Download - Laura U|Mag: April - June 2013
FebruarymdashApril 2013
Issue 14
TIDY TIPS | JASON REEVES FROM ODDLY ORGANIZED
MEET BLOG EDITOR
SAMANTHA PENNER
THE PEAK OF TRES CHIC
Our Writerrsquos Cottage at the
Villa De Luxe Showhouse
Spot-On Spring Trends
NOTEWORTHY NOW HOUSTON EVENTS
ADVERTISEMENT
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Tweet us LauraUInc
Follow us pinterestcomlaurauinc
Houzz houzzcomprolauraumansky
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Email Join our mailing list
Connect with Us
Letter From Laura
Meet The Team
Coming Soon
New In the Boutique
Design Envy| Ombre
Laura U| Look
Get our signature look
IN EVERY ISSUE
03
06
08
46
10
48
34
Best in Blogging| Samantha
Penner A Peak of Tres Chic -
Art Talk Saatchi Online
Where In the World Houston
Events wersquore excited about
Oddly Organized| Jason Reeves
tips to be tidy
Villa De Luxe Showhouse
Check out our Writerrsquos Cottage
SHOPPING
FEATURES
18
26
28
44
Quilted Deluxe
Pure White
Flower Fever
Designer Faves
Design Selected Source Julian Chichester
Pinning amp Pining
12
22
36
14
16
24
38
Letter from Laura Umansky AprilmdashJune 2013
Laura
06 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 07
Our Contributors As I write this letter I am making last minute plans for my big move As you may have heard (hello Laura U | Blog ) I am finishing up my own reno-vation at Old House (my lovely 1930s home that came with plenty of trials and tribulations) and I am finally moving in like to-
day This issue of Laura U | Mag goes to print not a moment too soon Inside we fo-cus on the Spring season and everything re-newal Spring Inspiration Spring Organiza-tion Spring Planning amp Spring COLOR It makes for a fabulous reference as I settle into my new interior and exterior
From being Oddly Organized to climbing to the Peak of Tres Chic our Spring issue takes a look at the freshest ideas in the de-sign industry Fashion-to-Furnishings focuses on the quilted look (picnic in the park any-one) ultra-white (we have a fabulous re-source for fabric protection - go for it) and what is more perfect for Spring than florals
Nowhellip back to packing I will settle into my new digs as quickly as possible so I can get back to what I love settling others into their new digs As always I am thrilled to offer a peek into the world of Laura U Enjoy
ADVERTISEMENT
06 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 07
8322283750 | salesforefrontavcom
IT TAKES A VILLAGE THE LAURA U TEAM
AFTON BAILY FROM Midland TX
FAVORITE CITY Santa Fe ndash I love the art the food (esp the green chilies) amp the walking culture Not to mention
that fresh mountain air
LAURA UMANSKY CAROLYN MIGHELL
KIRSTIN TATE
FROM Seguin TX FAVORITE CITY RomemdashWhile I
was in Architecture school I fell in love with the history people and
of course the food amp wine
MELISSA MEYER FROM Houston TX
FAVORITE CITY Galway ndash Beautiful scenery and amazingly fun locals
LINHDA TRAN FROM Worcester MA
FAVORITE CITY NYC ndash I havenrsquot yet traveled the world but New York
has the best food
FROM Anderson IN FAVORITE CITY LondonmdashI LOVE the architecture parks nightlife royals hard cider amp ALL the men in 3-piece
suits BEST CITY EVER
FROM Houston TX FAVORITE CITY Houston ndashWe have a mash up of so many cultures so
many growing scenes food art de-sign music medicine amp technology
08 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 09
IT TAKES A VILLAGE THE LAURA U TEAM
AFTON BAILY FROM Midland TX
FAVORITE CITY Santa Fe ndash I love the art the food (esp the green chilies) amp the walking culture Not to mention
that fresh mountain air
KIRSTIN TATE BLAIR FOSTER FROM Anderson IN
FAVORITE CITY LondonmdashI LOVE the architecture parks nightlife royals hard cider amp ALL the men in 3-piece
suits BEST CITY EVER
CATHERINE SOLOMON FROM San Angelo TX
FAVORITE CITY Castiglio Fiorenti-no ItalymdashThe small Tuscan city where I studied abroad in Italy
FROM Worcester MA FAVORITE CITY New Orleans ndash I
adore the charm and the easy go-ing atmosphere
FABIAN SEGURA FROM Guadalajara Mexico
FAVORITE CITY Florence ndash Running through the streets getting lost stumbled upon the real David
LETECIA ELLIS FROM Bay City TX
FAVORITE CITY Punta Cana Beau-tiful blue beaches and perfect weatherhellipwhatrsquos not to love
08 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 09
COMING SOON
More STUNNING Laura U Interiors
Stay up to date at LauraUcom
10 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 11
S pring is in the air and itrsquos rejuvenating effects are felt
by everyone No sectors are more re-energized by the shifting of the seasons than fashion amp home deacutecor Pick up some of our favorite spring-tastic trends to refresh your home for the warmer months ahead quilted de-luxe flower fe-ver and white hot accents
FASHION furnishings
10 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 11
QUILTED DE-LUXE Add a little texture to your spring this year by collecting some of these fabulous woven won-ders for your closet or your castle
3 Coach
Heel
New Steffi Heel
$228 Coach
1
2 3
4
Woven Garden
Seat $350 Wil-
liams-Sonoma
Sit in
Style 1 4
Philippe Delzers Eacutelitis
EXCALIBUR CABINET 2
Versace $1695
Net-A-Porter
Versace Purse
Ensign Stacking
Chair$610 Zinc
Door
Natural
Chair 5
12 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 13
1
2
3
Peter PilLotto
$1740 Farfetch
Chev V
Dress 6
LEA
THER
5
9
9
7
5
8 Tiffany Teapot
Tiffany Weave Teapot
$175 Tiffany amp Co
Golden Coasters
$1690 Zara
Zara Coasters 9
Hampton Forge
ElleDecorcom
Woven
Flatware 7
6
12 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 13
8
6
10
Peter PilLotto
$1740 Farfetch
Chev V
Dress 6 10
iPhone Decor
Jack Spade iPhone
Case Bloomingdales
PURE WHITE The fresh and clean color of white is undoubtedly transitioning over from Winter 2012 into Spring and definitely to Summer of 2013 We couldnrsquot be more pleased
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Kingsley Frames
$145 Warby Parker
Clear Shades 1
El Paso Hide Rug
$715 Furbish Stu-
dio
Furbish Hide 2
Modo Chandelier 3
sided 10 globes
$3900 Design
Bubble Lighting 3
Chanel Spring 2013
Bag Stylecom
Chanel Bag 4
Paper Mache Ani-
mal Head $129
West Elm
Giraffe Guru 5
1
2 3
4
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
1
2
3
W
HITE
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Awesome Tiny Animals
Scribbler Pillow
$295 Kelly Wearstler
The Per-fect Pillow 7
Chic H Extra
Large $840 Her-
mes
Killer Cuff 8 Stunner Studs
White Sand Sun-
burst $3000
House of Harlow
9
Toscana Bora Bora
Heel $395 Theory
Bora Bora Heel 10
8 9
7 5
10
6
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
Anything floral inspired is all the rage for interior design and fashion right now We love the home items from Layla Grayce but adore the perfectly pieced items from Oscar De La Renta
FLOWER FEVER
3 4 2
1
3 The IT
Lamp
Arteriors Castello
Porcelain Lamp
$2210 Layla Grace
Green Floral Otto-
man $2925
shoplauraucom
Awesome
Ottoman 1 4
Keds Sungarden
Sneakers $6200
Madewell
The Cool Kicks 2
Swarovski crystal
floral necklace
$675 Net a Porter
Valentino Necklace
Flower Power Kathe-
rine Sandoz
Wall Wear 5
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
FLO
WER
FEVER
6
10
5
7
8
Versace Floral Pants
$695 ShopBop
Flowered up pants 9
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
Biltmore Hat
$2400 Madewell
Head
Gear 7
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
5
6 7
9
8
Jewel Toned Orimo-
no Pillow $88 An-
thropologie
Orimono
Pillow 10 8
Oscar De La Renta
Tray $795 Net-A-Porter
The Perfect
Tray
Samantha Penner is the is the founder and editor of
the style blog The Peak of Tregraves Chic where she ex-
plores her love of good design fashion travel and
entertaining We were delighted to ask her a few
questions to find out more about her personal life
and what shersquos looking forward to for herself and
her blog
What inspired you to start your successful blog I
originally went to college and studied Energy Man-
agement a business degree with an energy fo-
cus After graduating I began working for an up-
stream oil and gas company here in Houston Alt-
hough the company was wonderful and I made
many friends I wasnrsquot satisfied creatively I felt un-
inspired and overwhelmed with a feeling of ldquois this
itrdquo Meanwhile I began helping friends decorate
their homes and homes and apartments and really
enjoyed the process That led me to start blogging
as a hobby
As I got more involved with my blog I began realiz-
ing that interior design wasnrsquot just a hobby to me- it
was a passion After talking with other bloggers
who had made similar transitions I decided to leave
my oil and gas job and go back to school at The Art
Institute of Houston to pursue my Bachelor of Fine
Best in Blogging Leaving her job in the oil and gas industry Samantha Penner pur-
sues her true passion for Interior Design with a fabulous blog
18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
To continue earning an income while in school I
worked as an assistant to a high-end residential in-
terior designer This job exposed me to the busi-
ness side of design how to keep track of invoicing
and purchasing and dealing directly with cli-
ents It was a wonderful opportunity Then last
October I decided to go to school full-time and be-
gan doing freelance design projects on my
own Running your own business is much more
work than one would expect You have to be okay
with taking risks working around the clock and
but I wouldnrsquot trade it for anything
What keeps you inspired
In the movie The September Issue Grace Cod-
dington says that Norman Parkinson once told her
ldquoAlways keep your eyes openhellip Never go to sleep
in the car or anything like that keep watching- be-
cause whatever you see out the window can inspire
yourdquo I try to live by that quote Of course I love
to read other blogs browse Pinterest and read
shelter magazines and that can be inspiring But
you have to be careful because it can easily stifle
your creativity if you just repeat something some-
one else has done
I try to see new places go visit new restaurants
and change up my day-to-day routine so that I am
continually exposing myself to new things I also
like to book at least 1 trip a year to visit a place
Irsquove never been- either nationally or international-
ly Travel broadens your perspective and enhances
your creativity It teaches you to see familiar
things in a new way Thatrsquos very important to me
In interior design your clients are paying you to
share with them your unique aesthetic
and if you are just recreating some-
thing you have seen someone else do
what good is that It is our job and re-
sponsibility to be up-to-date and
knowledgeable on trends but to use
them as a springboard for creating
something original
What is your Dream Job
I am DOING my dream job As I said
I officially launched my interior design
business The Peak of Tres Chic Design
Studio a few months ago In fact I just wrapped up
my first installation on my own and that was an in-
credibly gratifying feeling Of course I would
love to grow my business and perhaps one day take
on hospitality design projects in addition to resi-
dential As I finish up my degree I have to be se-
lective of what projects I can take on right now If
only there were more hours in the day Irsquod also
love to open an antique store one day Itrsquod be so
fun to travel the world looking for unique items to
sell in my store
Can you Give us a peek into what your dream 18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
(continued) Think silk dupioni drapes Italian wed-
ding chandeliers a winding staircase and skirted
round tables but with touches of animal print and
bright color Irsquod love to have an exterior of white
painted brick with black shutters and a brick flooring
in the kitchen and entry A large backyard with a gar-
den would be lovely too
What is the most exciting opportunity that has come
along since you started your blog
There have been many highlights during my short
year and a half of blogging I think the BEST part is
the friendships and connections you make Some of
my closest friends I met through blogging (crazy I
know) Houston Tidbits did a ldquo5 Local Bloggers
We Loverdquo feature about 6 months ago and that was
definitely flattering We got to showcase our favorite
beauty products at a Neiman Marcus party and
the publicity from that led to a lot of other amazing
What are your favorite design products right
now
I have always loved New Ravenna tile and
mosaics They do such incredible work and
have a variety of creative options for kitch-
ens and bathrooms Circa Lighting is my
ldquogo-tordquo for beautiful and classic lighting
and luckily we have a showroom right here
in Houston I love sites like Etsy and 1st
dibs which make finding interesting and un-
usual items easier Itrsquos like a treasure hunt
20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
SPECIAL ORDER THROUGH LAURA U INC20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
Brass Gateway Irons
Gold Scarab Ring Beau amp Arrow
Wyndham Brown Wood Iron
Swivel Barstool ARTERIORS
Phillip Jeffries wallpaper in Belle Eacutepoque
home Marc Corbiau amp Timothy Whealon
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
Pink Chair DuPont Registry
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
In the Light 3 Nicola Parente
Crystal Lighting Windfall
Cocktail Table Pearson
Muliti-Wheat Necklace Tory Burch
Peonies
Copper Shade Pendants Tom Dixon
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
JULIAN CHICHESTER The noteworthy design specialist we have come to love
We love anything and everything Julian Chichester His one
of a kind eclectic design is said to be inspired by fellow Brit
David Hicks and French designer Jean Royegravere Julian Chich-
ester creates an eclectic mix of luxurious furniture that
evokes the home of an experienced world traveler The
London-based designer who had worked as a stockbroker
had his ldquoa-hardquo moment while on a
trip to Thailand and Burma
(wwwGiltcom) He began to im-
port teak outdoor furniture and
then started designing formal in-
door furnishings launching his first
collection in 1995 One can see his
love of color and pattern in the up-
holstered pieces while the lighting
and case goods reveal his fondness
for warmth and texture
Chichesterrsquos contemporary designs
are inspired by tradition and craft
to create timeless furnishings In
the last decade he established an
enviable reputation for classically
inspired quality English Furniture
DESIGN SELECTED SOURCE
Two of our favorite
places to find Julian
Chichester designs are
Gilt and OneKings-
Lane
Our design team loves scouting new and undiscovered artists on Saatchi
Online Saatchirsquos tag line ldquoDiscover Art Get Discoveredrdquo sums up their
premise perfectly Their easy to use ecommerce site full of well organized
up and coming artists provides even the art lover on a budget something
fabulous for their home Here are our favorites from Saatchirsquos ldquoBright
ART TALK
Razzle Dazzle Red by Sara Willett United Kingdom
Starry Starry Naught POP POP or just what is it that makes todays
markets so different so appealing by Scott Hollingsworth Spain
Dancer by Sara Willett United Kingdom
First by Sandro Chkhaidze Georgia
Speed by Claire Desjardins Canada
White Fire by Beatrice Robert UK
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
ADVERTISEMENT
Like us facebookcomLauraUCollection
Tweet us LauraUInc
Follow us pinterestcomlaurauinc
Houzz houzzcomprolauraumansky
Instagram us laurauinteriordesign
Blog lauraucomblog
Email Join our mailing list
Connect with Us
Letter From Laura
Meet The Team
Coming Soon
New In the Boutique
Design Envy| Ombre
Laura U| Look
Get our signature look
IN EVERY ISSUE
03
06
08
46
10
48
34
Best in Blogging| Samantha
Penner A Peak of Tres Chic -
Art Talk Saatchi Online
Where In the World Houston
Events wersquore excited about
Oddly Organized| Jason Reeves
tips to be tidy
Villa De Luxe Showhouse
Check out our Writerrsquos Cottage
SHOPPING
FEATURES
18
26
28
44
Quilted Deluxe
Pure White
Flower Fever
Designer Faves
Design Selected Source Julian Chichester
Pinning amp Pining
12
22
36
14
16
24
38
Letter from Laura Umansky AprilmdashJune 2013
Laura
06 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 07
Our Contributors As I write this letter I am making last minute plans for my big move As you may have heard (hello Laura U | Blog ) I am finishing up my own reno-vation at Old House (my lovely 1930s home that came with plenty of trials and tribulations) and I am finally moving in like to-
day This issue of Laura U | Mag goes to print not a moment too soon Inside we fo-cus on the Spring season and everything re-newal Spring Inspiration Spring Organiza-tion Spring Planning amp Spring COLOR It makes for a fabulous reference as I settle into my new interior and exterior
From being Oddly Organized to climbing to the Peak of Tres Chic our Spring issue takes a look at the freshest ideas in the de-sign industry Fashion-to-Furnishings focuses on the quilted look (picnic in the park any-one) ultra-white (we have a fabulous re-source for fabric protection - go for it) and what is more perfect for Spring than florals
Nowhellip back to packing I will settle into my new digs as quickly as possible so I can get back to what I love settling others into their new digs As always I am thrilled to offer a peek into the world of Laura U Enjoy
ADVERTISEMENT
06 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 07
8322283750 | salesforefrontavcom
IT TAKES A VILLAGE THE LAURA U TEAM
AFTON BAILY FROM Midland TX
FAVORITE CITY Santa Fe ndash I love the art the food (esp the green chilies) amp the walking culture Not to mention
that fresh mountain air
LAURA UMANSKY CAROLYN MIGHELL
KIRSTIN TATE
FROM Seguin TX FAVORITE CITY RomemdashWhile I
was in Architecture school I fell in love with the history people and
of course the food amp wine
MELISSA MEYER FROM Houston TX
FAVORITE CITY Galway ndash Beautiful scenery and amazingly fun locals
LINHDA TRAN FROM Worcester MA
FAVORITE CITY NYC ndash I havenrsquot yet traveled the world but New York
has the best food
FROM Anderson IN FAVORITE CITY LondonmdashI LOVE the architecture parks nightlife royals hard cider amp ALL the men in 3-piece
suits BEST CITY EVER
FROM Houston TX FAVORITE CITY Houston ndashWe have a mash up of so many cultures so
many growing scenes food art de-sign music medicine amp technology
08 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 09
IT TAKES A VILLAGE THE LAURA U TEAM
AFTON BAILY FROM Midland TX
FAVORITE CITY Santa Fe ndash I love the art the food (esp the green chilies) amp the walking culture Not to mention
that fresh mountain air
KIRSTIN TATE BLAIR FOSTER FROM Anderson IN
FAVORITE CITY LondonmdashI LOVE the architecture parks nightlife royals hard cider amp ALL the men in 3-piece
suits BEST CITY EVER
CATHERINE SOLOMON FROM San Angelo TX
FAVORITE CITY Castiglio Fiorenti-no ItalymdashThe small Tuscan city where I studied abroad in Italy
FROM Worcester MA FAVORITE CITY New Orleans ndash I
adore the charm and the easy go-ing atmosphere
FABIAN SEGURA FROM Guadalajara Mexico
FAVORITE CITY Florence ndash Running through the streets getting lost stumbled upon the real David
LETECIA ELLIS FROM Bay City TX
FAVORITE CITY Punta Cana Beau-tiful blue beaches and perfect weatherhellipwhatrsquos not to love
08 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 09
COMING SOON
More STUNNING Laura U Interiors
Stay up to date at LauraUcom
10 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 11
S pring is in the air and itrsquos rejuvenating effects are felt
by everyone No sectors are more re-energized by the shifting of the seasons than fashion amp home deacutecor Pick up some of our favorite spring-tastic trends to refresh your home for the warmer months ahead quilted de-luxe flower fe-ver and white hot accents
FASHION furnishings
10 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 11
QUILTED DE-LUXE Add a little texture to your spring this year by collecting some of these fabulous woven won-ders for your closet or your castle
3 Coach
Heel
New Steffi Heel
$228 Coach
1
2 3
4
Woven Garden
Seat $350 Wil-
liams-Sonoma
Sit in
Style 1 4
Philippe Delzers Eacutelitis
EXCALIBUR CABINET 2
Versace $1695
Net-A-Porter
Versace Purse
Ensign Stacking
Chair$610 Zinc
Door
Natural
Chair 5
12 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 13
1
2
3
Peter PilLotto
$1740 Farfetch
Chev V
Dress 6
LEA
THER
5
9
9
7
5
8 Tiffany Teapot
Tiffany Weave Teapot
$175 Tiffany amp Co
Golden Coasters
$1690 Zara
Zara Coasters 9
Hampton Forge
ElleDecorcom
Woven
Flatware 7
6
12 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 13
8
6
10
Peter PilLotto
$1740 Farfetch
Chev V
Dress 6 10
iPhone Decor
Jack Spade iPhone
Case Bloomingdales
PURE WHITE The fresh and clean color of white is undoubtedly transitioning over from Winter 2012 into Spring and definitely to Summer of 2013 We couldnrsquot be more pleased
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Kingsley Frames
$145 Warby Parker
Clear Shades 1
El Paso Hide Rug
$715 Furbish Stu-
dio
Furbish Hide 2
Modo Chandelier 3
sided 10 globes
$3900 Design
Bubble Lighting 3
Chanel Spring 2013
Bag Stylecom
Chanel Bag 4
Paper Mache Ani-
mal Head $129
West Elm
Giraffe Guru 5
1
2 3
4
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
1
2
3
W
HITE
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Awesome Tiny Animals
Scribbler Pillow
$295 Kelly Wearstler
The Per-fect Pillow 7
Chic H Extra
Large $840 Her-
mes
Killer Cuff 8 Stunner Studs
White Sand Sun-
burst $3000
House of Harlow
9
Toscana Bora Bora
Heel $395 Theory
Bora Bora Heel 10
8 9
7 5
10
6
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
Anything floral inspired is all the rage for interior design and fashion right now We love the home items from Layla Grayce but adore the perfectly pieced items from Oscar De La Renta
FLOWER FEVER
3 4 2
1
3 The IT
Lamp
Arteriors Castello
Porcelain Lamp
$2210 Layla Grace
Green Floral Otto-
man $2925
shoplauraucom
Awesome
Ottoman 1 4
Keds Sungarden
Sneakers $6200
Madewell
The Cool Kicks 2
Swarovski crystal
floral necklace
$675 Net a Porter
Valentino Necklace
Flower Power Kathe-
rine Sandoz
Wall Wear 5
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
FLO
WER
FEVER
6
10
5
7
8
Versace Floral Pants
$695 ShopBop
Flowered up pants 9
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
Biltmore Hat
$2400 Madewell
Head
Gear 7
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
5
6 7
9
8
Jewel Toned Orimo-
no Pillow $88 An-
thropologie
Orimono
Pillow 10 8
Oscar De La Renta
Tray $795 Net-A-Porter
The Perfect
Tray
Samantha Penner is the is the founder and editor of
the style blog The Peak of Tregraves Chic where she ex-
plores her love of good design fashion travel and
entertaining We were delighted to ask her a few
questions to find out more about her personal life
and what shersquos looking forward to for herself and
her blog
What inspired you to start your successful blog I
originally went to college and studied Energy Man-
agement a business degree with an energy fo-
cus After graduating I began working for an up-
stream oil and gas company here in Houston Alt-
hough the company was wonderful and I made
many friends I wasnrsquot satisfied creatively I felt un-
inspired and overwhelmed with a feeling of ldquois this
itrdquo Meanwhile I began helping friends decorate
their homes and homes and apartments and really
enjoyed the process That led me to start blogging
as a hobby
As I got more involved with my blog I began realiz-
ing that interior design wasnrsquot just a hobby to me- it
was a passion After talking with other bloggers
who had made similar transitions I decided to leave
my oil and gas job and go back to school at The Art
Institute of Houston to pursue my Bachelor of Fine
Best in Blogging Leaving her job in the oil and gas industry Samantha Penner pur-
sues her true passion for Interior Design with a fabulous blog
18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
To continue earning an income while in school I
worked as an assistant to a high-end residential in-
terior designer This job exposed me to the busi-
ness side of design how to keep track of invoicing
and purchasing and dealing directly with cli-
ents It was a wonderful opportunity Then last
October I decided to go to school full-time and be-
gan doing freelance design projects on my
own Running your own business is much more
work than one would expect You have to be okay
with taking risks working around the clock and
but I wouldnrsquot trade it for anything
What keeps you inspired
In the movie The September Issue Grace Cod-
dington says that Norman Parkinson once told her
ldquoAlways keep your eyes openhellip Never go to sleep
