large Living Area. LOVE this space. Probably my favorite living room, ever. In fact, the whole house could probably just substitute for my dream home :) I love the softness of the space but also the contrast with light and dark. That moody painting on above the sofa - genius. I also love the different seating areas - perfect for a large party. Of course one of my favorite tricks of the trade - matching the curtains to the walls provides a very dreamy backdrop. On the other side of the entry hall would be the Dining Room. I love Dining Rooms with four walls (perfect for wallpapering).

This Dining Room designed by Jan Showers, a vision in gray, speaks to both my traditional (table and chairs) and my modern sides (love the pair of chandeliers).

{Melanie Turner}

It's practically impossible for me to narrow down one image that reflects my dream kitchen (I am a kitchen designer after all), but I love that this kitchen has a wall of windows without sacrificing storage space. From a functional standpoint, pot fillers tend to be a waste if you don't have any where to get rid of that big, hot, boiling pot of water, but in this kitchen you could simply turn around and drain in the prep sink located in the island. I also spy a Miele Coffee Maker - one of my top picks for kitchen appliances. I also spy two Sub-Zeros - I would have one dedicated to refrigeration and the second for freezer storage. Hey,bigger is better in Texas :)

{Renea Abbott}

Great Room - I'd add creamy white built-ins on both sides of the fireplace for storage (and let's be honest - a TV).

{Timothy Whealon}

I'm a big believer in a calming Master Retreat. I'll use bold colors in other spaces, but I need a space where I can completely relax - that means no t.v. in the bedroom!

{Eva Jeanbart Lorenzotti}

Of course we would naturally have two closets - a his and hers. Mine would be soft gray with "x" glass mullions. Oh, and it would be HUGE.

{Melanie Turner}

I love the feel of this Master Bathroom. I'd have an amazing steam shower and a freestanding bathtub installed on a marble mosaic tile rug.

Off of the Master Suite would be a fabulous orange lacquered library a la Tory Burch!

{Betsy Burnham}

Also on the first floor would be a guest suite...

{Huntley & Co}

Guest Bathroom - I'd keep it clean and contemporary.

Upstairs we would have what I call a Girls' Game Room. My daughter Sadie and I would sit up here and talk design, fashion, and boys (okay- I can dream).