in the car or anything like that keep watching- be-
cause whatever you see out the window can inspire
yourdquo I try to live by that quote Of course I love
to read other blogs browse Pinterest and read
shelter magazines and that can be inspiring But
you have to be careful because it can easily stifle
your creativity if you just repeat something some-
one else has done
I try to see new places go visit new restaurants
and change up my day-to-day routine so that I am
continually exposing myself to new things I also
like to book at least 1 trip a year to visit a place
Irsquove never been- either nationally or international-
ly Travel broadens your perspective and enhances
your creativity It teaches you to see familiar
things in a new way Thatrsquos very important to me
In interior design your clients are paying you to
share with them your unique aesthetic
and if you are just recreating some-
thing you have seen someone else do
what good is that It is our job and re-
sponsibility to be up-to-date and
knowledgeable on trends but to use
them as a springboard for creating
something original
What is your Dream Job
I am DOING my dream job As I said
I officially launched my interior design
business The Peak of Tres Chic Design
Studio a few months ago In fact I just wrapped up
my first installation on my own and that was an in-
credibly gratifying feeling Of course I would
love to grow my business and perhaps one day take
on hospitality design projects in addition to resi-
dential As I finish up my degree I have to be se-
lective of what projects I can take on right now If
only there were more hours in the day Irsquod also
love to open an antique store one day Itrsquod be so
fun to travel the world looking for unique items to
sell in my store
Can you Give us a peek into what your dream 18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
(continued) Think silk dupioni drapes Italian wed-
ding chandeliers a winding staircase and skirted
round tables but with touches of animal print and
bright color Irsquod love to have an exterior of white
painted brick with black shutters and a brick flooring
in the kitchen and entry A large backyard with a gar-
den would be lovely too
What is the most exciting opportunity that has come
along since you started your blog
There have been many highlights during my short
year and a half of blogging I think the BEST part is
the friendships and connections you make Some of
my closest friends I met through blogging (crazy I
know) Houston Tidbits did a ldquo5 Local Bloggers
We Loverdquo feature about 6 months ago and that was
definitely flattering We got to showcase our favorite
beauty products at a Neiman Marcus party and
the publicity from that led to a lot of other amazing
What are your favorite design products right
now
I have always loved New Ravenna tile and
mosaics They do such incredible work and
have a variety of creative options for kitch-
ens and bathrooms Circa Lighting is my
ldquogo-tordquo for beautiful and classic lighting
and luckily we have a showroom right here
in Houston I love sites like Etsy and 1st
dibs which make finding interesting and un-
usual items easier Itrsquos like a treasure hunt
20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
SPECIAL ORDER THROUGH LAURA U INC20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
Brass Gateway Irons
Gold Scarab Ring Beau amp Arrow
Wyndham Brown Wood Iron
Swivel Barstool ARTERIORS
Phillip Jeffries wallpaper in Belle Eacutepoque
home Marc Corbiau amp Timothy Whealon
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
Pink Chair DuPont Registry
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
In the Light 3 Nicola Parente
Crystal Lighting Windfall
Cocktail Table Pearson
Muliti-Wheat Necklace Tory Burch
Peonies
Copper Shade Pendants Tom Dixon
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
JULIAN CHICHESTER The noteworthy design specialist we have come to love
We love anything and everything Julian Chichester His one
of a kind eclectic design is said to be inspired by fellow Brit
David Hicks and French designer Jean Royegravere Julian Chich-
ester creates an eclectic mix of luxurious furniture that
evokes the home of an experienced world traveler The
London-based designer who had worked as a stockbroker
had his ldquoa-hardquo moment while on a
trip to Thailand and Burma
(wwwGiltcom) He began to im-
port teak outdoor furniture and
then started designing formal in-
door furnishings launching his first
collection in 1995 One can see his
love of color and pattern in the up-
holstered pieces while the lighting
and case goods reveal his fondness
for warmth and texture
Chichesterrsquos contemporary designs
are inspired by tradition and craft
to create timeless furnishings In
the last decade he established an
enviable reputation for classically
inspired quality English Furniture
DESIGN SELECTED SOURCE
Two of our favorite
places to find Julian
Chichester designs are
Gilt and OneKings-
Lane
Our design team loves scouting new and undiscovered artists on Saatchi
Online Saatchirsquos tag line ldquoDiscover Art Get Discoveredrdquo sums up their
premise perfectly Their easy to use ecommerce site full of well organized
up and coming artists provides even the art lover on a budget something
fabulous for their home Here are our favorites from Saatchirsquos ldquoBright
ART TALK
Razzle Dazzle Red by Sara Willett United Kingdom
Starry Starry Naught POP POP or just what is it that makes todays
markets so different so appealing by Scott Hollingsworth Spain
Dancer by Sara Willett United Kingdom
First by Sandro Chkhaidze Georgia
Speed by Claire Desjardins Canada
White Fire by Beatrice Robert UK
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
Like us facebookcomLauraUCollection
Tweet us LauraUInc
Follow us pinterestcomlaurauinc
Houzz houzzcomprolauraumansky
Instagram us laurauinteriordesign
Blog lauraucomblog
Email Join our mailing list
Connect with Us
Letter From Laura
Meet The Team
Coming Soon
New In the Boutique
Design Envy| Ombre
Laura U| Look
Get our signature look
IN EVERY ISSUE
03
06
08
46
10
48
34
Best in Blogging| Samantha
Penner A Peak of Tres Chic -
Art Talk Saatchi Online
Where In the World Houston
Events wersquore excited about
Oddly Organized| Jason Reeves
tips to be tidy
Villa De Luxe Showhouse
Check out our Writerrsquos Cottage
SHOPPING
FEATURES
18
26
28
44
Quilted Deluxe
Pure White
Flower Fever
Designer Faves
Design Selected Source Julian Chichester
Pinning amp Pining
12
22
36
14
16
24
38
Letter from Laura Umansky AprilmdashJune 2013
Laura
06 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 07
Our Contributors As I write this letter I am making last minute plans for my big move As you may have heard (hello Laura U | Blog ) I am finishing up my own reno-vation at Old House (my lovely 1930s home that came with plenty of trials and tribulations) and I am finally moving in like to-
day This issue of Laura U | Mag goes to print not a moment too soon Inside we fo-cus on the Spring season and everything re-newal Spring Inspiration Spring Organiza-tion Spring Planning amp Spring COLOR It makes for a fabulous reference as I settle into my new interior and exterior
From being Oddly Organized to climbing to the Peak of Tres Chic our Spring issue takes a look at the freshest ideas in the de-sign industry Fashion-to-Furnishings focuses on the quilted look (picnic in the park any-one) ultra-white (we have a fabulous re-source for fabric protection - go for it) and what is more perfect for Spring than florals
Nowhellip back to packing I will settle into my new digs as quickly as possible so I can get back to what I love settling others into their new digs As always I am thrilled to offer a peek into the world of Laura U Enjoy
ADVERTISEMENT
06 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 07
8322283750 | salesforefrontavcom
IT TAKES A VILLAGE THE LAURA U TEAM
AFTON BAILY FROM Midland TX
FAVORITE CITY Santa Fe ndash I love the art the food (esp the green chilies) amp the walking culture Not to mention
that fresh mountain air
LAURA UMANSKY CAROLYN MIGHELL
KIRSTIN TATE
FROM Seguin TX FAVORITE CITY RomemdashWhile I
was in Architecture school I fell in love with the history people and
of course the food amp wine
MELISSA MEYER FROM Houston TX
FAVORITE CITY Galway ndash Beautiful scenery and amazingly fun locals
LINHDA TRAN FROM Worcester MA
FAVORITE CITY NYC ndash I havenrsquot yet traveled the world but New York
has the best food
FROM Anderson IN FAVORITE CITY LondonmdashI LOVE the architecture parks nightlife royals hard cider amp ALL the men in 3-piece
suits BEST CITY EVER
FROM Houston TX FAVORITE CITY Houston ndashWe have a mash up of so many cultures so
many growing scenes food art de-sign music medicine amp technology
08 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 09
IT TAKES A VILLAGE THE LAURA U TEAM
AFTON BAILY FROM Midland TX
FAVORITE CITY Santa Fe ndash I love the art the food (esp the green chilies) amp the walking culture Not to mention
that fresh mountain air
KIRSTIN TATE BLAIR FOSTER FROM Anderson IN
FAVORITE CITY LondonmdashI LOVE the architecture parks nightlife royals hard cider amp ALL the men in 3-piece
suits BEST CITY EVER
CATHERINE SOLOMON FROM San Angelo TX
FAVORITE CITY Castiglio Fiorenti-no ItalymdashThe small Tuscan city where I studied abroad in Italy
FROM Worcester MA FAVORITE CITY New Orleans ndash I
adore the charm and the easy go-ing atmosphere
FABIAN SEGURA FROM Guadalajara Mexico
FAVORITE CITY Florence ndash Running through the streets getting lost stumbled upon the real David
LETECIA ELLIS FROM Bay City TX
FAVORITE CITY Punta Cana Beau-tiful blue beaches and perfect weatherhellipwhatrsquos not to love
08 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 09
COMING SOON
More STUNNING Laura U Interiors
Stay up to date at LauraUcom
10 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 11
S pring is in the air and itrsquos rejuvenating effects are felt
by everyone No sectors are more re-energized by the shifting of the seasons than fashion amp home deacutecor Pick up some of our favorite spring-tastic trends to refresh your home for the warmer months ahead quilted de-luxe flower fe-ver and white hot accents
FASHION furnishings
10 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 11
QUILTED DE-LUXE Add a little texture to your spring this year by collecting some of these fabulous woven won-ders for your closet or your castle
3 Coach
Heel
New Steffi Heel
$228 Coach
1
2 3
4
Woven Garden
Seat $350 Wil-
liams-Sonoma
Sit in
Style 1 4
Philippe Delzers Eacutelitis
EXCALIBUR CABINET 2
Versace $1695
Net-A-Porter
Versace Purse
Ensign Stacking
Chair$610 Zinc
Door
Natural
Chair 5
12 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 13
1
2
3
Peter PilLotto
$1740 Farfetch
Chev V
Dress 6
LEA
THER
5
9
9
7
5
8 Tiffany Teapot
Tiffany Weave Teapot
$175 Tiffany amp Co
Golden Coasters
$1690 Zara
Zara Coasters 9
Hampton Forge
ElleDecorcom
Woven
Flatware 7
6
12 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 13
8
6
10
Peter PilLotto
$1740 Farfetch
Chev V
Dress 6 10
iPhone Decor
Jack Spade iPhone
Case Bloomingdales
PURE WHITE The fresh and clean color of white is undoubtedly transitioning over from Winter 2012 into Spring and definitely to Summer of 2013 We couldnrsquot be more pleased
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Kingsley Frames
$145 Warby Parker
Clear Shades 1
El Paso Hide Rug
$715 Furbish Stu-
dio
Furbish Hide 2
Modo Chandelier 3
sided 10 globes
$3900 Design
Bubble Lighting 3
Chanel Spring 2013
Bag Stylecom
Chanel Bag 4
Paper Mache Ani-
mal Head $129
West Elm
Giraffe Guru 5
1
2 3
4
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
1
2
3
W
HITE
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Awesome Tiny Animals
Scribbler Pillow
$295 Kelly Wearstler
The Per-fect Pillow 7
Chic H Extra
Large $840 Her-
mes
Killer Cuff 8 Stunner Studs
White Sand Sun-
burst $3000
House of Harlow
9
Toscana Bora Bora
Heel $395 Theory
Bora Bora Heel 10
8 9
7 5
10
6
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
Anything floral inspired is all the rage for interior design and fashion right now We love the home items from Layla Grayce but adore the perfectly pieced items from Oscar De La Renta
FLOWER FEVER
3 4 2
1
3 The IT
Lamp
Arteriors Castello
Porcelain Lamp
$2210 Layla Grace
Green Floral Otto-
man $2925
shoplauraucom
Awesome
Ottoman 1 4
Keds Sungarden
Sneakers $6200
Madewell
The Cool Kicks 2
Swarovski crystal
floral necklace
$675 Net a Porter
Valentino Necklace
Flower Power Kathe-
rine Sandoz
Wall Wear 5
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
FLO
WER
FEVER
6
10
5
7
8
Versace Floral Pants
$695 ShopBop
Flowered up pants 9
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
Biltmore Hat
$2400 Madewell
Head
Gear 7
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
5
6 7
9
8
Jewel Toned Orimo-
no Pillow $88 An-
thropologie
Orimono
Pillow 10 8
Oscar De La Renta
Tray $795 Net-A-Porter
The Perfect
Tray
Samantha Penner is the is the founder and editor of
the style blog The Peak of Tregraves Chic where she ex-
plores her love of good design fashion travel and
entertaining We were delighted to ask her a few
questions to find out more about her personal life
and what shersquos looking forward to for herself and
her blog
What inspired you to start your successful blog I
originally went to college and studied Energy Man-
agement a business degree with an energy fo-
cus After graduating I began working for an up-
stream oil and gas company here in Houston Alt-
hough the company was wonderful and I made
many friends I wasnrsquot satisfied creatively I felt un-
inspired and overwhelmed with a feeling of ldquois this
itrdquo Meanwhile I began helping friends decorate
their homes and homes and apartments and really
enjoyed the process That led me to start blogging
as a hobby
As I got more involved with my blog I began realiz-
ing that interior design wasnrsquot just a hobby to me- it
was a passion After talking with other bloggers
who had made similar transitions I decided to leave
my oil and gas job and go back to school at The Art
Institute of Houston to pursue my Bachelor of Fine
Best in Blogging Leaving her job in the oil and gas industry Samantha Penner pur-
sues her true passion for Interior Design with a fabulous blog
18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
To continue earning an income while in school I
worked as an assistant to a high-end residential in-
terior designer This job exposed me to the busi-
ness side of design how to keep track of invoicing
and purchasing and dealing directly with cli-
ents It was a wonderful opportunity Then last
October I decided to go to school full-time and be-
gan doing freelance design projects on my
own Running your own business is much more
work than one would expect You have to be okay
with taking risks working around the clock and
but I wouldnrsquot trade it for anything
What keeps you inspired
In the movie The September Issue Grace Cod-
dington says that Norman Parkinson once told her
ldquoAlways keep your eyes openhellip Never go to sleep
in the car or anything like that keep watching- be-
cause whatever you see out the window can inspire
yourdquo I try to live by that quote Of course I love
to read other blogs browse Pinterest and read
shelter magazines and that can be inspiring But
you have to be careful because it can easily stifle
your creativity if you just repeat something some-
one else has done
I try to see new places go visit new restaurants
and change up my day-to-day routine so that I am
continually exposing myself to new things I also
like to book at least 1 trip a year to visit a place
Irsquove never been- either nationally or international-
ly Travel broadens your perspective and enhances
your creativity It teaches you to see familiar
things in a new way Thatrsquos very important to me
In interior design your clients are paying you to
share with them your unique aesthetic
and if you are just recreating some-
thing you have seen someone else do
what good is that It is our job and re-
sponsibility to be up-to-date and
knowledgeable on trends but to use
them as a springboard for creating
something original
What is your Dream Job
I am DOING my dream job As I said
I officially launched my interior design
business The Peak of Tres Chic Design
Studio a few months ago In fact I just wrapped up
my first installation on my own and that was an in-
credibly gratifying feeling Of course I would
love to grow my business and perhaps one day take
on hospitality design projects in addition to resi-
dential As I finish up my degree I have to be se-
lective of what projects I can take on right now If
only there were more hours in the day Irsquod also
love to open an antique store one day Itrsquod be so
fun to travel the world looking for unique items to
sell in my store
Can you Give us a peek into what your dream 18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
(continued) Think silk dupioni drapes Italian wed-
ding chandeliers a winding staircase and skirted
round tables but with touches of animal print and
bright color Irsquod love to have an exterior of white
painted brick with black shutters and a brick flooring
in the kitchen and entry A large backyard with a gar-
den would be lovely too
What is the most exciting opportunity that has come
along since you started your blog
There have been many highlights during my short
year and a half of blogging I think the BEST part is
the friendships and connections you make Some of
my closest friends I met through blogging (crazy I
know) Houston Tidbits did a ldquo5 Local Bloggers
We Loverdquo feature about 6 months ago and that was
definitely flattering We got to showcase our favorite
beauty products at a Neiman Marcus party and
the publicity from that led to a lot of other amazing
What are your favorite design products right
now
I have always loved New Ravenna tile and
mosaics They do such incredible work and
have a variety of creative options for kitch-
ens and bathrooms Circa Lighting is my
ldquogo-tordquo for beautiful and classic lighting
and luckily we have a showroom right here
in Houston I love sites like Etsy and 1st
dibs which make finding interesting and un-
usual items easier Itrsquos like a treasure hunt
20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
SPECIAL ORDER THROUGH LAURA U INC20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
Brass Gateway Irons
Gold Scarab Ring Beau amp Arrow
Wyndham Brown Wood Iron
Swivel Barstool ARTERIORS
Phillip Jeffries wallpaper in Belle Eacutepoque
home Marc Corbiau amp Timothy Whealon
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
Pink Chair DuPont Registry
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
In the Light 3 Nicola Parente
Crystal Lighting Windfall
Cocktail Table Pearson
Muliti-Wheat Necklace Tory Burch
Peonies
Copper Shade Pendants Tom Dixon
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
JULIAN CHICHESTER The noteworthy design specialist we have come to love
We love anything and everything Julian Chichester His one
of a kind eclectic design is said to be inspired by fellow Brit
David Hicks and French designer Jean Royegravere Julian Chich-
ester creates an eclectic mix of luxurious furniture that
evokes the home of an experienced world traveler The
London-based designer who had worked as a stockbroker
had his ldquoa-hardquo moment while on a
trip to Thailand and Burma
(wwwGiltcom) He began to im-
port teak outdoor furniture and
then started designing formal in-
door furnishings launching his first
collection in 1995 One can see his
love of color and pattern in the up-
holstered pieces while the lighting
and case goods reveal his fondness
for warmth and texture
Chichesterrsquos contemporary designs
are inspired by tradition and craft
to create timeless furnishings In
the last decade he established an
enviable reputation for classically
inspired quality English Furniture
DESIGN SELECTED SOURCE
Two of our favorite
places to find Julian
Chichester designs are
Gilt and OneKings-
Lane
Our design team loves scouting new and undiscovered artists on Saatchi
Online Saatchirsquos tag line ldquoDiscover Art Get Discoveredrdquo sums up their
premise perfectly Their easy to use ecommerce site full of well organized
up and coming artists provides even the art lover on a budget something
fabulous for their home Here are our favorites from Saatchirsquos ldquoBright
ART TALK
Razzle Dazzle Red by Sara Willett United Kingdom
Starry Starry Naught POP POP or just what is it that makes todays
markets so different so appealing by Scott Hollingsworth Spain
Dancer by Sara Willett United Kingdom
First by Sandro Chkhaidze Georgia
Speed by Claire Desjardins Canada
White Fire by Beatrice Robert UK
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
Connect with Us
Letter From Laura
Meet The Team
Coming Soon
New In the Boutique
Design Envy| Ombre
Laura U| Look
Get our signature look
IN EVERY ISSUE
03
06
08
46
10
48
34
Best in Blogging| Samantha
Penner A Peak of Tres Chic -
Art Talk Saatchi Online
Where In the World Houston
Events wersquore excited about
Oddly Organized| Jason Reeves
tips to be tidy
Villa De Luxe Showhouse
Check out our Writerrsquos Cottage
SHOPPING
FEATURES
18
26
28
44
Quilted Deluxe
Pure White
Flower Fever
Designer Faves
Design Selected Source Julian Chichester
Pinning amp Pining
12
22
36
14
16
24
38
Letter from Laura Umansky AprilmdashJune 2013
Laura
06 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 07
Our Contributors As I write this letter I am making last minute plans for my big move As you may have heard (hello Laura U | Blog ) I am finishing up my own reno-vation at Old House (my lovely 1930s home that came with plenty of trials and tribulations) and I am finally moving in like to-
day This issue of Laura U | Mag goes to print not a moment too soon Inside we fo-cus on the Spring season and everything re-newal Spring Inspiration Spring Organiza-tion Spring Planning amp Spring COLOR It makes for a fabulous reference as I settle into my new interior and exterior
From being Oddly Organized to climbing to the Peak of Tres Chic our Spring issue takes a look at the freshest ideas in the de-sign industry Fashion-to-Furnishings focuses on the quilted look (picnic in the park any-one) ultra-white (we have a fabulous re-source for fabric protection - go for it) and what is more perfect for Spring than florals
Nowhellip back to packing I will settle into my new digs as quickly as possible so I can get back to what I love settling others into their new digs As always I am thrilled to offer a peek into the world of Laura U Enjoy
ADVERTISEMENT
06 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 07
8322283750 | salesforefrontavcom
IT TAKES A VILLAGE THE LAURA U TEAM
AFTON BAILY FROM Midland TX
FAVORITE CITY Santa Fe ndash I love the art the food (esp the green chilies) amp the walking culture Not to mention
that fresh mountain air
LAURA UMANSKY CAROLYN MIGHELL
KIRSTIN TATE
FROM Seguin TX FAVORITE CITY RomemdashWhile I
was in Architecture school I fell in love with the history people and
of course the food amp wine
MELISSA MEYER FROM Houston TX
FAVORITE CITY Galway ndash Beautiful scenery and amazingly fun locals
LINHDA TRAN FROM Worcester MA
FAVORITE CITY NYC ndash I havenrsquot yet traveled the world but New York
has the best food
FROM Anderson IN FAVORITE CITY LondonmdashI LOVE the architecture parks nightlife royals hard cider amp ALL the men in 3-piece
suits BEST CITY EVER
FROM Houston TX FAVORITE CITY Houston ndashWe have a mash up of so many cultures so
many growing scenes food art de-sign music medicine amp technology
08 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 09
IT TAKES A VILLAGE THE LAURA U TEAM
AFTON BAILY FROM Midland TX
FAVORITE CITY Santa Fe ndash I love the art the food (esp the green chilies) amp the walking culture Not to mention
that fresh mountain air
KIRSTIN TATE BLAIR FOSTER FROM Anderson IN
FAVORITE CITY LondonmdashI LOVE the architecture parks nightlife royals hard cider amp ALL the men in 3-piece
suits BEST CITY EVER
CATHERINE SOLOMON FROM San Angelo TX
FAVORITE CITY Castiglio Fiorenti-no ItalymdashThe small Tuscan city where I studied abroad in Italy
FROM Worcester MA FAVORITE CITY New Orleans ndash I
adore the charm and the easy go-ing atmosphere
FABIAN SEGURA FROM Guadalajara Mexico
FAVORITE CITY Florence ndash Running through the streets getting lost stumbled upon the real David
LETECIA ELLIS FROM Bay City TX
FAVORITE CITY Punta Cana Beau-tiful blue beaches and perfect weatherhellipwhatrsquos not to love
08 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 09
COMING SOON
More STUNNING Laura U Interiors
Stay up to date at LauraUcom
10 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 11
S pring is in the air and itrsquos rejuvenating effects are felt
by everyone No sectors are more re-energized by the shifting of the seasons than fashion amp home deacutecor Pick up some of our favorite spring-tastic trends to refresh your home for the warmer months ahead quilted de-luxe flower fe-ver and white hot accents
FASHION furnishings
10 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 11
QUILTED DE-LUXE Add a little texture to your spring this year by collecting some of these fabulous woven won-ders for your closet or your castle
3 Coach
Heel
New Steffi Heel
$228 Coach
1
2 3
4
Woven Garden
Seat $350 Wil-
liams-Sonoma
Sit in
Style 1 4
Philippe Delzers Eacutelitis
EXCALIBUR CABINET 2
Versace $1695
Net-A-Porter
Versace Purse
Ensign Stacking
Chair$610 Zinc
Door
Natural
Chair 5
12 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 13
1
2
3
Peter PilLotto
$1740 Farfetch
Chev V
Dress 6
LEA
THER
5
9
9
7
5
8 Tiffany Teapot
Tiffany Weave Teapot
$175 Tiffany amp Co
Golden Coasters
$1690 Zara
Zara Coasters 9
Hampton Forge
ElleDecorcom
Woven
Flatware 7
6
12 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 13
8
6
10
Peter PilLotto
$1740 Farfetch
Chev V
Dress 6 10
iPhone Decor
Jack Spade iPhone
Case Bloomingdales
PURE WHITE The fresh and clean color of white is undoubtedly transitioning over from Winter 2012 into Spring and definitely to Summer of 2013 We couldnrsquot be more pleased
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Kingsley Frames
$145 Warby Parker
Clear Shades 1
El Paso Hide Rug
$715 Furbish Stu-
dio
Furbish Hide 2
Modo Chandelier 3
sided 10 globes
$3900 Design
Bubble Lighting 3
Chanel Spring 2013
Bag Stylecom
Chanel Bag 4
Paper Mache Ani-
mal Head $129
West Elm
Giraffe Guru 5
1
2 3
4
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
1
2
3
W
HITE
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Awesome Tiny Animals
Scribbler Pillow
$295 Kelly Wearstler
The Per-fect Pillow 7
Chic H Extra
Large $840 Her-
mes
Killer Cuff 8 Stunner Studs
White Sand Sun-
burst $3000
House of Harlow
9
Toscana Bora Bora
Heel $395 Theory
Bora Bora Heel 10
8 9
7 5
10
6
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
Anything floral inspired is all the rage for interior design and fashion right now We love the home items from Layla Grayce but adore the perfectly pieced items from Oscar De La Renta
FLOWER FEVER
3 4 2
1
3 The IT
Lamp
Arteriors Castello
Porcelain Lamp
$2210 Layla Grace
Green Floral Otto-
man $2925
shoplauraucom
Awesome
Ottoman 1 4
Keds Sungarden
Sneakers $6200
Madewell
The Cool Kicks 2
Swarovski crystal
floral necklace
$675 Net a Porter
Valentino Necklace
Flower Power Kathe-
rine Sandoz
Wall Wear 5
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
FLO
WER
FEVER
6
10
5
7
8
Versace Floral Pants
$695 ShopBop
Flowered up pants 9
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
Biltmore Hat
$2400 Madewell
Head
Gear 7
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
5
6 7
9
8
Jewel Toned Orimo-
no Pillow $88 An-
thropologie
Orimono
Pillow 10 8
Oscar De La Renta
Tray $795 Net-A-Porter
The Perfect
Tray
Samantha Penner is the is the founder and editor of
the style blog The Peak of Tregraves Chic where she ex-
plores her love of good design fashion travel and
entertaining We were delighted to ask her a few
questions to find out more about her personal life
and what shersquos looking forward to for herself and
her blog
What inspired you to start your successful blog I
originally went to college and studied Energy Man-
agement a business degree with an energy fo-
cus After graduating I began working for an up-
stream oil and gas company here in Houston Alt-
hough the company was wonderful and I made
many friends I wasnrsquot satisfied creatively I felt un-
inspired and overwhelmed with a feeling of ldquois this
itrdquo Meanwhile I began helping friends decorate
their homes and homes and apartments and really
enjoyed the process That led me to start blogging
as a hobby
As I got more involved with my blog I began realiz-
ing that interior design wasnrsquot just a hobby to me- it
was a passion After talking with other bloggers
who had made similar transitions I decided to leave
my oil and gas job and go back to school at The Art
Institute of Houston to pursue my Bachelor of Fine
Best in Blogging Leaving her job in the oil and gas industry Samantha Penner pur-
sues her true passion for Interior Design with a fabulous blog
18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
To continue earning an income while in school I
worked as an assistant to a high-end residential in-
terior designer This job exposed me to the busi-
ness side of design how to keep track of invoicing
and purchasing and dealing directly with cli-
ents It was a wonderful opportunity Then last
October I decided to go to school full-time and be-
gan doing freelance design projects on my
own Running your own business is much more
work than one would expect You have to be okay
with taking risks working around the clock and
but I wouldnrsquot trade it for anything
What keeps you inspired
In the movie The September Issue Grace Cod-
dington says that Norman Parkinson once told her
ldquoAlways keep your eyes openhellip Never go to sleep
in the car or anything like that keep watching- be-
cause whatever you see out the window can inspire
yourdquo I try to live by that quote Of course I love
to read other blogs browse Pinterest and read
shelter magazines and that can be inspiring But
you have to be careful because it can easily stifle
your creativity if you just repeat something some-
one else has done
I try to see new places go visit new restaurants
and change up my day-to-day routine so that I am
continually exposing myself to new things I also
like to book at least 1 trip a year to visit a place
Irsquove never been- either nationally or international-
ly Travel broadens your perspective and enhances
your creativity It teaches you to see familiar
things in a new way Thatrsquos very important to me
In interior design your clients are paying you to
share with them your unique aesthetic
and if you are just recreating some-
thing you have seen someone else do
what good is that It is our job and re-
sponsibility to be up-to-date and
knowledgeable on trends but to use
them as a springboard for creating
something original
What is your Dream Job
I am DOING my dream job As I said
I officially launched my interior design
business The Peak of Tres Chic Design
Studio a few months ago In fact I just wrapped up
my first installation on my own and that was an in-
credibly gratifying feeling Of course I would
love to grow my business and perhaps one day take
on hospitality design projects in addition to resi-
dential As I finish up my degree I have to be se-
lective of what projects I can take on right now If
only there were more hours in the day Irsquod also
love to open an antique store one day Itrsquod be so
fun to travel the world looking for unique items to
sell in my store
Can you Give us a peek into what your dream 18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
(continued) Think silk dupioni drapes Italian wed-
ding chandeliers a winding staircase and skirted
round tables but with touches of animal print and
bright color Irsquod love to have an exterior of white
painted brick with black shutters and a brick flooring
in the kitchen and entry A large backyard with a gar-
den would be lovely too
What is the most exciting opportunity that has come
along since you started your blog
There have been many highlights during my short
year and a half of blogging I think the BEST part is
the friendships and connections you make Some of
my closest friends I met through blogging (crazy I
know) Houston Tidbits did a ldquo5 Local Bloggers
We Loverdquo feature about 6 months ago and that was
definitely flattering We got to showcase our favorite
beauty products at a Neiman Marcus party and
the publicity from that led to a lot of other amazing
What are your favorite design products right
now
I have always loved New Ravenna tile and
mosaics They do such incredible work and
have a variety of creative options for kitch-
ens and bathrooms Circa Lighting is my
ldquogo-tordquo for beautiful and classic lighting
and luckily we have a showroom right here
in Houston I love sites like Etsy and 1st
dibs which make finding interesting and un-
usual items easier Itrsquos like a treasure hunt
20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
SPECIAL ORDER THROUGH LAURA U INC20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
Brass Gateway Irons
Gold Scarab Ring Beau amp Arrow
Wyndham Brown Wood Iron
Swivel Barstool ARTERIORS
Phillip Jeffries wallpaper in Belle Eacutepoque
home Marc Corbiau amp Timothy Whealon
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
Pink Chair DuPont Registry
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
In the Light 3 Nicola Parente
Crystal Lighting Windfall
Cocktail Table Pearson
Muliti-Wheat Necklace Tory Burch
Peonies
Copper Shade Pendants Tom Dixon
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
JULIAN CHICHESTER The noteworthy design specialist we have come to love
We love anything and everything Julian Chichester His one
of a kind eclectic design is said to be inspired by fellow Brit
David Hicks and French designer Jean Royegravere Julian Chich-
ester creates an eclectic mix of luxurious furniture that
evokes the home of an experienced world traveler The
London-based designer who had worked as a stockbroker
had his ldquoa-hardquo moment while on a
trip to Thailand and Burma
(wwwGiltcom) He began to im-
port teak outdoor furniture and
then started designing formal in-
door furnishings launching his first
collection in 1995 One can see his
love of color and pattern in the up-
holstered pieces while the lighting
and case goods reveal his fondness
for warmth and texture
Chichesterrsquos contemporary designs
are inspired by tradition and craft
to create timeless furnishings In
the last decade he established an
enviable reputation for classically
inspired quality English Furniture
DESIGN SELECTED SOURCE
Two of our favorite
places to find Julian
Chichester designs are
Gilt and OneKings-
Lane
Our design team loves scouting new and undiscovered artists on Saatchi
Online Saatchirsquos tag line ldquoDiscover Art Get Discoveredrdquo sums up their
premise perfectly Their easy to use ecommerce site full of well organized
up and coming artists provides even the art lover on a budget something
fabulous for their home Here are our favorites from Saatchirsquos ldquoBright
ART TALK
Razzle Dazzle Red by Sara Willett United Kingdom
Starry Starry Naught POP POP or just what is it that makes todays
markets so different so appealing by Scott Hollingsworth Spain
Dancer by Sara Willett United Kingdom
First by Sandro Chkhaidze Georgia
Speed by Claire Desjardins Canada
White Fire by Beatrice Robert UK
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
Best in Blogging| Samantha
Penner A Peak of Tres Chic -
Art Talk Saatchi Online
Where In the World Houston
Events wersquore excited about
Oddly Organized| Jason Reeves
tips to be tidy
Villa De Luxe Showhouse
Check out our Writerrsquos Cottage
SHOPPING
FEATURES
18
26
28
44
Quilted Deluxe
Pure White
Flower Fever
Designer Faves
Design Selected Source Julian Chichester
Pinning amp Pining
12
22
36
14
16
24
38
Letter from Laura Umansky AprilmdashJune 2013
Laura
06 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 07
Our Contributors As I write this letter I am making last minute plans for my big move As you may have heard (hello Laura U | Blog ) I am finishing up my own reno-vation at Old House (my lovely 1930s home that came with plenty of trials and tribulations) and I am finally moving in like to-
day This issue of Laura U | Mag goes to print not a moment too soon Inside we fo-cus on the Spring season and everything re-newal Spring Inspiration Spring Organiza-tion Spring Planning amp Spring COLOR It makes for a fabulous reference as I settle into my new interior and exterior
From being Oddly Organized to climbing to the Peak of Tres Chic our Spring issue takes a look at the freshest ideas in the de-sign industry Fashion-to-Furnishings focuses on the quilted look (picnic in the park any-one) ultra-white (we have a fabulous re-source for fabric protection - go for it) and what is more perfect for Spring than florals
Nowhellip back to packing I will settle into my new digs as quickly as possible so I can get back to what I love settling others into their new digs As always I am thrilled to offer a peek into the world of Laura U Enjoy
ADVERTISEMENT
06 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 07
8322283750 | salesforefrontavcom
IT TAKES A VILLAGE THE LAURA U TEAM
AFTON BAILY FROM Midland TX
FAVORITE CITY Santa Fe ndash I love the art the food (esp the green chilies) amp the walking culture Not to mention
that fresh mountain air
LAURA UMANSKY CAROLYN MIGHELL
KIRSTIN TATE
FROM Seguin TX FAVORITE CITY RomemdashWhile I
was in Architecture school I fell in love with the history people and
of course the food amp wine
MELISSA MEYER FROM Houston TX
FAVORITE CITY Galway ndash Beautiful scenery and amazingly fun locals
LINHDA TRAN FROM Worcester MA
FAVORITE CITY NYC ndash I havenrsquot yet traveled the world but New York
has the best food
FROM Anderson IN FAVORITE CITY LondonmdashI LOVE the architecture parks nightlife royals hard cider amp ALL the men in 3-piece
suits BEST CITY EVER
FROM Houston TX FAVORITE CITY Houston ndashWe have a mash up of so many cultures so
many growing scenes food art de-sign music medicine amp technology
08 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 09
IT TAKES A VILLAGE THE LAURA U TEAM
AFTON BAILY FROM Midland TX
FAVORITE CITY Santa Fe ndash I love the art the food (esp the green chilies) amp the walking culture Not to mention
that fresh mountain air
KIRSTIN TATE BLAIR FOSTER FROM Anderson IN
FAVORITE CITY LondonmdashI LOVE the architecture parks nightlife royals hard cider amp ALL the men in 3-piece
suits BEST CITY EVER
CATHERINE SOLOMON FROM San Angelo TX
FAVORITE CITY Castiglio Fiorenti-no ItalymdashThe small Tuscan city where I studied abroad in Italy
FROM Worcester MA FAVORITE CITY New Orleans ndash I
adore the charm and the easy go-ing atmosphere
FABIAN SEGURA FROM Guadalajara Mexico
FAVORITE CITY Florence ndash Running through the streets getting lost stumbled upon the real David
LETECIA ELLIS FROM Bay City TX
FAVORITE CITY Punta Cana Beau-tiful blue beaches and perfect weatherhellipwhatrsquos not to love
08 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 09
COMING SOON
More STUNNING Laura U Interiors
Stay up to date at LauraUcom
10 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 11
S pring is in the air and itrsquos rejuvenating effects are felt
by everyone No sectors are more re-energized by the shifting of the seasons than fashion amp home deacutecor Pick up some of our favorite spring-tastic trends to refresh your home for the warmer months ahead quilted de-luxe flower fe-ver and white hot accents
FASHION furnishings
10 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 11
QUILTED DE-LUXE Add a little texture to your spring this year by collecting some of these fabulous woven won-ders for your closet or your castle
3 Coach
Heel
New Steffi Heel
$228 Coach
1
2 3
4
Woven Garden
Seat $350 Wil-
liams-Sonoma
Sit in
Style 1 4
Philippe Delzers Eacutelitis
EXCALIBUR CABINET 2
Versace $1695
Net-A-Porter
Versace Purse
Ensign Stacking
Chair$610 Zinc
Door
Natural
Chair 5
12 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 13
1
2
3
Peter PilLotto
$1740 Farfetch
Chev V
Dress 6
LEA
THER
5
9
9
7
5
8 Tiffany Teapot
Tiffany Weave Teapot
$175 Tiffany amp Co
Golden Coasters
$1690 Zara
Zara Coasters 9
Hampton Forge
ElleDecorcom
Woven
Flatware 7
6
12 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 13
8
6
10
Peter PilLotto
$1740 Farfetch
Chev V
Dress 6 10
iPhone Decor
Jack Spade iPhone
Case Bloomingdales
PURE WHITE The fresh and clean color of white is undoubtedly transitioning over from Winter 2012 into Spring and definitely to Summer of 2013 We couldnrsquot be more pleased
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Kingsley Frames
$145 Warby Parker
Clear Shades 1
El Paso Hide Rug
$715 Furbish Stu-
dio
Furbish Hide 2
Modo Chandelier 3
sided 10 globes
$3900 Design
Bubble Lighting 3
Chanel Spring 2013
Bag Stylecom
Chanel Bag 4
Paper Mache Ani-
mal Head $129
West Elm
Giraffe Guru 5
1
2 3
4
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
1
2
3
W
HITE
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Awesome Tiny Animals
Scribbler Pillow
$295 Kelly Wearstler
The Per-fect Pillow 7
Chic H Extra
Large $840 Her-
mes
Killer Cuff 8 Stunner Studs
White Sand Sun-
burst $3000
House of Harlow
9
Toscana Bora Bora
Heel $395 Theory
Bora Bora Heel 10
8 9
7 5
10
6
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
Anything floral inspired is all the rage for interior design and fashion right now We love the home items from Layla Grayce but adore the perfectly pieced items from Oscar De La Renta
FLOWER FEVER
3 4 2
1
3 The IT
Lamp
Arteriors Castello
Porcelain Lamp
$2210 Layla Grace
Green Floral Otto-
man $2925
shoplauraucom
Awesome
Ottoman 1 4
Keds Sungarden
Sneakers $6200
Madewell
The Cool Kicks 2
Swarovski crystal
floral necklace
$675 Net a Porter
Valentino Necklace
Flower Power Kathe-
rine Sandoz
Wall Wear 5
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
FLO
WER
FEVER
6
10
5
7
8
Versace Floral Pants
$695 ShopBop
Flowered up pants 9
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
Biltmore Hat
$2400 Madewell
Head
Gear 7
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
5
6 7
9
8
Jewel Toned Orimo-
no Pillow $88 An-
thropologie
Orimono
Pillow 10 8
Oscar De La Renta
Tray $795 Net-A-Porter
The Perfect
Tray
Samantha Penner is the is the founder and editor of
the style blog The Peak of Tregraves Chic where she ex-
plores her love of good design fashion travel and
entertaining We were delighted to ask her a few
questions to find out more about her personal life
and what shersquos looking forward to for herself and
her blog
What inspired you to start your successful blog I
originally went to college and studied Energy Man-
agement a business degree with an energy fo-
cus After graduating I began working for an up-
stream oil and gas company here in Houston Alt-
hough the company was wonderful and I made
many friends I wasnrsquot satisfied creatively I felt un-
inspired and overwhelmed with a feeling of ldquois this
itrdquo Meanwhile I began helping friends decorate
their homes and homes and apartments and really
enjoyed the process That led me to start blogging
as a hobby
As I got more involved with my blog I began realiz-
ing that interior design wasnrsquot just a hobby to me- it
was a passion After talking with other bloggers
who had made similar transitions I decided to leave
my oil and gas job and go back to school at The Art
Institute of Houston to pursue my Bachelor of Fine
Best in Blogging Leaving her job in the oil and gas industry Samantha Penner pur-
sues her true passion for Interior Design with a fabulous blog
18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
To continue earning an income while in school I
worked as an assistant to a high-end residential in-
terior designer This job exposed me to the busi-
ness side of design how to keep track of invoicing
and purchasing and dealing directly with cli-
ents It was a wonderful opportunity Then last
October I decided to go to school full-time and be-
gan doing freelance design projects on my
own Running your own business is much more
work than one would expect You have to be okay
with taking risks working around the clock and
but I wouldnrsquot trade it for anything
What keeps you inspired
In the movie The September Issue Grace Cod-
dington says that Norman Parkinson once told her
ldquoAlways keep your eyes openhellip Never go to sleep
in the car or anything like that keep watching- be-
cause whatever you see out the window can inspire
yourdquo I try to live by that quote Of course I love
to read other blogs browse Pinterest and read
shelter magazines and that can be inspiring But
you have to be careful because it can easily stifle
your creativity if you just repeat something some-
one else has done
I try to see new places go visit new restaurants
and change up my day-to-day routine so that I am
continually exposing myself to new things I also
like to book at least 1 trip a year to visit a place
Irsquove never been- either nationally or international-
ly Travel broadens your perspective and enhances
your creativity It teaches you to see familiar
things in a new way Thatrsquos very important to me
In interior design your clients are paying you to
share with them your unique aesthetic
and if you are just recreating some-
thing you have seen someone else do
what good is that It is our job and re-
sponsibility to be up-to-date and
knowledgeable on trends but to use
them as a springboard for creating
something original
What is your Dream Job
I am DOING my dream job As I said
I officially launched my interior design
business The Peak of Tres Chic Design
Studio a few months ago In fact I just wrapped up
my first installation on my own and that was an in-
credibly gratifying feeling Of course I would
love to grow my business and perhaps one day take
on hospitality design projects in addition to resi-
dential As I finish up my degree I have to be se-
lective of what projects I can take on right now If
only there were more hours in the day Irsquod also
love to open an antique store one day Itrsquod be so
fun to travel the world looking for unique items to
sell in my store
Can you Give us a peek into what your dream 18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
(continued) Think silk dupioni drapes Italian wed-
ding chandeliers a winding staircase and skirted
round tables but with touches of animal print and
bright color Irsquod love to have an exterior of white
painted brick with black shutters and a brick flooring
in the kitchen and entry A large backyard with a gar-
den would be lovely too
What is the most exciting opportunity that has come
along since you started your blog
There have been many highlights during my short
year and a half of blogging I think the BEST part is
the friendships and connections you make Some of
my closest friends I met through blogging (crazy I
know) Houston Tidbits did a ldquo5 Local Bloggers
We Loverdquo feature about 6 months ago and that was
definitely flattering We got to showcase our favorite
beauty products at a Neiman Marcus party and
the publicity from that led to a lot of other amazing
What are your favorite design products right
now
I have always loved New Ravenna tile and
mosaics They do such incredible work and
have a variety of creative options for kitch-
ens and bathrooms Circa Lighting is my
ldquogo-tordquo for beautiful and classic lighting
and luckily we have a showroom right here
in Houston I love sites like Etsy and 1st
dibs which make finding interesting and un-
usual items easier Itrsquos like a treasure hunt
20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
SPECIAL ORDER THROUGH LAURA U INC20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
Brass Gateway Irons
Gold Scarab Ring Beau amp Arrow
Wyndham Brown Wood Iron
Swivel Barstool ARTERIORS
Phillip Jeffries wallpaper in Belle Eacutepoque
home Marc Corbiau amp Timothy Whealon
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
Pink Chair DuPont Registry
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
In the Light 3 Nicola Parente
Crystal Lighting Windfall
Cocktail Table Pearson
Muliti-Wheat Necklace Tory Burch
Peonies
Copper Shade Pendants Tom Dixon
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
JULIAN CHICHESTER The noteworthy design specialist we have come to love
We love anything and everything Julian Chichester His one
of a kind eclectic design is said to be inspired by fellow Brit
David Hicks and French designer Jean Royegravere Julian Chich-
ester creates an eclectic mix of luxurious furniture that
evokes the home of an experienced world traveler The
London-based designer who had worked as a stockbroker
had his ldquoa-hardquo moment while on a
trip to Thailand and Burma
(wwwGiltcom) He began to im-
port teak outdoor furniture and
then started designing formal in-
door furnishings launching his first
collection in 1995 One can see his
love of color and pattern in the up-
holstered pieces while the lighting
and case goods reveal his fondness
for warmth and texture
Chichesterrsquos contemporary designs
are inspired by tradition and craft
to create timeless furnishings In
the last decade he established an
enviable reputation for classically
inspired quality English Furniture
DESIGN SELECTED SOURCE
Two of our favorite
places to find Julian
Chichester designs are
Gilt and OneKings-
Lane
Our design team loves scouting new and undiscovered artists on Saatchi
Online Saatchirsquos tag line ldquoDiscover Art Get Discoveredrdquo sums up their
premise perfectly Their easy to use ecommerce site full of well organized
up and coming artists provides even the art lover on a budget something
fabulous for their home Here are our favorites from Saatchirsquos ldquoBright
ART TALK
Razzle Dazzle Red by Sara Willett United Kingdom
Starry Starry Naught POP POP or just what is it that makes todays
markets so different so appealing by Scott Hollingsworth Spain
Dancer by Sara Willett United Kingdom
First by Sandro Chkhaidze Georgia
Speed by Claire Desjardins Canada
White Fire by Beatrice Robert UK
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
Letter from Laura Umansky AprilmdashJune 2013
Laura
06 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 07
Our Contributors As I write this letter I am making last minute plans for my big move As you may have heard (hello Laura U | Blog ) I am finishing up my own reno-vation at Old House (my lovely 1930s home that came with plenty of trials and tribulations) and I am finally moving in like to-
day This issue of Laura U | Mag goes to print not a moment too soon Inside we fo-cus on the Spring season and everything re-newal Spring Inspiration Spring Organiza-tion Spring Planning amp Spring COLOR It makes for a fabulous reference as I settle into my new interior and exterior
From being Oddly Organized to climbing to the Peak of Tres Chic our Spring issue takes a look at the freshest ideas in the de-sign industry Fashion-to-Furnishings focuses on the quilted look (picnic in the park any-one) ultra-white (we have a fabulous re-source for fabric protection - go for it) and what is more perfect for Spring than florals
Nowhellip back to packing I will settle into my new digs as quickly as possible so I can get back to what I love settling others into their new digs As always I am thrilled to offer a peek into the world of Laura U Enjoy
ADVERTISEMENT
06 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 07
8322283750 | salesforefrontavcom
IT TAKES A VILLAGE THE LAURA U TEAM
AFTON BAILY FROM Midland TX
FAVORITE CITY Santa Fe ndash I love the art the food (esp the green chilies) amp the walking culture Not to mention
that fresh mountain air
LAURA UMANSKY CAROLYN MIGHELL
KIRSTIN TATE
FROM Seguin TX FAVORITE CITY RomemdashWhile I
was in Architecture school I fell in love with the history people and
of course the food amp wine
MELISSA MEYER FROM Houston TX
FAVORITE CITY Galway ndash Beautiful scenery and amazingly fun locals
LINHDA TRAN FROM Worcester MA
FAVORITE CITY NYC ndash I havenrsquot yet traveled the world but New York
has the best food
FROM Anderson IN FAVORITE CITY LondonmdashI LOVE the architecture parks nightlife royals hard cider amp ALL the men in 3-piece
suits BEST CITY EVER
FROM Houston TX FAVORITE CITY Houston ndashWe have a mash up of so many cultures so
many growing scenes food art de-sign music medicine amp technology
08 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 09
IT TAKES A VILLAGE THE LAURA U TEAM
AFTON BAILY FROM Midland TX
FAVORITE CITY Santa Fe ndash I love the art the food (esp the green chilies) amp the walking culture Not to mention
that fresh mountain air
KIRSTIN TATE BLAIR FOSTER FROM Anderson IN
FAVORITE CITY LondonmdashI LOVE the architecture parks nightlife royals hard cider amp ALL the men in 3-piece
suits BEST CITY EVER
CATHERINE SOLOMON FROM San Angelo TX
FAVORITE CITY Castiglio Fiorenti-no ItalymdashThe small Tuscan city where I studied abroad in Italy
FROM Worcester MA FAVORITE CITY New Orleans ndash I
adore the charm and the easy go-ing atmosphere
FABIAN SEGURA FROM Guadalajara Mexico
FAVORITE CITY Florence ndash Running through the streets getting lost stumbled upon the real David
LETECIA ELLIS FROM Bay City TX
FAVORITE CITY Punta Cana Beau-tiful blue beaches and perfect weatherhellipwhatrsquos not to love
08 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 09
COMING SOON
More STUNNING Laura U Interiors
Stay up to date at LauraUcom
10 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 11
S pring is in the air and itrsquos rejuvenating effects are felt
by everyone No sectors are more re-energized by the shifting of the seasons than fashion amp home deacutecor Pick up some of our favorite spring-tastic trends to refresh your home for the warmer months ahead quilted de-luxe flower fe-ver and white hot accents
FASHION furnishings
10 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 11
QUILTED DE-LUXE Add a little texture to your spring this year by collecting some of these fabulous woven won-ders for your closet or your castle
3 Coach
Heel
New Steffi Heel
$228 Coach
1
2 3
4
Woven Garden
Seat $350 Wil-
liams-Sonoma
Sit in
Style 1 4
Philippe Delzers Eacutelitis
EXCALIBUR CABINET 2
Versace $1695
Net-A-Porter
Versace Purse
Ensign Stacking
Chair$610 Zinc
Door
Natural
Chair 5
12 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 13
1
2
3
Peter PilLotto
$1740 Farfetch
Chev V
Dress 6
LEA
THER
5
9
9
7
5
8 Tiffany Teapot
Tiffany Weave Teapot
$175 Tiffany amp Co
Golden Coasters
$1690 Zara
Zara Coasters 9
Hampton Forge
ElleDecorcom
Woven
Flatware 7
6
12 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 13
8
6
10
Peter PilLotto
$1740 Farfetch
Chev V
Dress 6 10
iPhone Decor
Jack Spade iPhone
Case Bloomingdales
PURE WHITE The fresh and clean color of white is undoubtedly transitioning over from Winter 2012 into Spring and definitely to Summer of 2013 We couldnrsquot be more pleased
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Kingsley Frames
$145 Warby Parker
Clear Shades 1
El Paso Hide Rug
$715 Furbish Stu-
dio
Furbish Hide 2
Modo Chandelier 3
sided 10 globes
$3900 Design
Bubble Lighting 3
Chanel Spring 2013
Bag Stylecom
Chanel Bag 4
Paper Mache Ani-
mal Head $129
West Elm
Giraffe Guru 5
1
2 3
4
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
1
2
3
W
HITE
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Awesome Tiny Animals
Scribbler Pillow
$295 Kelly Wearstler
The Per-fect Pillow 7
Chic H Extra
Large $840 Her-
mes
Killer Cuff 8 Stunner Studs
White Sand Sun-
burst $3000
House of Harlow
9
Toscana Bora Bora
Heel $395 Theory
Bora Bora Heel 10
8 9
7 5
10
6
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
Anything floral inspired is all the rage for interior design and fashion right now We love the home items from Layla Grayce but adore the perfectly pieced items from Oscar De La Renta
FLOWER FEVER
3 4 2
1
3 The IT
Lamp
Arteriors Castello
Porcelain Lamp
$2210 Layla Grace
Green Floral Otto-
man $2925
shoplauraucom
Awesome
Ottoman 1 4
Keds Sungarden
Sneakers $6200
Madewell
The Cool Kicks 2
Swarovski crystal
floral necklace
$675 Net a Porter
Valentino Necklace
Flower Power Kathe-
rine Sandoz
Wall Wear 5
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
FLO
WER
FEVER
6
10
5
7
8
Versace Floral Pants
$695 ShopBop
Flowered up pants 9
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
Biltmore Hat
$2400 Madewell
Head
Gear 7
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
5
6 7
9
8
Jewel Toned Orimo-
no Pillow $88 An-
thropologie
Orimono
Pillow 10 8
Oscar De La Renta
Tray $795 Net-A-Porter
The Perfect
Tray
Samantha Penner is the is the founder and editor of
the style blog The Peak of Tregraves Chic where she ex-
plores her love of good design fashion travel and
entertaining We were delighted to ask her a few
questions to find out more about her personal life
and what shersquos looking forward to for herself and
her blog
What inspired you to start your successful blog I
originally went to college and studied Energy Man-
agement a business degree with an energy fo-
cus After graduating I began working for an up-
stream oil and gas company here in Houston Alt-
hough the company was wonderful and I made
many friends I wasnrsquot satisfied creatively I felt un-
inspired and overwhelmed with a feeling of ldquois this
itrdquo Meanwhile I began helping friends decorate
their homes and homes and apartments and really
enjoyed the process That led me to start blogging
as a hobby
As I got more involved with my blog I began realiz-
ing that interior design wasnrsquot just a hobby to me- it
was a passion After talking with other bloggers
who had made similar transitions I decided to leave
my oil and gas job and go back to school at The Art
Institute of Houston to pursue my Bachelor of Fine
Best in Blogging Leaving her job in the oil and gas industry Samantha Penner pur-
sues her true passion for Interior Design with a fabulous blog
18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
To continue earning an income while in school I
worked as an assistant to a high-end residential in-
terior designer This job exposed me to the busi-
ness side of design how to keep track of invoicing
and purchasing and dealing directly with cli-
ents It was a wonderful opportunity Then last
October I decided to go to school full-time and be-
gan doing freelance design projects on my
own Running your own business is much more
work than one would expect You have to be okay
with taking risks working around the clock and
but I wouldnrsquot trade it for anything
What keeps you inspired
In the movie The September Issue Grace Cod-
dington says that Norman Parkinson once told her
ldquoAlways keep your eyes openhellip Never go to sleep
in the car or anything like that keep watching- be-
cause whatever you see out the window can inspire
yourdquo I try to live by that quote Of course I love
to read other blogs browse Pinterest and read
shelter magazines and that can be inspiring But
you have to be careful because it can easily stifle
your creativity if you just repeat something some-
one else has done
I try to see new places go visit new restaurants
and change up my day-to-day routine so that I am
continually exposing myself to new things I also
like to book at least 1 trip a year to visit a place
Irsquove never been- either nationally or international-
ly Travel broadens your perspective and enhances
your creativity It teaches you to see familiar
things in a new way Thatrsquos very important to me
In interior design your clients are paying you to
share with them your unique aesthetic
and if you are just recreating some-
thing you have seen someone else do
what good is that It is our job and re-
sponsibility to be up-to-date and
knowledgeable on trends but to use
them as a springboard for creating
something original
What is your Dream Job
I am DOING my dream job As I said
I officially launched my interior design
business The Peak of Tres Chic Design
Studio a few months ago In fact I just wrapped up
my first installation on my own and that was an in-
credibly gratifying feeling Of course I would
love to grow my business and perhaps one day take
on hospitality design projects in addition to resi-
dential As I finish up my degree I have to be se-
lective of what projects I can take on right now If
only there were more hours in the day Irsquod also
love to open an antique store one day Itrsquod be so
fun to travel the world looking for unique items to
sell in my store
Can you Give us a peek into what your dream 18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
(continued) Think silk dupioni drapes Italian wed-
ding chandeliers a winding staircase and skirted
round tables but with touches of animal print and
bright color Irsquod love to have an exterior of white
painted brick with black shutters and a brick flooring
in the kitchen and entry A large backyard with a gar-
den would be lovely too
What is the most exciting opportunity that has come
along since you started your blog
There have been many highlights during my short
year and a half of blogging I think the BEST part is
the friendships and connections you make Some of
my closest friends I met through blogging (crazy I
know) Houston Tidbits did a ldquo5 Local Bloggers
We Loverdquo feature about 6 months ago and that was
definitely flattering We got to showcase our favorite
beauty products at a Neiman Marcus party and
the publicity from that led to a lot of other amazing
What are your favorite design products right
now
I have always loved New Ravenna tile and
mosaics They do such incredible work and
have a variety of creative options for kitch-
ens and bathrooms Circa Lighting is my
ldquogo-tordquo for beautiful and classic lighting
and luckily we have a showroom right here
in Houston I love sites like Etsy and 1st
dibs which make finding interesting and un-
usual items easier Itrsquos like a treasure hunt
20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
SPECIAL ORDER THROUGH LAURA U INC20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
Brass Gateway Irons
Gold Scarab Ring Beau amp Arrow
Wyndham Brown Wood Iron
Swivel Barstool ARTERIORS
Phillip Jeffries wallpaper in Belle Eacutepoque
home Marc Corbiau amp Timothy Whealon
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
Pink Chair DuPont Registry
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
In the Light 3 Nicola Parente
Crystal Lighting Windfall
Cocktail Table Pearson
Muliti-Wheat Necklace Tory Burch
Peonies
Copper Shade Pendants Tom Dixon
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
JULIAN CHICHESTER The noteworthy design specialist we have come to love
We love anything and everything Julian Chichester His one
of a kind eclectic design is said to be inspired by fellow Brit
David Hicks and French designer Jean Royegravere Julian Chich-
ester creates an eclectic mix of luxurious furniture that
evokes the home of an experienced world traveler The
London-based designer who had worked as a stockbroker
had his ldquoa-hardquo moment while on a
trip to Thailand and Burma
(wwwGiltcom) He began to im-
port teak outdoor furniture and
then started designing formal in-
door furnishings launching his first
collection in 1995 One can see his
love of color and pattern in the up-
holstered pieces while the lighting
and case goods reveal his fondness
for warmth and texture
Chichesterrsquos contemporary designs
are inspired by tradition and craft
to create timeless furnishings In
the last decade he established an
enviable reputation for classically
inspired quality English Furniture
DESIGN SELECTED SOURCE
Two of our favorite
places to find Julian
Chichester designs are
Gilt and OneKings-
Lane
Our design team loves scouting new and undiscovered artists on Saatchi
Online Saatchirsquos tag line ldquoDiscover Art Get Discoveredrdquo sums up their
premise perfectly Their easy to use ecommerce site full of well organized
up and coming artists provides even the art lover on a budget something
fabulous for their home Here are our favorites from Saatchirsquos ldquoBright
ART TALK
Razzle Dazzle Red by Sara Willett United Kingdom
Starry Starry Naught POP POP or just what is it that makes todays
markets so different so appealing by Scott Hollingsworth Spain
Dancer by Sara Willett United Kingdom
First by Sandro Chkhaidze Georgia
Speed by Claire Desjardins Canada
White Fire by Beatrice Robert UK
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
ADVERTISEMENT
06 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 07
8322283750 | salesforefrontavcom
IT TAKES A VILLAGE THE LAURA U TEAM
AFTON BAILY FROM Midland TX
FAVORITE CITY Santa Fe ndash I love the art the food (esp the green chilies) amp the walking culture Not to mention
that fresh mountain air
LAURA UMANSKY CAROLYN MIGHELL
KIRSTIN TATE
FROM Seguin TX FAVORITE CITY RomemdashWhile I
was in Architecture school I fell in love with the history people and
of course the food amp wine
MELISSA MEYER FROM Houston TX
FAVORITE CITY Galway ndash Beautiful scenery and amazingly fun locals
LINHDA TRAN FROM Worcester MA
FAVORITE CITY NYC ndash I havenrsquot yet traveled the world but New York
has the best food
FROM Anderson IN FAVORITE CITY LondonmdashI LOVE the architecture parks nightlife royals hard cider amp ALL the men in 3-piece
suits BEST CITY EVER
FROM Houston TX FAVORITE CITY Houston ndashWe have a mash up of so many cultures so
many growing scenes food art de-sign music medicine amp technology
08 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 09
IT TAKES A VILLAGE THE LAURA U TEAM
AFTON BAILY FROM Midland TX
FAVORITE CITY Santa Fe ndash I love the art the food (esp the green chilies) amp the walking culture Not to mention
that fresh mountain air
KIRSTIN TATE BLAIR FOSTER FROM Anderson IN
FAVORITE CITY LondonmdashI LOVE the architecture parks nightlife royals hard cider amp ALL the men in 3-piece
suits BEST CITY EVER
CATHERINE SOLOMON FROM San Angelo TX
FAVORITE CITY Castiglio Fiorenti-no ItalymdashThe small Tuscan city where I studied abroad in Italy
FROM Worcester MA FAVORITE CITY New Orleans ndash I
adore the charm and the easy go-ing atmosphere
FABIAN SEGURA FROM Guadalajara Mexico
FAVORITE CITY Florence ndash Running through the streets getting lost stumbled upon the real David
LETECIA ELLIS FROM Bay City TX
FAVORITE CITY Punta Cana Beau-tiful blue beaches and perfect weatherhellipwhatrsquos not to love
08 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 09
COMING SOON
More STUNNING Laura U Interiors
Stay up to date at LauraUcom
10 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 11
S pring is in the air and itrsquos rejuvenating effects are felt
by everyone No sectors are more re-energized by the shifting of the seasons than fashion amp home deacutecor Pick up some of our favorite spring-tastic trends to refresh your home for the warmer months ahead quilted de-luxe flower fe-ver and white hot accents
FASHION furnishings
10 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 11
QUILTED DE-LUXE Add a little texture to your spring this year by collecting some of these fabulous woven won-ders for your closet or your castle
3 Coach
Heel
New Steffi Heel
$228 Coach
1
2 3
4
Woven Garden
Seat $350 Wil-
liams-Sonoma
Sit in
Style 1 4
Philippe Delzers Eacutelitis
EXCALIBUR CABINET 2
Versace $1695
Net-A-Porter
Versace Purse
Ensign Stacking
Chair$610 Zinc
Door
Natural
Chair 5
12 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 13
1
2
3
Peter PilLotto
$1740 Farfetch
Chev V
Dress 6
LEA
THER
5
9
9
7
5
8 Tiffany Teapot
Tiffany Weave Teapot
$175 Tiffany amp Co
Golden Coasters
$1690 Zara
Zara Coasters 9
Hampton Forge
ElleDecorcom
Woven
Flatware 7
6
12 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 13
8
6
10
Peter PilLotto
$1740 Farfetch
Chev V
Dress 6 10
iPhone Decor
Jack Spade iPhone
Case Bloomingdales
PURE WHITE The fresh and clean color of white is undoubtedly transitioning over from Winter 2012 into Spring and definitely to Summer of 2013 We couldnrsquot be more pleased
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Kingsley Frames
$145 Warby Parker
Clear Shades 1
El Paso Hide Rug
$715 Furbish Stu-
dio
Furbish Hide 2
Modo Chandelier 3
sided 10 globes
$3900 Design
Bubble Lighting 3
Chanel Spring 2013
Bag Stylecom
Chanel Bag 4
Paper Mache Ani-
mal Head $129
West Elm
Giraffe Guru 5
1
2 3
4
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
1
2
3
W
HITE
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Awesome Tiny Animals
Scribbler Pillow
$295 Kelly Wearstler
The Per-fect Pillow 7
Chic H Extra
Large $840 Her-
mes
Killer Cuff 8 Stunner Studs
White Sand Sun-
burst $3000
House of Harlow
9
Toscana Bora Bora
Heel $395 Theory
Bora Bora Heel 10
8 9
7 5
10
6
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
Anything floral inspired is all the rage for interior design and fashion right now We love the home items from Layla Grayce but adore the perfectly pieced items from Oscar De La Renta
FLOWER FEVER
3 4 2
1
3 The IT
Lamp
Arteriors Castello
Porcelain Lamp
$2210 Layla Grace
Green Floral Otto-
man $2925
shoplauraucom
Awesome
Ottoman 1 4
Keds Sungarden
Sneakers $6200
Madewell
The Cool Kicks 2
Swarovski crystal
floral necklace
$675 Net a Porter
Valentino Necklace
Flower Power Kathe-
rine Sandoz
Wall Wear 5
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
FLO
WER
FEVER
6
10
5
7
8
Versace Floral Pants
$695 ShopBop
Flowered up pants 9
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
Biltmore Hat
$2400 Madewell
Head
Gear 7
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
5
6 7
9
8
Jewel Toned Orimo-
no Pillow $88 An-
thropologie
Orimono
Pillow 10 8
Oscar De La Renta
Tray $795 Net-A-Porter
The Perfect
Tray
Samantha Penner is the is the founder and editor of
the style blog The Peak of Tregraves Chic where she ex-
plores her love of good design fashion travel and
entertaining We were delighted to ask her a few
questions to find out more about her personal life
and what shersquos looking forward to for herself and
her blog
What inspired you to start your successful blog I
originally went to college and studied Energy Man-
agement a business degree with an energy fo-
cus After graduating I began working for an up-
stream oil and gas company here in Houston Alt-
hough the company was wonderful and I made
many friends I wasnrsquot satisfied creatively I felt un-
inspired and overwhelmed with a feeling of ldquois this
itrdquo Meanwhile I began helping friends decorate
their homes and homes and apartments and really
enjoyed the process That led me to start blogging
as a hobby
As I got more involved with my blog I began realiz-
ing that interior design wasnrsquot just a hobby to me- it
was a passion After talking with other bloggers
who had made similar transitions I decided to leave
my oil and gas job and go back to school at The Art
Institute of Houston to pursue my Bachelor of Fine
Best in Blogging Leaving her job in the oil and gas industry Samantha Penner pur-
sues her true passion for Interior Design with a fabulous blog
18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
To continue earning an income while in school I
worked as an assistant to a high-end residential in-
terior designer This job exposed me to the busi-
ness side of design how to keep track of invoicing
and purchasing and dealing directly with cli-
ents It was a wonderful opportunity Then last
October I decided to go to school full-time and be-
gan doing freelance design projects on my
own Running your own business is much more
work than one would expect You have to be okay
with taking risks working around the clock and
but I wouldnrsquot trade it for anything
What keeps you inspired
In the movie The September Issue Grace Cod-
dington says that Norman Parkinson once told her
ldquoAlways keep your eyes openhellip Never go to sleep
in the car or anything like that keep watching- be-
cause whatever you see out the window can inspire
yourdquo I try to live by that quote Of course I love
to read other blogs browse Pinterest and read
shelter magazines and that can be inspiring But
you have to be careful because it can easily stifle
your creativity if you just repeat something some-
one else has done
I try to see new places go visit new restaurants
and change up my day-to-day routine so that I am
continually exposing myself to new things I also
like to book at least 1 trip a year to visit a place
Irsquove never been- either nationally or international-
ly Travel broadens your perspective and enhances
your creativity It teaches you to see familiar
things in a new way Thatrsquos very important to me
In interior design your clients are paying you to
share with them your unique aesthetic
and if you are just recreating some-
thing you have seen someone else do
what good is that It is our job and re-
sponsibility to be up-to-date and
knowledgeable on trends but to use
them as a springboard for creating
something original
What is your Dream Job
I am DOING my dream job As I said
I officially launched my interior design
business The Peak of Tres Chic Design
Studio a few months ago In fact I just wrapped up
my first installation on my own and that was an in-
credibly gratifying feeling Of course I would
love to grow my business and perhaps one day take
on hospitality design projects in addition to resi-
dential As I finish up my degree I have to be se-
lective of what projects I can take on right now If
only there were more hours in the day Irsquod also
love to open an antique store one day Itrsquod be so
fun to travel the world looking for unique items to
sell in my store
Can you Give us a peek into what your dream 18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
(continued) Think silk dupioni drapes Italian wed-
ding chandeliers a winding staircase and skirted
round tables but with touches of animal print and
bright color Irsquod love to have an exterior of white
painted brick with black shutters and a brick flooring
in the kitchen and entry A large backyard with a gar-
den would be lovely too
What is the most exciting opportunity that has come
along since you started your blog
There have been many highlights during my short
year and a half of blogging I think the BEST part is
the friendships and connections you make Some of
my closest friends I met through blogging (crazy I
know) Houston Tidbits did a ldquo5 Local Bloggers
We Loverdquo feature about 6 months ago and that was
definitely flattering We got to showcase our favorite
beauty products at a Neiman Marcus party and
the publicity from that led to a lot of other amazing
What are your favorite design products right
now
I have always loved New Ravenna tile and
mosaics They do such incredible work and
have a variety of creative options for kitch-
ens and bathrooms Circa Lighting is my
ldquogo-tordquo for beautiful and classic lighting
and luckily we have a showroom right here
in Houston I love sites like Etsy and 1st
dibs which make finding interesting and un-
usual items easier Itrsquos like a treasure hunt
20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
SPECIAL ORDER THROUGH LAURA U INC20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
Brass Gateway Irons
Gold Scarab Ring Beau amp Arrow
Wyndham Brown Wood Iron
Swivel Barstool ARTERIORS
Phillip Jeffries wallpaper in Belle Eacutepoque
home Marc Corbiau amp Timothy Whealon
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
Pink Chair DuPont Registry
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
In the Light 3 Nicola Parente
Crystal Lighting Windfall
Cocktail Table Pearson
Muliti-Wheat Necklace Tory Burch
Peonies
Copper Shade Pendants Tom Dixon
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
JULIAN CHICHESTER The noteworthy design specialist we have come to love
We love anything and everything Julian Chichester His one
of a kind eclectic design is said to be inspired by fellow Brit
David Hicks and French designer Jean Royegravere Julian Chich-
ester creates an eclectic mix of luxurious furniture that
evokes the home of an experienced world traveler The
London-based designer who had worked as a stockbroker
had his ldquoa-hardquo moment while on a
trip to Thailand and Burma
(wwwGiltcom) He began to im-
port teak outdoor furniture and
then started designing formal in-
door furnishings launching his first
collection in 1995 One can see his
love of color and pattern in the up-
holstered pieces while the lighting
and case goods reveal his fondness
for warmth and texture
Chichesterrsquos contemporary designs
are inspired by tradition and craft
to create timeless furnishings In
the last decade he established an
enviable reputation for classically
inspired quality English Furniture
DESIGN SELECTED SOURCE
Two of our favorite
places to find Julian
Chichester designs are
Gilt and OneKings-
Lane
Our design team loves scouting new and undiscovered artists on Saatchi
Online Saatchirsquos tag line ldquoDiscover Art Get Discoveredrdquo sums up their
premise perfectly Their easy to use ecommerce site full of well organized
up and coming artists provides even the art lover on a budget something
fabulous for their home Here are our favorites from Saatchirsquos ldquoBright
ART TALK
Razzle Dazzle Red by Sara Willett United Kingdom
Starry Starry Naught POP POP or just what is it that makes todays
markets so different so appealing by Scott Hollingsworth Spain
Dancer by Sara Willett United Kingdom
First by Sandro Chkhaidze Georgia
Speed by Claire Desjardins Canada
White Fire by Beatrice Robert UK
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
IT TAKES A VILLAGE THE LAURA U TEAM
AFTON BAILY FROM Midland TX
FAVORITE CITY Santa Fe ndash I love the art the food (esp the green chilies) amp the walking culture Not to mention
that fresh mountain air
LAURA UMANSKY CAROLYN MIGHELL
KIRSTIN TATE
FROM Seguin TX FAVORITE CITY RomemdashWhile I
was in Architecture school I fell in love with the history people and
of course the food amp wine
MELISSA MEYER FROM Houston TX
FAVORITE CITY Galway ndash Beautiful scenery and amazingly fun locals
LINHDA TRAN FROM Worcester MA
FAVORITE CITY NYC ndash I havenrsquot yet traveled the world but New York
has the best food
FROM Anderson IN FAVORITE CITY LondonmdashI LOVE the architecture parks nightlife royals hard cider amp ALL the men in 3-piece
suits BEST CITY EVER
FROM Houston TX FAVORITE CITY Houston ndashWe have a mash up of so many cultures so
many growing scenes food art de-sign music medicine amp technology
08 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 09
IT TAKES A VILLAGE THE LAURA U TEAM
AFTON BAILY FROM Midland TX
FAVORITE CITY Santa Fe ndash I love the art the food (esp the green chilies) amp the walking culture Not to mention
that fresh mountain air
KIRSTIN TATE BLAIR FOSTER FROM Anderson IN
FAVORITE CITY LondonmdashI LOVE the architecture parks nightlife royals hard cider amp ALL the men in 3-piece
suits BEST CITY EVER
CATHERINE SOLOMON FROM San Angelo TX
FAVORITE CITY Castiglio Fiorenti-no ItalymdashThe small Tuscan city where I studied abroad in Italy
FROM Worcester MA FAVORITE CITY New Orleans ndash I
adore the charm and the easy go-ing atmosphere
FABIAN SEGURA FROM Guadalajara Mexico
FAVORITE CITY Florence ndash Running through the streets getting lost stumbled upon the real David
LETECIA ELLIS FROM Bay City TX
FAVORITE CITY Punta Cana Beau-tiful blue beaches and perfect weatherhellipwhatrsquos not to love
08 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 09
COMING SOON
More STUNNING Laura U Interiors
Stay up to date at LauraUcom
10 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 11
S pring is in the air and itrsquos rejuvenating effects are felt
by everyone No sectors are more re-energized by the shifting of the seasons than fashion amp home deacutecor Pick up some of our favorite spring-tastic trends to refresh your home for the warmer months ahead quilted de-luxe flower fe-ver and white hot accents
FASHION furnishings
10 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 11
QUILTED DE-LUXE Add a little texture to your spring this year by collecting some of these fabulous woven won-ders for your closet or your castle
3 Coach
Heel
New Steffi Heel
$228 Coach
1
2 3
4
Woven Garden
Seat $350 Wil-
liams-Sonoma
Sit in
Style 1 4
Philippe Delzers Eacutelitis
EXCALIBUR CABINET 2
Versace $1695
Net-A-Porter
Versace Purse
Ensign Stacking
Chair$610 Zinc
Door
Natural
Chair 5
12 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 13
1
2
3
Peter PilLotto
$1740 Farfetch
Chev V
Dress 6
LEA
THER
5
9
9
7
5
8 Tiffany Teapot
Tiffany Weave Teapot
$175 Tiffany amp Co
Golden Coasters
$1690 Zara
Zara Coasters 9
Hampton Forge
ElleDecorcom
Woven
Flatware 7
6
12 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 13
8
6
10
Peter PilLotto
$1740 Farfetch
Chev V
Dress 6 10
iPhone Decor
Jack Spade iPhone
Case Bloomingdales
PURE WHITE The fresh and clean color of white is undoubtedly transitioning over from Winter 2012 into Spring and definitely to Summer of 2013 We couldnrsquot be more pleased
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Kingsley Frames
$145 Warby Parker
Clear Shades 1
El Paso Hide Rug
$715 Furbish Stu-
dio
Furbish Hide 2
Modo Chandelier 3
sided 10 globes
$3900 Design
Bubble Lighting 3
Chanel Spring 2013
Bag Stylecom
Chanel Bag 4
Paper Mache Ani-
mal Head $129
West Elm
Giraffe Guru 5
1
2 3
4
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
1
2
3
W
HITE
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Awesome Tiny Animals
Scribbler Pillow
$295 Kelly Wearstler
The Per-fect Pillow 7
Chic H Extra
Large $840 Her-
mes
Killer Cuff 8 Stunner Studs
White Sand Sun-
burst $3000
House of Harlow
9
Toscana Bora Bora
Heel $395 Theory
Bora Bora Heel 10
8 9
7 5
10
6
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
Anything floral inspired is all the rage for interior design and fashion right now We love the home items from Layla Grayce but adore the perfectly pieced items from Oscar De La Renta
FLOWER FEVER
3 4 2
1
3 The IT
Lamp
Arteriors Castello
Porcelain Lamp
$2210 Layla Grace
Green Floral Otto-
man $2925
shoplauraucom
Awesome
Ottoman 1 4
Keds Sungarden
Sneakers $6200
Madewell
The Cool Kicks 2
Swarovski crystal
floral necklace
$675 Net a Porter
Valentino Necklace
Flower Power Kathe-
rine Sandoz
Wall Wear 5
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
FLO
WER
FEVER
6
10
5
7
8
Versace Floral Pants
$695 ShopBop
Flowered up pants 9
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
Biltmore Hat
$2400 Madewell
Head
Gear 7
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
5
6 7
9
8
Jewel Toned Orimo-
no Pillow $88 An-
thropologie
Orimono
Pillow 10 8
Oscar De La Renta
Tray $795 Net-A-Porter
The Perfect
Tray
Samantha Penner is the is the founder and editor of
the style blog The Peak of Tregraves Chic where she ex-
plores her love of good design fashion travel and
entertaining We were delighted to ask her a few
questions to find out more about her personal life
and what shersquos looking forward to for herself and
her blog
What inspired you to start your successful blog I
originally went to college and studied Energy Man-
agement a business degree with an energy fo-
cus After graduating I began working for an up-
stream oil and gas company here in Houston Alt-
hough the company was wonderful and I made
many friends I wasnrsquot satisfied creatively I felt un-
inspired and overwhelmed with a feeling of ldquois this
itrdquo Meanwhile I began helping friends decorate
their homes and homes and apartments and really
enjoyed the process That led me to start blogging
as a hobby
As I got more involved with my blog I began realiz-
ing that interior design wasnrsquot just a hobby to me- it
was a passion After talking with other bloggers
who had made similar transitions I decided to leave
my oil and gas job and go back to school at The Art
Institute of Houston to pursue my Bachelor of Fine
Best in Blogging Leaving her job in the oil and gas industry Samantha Penner pur-
sues her true passion for Interior Design with a fabulous blog
18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
To continue earning an income while in school I
worked as an assistant to a high-end residential in-
terior designer This job exposed me to the busi-
ness side of design how to keep track of invoicing
and purchasing and dealing directly with cli-
ents It was a wonderful opportunity Then last
October I decided to go to school full-time and be-
gan doing freelance design projects on my
own Running your own business is much more
work than one would expect You have to be okay
with taking risks working around the clock and
but I wouldnrsquot trade it for anything
What keeps you inspired
In the movie The September Issue Grace Cod-
dington says that Norman Parkinson once told her
ldquoAlways keep your eyes openhellip Never go to sleep
in the car or anything like that keep watching- be-
cause whatever you see out the window can inspire
yourdquo I try to live by that quote Of course I love
to read other blogs browse Pinterest and read
shelter magazines and that can be inspiring But
you have to be careful because it can easily stifle
your creativity if you just repeat something some-
one else has done
I try to see new places go visit new restaurants
and change up my day-to-day routine so that I am
continually exposing myself to new things I also
like to book at least 1 trip a year to visit a place
Irsquove never been- either nationally or international-
ly Travel broadens your perspective and enhances
your creativity It teaches you to see familiar
things in a new way Thatrsquos very important to me
In interior design your clients are paying you to
share with them your unique aesthetic
and if you are just recreating some-
thing you have seen someone else do
what good is that It is our job and re-
sponsibility to be up-to-date and
knowledgeable on trends but to use
them as a springboard for creating
something original
What is your Dream Job
I am DOING my dream job As I said
I officially launched my interior design
business The Peak of Tres Chic Design
Studio a few months ago In fact I just wrapped up
my first installation on my own and that was an in-
credibly gratifying feeling Of course I would
love to grow my business and perhaps one day take
on hospitality design projects in addition to resi-
dential As I finish up my degree I have to be se-
lective of what projects I can take on right now If
only there were more hours in the day Irsquod also
love to open an antique store one day Itrsquod be so
fun to travel the world looking for unique items to
sell in my store
Can you Give us a peek into what your dream 18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
(continued) Think silk dupioni drapes Italian wed-
ding chandeliers a winding staircase and skirted
round tables but with touches of animal print and
bright color Irsquod love to have an exterior of white
painted brick with black shutters and a brick flooring
in the kitchen and entry A large backyard with a gar-
den would be lovely too
What is the most exciting opportunity that has come
along since you started your blog
There have been many highlights during my short
year and a half of blogging I think the BEST part is
the friendships and connections you make Some of
my closest friends I met through blogging (crazy I
know) Houston Tidbits did a ldquo5 Local Bloggers
We Loverdquo feature about 6 months ago and that was
definitely flattering We got to showcase our favorite
beauty products at a Neiman Marcus party and
the publicity from that led to a lot of other amazing
What are your favorite design products right
now
I have always loved New Ravenna tile and
mosaics They do such incredible work and
have a variety of creative options for kitch-
ens and bathrooms Circa Lighting is my
ldquogo-tordquo for beautiful and classic lighting
and luckily we have a showroom right here
in Houston I love sites like Etsy and 1st
dibs which make finding interesting and un-
usual items easier Itrsquos like a treasure hunt
20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
SPECIAL ORDER THROUGH LAURA U INC20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
Brass Gateway Irons
Gold Scarab Ring Beau amp Arrow
Wyndham Brown Wood Iron
Swivel Barstool ARTERIORS
Phillip Jeffries wallpaper in Belle Eacutepoque
home Marc Corbiau amp Timothy Whealon
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
Pink Chair DuPont Registry
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
In the Light 3 Nicola Parente
Crystal Lighting Windfall
Cocktail Table Pearson
Muliti-Wheat Necklace Tory Burch
Peonies
Copper Shade Pendants Tom Dixon
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
JULIAN CHICHESTER The noteworthy design specialist we have come to love
We love anything and everything Julian Chichester His one
of a kind eclectic design is said to be inspired by fellow Brit
David Hicks and French designer Jean Royegravere Julian Chich-
ester creates an eclectic mix of luxurious furniture that
evokes the home of an experienced world traveler The
London-based designer who had worked as a stockbroker
had his ldquoa-hardquo moment while on a
trip to Thailand and Burma
(wwwGiltcom) He began to im-
port teak outdoor furniture and
then started designing formal in-
door furnishings launching his first
collection in 1995 One can see his
love of color and pattern in the up-
holstered pieces while the lighting
and case goods reveal his fondness
for warmth and texture
Chichesterrsquos contemporary designs
are inspired by tradition and craft
to create timeless furnishings In
the last decade he established an
enviable reputation for classically
inspired quality English Furniture
DESIGN SELECTED SOURCE
Two of our favorite
places to find Julian
Chichester designs are
Gilt and OneKings-
Lane
Our design team loves scouting new and undiscovered artists on Saatchi
Online Saatchirsquos tag line ldquoDiscover Art Get Discoveredrdquo sums up their
premise perfectly Their easy to use ecommerce site full of well organized
up and coming artists provides even the art lover on a budget something
fabulous for their home Here are our favorites from Saatchirsquos ldquoBright
ART TALK
Razzle Dazzle Red by Sara Willett United Kingdom
Starry Starry Naught POP POP or just what is it that makes todays
markets so different so appealing by Scott Hollingsworth Spain
Dancer by Sara Willett United Kingdom
First by Sandro Chkhaidze Georgia
Speed by Claire Desjardins Canada
White Fire by Beatrice Robert UK
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
IT TAKES A VILLAGE THE LAURA U TEAM
AFTON BAILY FROM Midland TX
FAVORITE CITY Santa Fe ndash I love the art the food (esp the green chilies) amp the walking culture Not to mention
that fresh mountain air
KIRSTIN TATE BLAIR FOSTER FROM Anderson IN
FAVORITE CITY LondonmdashI LOVE the architecture parks nightlife royals hard cider amp ALL the men in 3-piece
suits BEST CITY EVER
CATHERINE SOLOMON FROM San Angelo TX
FAVORITE CITY Castiglio Fiorenti-no ItalymdashThe small Tuscan city where I studied abroad in Italy
FROM Worcester MA FAVORITE CITY New Orleans ndash I
adore the charm and the easy go-ing atmosphere
FABIAN SEGURA FROM Guadalajara Mexico
FAVORITE CITY Florence ndash Running through the streets getting lost stumbled upon the real David
LETECIA ELLIS FROM Bay City TX
FAVORITE CITY Punta Cana Beau-tiful blue beaches and perfect weatherhellipwhatrsquos not to love
08 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 09
COMING SOON
More STUNNING Laura U Interiors
Stay up to date at LauraUcom
10 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 11
S pring is in the air and itrsquos rejuvenating effects are felt
by everyone No sectors are more re-energized by the shifting of the seasons than fashion amp home deacutecor Pick up some of our favorite spring-tastic trends to refresh your home for the warmer months ahead quilted de-luxe flower fe-ver and white hot accents
FASHION furnishings
10 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 11
QUILTED DE-LUXE Add a little texture to your spring this year by collecting some of these fabulous woven won-ders for your closet or your castle
3 Coach
Heel
New Steffi Heel
$228 Coach
1
2 3
4
Woven Garden
Seat $350 Wil-
liams-Sonoma
Sit in
Style 1 4
Philippe Delzers Eacutelitis
EXCALIBUR CABINET 2
Versace $1695
Net-A-Porter
Versace Purse
Ensign Stacking
Chair$610 Zinc
Door
Natural
Chair 5
12 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 13
1
2
3
Peter PilLotto
$1740 Farfetch
Chev V
Dress 6
LEA
THER
5
9
9
7
5
8 Tiffany Teapot
Tiffany Weave Teapot
$175 Tiffany amp Co
Golden Coasters
$1690 Zara
Zara Coasters 9
Hampton Forge
ElleDecorcom
Woven
Flatware 7
6
12 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 13
8
6
10
Peter PilLotto
$1740 Farfetch
Chev V
Dress 6 10
iPhone Decor
Jack Spade iPhone
Case Bloomingdales
PURE WHITE The fresh and clean color of white is undoubtedly transitioning over from Winter 2012 into Spring and definitely to Summer of 2013 We couldnrsquot be more pleased
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Kingsley Frames
$145 Warby Parker
Clear Shades 1
El Paso Hide Rug
$715 Furbish Stu-
dio
Furbish Hide 2
Modo Chandelier 3
sided 10 globes
$3900 Design
Bubble Lighting 3
Chanel Spring 2013
Bag Stylecom
Chanel Bag 4
Paper Mache Ani-
mal Head $129
West Elm
Giraffe Guru 5
1
2 3
4
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
1
2
3
W
HITE
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Awesome Tiny Animals
Scribbler Pillow
$295 Kelly Wearstler
The Per-fect Pillow 7
Chic H Extra
Large $840 Her-
mes
Killer Cuff 8 Stunner Studs
White Sand Sun-
burst $3000
House of Harlow
9
Toscana Bora Bora
Heel $395 Theory
Bora Bora Heel 10
8 9
7 5
10
6
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
Anything floral inspired is all the rage for interior design and fashion right now We love the home items from Layla Grayce but adore the perfectly pieced items from Oscar De La Renta
FLOWER FEVER
3 4 2
1
3 The IT
Lamp
Arteriors Castello
Porcelain Lamp
$2210 Layla Grace
Green Floral Otto-
man $2925
shoplauraucom
Awesome
Ottoman 1 4
Keds Sungarden
Sneakers $6200
Madewell
The Cool Kicks 2
Swarovski crystal
floral necklace
$675 Net a Porter
Valentino Necklace
Flower Power Kathe-
rine Sandoz
Wall Wear 5
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
FLO
WER
FEVER
6
10
5
7
8
Versace Floral Pants
$695 ShopBop
Flowered up pants 9
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
Biltmore Hat
$2400 Madewell
Head
Gear 7
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
5
6 7
9
8
Jewel Toned Orimo-
no Pillow $88 An-
thropologie
Orimono
Pillow 10 8
Oscar De La Renta
Tray $795 Net-A-Porter
The Perfect
Tray
Samantha Penner is the is the founder and editor of
the style blog The Peak of Tregraves Chic where she ex-
plores her love of good design fashion travel and
entertaining We were delighted to ask her a few
questions to find out more about her personal life
and what shersquos looking forward to for herself and
her blog
What inspired you to start your successful blog I
originally went to college and studied Energy Man-
agement a business degree with an energy fo-
cus After graduating I began working for an up-
stream oil and gas company here in Houston Alt-
hough the company was wonderful and I made
many friends I wasnrsquot satisfied creatively I felt un-
inspired and overwhelmed with a feeling of ldquois this
itrdquo Meanwhile I began helping friends decorate
their homes and homes and apartments and really
enjoyed the process That led me to start blogging
as a hobby
As I got more involved with my blog I began realiz-
ing that interior design wasnrsquot just a hobby to me- it
was a passion After talking with other bloggers
who had made similar transitions I decided to leave
my oil and gas job and go back to school at The Art
Institute of Houston to pursue my Bachelor of Fine
Best in Blogging Leaving her job in the oil and gas industry Samantha Penner pur-
sues her true passion for Interior Design with a fabulous blog
18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
To continue earning an income while in school I
worked as an assistant to a high-end residential in-
terior designer This job exposed me to the busi-
ness side of design how to keep track of invoicing
and purchasing and dealing directly with cli-
ents It was a wonderful opportunity Then last
October I decided to go to school full-time and be-
gan doing freelance design projects on my
own Running your own business is much more
work than one would expect You have to be okay
with taking risks working around the clock and
but I wouldnrsquot trade it for anything
What keeps you inspired
In the movie The September Issue Grace Cod-
dington says that Norman Parkinson once told her
ldquoAlways keep your eyes openhellip Never go to sleep
in the car or anything like that keep watching- be-
cause whatever you see out the window can inspire
yourdquo I try to live by that quote Of course I love
to read other blogs browse Pinterest and read
shelter magazines and that can be inspiring But
you have to be careful because it can easily stifle
your creativity if you just repeat something some-
one else has done
I try to see new places go visit new restaurants
and change up my day-to-day routine so that I am
continually exposing myself to new things I also
like to book at least 1 trip a year to visit a place
Irsquove never been- either nationally or international-
ly Travel broadens your perspective and enhances
your creativity It teaches you to see familiar
things in a new way Thatrsquos very important to me
In interior design your clients are paying you to
share with them your unique aesthetic
and if you are just recreating some-
thing you have seen someone else do
what good is that It is our job and re-
sponsibility to be up-to-date and
knowledgeable on trends but to use
them as a springboard for creating
something original
What is your Dream Job
I am DOING my dream job As I said
I officially launched my interior design
business The Peak of Tres Chic Design
Studio a few months ago In fact I just wrapped up
my first installation on my own and that was an in-
credibly gratifying feeling Of course I would
love to grow my business and perhaps one day take
on hospitality design projects in addition to resi-
dential As I finish up my degree I have to be se-
lective of what projects I can take on right now If
only there were more hours in the day Irsquod also
love to open an antique store one day Itrsquod be so
fun to travel the world looking for unique items to
sell in my store
Can you Give us a peek into what your dream 18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
(continued) Think silk dupioni drapes Italian wed-
ding chandeliers a winding staircase and skirted
round tables but with touches of animal print and
bright color Irsquod love to have an exterior of white
painted brick with black shutters and a brick flooring
in the kitchen and entry A large backyard with a gar-
den would be lovely too
What is the most exciting opportunity that has come
along since you started your blog
There have been many highlights during my short
year and a half of blogging I think the BEST part is
the friendships and connections you make Some of
my closest friends I met through blogging (crazy I
know) Houston Tidbits did a ldquo5 Local Bloggers
We Loverdquo feature about 6 months ago and that was
definitely flattering We got to showcase our favorite
beauty products at a Neiman Marcus party and
the publicity from that led to a lot of other amazing
What are your favorite design products right
now
I have always loved New Ravenna tile and
mosaics They do such incredible work and
have a variety of creative options for kitch-
ens and bathrooms Circa Lighting is my
ldquogo-tordquo for beautiful and classic lighting
and luckily we have a showroom right here
in Houston I love sites like Etsy and 1st
dibs which make finding interesting and un-
usual items easier Itrsquos like a treasure hunt
20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
SPECIAL ORDER THROUGH LAURA U INC20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
Brass Gateway Irons
Gold Scarab Ring Beau amp Arrow
Wyndham Brown Wood Iron
Swivel Barstool ARTERIORS
Phillip Jeffries wallpaper in Belle Eacutepoque
home Marc Corbiau amp Timothy Whealon
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
Pink Chair DuPont Registry
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
In the Light 3 Nicola Parente
Crystal Lighting Windfall
Cocktail Table Pearson
Muliti-Wheat Necklace Tory Burch
Peonies
Copper Shade Pendants Tom Dixon
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
JULIAN CHICHESTER The noteworthy design specialist we have come to love
We love anything and everything Julian Chichester His one
of a kind eclectic design is said to be inspired by fellow Brit
David Hicks and French designer Jean Royegravere Julian Chich-
ester creates an eclectic mix of luxurious furniture that
evokes the home of an experienced world traveler The
London-based designer who had worked as a stockbroker
had his ldquoa-hardquo moment while on a
trip to Thailand and Burma
(wwwGiltcom) He began to im-
port teak outdoor furniture and
then started designing formal in-
door furnishings launching his first
collection in 1995 One can see his
love of color and pattern in the up-
holstered pieces while the lighting
and case goods reveal his fondness
for warmth and texture
Chichesterrsquos contemporary designs
are inspired by tradition and craft
to create timeless furnishings In
the last decade he established an
enviable reputation for classically
inspired quality English Furniture
DESIGN SELECTED SOURCE
Two of our favorite
places to find Julian
Chichester designs are
Gilt and OneKings-
Lane
Our design team loves scouting new and undiscovered artists on Saatchi
Online Saatchirsquos tag line ldquoDiscover Art Get Discoveredrdquo sums up their
premise perfectly Their easy to use ecommerce site full of well organized
up and coming artists provides even the art lover on a budget something
fabulous for their home Here are our favorites from Saatchirsquos ldquoBright
ART TALK
Razzle Dazzle Red by Sara Willett United Kingdom
Starry Starry Naught POP POP or just what is it that makes todays
markets so different so appealing by Scott Hollingsworth Spain
Dancer by Sara Willett United Kingdom
First by Sandro Chkhaidze Georgia
Speed by Claire Desjardins Canada
White Fire by Beatrice Robert UK
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
COMING SOON
More STUNNING Laura U Interiors
Stay up to date at LauraUcom
10 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 11
S pring is in the air and itrsquos rejuvenating effects are felt
by everyone No sectors are more re-energized by the shifting of the seasons than fashion amp home deacutecor Pick up some of our favorite spring-tastic trends to refresh your home for the warmer months ahead quilted de-luxe flower fe-ver and white hot accents
FASHION furnishings
10 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 11
QUILTED DE-LUXE Add a little texture to your spring this year by collecting some of these fabulous woven won-ders for your closet or your castle
3 Coach
Heel
New Steffi Heel
$228 Coach
1
2 3
4
Woven Garden
Seat $350 Wil-
liams-Sonoma
Sit in
Style 1 4
Philippe Delzers Eacutelitis
EXCALIBUR CABINET 2
Versace $1695
Net-A-Porter
Versace Purse
Ensign Stacking
Chair$610 Zinc
Door
Natural
Chair 5
12 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 13
1
2
3
Peter PilLotto
$1740 Farfetch
Chev V
Dress 6
LEA
THER
5
9
9
7
5
8 Tiffany Teapot
Tiffany Weave Teapot
$175 Tiffany amp Co
Golden Coasters
$1690 Zara
Zara Coasters 9
Hampton Forge
ElleDecorcom
Woven
Flatware 7
6
12 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 13
8
6
10
Peter PilLotto
$1740 Farfetch
Chev V
Dress 6 10
iPhone Decor
Jack Spade iPhone
Case Bloomingdales
PURE WHITE The fresh and clean color of white is undoubtedly transitioning over from Winter 2012 into Spring and definitely to Summer of 2013 We couldnrsquot be more pleased
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Kingsley Frames
$145 Warby Parker
Clear Shades 1
El Paso Hide Rug
$715 Furbish Stu-
dio
Furbish Hide 2
Modo Chandelier 3
sided 10 globes
$3900 Design
Bubble Lighting 3
Chanel Spring 2013
Bag Stylecom
Chanel Bag 4
Paper Mache Ani-
mal Head $129
West Elm
Giraffe Guru 5
1
2 3
4
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
1
2
3
W
HITE
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Awesome Tiny Animals
Scribbler Pillow
$295 Kelly Wearstler
The Per-fect Pillow 7
Chic H Extra
Large $840 Her-
mes
Killer Cuff 8 Stunner Studs
White Sand Sun-
burst $3000
House of Harlow
9
Toscana Bora Bora
Heel $395 Theory
Bora Bora Heel 10
8 9
7 5
10
6
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
Anything floral inspired is all the rage for interior design and fashion right now We love the home items from Layla Grayce but adore the perfectly pieced items from Oscar De La Renta
FLOWER FEVER
3 4 2
1
3 The IT
Lamp
Arteriors Castello
Porcelain Lamp
$2210 Layla Grace
Green Floral Otto-
man $2925
shoplauraucom
Awesome
Ottoman 1 4
Keds Sungarden
Sneakers $6200
Madewell
The Cool Kicks 2
Swarovski crystal
floral necklace
$675 Net a Porter
Valentino Necklace
Flower Power Kathe-
rine Sandoz
Wall Wear 5
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
FLO
WER
FEVER
6
10
5
7
8
Versace Floral Pants
$695 ShopBop
Flowered up pants 9
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
Biltmore Hat
$2400 Madewell
Head
Gear 7
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
5
6 7
9
8
Jewel Toned Orimo-
no Pillow $88 An-
thropologie
Orimono
Pillow 10 8
Oscar De La Renta
Tray $795 Net-A-Porter
The Perfect
Tray
Samantha Penner is the is the founder and editor of
the style blog The Peak of Tregraves Chic where she ex-
plores her love of good design fashion travel and
entertaining We were delighted to ask her a few
questions to find out more about her personal life
and what shersquos looking forward to for herself and
her blog
What inspired you to start your successful blog I
originally went to college and studied Energy Man-
agement a business degree with an energy fo-
cus After graduating I began working for an up-
stream oil and gas company here in Houston Alt-
hough the company was wonderful and I made
many friends I wasnrsquot satisfied creatively I felt un-
inspired and overwhelmed with a feeling of ldquois this
itrdquo Meanwhile I began helping friends decorate
their homes and homes and apartments and really
enjoyed the process That led me to start blogging
as a hobby
As I got more involved with my blog I began realiz-
ing that interior design wasnrsquot just a hobby to me- it
was a passion After talking with other bloggers
who had made similar transitions I decided to leave
my oil and gas job and go back to school at The Art
Institute of Houston to pursue my Bachelor of Fine
Best in Blogging Leaving her job in the oil and gas industry Samantha Penner pur-
sues her true passion for Interior Design with a fabulous blog
18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
To continue earning an income while in school I
worked as an assistant to a high-end residential in-
terior designer This job exposed me to the busi-
ness side of design how to keep track of invoicing
and purchasing and dealing directly with cli-
ents It was a wonderful opportunity Then last
October I decided to go to school full-time and be-
gan doing freelance design projects on my
own Running your own business is much more
work than one would expect You have to be okay
with taking risks working around the clock and
but I wouldnrsquot trade it for anything
What keeps you inspired
In the movie The September Issue Grace Cod-
dington says that Norman Parkinson once told her
ldquoAlways keep your eyes openhellip Never go to sleep
in the car or anything like that keep watching- be-
cause whatever you see out the window can inspire
yourdquo I try to live by that quote Of course I love
to read other blogs browse Pinterest and read
shelter magazines and that can be inspiring But
you have to be careful because it can easily stifle
your creativity if you just repeat something some-
one else has done
I try to see new places go visit new restaurants
and change up my day-to-day routine so that I am
continually exposing myself to new things I also
like to book at least 1 trip a year to visit a place
Irsquove never been- either nationally or international-
ly Travel broadens your perspective and enhances
your creativity It teaches you to see familiar
things in a new way Thatrsquos very important to me
In interior design your clients are paying you to
share with them your unique aesthetic
and if you are just recreating some-
thing you have seen someone else do
what good is that It is our job and re-
sponsibility to be up-to-date and
knowledgeable on trends but to use
them as a springboard for creating
something original
What is your Dream Job
I am DOING my dream job As I said
I officially launched my interior design
business The Peak of Tres Chic Design
Studio a few months ago In fact I just wrapped up
my first installation on my own and that was an in-
credibly gratifying feeling Of course I would
love to grow my business and perhaps one day take
on hospitality design projects in addition to resi-
dential As I finish up my degree I have to be se-
lective of what projects I can take on right now If
only there were more hours in the day Irsquod also
love to open an antique store one day Itrsquod be so
fun to travel the world looking for unique items to
sell in my store
Can you Give us a peek into what your dream 18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
(continued) Think silk dupioni drapes Italian wed-
ding chandeliers a winding staircase and skirted
round tables but with touches of animal print and
bright color Irsquod love to have an exterior of white
painted brick with black shutters and a brick flooring
in the kitchen and entry A large backyard with a gar-
den would be lovely too
What is the most exciting opportunity that has come
along since you started your blog
There have been many highlights during my short
year and a half of blogging I think the BEST part is
the friendships and connections you make Some of
my closest friends I met through blogging (crazy I
know) Houston Tidbits did a ldquo5 Local Bloggers
We Loverdquo feature about 6 months ago and that was
definitely flattering We got to showcase our favorite
beauty products at a Neiman Marcus party and
the publicity from that led to a lot of other amazing
What are your favorite design products right
now
I have always loved New Ravenna tile and
mosaics They do such incredible work and
have a variety of creative options for kitch-
ens and bathrooms Circa Lighting is my
ldquogo-tordquo for beautiful and classic lighting
and luckily we have a showroom right here
in Houston I love sites like Etsy and 1st
dibs which make finding interesting and un-
usual items easier Itrsquos like a treasure hunt
20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
SPECIAL ORDER THROUGH LAURA U INC20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
Brass Gateway Irons
Gold Scarab Ring Beau amp Arrow
Wyndham Brown Wood Iron
Swivel Barstool ARTERIORS
Phillip Jeffries wallpaper in Belle Eacutepoque
home Marc Corbiau amp Timothy Whealon
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
Pink Chair DuPont Registry
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
In the Light 3 Nicola Parente
Crystal Lighting Windfall
Cocktail Table Pearson
Muliti-Wheat Necklace Tory Burch
Peonies
Copper Shade Pendants Tom Dixon
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
JULIAN CHICHESTER The noteworthy design specialist we have come to love
We love anything and everything Julian Chichester His one
of a kind eclectic design is said to be inspired by fellow Brit
David Hicks and French designer Jean Royegravere Julian Chich-
ester creates an eclectic mix of luxurious furniture that
evokes the home of an experienced world traveler The
London-based designer who had worked as a stockbroker
had his ldquoa-hardquo moment while on a
trip to Thailand and Burma
(wwwGiltcom) He began to im-
port teak outdoor furniture and
then started designing formal in-
door furnishings launching his first
collection in 1995 One can see his
love of color and pattern in the up-
holstered pieces while the lighting
and case goods reveal his fondness
for warmth and texture
Chichesterrsquos contemporary designs
are inspired by tradition and craft
to create timeless furnishings In
the last decade he established an
enviable reputation for classically
inspired quality English Furniture
DESIGN SELECTED SOURCE
Two of our favorite
places to find Julian
Chichester designs are
Gilt and OneKings-
Lane
Our design team loves scouting new and undiscovered artists on Saatchi
Online Saatchirsquos tag line ldquoDiscover Art Get Discoveredrdquo sums up their
premise perfectly Their easy to use ecommerce site full of well organized
up and coming artists provides even the art lover on a budget something
fabulous for their home Here are our favorites from Saatchirsquos ldquoBright
ART TALK
Razzle Dazzle Red by Sara Willett United Kingdom
Starry Starry Naught POP POP or just what is it that makes todays
markets so different so appealing by Scott Hollingsworth Spain
Dancer by Sara Willett United Kingdom
First by Sandro Chkhaidze Georgia
Speed by Claire Desjardins Canada
White Fire by Beatrice Robert UK
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
S pring is in the air and itrsquos rejuvenating effects are felt
by everyone No sectors are more re-energized by the shifting of the seasons than fashion amp home deacutecor Pick up some of our favorite spring-tastic trends to refresh your home for the warmer months ahead quilted de-luxe flower fe-ver and white hot accents
FASHION furnishings
10 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 11
QUILTED DE-LUXE Add a little texture to your spring this year by collecting some of these fabulous woven won-ders for your closet or your castle
3 Coach
Heel
New Steffi Heel
$228 Coach
1
2 3
4
Woven Garden
Seat $350 Wil-
liams-Sonoma
Sit in
Style 1 4
Philippe Delzers Eacutelitis
EXCALIBUR CABINET 2
Versace $1695
Net-A-Porter
Versace Purse
Ensign Stacking
Chair$610 Zinc
Door
Natural
Chair 5
12 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 13
1
2
3
Peter PilLotto
$1740 Farfetch
Chev V
Dress 6
LEA
THER
5
9
9
7
5
8 Tiffany Teapot
Tiffany Weave Teapot
$175 Tiffany amp Co
Golden Coasters
$1690 Zara
Zara Coasters 9
Hampton Forge
ElleDecorcom
Woven
Flatware 7
6
12 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 13
8
6
10
Peter PilLotto
$1740 Farfetch
Chev V
Dress 6 10
iPhone Decor
Jack Spade iPhone
Case Bloomingdales
PURE WHITE The fresh and clean color of white is undoubtedly transitioning over from Winter 2012 into Spring and definitely to Summer of 2013 We couldnrsquot be more pleased
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Kingsley Frames
$145 Warby Parker
Clear Shades 1
El Paso Hide Rug
$715 Furbish Stu-
dio
Furbish Hide 2
Modo Chandelier 3
sided 10 globes
$3900 Design
Bubble Lighting 3
Chanel Spring 2013
Bag Stylecom
Chanel Bag 4
Paper Mache Ani-
mal Head $129
West Elm
Giraffe Guru 5
1
2 3
4
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
1
2
3
W
HITE
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Awesome Tiny Animals
Scribbler Pillow
$295 Kelly Wearstler
The Per-fect Pillow 7
Chic H Extra
Large $840 Her-
mes
Killer Cuff 8 Stunner Studs
White Sand Sun-
burst $3000
House of Harlow
9
Toscana Bora Bora
Heel $395 Theory
Bora Bora Heel 10
8 9
7 5
10
6
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
Anything floral inspired is all the rage for interior design and fashion right now We love the home items from Layla Grayce but adore the perfectly pieced items from Oscar De La Renta
FLOWER FEVER
3 4 2
1
3 The IT
Lamp
Arteriors Castello
Porcelain Lamp
$2210 Layla Grace
Green Floral Otto-
man $2925
shoplauraucom
Awesome
Ottoman 1 4
Keds Sungarden
Sneakers $6200
Madewell
The Cool Kicks 2
Swarovski crystal
floral necklace
$675 Net a Porter
Valentino Necklace
Flower Power Kathe-
rine Sandoz
Wall Wear 5
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
FLO
WER
FEVER
6
10
5
7
8
Versace Floral Pants
$695 ShopBop
Flowered up pants 9
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
Biltmore Hat
$2400 Madewell
Head
Gear 7
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
5
6 7
9
8
Jewel Toned Orimo-
no Pillow $88 An-
thropologie
Orimono
Pillow 10 8
Oscar De La Renta
Tray $795 Net-A-Porter
The Perfect
Tray
Samantha Penner is the is the founder and editor of
the style blog The Peak of Tregraves Chic where she ex-
plores her love of good design fashion travel and
entertaining We were delighted to ask her a few
questions to find out more about her personal life
and what shersquos looking forward to for herself and
her blog
What inspired you to start your successful blog I
originally went to college and studied Energy Man-
agement a business degree with an energy fo-
cus After graduating I began working for an up-
stream oil and gas company here in Houston Alt-
hough the company was wonderful and I made
many friends I wasnrsquot satisfied creatively I felt un-
inspired and overwhelmed with a feeling of ldquois this
itrdquo Meanwhile I began helping friends decorate
their homes and homes and apartments and really
enjoyed the process That led me to start blogging
as a hobby
As I got more involved with my blog I began realiz-
ing that interior design wasnrsquot just a hobby to me- it
was a passion After talking with other bloggers
who had made similar transitions I decided to leave
my oil and gas job and go back to school at The Art
Institute of Houston to pursue my Bachelor of Fine
Best in Blogging Leaving her job in the oil and gas industry Samantha Penner pur-
sues her true passion for Interior Design with a fabulous blog
18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
To continue earning an income while in school I
worked as an assistant to a high-end residential in-
terior designer This job exposed me to the busi-
ness side of design how to keep track of invoicing
and purchasing and dealing directly with cli-
ents It was a wonderful opportunity Then last
October I decided to go to school full-time and be-
gan doing freelance design projects on my
own Running your own business is much more
work than one would expect You have to be okay
with taking risks working around the clock and
but I wouldnrsquot trade it for anything
What keeps you inspired
In the movie The September Issue Grace Cod-
dington says that Norman Parkinson once told her
ldquoAlways keep your eyes openhellip Never go to sleep
in the car or anything like that keep watching- be-
cause whatever you see out the window can inspire
yourdquo I try to live by that quote Of course I love
to read other blogs browse Pinterest and read
shelter magazines and that can be inspiring But
you have to be careful because it can easily stifle
your creativity if you just repeat something some-
one else has done
I try to see new places go visit new restaurants
and change up my day-to-day routine so that I am
continually exposing myself to new things I also
like to book at least 1 trip a year to visit a place
Irsquove never been- either nationally or international-
ly Travel broadens your perspective and enhances
your creativity It teaches you to see familiar
things in a new way Thatrsquos very important to me
In interior design your clients are paying you to
share with them your unique aesthetic
and if you are just recreating some-
thing you have seen someone else do
what good is that It is our job and re-
sponsibility to be up-to-date and
knowledgeable on trends but to use
them as a springboard for creating
something original
What is your Dream Job
I am DOING my dream job As I said
I officially launched my interior design
business The Peak of Tres Chic Design
Studio a few months ago In fact I just wrapped up
my first installation on my own and that was an in-
credibly gratifying feeling Of course I would
love to grow my business and perhaps one day take
on hospitality design projects in addition to resi-
dential As I finish up my degree I have to be se-
lective of what projects I can take on right now If
only there were more hours in the day Irsquod also
love to open an antique store one day Itrsquod be so
fun to travel the world looking for unique items to
sell in my store
Can you Give us a peek into what your dream 18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
(continued) Think silk dupioni drapes Italian wed-
ding chandeliers a winding staircase and skirted
round tables but with touches of animal print and
bright color Irsquod love to have an exterior of white
painted brick with black shutters and a brick flooring
in the kitchen and entry A large backyard with a gar-
den would be lovely too
What is the most exciting opportunity that has come
along since you started your blog
There have been many highlights during my short
year and a half of blogging I think the BEST part is
the friendships and connections you make Some of
my closest friends I met through blogging (crazy I
know) Houston Tidbits did a ldquo5 Local Bloggers
We Loverdquo feature about 6 months ago and that was
definitely flattering We got to showcase our favorite
beauty products at a Neiman Marcus party and
the publicity from that led to a lot of other amazing
What are your favorite design products right
now
I have always loved New Ravenna tile and
mosaics They do such incredible work and
have a variety of creative options for kitch-
ens and bathrooms Circa Lighting is my
ldquogo-tordquo for beautiful and classic lighting
and luckily we have a showroom right here
in Houston I love sites like Etsy and 1st
dibs which make finding interesting and un-
usual items easier Itrsquos like a treasure hunt
20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
SPECIAL ORDER THROUGH LAURA U INC20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
Brass Gateway Irons
Gold Scarab Ring Beau amp Arrow
Wyndham Brown Wood Iron
Swivel Barstool ARTERIORS
Phillip Jeffries wallpaper in Belle Eacutepoque
home Marc Corbiau amp Timothy Whealon
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
Pink Chair DuPont Registry
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
In the Light 3 Nicola Parente
Crystal Lighting Windfall
Cocktail Table Pearson
Muliti-Wheat Necklace Tory Burch
Peonies
Copper Shade Pendants Tom Dixon
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
JULIAN CHICHESTER The noteworthy design specialist we have come to love
We love anything and everything Julian Chichester His one
of a kind eclectic design is said to be inspired by fellow Brit
David Hicks and French designer Jean Royegravere Julian Chich-
ester creates an eclectic mix of luxurious furniture that
evokes the home of an experienced world traveler The
London-based designer who had worked as a stockbroker
had his ldquoa-hardquo moment while on a
trip to Thailand and Burma
(wwwGiltcom) He began to im-
port teak outdoor furniture and
then started designing formal in-
door furnishings launching his first
collection in 1995 One can see his
love of color and pattern in the up-
holstered pieces while the lighting
and case goods reveal his fondness
for warmth and texture
Chichesterrsquos contemporary designs
are inspired by tradition and craft
to create timeless furnishings In
the last decade he established an
enviable reputation for classically
inspired quality English Furniture
DESIGN SELECTED SOURCE
Two of our favorite
places to find Julian
Chichester designs are
Gilt and OneKings-
Lane
Our design team loves scouting new and undiscovered artists on Saatchi
Online Saatchirsquos tag line ldquoDiscover Art Get Discoveredrdquo sums up their
premise perfectly Their easy to use ecommerce site full of well organized
up and coming artists provides even the art lover on a budget something
fabulous for their home Here are our favorites from Saatchirsquos ldquoBright
ART TALK
Razzle Dazzle Red by Sara Willett United Kingdom
Starry Starry Naught POP POP or just what is it that makes todays
markets so different so appealing by Scott Hollingsworth Spain
Dancer by Sara Willett United Kingdom
First by Sandro Chkhaidze Georgia
Speed by Claire Desjardins Canada
White Fire by Beatrice Robert UK
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
QUILTED DE-LUXE Add a little texture to your spring this year by collecting some of these fabulous woven won-ders for your closet or your castle
3 Coach
Heel
New Steffi Heel
$228 Coach
1
2 3
4
Woven Garden
Seat $350 Wil-
liams-Sonoma
Sit in
Style 1 4
Philippe Delzers Eacutelitis
EXCALIBUR CABINET 2
Versace $1695
Net-A-Porter
Versace Purse
Ensign Stacking
Chair$610 Zinc
Door
Natural
Chair 5
12 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 13
1
2
3
Peter PilLotto
$1740 Farfetch
Chev V
Dress 6
LEA
THER
5
9
9
7
5
8 Tiffany Teapot
Tiffany Weave Teapot
$175 Tiffany amp Co
Golden Coasters
$1690 Zara
Zara Coasters 9
Hampton Forge
ElleDecorcom
Woven
Flatware 7
6
12 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 13
8
6
10
Peter PilLotto
$1740 Farfetch
Chev V
Dress 6 10
iPhone Decor
Jack Spade iPhone
Case Bloomingdales
PURE WHITE The fresh and clean color of white is undoubtedly transitioning over from Winter 2012 into Spring and definitely to Summer of 2013 We couldnrsquot be more pleased
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Kingsley Frames
$145 Warby Parker
Clear Shades 1
El Paso Hide Rug
$715 Furbish Stu-
dio
Furbish Hide 2
Modo Chandelier 3
sided 10 globes
$3900 Design
Bubble Lighting 3
Chanel Spring 2013
Bag Stylecom
Chanel Bag 4
Paper Mache Ani-
mal Head $129
West Elm
Giraffe Guru 5
1
2 3
4
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
1
2
3
W
HITE
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Awesome Tiny Animals
Scribbler Pillow
$295 Kelly Wearstler
The Per-fect Pillow 7
Chic H Extra
Large $840 Her-
mes
Killer Cuff 8 Stunner Studs
White Sand Sun-
burst $3000
House of Harlow
9
Toscana Bora Bora
Heel $395 Theory
Bora Bora Heel 10
8 9
7 5
10
6
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
Anything floral inspired is all the rage for interior design and fashion right now We love the home items from Layla Grayce but adore the perfectly pieced items from Oscar De La Renta
FLOWER FEVER
3 4 2
1
3 The IT
Lamp
Arteriors Castello
Porcelain Lamp
$2210 Layla Grace
Green Floral Otto-
man $2925
shoplauraucom
Awesome
Ottoman 1 4
Keds Sungarden
Sneakers $6200
Madewell
The Cool Kicks 2
Swarovski crystal
floral necklace
$675 Net a Porter
Valentino Necklace
Flower Power Kathe-
rine Sandoz
Wall Wear 5
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
FLO
WER
FEVER
6
10
5
7
8
Versace Floral Pants
$695 ShopBop
Flowered up pants 9
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
Biltmore Hat
$2400 Madewell
Head
Gear 7
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
5
6 7
9
8
Jewel Toned Orimo-
no Pillow $88 An-
thropologie
Orimono
Pillow 10 8
Oscar De La Renta
Tray $795 Net-A-Porter
The Perfect
Tray
Samantha Penner is the is the founder and editor of
the style blog The Peak of Tregraves Chic where she ex-
plores her love of good design fashion travel and
entertaining We were delighted to ask her a few
questions to find out more about her personal life
and what shersquos looking forward to for herself and
her blog
What inspired you to start your successful blog I
originally went to college and studied Energy Man-
agement a business degree with an energy fo-
cus After graduating I began working for an up-
stream oil and gas company here in Houston Alt-
hough the company was wonderful and I made
many friends I wasnrsquot satisfied creatively I felt un-
inspired and overwhelmed with a feeling of ldquois this
itrdquo Meanwhile I began helping friends decorate
their homes and homes and apartments and really
enjoyed the process That led me to start blogging
as a hobby
As I got more involved with my blog I began realiz-
ing that interior design wasnrsquot just a hobby to me- it
was a passion After talking with other bloggers
who had made similar transitions I decided to leave
my oil and gas job and go back to school at The Art
Institute of Houston to pursue my Bachelor of Fine
Best in Blogging Leaving her job in the oil and gas industry Samantha Penner pur-
sues her true passion for Interior Design with a fabulous blog
18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
To continue earning an income while in school I
worked as an assistant to a high-end residential in-
terior designer This job exposed me to the busi-
ness side of design how to keep track of invoicing
and purchasing and dealing directly with cli-
ents It was a wonderful opportunity Then last
October I decided to go to school full-time and be-
gan doing freelance design projects on my
own Running your own business is much more
work than one would expect You have to be okay
with taking risks working around the clock and
but I wouldnrsquot trade it for anything
What keeps you inspired
In the movie The September Issue Grace Cod-
dington says that Norman Parkinson once told her
ldquoAlways keep your eyes openhellip Never go to sleep
in the car or anything like that keep watching- be-
cause whatever you see out the window can inspire
yourdquo I try to live by that quote Of course I love
to read other blogs browse Pinterest and read
shelter magazines and that can be inspiring But
you have to be careful because it can easily stifle
your creativity if you just repeat something some-
one else has done
I try to see new places go visit new restaurants
and change up my day-to-day routine so that I am
continually exposing myself to new things I also
like to book at least 1 trip a year to visit a place
Irsquove never been- either nationally or international-
ly Travel broadens your perspective and enhances
your creativity It teaches you to see familiar
things in a new way Thatrsquos very important to me
In interior design your clients are paying you to
share with them your unique aesthetic
and if you are just recreating some-
thing you have seen someone else do
what good is that It is our job and re-
sponsibility to be up-to-date and
knowledgeable on trends but to use
them as a springboard for creating
something original
What is your Dream Job
I am DOING my dream job As I said
I officially launched my interior design
business The Peak of Tres Chic Design
Studio a few months ago In fact I just wrapped up
my first installation on my own and that was an in-
credibly gratifying feeling Of course I would
love to grow my business and perhaps one day take
on hospitality design projects in addition to resi-
dential As I finish up my degree I have to be se-
lective of what projects I can take on right now If
only there were more hours in the day Irsquod also
love to open an antique store one day Itrsquod be so
fun to travel the world looking for unique items to
sell in my store
Can you Give us a peek into what your dream 18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
(continued) Think silk dupioni drapes Italian wed-
ding chandeliers a winding staircase and skirted
round tables but with touches of animal print and
bright color Irsquod love to have an exterior of white
painted brick with black shutters and a brick flooring
in the kitchen and entry A large backyard with a gar-
den would be lovely too
What is the most exciting opportunity that has come
along since you started your blog
There have been many highlights during my short
year and a half of blogging I think the BEST part is
the friendships and connections you make Some of
my closest friends I met through blogging (crazy I
know) Houston Tidbits did a ldquo5 Local Bloggers
We Loverdquo feature about 6 months ago and that was
definitely flattering We got to showcase our favorite
beauty products at a Neiman Marcus party and
the publicity from that led to a lot of other amazing
What are your favorite design products right
now
I have always loved New Ravenna tile and
mosaics They do such incredible work and
have a variety of creative options for kitch-
ens and bathrooms Circa Lighting is my
ldquogo-tordquo for beautiful and classic lighting
and luckily we have a showroom right here
in Houston I love sites like Etsy and 1st
dibs which make finding interesting and un-
usual items easier Itrsquos like a treasure hunt
20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
SPECIAL ORDER THROUGH LAURA U INC20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
Brass Gateway Irons
Gold Scarab Ring Beau amp Arrow
Wyndham Brown Wood Iron
Swivel Barstool ARTERIORS
Phillip Jeffries wallpaper in Belle Eacutepoque
home Marc Corbiau amp Timothy Whealon
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
Pink Chair DuPont Registry
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
In the Light 3 Nicola Parente
Crystal Lighting Windfall
Cocktail Table Pearson
Muliti-Wheat Necklace Tory Burch
Peonies
Copper Shade Pendants Tom Dixon
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
JULIAN CHICHESTER The noteworthy design specialist we have come to love
We love anything and everything Julian Chichester His one
of a kind eclectic design is said to be inspired by fellow Brit
David Hicks and French designer Jean Royegravere Julian Chich-
ester creates an eclectic mix of luxurious furniture that
evokes the home of an experienced world traveler The
London-based designer who had worked as a stockbroker
had his ldquoa-hardquo moment while on a
trip to Thailand and Burma
(wwwGiltcom) He began to im-
port teak outdoor furniture and
then started designing formal in-
door furnishings launching his first
collection in 1995 One can see his
love of color and pattern in the up-
holstered pieces while the lighting
and case goods reveal his fondness
for warmth and texture
Chichesterrsquos contemporary designs
are inspired by tradition and craft
to create timeless furnishings In
the last decade he established an
enviable reputation for classically
inspired quality English Furniture
DESIGN SELECTED SOURCE
Two of our favorite
places to find Julian
Chichester designs are
Gilt and OneKings-
Lane
Our design team loves scouting new and undiscovered artists on Saatchi
Online Saatchirsquos tag line ldquoDiscover Art Get Discoveredrdquo sums up their
premise perfectly Their easy to use ecommerce site full of well organized
up and coming artists provides even the art lover on a budget something
fabulous for their home Here are our favorites from Saatchirsquos ldquoBright
ART TALK
Razzle Dazzle Red by Sara Willett United Kingdom
Starry Starry Naught POP POP or just what is it that makes todays
markets so different so appealing by Scott Hollingsworth Spain
Dancer by Sara Willett United Kingdom
First by Sandro Chkhaidze Georgia
Speed by Claire Desjardins Canada
White Fire by Beatrice Robert UK
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
LEA
THER
5
9
9
7
5
8 Tiffany Teapot
Tiffany Weave Teapot
$175 Tiffany amp Co
Golden Coasters
$1690 Zara
Zara Coasters 9
Hampton Forge
ElleDecorcom
Woven
Flatware 7
6
12 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 13
8
6
10
Peter PilLotto
$1740 Farfetch
Chev V
Dress 6 10
iPhone Decor
Jack Spade iPhone
Case Bloomingdales
PURE WHITE The fresh and clean color of white is undoubtedly transitioning over from Winter 2012 into Spring and definitely to Summer of 2013 We couldnrsquot be more pleased
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Kingsley Frames
$145 Warby Parker
Clear Shades 1
El Paso Hide Rug
$715 Furbish Stu-
dio
Furbish Hide 2
Modo Chandelier 3
sided 10 globes
$3900 Design
Bubble Lighting 3
Chanel Spring 2013
Bag Stylecom
Chanel Bag 4
Paper Mache Ani-
mal Head $129
West Elm
Giraffe Guru 5
1
2 3
4
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
1
2
3
W
HITE
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Awesome Tiny Animals
Scribbler Pillow
$295 Kelly Wearstler
The Per-fect Pillow 7
Chic H Extra
Large $840 Her-
mes
Killer Cuff 8 Stunner Studs
White Sand Sun-
burst $3000
House of Harlow
9
Toscana Bora Bora
Heel $395 Theory
Bora Bora Heel 10
8 9
7 5
10
6
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
Anything floral inspired is all the rage for interior design and fashion right now We love the home items from Layla Grayce but adore the perfectly pieced items from Oscar De La Renta
FLOWER FEVER
3 4 2
1
3 The IT
Lamp
Arteriors Castello
Porcelain Lamp
$2210 Layla Grace
Green Floral Otto-
man $2925
shoplauraucom
Awesome
Ottoman 1 4
Keds Sungarden
Sneakers $6200
Madewell
The Cool Kicks 2
Swarovski crystal
floral necklace
$675 Net a Porter
Valentino Necklace
Flower Power Kathe-
rine Sandoz
Wall Wear 5
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
FLO
WER
FEVER
6
10
5
7
8
Versace Floral Pants
$695 ShopBop
Flowered up pants 9
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
Biltmore Hat
$2400 Madewell
Head
Gear 7
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
5
6 7
9
8
Jewel Toned Orimo-
no Pillow $88 An-
thropologie
Orimono
Pillow 10 8
Oscar De La Renta
Tray $795 Net-A-Porter
The Perfect
Tray
Samantha Penner is the is the founder and editor of
the style blog The Peak of Tregraves Chic where she ex-
plores her love of good design fashion travel and
entertaining We were delighted to ask her a few
questions to find out more about her personal life
and what shersquos looking forward to for herself and
her blog
What inspired you to start your successful blog I
originally went to college and studied Energy Man-
agement a business degree with an energy fo-
cus After graduating I began working for an up-
stream oil and gas company here in Houston Alt-
hough the company was wonderful and I made
many friends I wasnrsquot satisfied creatively I felt un-
inspired and overwhelmed with a feeling of ldquois this
itrdquo Meanwhile I began helping friends decorate
their homes and homes and apartments and really
enjoyed the process That led me to start blogging
as a hobby
As I got more involved with my blog I began realiz-
ing that interior design wasnrsquot just a hobby to me- it
was a passion After talking with other bloggers
who had made similar transitions I decided to leave
my oil and gas job and go back to school at The Art
Institute of Houston to pursue my Bachelor of Fine
Best in Blogging Leaving her job in the oil and gas industry Samantha Penner pur-
sues her true passion for Interior Design with a fabulous blog
18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
To continue earning an income while in school I
worked as an assistant to a high-end residential in-
terior designer This job exposed me to the busi-
ness side of design how to keep track of invoicing
and purchasing and dealing directly with cli-
ents It was a wonderful opportunity Then last
October I decided to go to school full-time and be-
gan doing freelance design projects on my
own Running your own business is much more
work than one would expect You have to be okay
with taking risks working around the clock and
but I wouldnrsquot trade it for anything
What keeps you inspired
In the movie The September Issue Grace Cod-
dington says that Norman Parkinson once told her
ldquoAlways keep your eyes openhellip Never go to sleep
in the car or anything like that keep watching- be-
cause whatever you see out the window can inspire
yourdquo I try to live by that quote Of course I love
to read other blogs browse Pinterest and read
shelter magazines and that can be inspiring But
you have to be careful because it can easily stifle
your creativity if you just repeat something some-
one else has done
I try to see new places go visit new restaurants
and change up my day-to-day routine so that I am
continually exposing myself to new things I also
like to book at least 1 trip a year to visit a place
Irsquove never been- either nationally or international-
ly Travel broadens your perspective and enhances
your creativity It teaches you to see familiar
things in a new way Thatrsquos very important to me
In interior design your clients are paying you to
share with them your unique aesthetic
and if you are just recreating some-
thing you have seen someone else do
what good is that It is our job and re-
sponsibility to be up-to-date and
knowledgeable on trends but to use
them as a springboard for creating
something original
What is your Dream Job
I am DOING my dream job As I said
I officially launched my interior design
business The Peak of Tres Chic Design
Studio a few months ago In fact I just wrapped up
my first installation on my own and that was an in-
credibly gratifying feeling Of course I would
love to grow my business and perhaps one day take
on hospitality design projects in addition to resi-
dential As I finish up my degree I have to be se-
lective of what projects I can take on right now If
only there were more hours in the day Irsquod also
love to open an antique store one day Itrsquod be so
fun to travel the world looking for unique items to
sell in my store
Can you Give us a peek into what your dream 18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
(continued) Think silk dupioni drapes Italian wed-
ding chandeliers a winding staircase and skirted
round tables but with touches of animal print and
bright color Irsquod love to have an exterior of white
painted brick with black shutters and a brick flooring
in the kitchen and entry A large backyard with a gar-
den would be lovely too
What is the most exciting opportunity that has come
along since you started your blog
There have been many highlights during my short
year and a half of blogging I think the BEST part is
the friendships and connections you make Some of
my closest friends I met through blogging (crazy I
know) Houston Tidbits did a ldquo5 Local Bloggers
We Loverdquo feature about 6 months ago and that was
definitely flattering We got to showcase our favorite
beauty products at a Neiman Marcus party and
the publicity from that led to a lot of other amazing
What are your favorite design products right
now
I have always loved New Ravenna tile and
mosaics They do such incredible work and
have a variety of creative options for kitch-
ens and bathrooms Circa Lighting is my
ldquogo-tordquo for beautiful and classic lighting
and luckily we have a showroom right here
in Houston I love sites like Etsy and 1st
dibs which make finding interesting and un-
usual items easier Itrsquos like a treasure hunt
20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
SPECIAL ORDER THROUGH LAURA U INC20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
Brass Gateway Irons
Gold Scarab Ring Beau amp Arrow
Wyndham Brown Wood Iron
Swivel Barstool ARTERIORS
Phillip Jeffries wallpaper in Belle Eacutepoque
home Marc Corbiau amp Timothy Whealon
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
Pink Chair DuPont Registry
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
In the Light 3 Nicola Parente
Crystal Lighting Windfall
Cocktail Table Pearson
Muliti-Wheat Necklace Tory Burch
Peonies
Copper Shade Pendants Tom Dixon
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
JULIAN CHICHESTER The noteworthy design specialist we have come to love
We love anything and everything Julian Chichester His one
of a kind eclectic design is said to be inspired by fellow Brit
David Hicks and French designer Jean Royegravere Julian Chich-
ester creates an eclectic mix of luxurious furniture that
evokes the home of an experienced world traveler The
London-based designer who had worked as a stockbroker
had his ldquoa-hardquo moment while on a
trip to Thailand and Burma
(wwwGiltcom) He began to im-
port teak outdoor furniture and
then started designing formal in-
door furnishings launching his first
collection in 1995 One can see his
love of color and pattern in the up-
holstered pieces while the lighting
and case goods reveal his fondness
for warmth and texture
Chichesterrsquos contemporary designs
are inspired by tradition and craft
to create timeless furnishings In
the last decade he established an
enviable reputation for classically
inspired quality English Furniture
DESIGN SELECTED SOURCE
Two of our favorite
places to find Julian
Chichester designs are
Gilt and OneKings-
Lane
Our design team loves scouting new and undiscovered artists on Saatchi
Online Saatchirsquos tag line ldquoDiscover Art Get Discoveredrdquo sums up their
premise perfectly Their easy to use ecommerce site full of well organized
up and coming artists provides even the art lover on a budget something
fabulous for their home Here are our favorites from Saatchirsquos ldquoBright
ART TALK
Razzle Dazzle Red by Sara Willett United Kingdom
Starry Starry Naught POP POP or just what is it that makes todays
markets so different so appealing by Scott Hollingsworth Spain
Dancer by Sara Willett United Kingdom
First by Sandro Chkhaidze Georgia
Speed by Claire Desjardins Canada
White Fire by Beatrice Robert UK
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
PURE WHITE The fresh and clean color of white is undoubtedly transitioning over from Winter 2012 into Spring and definitely to Summer of 2013 We couldnrsquot be more pleased
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Kingsley Frames
$145 Warby Parker
Clear Shades 1
El Paso Hide Rug
$715 Furbish Stu-
dio
Furbish Hide 2
Modo Chandelier 3
sided 10 globes
$3900 Design
Bubble Lighting 3
Chanel Spring 2013
Bag Stylecom
Chanel Bag 4
Paper Mache Ani-
mal Head $129
West Elm
Giraffe Guru 5
1
2 3
4
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
1
2
3
W
HITE
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Awesome Tiny Animals
Scribbler Pillow
$295 Kelly Wearstler
The Per-fect Pillow 7
Chic H Extra
Large $840 Her-
mes
Killer Cuff 8 Stunner Studs
White Sand Sun-
burst $3000
House of Harlow
9
Toscana Bora Bora
Heel $395 Theory
Bora Bora Heel 10
8 9
7 5
10
6
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
Anything floral inspired is all the rage for interior design and fashion right now We love the home items from Layla Grayce but adore the perfectly pieced items from Oscar De La Renta
FLOWER FEVER
3 4 2
1
3 The IT
Lamp
Arteriors Castello
Porcelain Lamp
$2210 Layla Grace
Green Floral Otto-
man $2925
shoplauraucom
Awesome
Ottoman 1 4
Keds Sungarden
Sneakers $6200
Madewell
The Cool Kicks 2
Swarovski crystal
floral necklace
$675 Net a Porter
Valentino Necklace
Flower Power Kathe-
rine Sandoz
Wall Wear 5
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
FLO
WER
FEVER
6
10
5
7
8
Versace Floral Pants
$695 ShopBop
Flowered up pants 9
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
Biltmore Hat
$2400 Madewell
Head
Gear 7
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
5
6 7
9
8
Jewel Toned Orimo-
no Pillow $88 An-
thropologie
Orimono
Pillow 10 8
Oscar De La Renta
Tray $795 Net-A-Porter
The Perfect
Tray
Samantha Penner is the is the founder and editor of
the style blog The Peak of Tregraves Chic where she ex-
plores her love of good design fashion travel and
entertaining We were delighted to ask her a few
questions to find out more about her personal life
and what shersquos looking forward to for herself and
her blog
What inspired you to start your successful blog I
originally went to college and studied Energy Man-
agement a business degree with an energy fo-
cus After graduating I began working for an up-
stream oil and gas company here in Houston Alt-
hough the company was wonderful and I made
many friends I wasnrsquot satisfied creatively I felt un-
inspired and overwhelmed with a feeling of ldquois this
itrdquo Meanwhile I began helping friends decorate
their homes and homes and apartments and really
enjoyed the process That led me to start blogging
as a hobby
As I got more involved with my blog I began realiz-
ing that interior design wasnrsquot just a hobby to me- it
was a passion After talking with other bloggers
who had made similar transitions I decided to leave
my oil and gas job and go back to school at The Art
Institute of Houston to pursue my Bachelor of Fine
Best in Blogging Leaving her job in the oil and gas industry Samantha Penner pur-
sues her true passion for Interior Design with a fabulous blog
18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
To continue earning an income while in school I
worked as an assistant to a high-end residential in-
terior designer This job exposed me to the busi-
ness side of design how to keep track of invoicing
and purchasing and dealing directly with cli-
ents It was a wonderful opportunity Then last
October I decided to go to school full-time and be-
gan doing freelance design projects on my
own Running your own business is much more
work than one would expect You have to be okay
with taking risks working around the clock and
but I wouldnrsquot trade it for anything
What keeps you inspired
In the movie The September Issue Grace Cod-
dington says that Norman Parkinson once told her
ldquoAlways keep your eyes openhellip Never go to sleep
in the car or anything like that keep watching- be-
cause whatever you see out the window can inspire
yourdquo I try to live by that quote Of course I love
to read other blogs browse Pinterest and read
shelter magazines and that can be inspiring But
you have to be careful because it can easily stifle
your creativity if you just repeat something some-
one else has done
I try to see new places go visit new restaurants
and change up my day-to-day routine so that I am
continually exposing myself to new things I also
like to book at least 1 trip a year to visit a place
Irsquove never been- either nationally or international-
ly Travel broadens your perspective and enhances
your creativity It teaches you to see familiar
things in a new way Thatrsquos very important to me
In interior design your clients are paying you to
share with them your unique aesthetic
and if you are just recreating some-
thing you have seen someone else do
what good is that It is our job and re-
sponsibility to be up-to-date and
knowledgeable on trends but to use
them as a springboard for creating
something original
What is your Dream Job
I am DOING my dream job As I said
I officially launched my interior design
business The Peak of Tres Chic Design
Studio a few months ago In fact I just wrapped up
my first installation on my own and that was an in-
credibly gratifying feeling Of course I would
love to grow my business and perhaps one day take
on hospitality design projects in addition to resi-
dential As I finish up my degree I have to be se-
lective of what projects I can take on right now If
only there were more hours in the day Irsquod also
love to open an antique store one day Itrsquod be so
fun to travel the world looking for unique items to
sell in my store
Can you Give us a peek into what your dream 18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
(continued) Think silk dupioni drapes Italian wed-
ding chandeliers a winding staircase and skirted
round tables but with touches of animal print and
bright color Irsquod love to have an exterior of white
painted brick with black shutters and a brick flooring
in the kitchen and entry A large backyard with a gar-
den would be lovely too
What is the most exciting opportunity that has come
along since you started your blog
There have been many highlights during my short
year and a half of blogging I think the BEST part is
the friendships and connections you make Some of
my closest friends I met through blogging (crazy I
know) Houston Tidbits did a ldquo5 Local Bloggers
We Loverdquo feature about 6 months ago and that was
definitely flattering We got to showcase our favorite
beauty products at a Neiman Marcus party and
the publicity from that led to a lot of other amazing
What are your favorite design products right
now
I have always loved New Ravenna tile and
mosaics They do such incredible work and
have a variety of creative options for kitch-
ens and bathrooms Circa Lighting is my
ldquogo-tordquo for beautiful and classic lighting
and luckily we have a showroom right here
in Houston I love sites like Etsy and 1st
dibs which make finding interesting and un-
usual items easier Itrsquos like a treasure hunt
20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
SPECIAL ORDER THROUGH LAURA U INC20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
Brass Gateway Irons
Gold Scarab Ring Beau amp Arrow
Wyndham Brown Wood Iron
Swivel Barstool ARTERIORS
Phillip Jeffries wallpaper in Belle Eacutepoque
home Marc Corbiau amp Timothy Whealon
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
Pink Chair DuPont Registry
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
In the Light 3 Nicola Parente
Crystal Lighting Windfall
Cocktail Table Pearson
Muliti-Wheat Necklace Tory Burch
Peonies
Copper Shade Pendants Tom Dixon
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
JULIAN CHICHESTER The noteworthy design specialist we have come to love
We love anything and everything Julian Chichester His one
of a kind eclectic design is said to be inspired by fellow Brit
David Hicks and French designer Jean Royegravere Julian Chich-
ester creates an eclectic mix of luxurious furniture that
evokes the home of an experienced world traveler The
London-based designer who had worked as a stockbroker
had his ldquoa-hardquo moment while on a
trip to Thailand and Burma
(wwwGiltcom) He began to im-
port teak outdoor furniture and
then started designing formal in-
door furnishings launching his first
collection in 1995 One can see his
love of color and pattern in the up-
holstered pieces while the lighting
and case goods reveal his fondness
for warmth and texture
Chichesterrsquos contemporary designs
are inspired by tradition and craft
to create timeless furnishings In
the last decade he established an
enviable reputation for classically
inspired quality English Furniture
DESIGN SELECTED SOURCE
Two of our favorite
places to find Julian
Chichester designs are
Gilt and OneKings-
Lane
Our design team loves scouting new and undiscovered artists on Saatchi
Online Saatchirsquos tag line ldquoDiscover Art Get Discoveredrdquo sums up their
premise perfectly Their easy to use ecommerce site full of well organized
up and coming artists provides even the art lover on a budget something
fabulous for their home Here are our favorites from Saatchirsquos ldquoBright
ART TALK
Razzle Dazzle Red by Sara Willett United Kingdom
Starry Starry Naught POP POP or just what is it that makes todays
markets so different so appealing by Scott Hollingsworth Spain
Dancer by Sara Willett United Kingdom
First by Sandro Chkhaidze Georgia
Speed by Claire Desjardins Canada
White Fire by Beatrice Robert UK
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
W
HITE
6
Assortment of White
Ceramic Animals
$128 Jonathan Adler
Awesome Tiny Animals
Scribbler Pillow
$295 Kelly Wearstler
The Per-fect Pillow 7
Chic H Extra
Large $840 Her-
mes
Killer Cuff 8 Stunner Studs
White Sand Sun-
burst $3000
House of Harlow
9
Toscana Bora Bora
Heel $395 Theory
Bora Bora Heel 10
8 9
7 5
10
6
14 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 15
Anything floral inspired is all the rage for interior design and fashion right now We love the home items from Layla Grayce but adore the perfectly pieced items from Oscar De La Renta
FLOWER FEVER
3 4 2
1
3 The IT
Lamp
Arteriors Castello
Porcelain Lamp
$2210 Layla Grace
Green Floral Otto-
man $2925
shoplauraucom
Awesome
Ottoman 1 4
Keds Sungarden
Sneakers $6200
Madewell
The Cool Kicks 2
Swarovski crystal
floral necklace
$675 Net a Porter
Valentino Necklace
Flower Power Kathe-
rine Sandoz
Wall Wear 5
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
FLO
WER
FEVER
6
10
5
7
8
Versace Floral Pants
$695 ShopBop
Flowered up pants 9
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
Biltmore Hat
$2400 Madewell
Head
Gear 7
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
5
6 7
9
8
Jewel Toned Orimo-
no Pillow $88 An-
thropologie
Orimono
Pillow 10 8
Oscar De La Renta
Tray $795 Net-A-Porter
The Perfect
Tray
Samantha Penner is the is the founder and editor of
the style blog The Peak of Tregraves Chic where she ex-
plores her love of good design fashion travel and
entertaining We were delighted to ask her a few
questions to find out more about her personal life
and what shersquos looking forward to for herself and
her blog
What inspired you to start your successful blog I
originally went to college and studied Energy Man-
agement a business degree with an energy fo-
cus After graduating I began working for an up-
stream oil and gas company here in Houston Alt-
hough the company was wonderful and I made
many friends I wasnrsquot satisfied creatively I felt un-
inspired and overwhelmed with a feeling of ldquois this
itrdquo Meanwhile I began helping friends decorate
their homes and homes and apartments and really
enjoyed the process That led me to start blogging
as a hobby
As I got more involved with my blog I began realiz-
ing that interior design wasnrsquot just a hobby to me- it
was a passion After talking with other bloggers
who had made similar transitions I decided to leave
my oil and gas job and go back to school at The Art
Institute of Houston to pursue my Bachelor of Fine
Best in Blogging Leaving her job in the oil and gas industry Samantha Penner pur-
sues her true passion for Interior Design with a fabulous blog
18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
To continue earning an income while in school I
worked as an assistant to a high-end residential in-
terior designer This job exposed me to the busi-
ness side of design how to keep track of invoicing
and purchasing and dealing directly with cli-
ents It was a wonderful opportunity Then last
October I decided to go to school full-time and be-
gan doing freelance design projects on my
own Running your own business is much more
work than one would expect You have to be okay
with taking risks working around the clock and
but I wouldnrsquot trade it for anything
What keeps you inspired
In the movie The September Issue Grace Cod-
dington says that Norman Parkinson once told her
ldquoAlways keep your eyes openhellip Never go to sleep
in the car or anything like that keep watching- be-
cause whatever you see out the window can inspire
yourdquo I try to live by that quote Of course I love
to read other blogs browse Pinterest and read
shelter magazines and that can be inspiring But
you have to be careful because it can easily stifle
your creativity if you just repeat something some-
one else has done
I try to see new places go visit new restaurants
and change up my day-to-day routine so that I am
continually exposing myself to new things I also
like to book at least 1 trip a year to visit a place
Irsquove never been- either nationally or international-
ly Travel broadens your perspective and enhances
your creativity It teaches you to see familiar
things in a new way Thatrsquos very important to me
In interior design your clients are paying you to
share with them your unique aesthetic
and if you are just recreating some-
thing you have seen someone else do
what good is that It is our job and re-
sponsibility to be up-to-date and
knowledgeable on trends but to use
them as a springboard for creating
something original
What is your Dream Job
I am DOING my dream job As I said
I officially launched my interior design
business The Peak of Tres Chic Design
Studio a few months ago In fact I just wrapped up
my first installation on my own and that was an in-
credibly gratifying feeling Of course I would
love to grow my business and perhaps one day take
on hospitality design projects in addition to resi-
dential As I finish up my degree I have to be se-
lective of what projects I can take on right now If
only there were more hours in the day Irsquod also
love to open an antique store one day Itrsquod be so
fun to travel the world looking for unique items to
sell in my store
Can you Give us a peek into what your dream 18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
(continued) Think silk dupioni drapes Italian wed-
ding chandeliers a winding staircase and skirted
round tables but with touches of animal print and
bright color Irsquod love to have an exterior of white
painted brick with black shutters and a brick flooring
in the kitchen and entry A large backyard with a gar-
den would be lovely too
What is the most exciting opportunity that has come
along since you started your blog
There have been many highlights during my short
year and a half of blogging I think the BEST part is
the friendships and connections you make Some of
my closest friends I met through blogging (crazy I
know) Houston Tidbits did a ldquo5 Local Bloggers
We Loverdquo feature about 6 months ago and that was
definitely flattering We got to showcase our favorite
beauty products at a Neiman Marcus party and
the publicity from that led to a lot of other amazing
What are your favorite design products right
now
I have always loved New Ravenna tile and
mosaics They do such incredible work and
have a variety of creative options for kitch-
ens and bathrooms Circa Lighting is my
ldquogo-tordquo for beautiful and classic lighting
and luckily we have a showroom right here
in Houston I love sites like Etsy and 1st
dibs which make finding interesting and un-
usual items easier Itrsquos like a treasure hunt
20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
SPECIAL ORDER THROUGH LAURA U INC20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
Brass Gateway Irons
Gold Scarab Ring Beau amp Arrow
Wyndham Brown Wood Iron
Swivel Barstool ARTERIORS
Phillip Jeffries wallpaper in Belle Eacutepoque
home Marc Corbiau amp Timothy Whealon
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
Pink Chair DuPont Registry
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
In the Light 3 Nicola Parente
Crystal Lighting Windfall
Cocktail Table Pearson
Muliti-Wheat Necklace Tory Burch
Peonies
Copper Shade Pendants Tom Dixon
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
JULIAN CHICHESTER The noteworthy design specialist we have come to love
We love anything and everything Julian Chichester His one
of a kind eclectic design is said to be inspired by fellow Brit
David Hicks and French designer Jean Royegravere Julian Chich-
ester creates an eclectic mix of luxurious furniture that
evokes the home of an experienced world traveler The
London-based designer who had worked as a stockbroker
had his ldquoa-hardquo moment while on a
trip to Thailand and Burma
(wwwGiltcom) He began to im-
port teak outdoor furniture and
then started designing formal in-
door furnishings launching his first
collection in 1995 One can see his
love of color and pattern in the up-
holstered pieces while the lighting
and case goods reveal his fondness
for warmth and texture
Chichesterrsquos contemporary designs
are inspired by tradition and craft
to create timeless furnishings In
the last decade he established an
enviable reputation for classically
inspired quality English Furniture
DESIGN SELECTED SOURCE
Two of our favorite
places to find Julian
Chichester designs are
Gilt and OneKings-
Lane
Our design team loves scouting new and undiscovered artists on Saatchi
Online Saatchirsquos tag line ldquoDiscover Art Get Discoveredrdquo sums up their
premise perfectly Their easy to use ecommerce site full of well organized
up and coming artists provides even the art lover on a budget something
fabulous for their home Here are our favorites from Saatchirsquos ldquoBright
ART TALK
Razzle Dazzle Red by Sara Willett United Kingdom
Starry Starry Naught POP POP or just what is it that makes todays
markets so different so appealing by Scott Hollingsworth Spain
Dancer by Sara Willett United Kingdom
First by Sandro Chkhaidze Georgia
Speed by Claire Desjardins Canada
White Fire by Beatrice Robert UK
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
Anything floral inspired is all the rage for interior design and fashion right now We love the home items from Layla Grayce but adore the perfectly pieced items from Oscar De La Renta
FLOWER FEVER
3 4 2
1
3 The IT
Lamp
Arteriors Castello
Porcelain Lamp
$2210 Layla Grace
Green Floral Otto-
man $2925
shoplauraucom
Awesome
Ottoman 1 4
Keds Sungarden
Sneakers $6200
Madewell
The Cool Kicks 2
Swarovski crystal
floral necklace
$675 Net a Porter
Valentino Necklace
Flower Power Kathe-
rine Sandoz
Wall Wear 5
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
FLO
WER
FEVER
6
10
5
7
8
Versace Floral Pants
$695 ShopBop
Flowered up pants 9
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
Biltmore Hat
$2400 Madewell
Head
Gear 7
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
5
6 7
9
8
Jewel Toned Orimo-
no Pillow $88 An-
thropologie
Orimono
Pillow 10 8
Oscar De La Renta
Tray $795 Net-A-Porter
The Perfect
Tray
Samantha Penner is the is the founder and editor of
the style blog The Peak of Tregraves Chic where she ex-
plores her love of good design fashion travel and
entertaining We were delighted to ask her a few
questions to find out more about her personal life
and what shersquos looking forward to for herself and
her blog
What inspired you to start your successful blog I
originally went to college and studied Energy Man-
agement a business degree with an energy fo-
cus After graduating I began working for an up-
stream oil and gas company here in Houston Alt-
hough the company was wonderful and I made
many friends I wasnrsquot satisfied creatively I felt un-
inspired and overwhelmed with a feeling of ldquois this
itrdquo Meanwhile I began helping friends decorate
their homes and homes and apartments and really
enjoyed the process That led me to start blogging
as a hobby
As I got more involved with my blog I began realiz-
ing that interior design wasnrsquot just a hobby to me- it
was a passion After talking with other bloggers
who had made similar transitions I decided to leave
my oil and gas job and go back to school at The Art
Institute of Houston to pursue my Bachelor of Fine
Best in Blogging Leaving her job in the oil and gas industry Samantha Penner pur-
sues her true passion for Interior Design with a fabulous blog
18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
To continue earning an income while in school I
worked as an assistant to a high-end residential in-
terior designer This job exposed me to the busi-
ness side of design how to keep track of invoicing
and purchasing and dealing directly with cli-
ents It was a wonderful opportunity Then last
October I decided to go to school full-time and be-
gan doing freelance design projects on my
own Running your own business is much more
work than one would expect You have to be okay
with taking risks working around the clock and
but I wouldnrsquot trade it for anything
What keeps you inspired
In the movie The September Issue Grace Cod-
dington says that Norman Parkinson once told her
ldquoAlways keep your eyes openhellip Never go to sleep
in the car or anything like that keep watching- be-
cause whatever you see out the window can inspire
yourdquo I try to live by that quote Of course I love
to read other blogs browse Pinterest and read
shelter magazines and that can be inspiring But
you have to be careful because it can easily stifle
your creativity if you just repeat something some-
one else has done
I try to see new places go visit new restaurants
and change up my day-to-day routine so that I am
continually exposing myself to new things I also
like to book at least 1 trip a year to visit a place
Irsquove never been- either nationally or international-
ly Travel broadens your perspective and enhances
your creativity It teaches you to see familiar
things in a new way Thatrsquos very important to me
In interior design your clients are paying you to
share with them your unique aesthetic
and if you are just recreating some-
thing you have seen someone else do
what good is that It is our job and re-
sponsibility to be up-to-date and
knowledgeable on trends but to use
them as a springboard for creating
something original
What is your Dream Job
I am DOING my dream job As I said
I officially launched my interior design
business The Peak of Tres Chic Design
Studio a few months ago In fact I just wrapped up
my first installation on my own and that was an in-
credibly gratifying feeling Of course I would
love to grow my business and perhaps one day take
on hospitality design projects in addition to resi-
dential As I finish up my degree I have to be se-
lective of what projects I can take on right now If
only there were more hours in the day Irsquod also
love to open an antique store one day Itrsquod be so
fun to travel the world looking for unique items to
sell in my store
Can you Give us a peek into what your dream 18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
(continued) Think silk dupioni drapes Italian wed-
ding chandeliers a winding staircase and skirted
round tables but with touches of animal print and
bright color Irsquod love to have an exterior of white
painted brick with black shutters and a brick flooring
in the kitchen and entry A large backyard with a gar-
den would be lovely too
What is the most exciting opportunity that has come
along since you started your blog
There have been many highlights during my short
year and a half of blogging I think the BEST part is
the friendships and connections you make Some of
my closest friends I met through blogging (crazy I
know) Houston Tidbits did a ldquo5 Local Bloggers
We Loverdquo feature about 6 months ago and that was
definitely flattering We got to showcase our favorite
beauty products at a Neiman Marcus party and
the publicity from that led to a lot of other amazing
What are your favorite design products right
now
I have always loved New Ravenna tile and
mosaics They do such incredible work and
have a variety of creative options for kitch-
ens and bathrooms Circa Lighting is my
ldquogo-tordquo for beautiful and classic lighting
and luckily we have a showroom right here
in Houston I love sites like Etsy and 1st
dibs which make finding interesting and un-
usual items easier Itrsquos like a treasure hunt
20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
SPECIAL ORDER THROUGH LAURA U INC20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
Brass Gateway Irons
Gold Scarab Ring Beau amp Arrow
Wyndham Brown Wood Iron
Swivel Barstool ARTERIORS
Phillip Jeffries wallpaper in Belle Eacutepoque
home Marc Corbiau amp Timothy Whealon
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
Pink Chair DuPont Registry
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
In the Light 3 Nicola Parente
Crystal Lighting Windfall
Cocktail Table Pearson
Muliti-Wheat Necklace Tory Burch
Peonies
Copper Shade Pendants Tom Dixon
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
JULIAN CHICHESTER The noteworthy design specialist we have come to love
We love anything and everything Julian Chichester His one
of a kind eclectic design is said to be inspired by fellow Brit
David Hicks and French designer Jean Royegravere Julian Chich-
ester creates an eclectic mix of luxurious furniture that
evokes the home of an experienced world traveler The
London-based designer who had worked as a stockbroker
had his ldquoa-hardquo moment while on a
trip to Thailand and Burma
(wwwGiltcom) He began to im-
port teak outdoor furniture and
then started designing formal in-
door furnishings launching his first
collection in 1995 One can see his
love of color and pattern in the up-
holstered pieces while the lighting
and case goods reveal his fondness
for warmth and texture
Chichesterrsquos contemporary designs
are inspired by tradition and craft
to create timeless furnishings In
the last decade he established an
enviable reputation for classically
inspired quality English Furniture
DESIGN SELECTED SOURCE
Two of our favorite
places to find Julian
Chichester designs are
Gilt and OneKings-
Lane
Our design team loves scouting new and undiscovered artists on Saatchi
Online Saatchirsquos tag line ldquoDiscover Art Get Discoveredrdquo sums up their
premise perfectly Their easy to use ecommerce site full of well organized
up and coming artists provides even the art lover on a budget something
fabulous for their home Here are our favorites from Saatchirsquos ldquoBright
ART TALK
Razzle Dazzle Red by Sara Willett United Kingdom
Starry Starry Naught POP POP or just what is it that makes todays
markets so different so appealing by Scott Hollingsworth Spain
Dancer by Sara Willett United Kingdom
First by Sandro Chkhaidze Georgia
Speed by Claire Desjardins Canada
White Fire by Beatrice Robert UK
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
FLO
WER
FEVER
6
10
5
7
8
Versace Floral Pants
$695 ShopBop
Flowered up pants 9
Lou Python Bag
$4695 Jimmy Choo
Jimmy
Choo Clutch 6
Biltmore Hat
$2400 Madewell
Head
Gear 7
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 17
5
6 7
9
8
Jewel Toned Orimo-
no Pillow $88 An-
thropologie
Orimono
Pillow 10 8
Oscar De La Renta
Tray $795 Net-A-Porter
The Perfect
Tray
Samantha Penner is the is the founder and editor of
the style blog The Peak of Tregraves Chic where she ex-
plores her love of good design fashion travel and
entertaining We were delighted to ask her a few
questions to find out more about her personal life
and what shersquos looking forward to for herself and
her blog
What inspired you to start your successful blog I
originally went to college and studied Energy Man-
agement a business degree with an energy fo-
cus After graduating I began working for an up-
stream oil and gas company here in Houston Alt-
hough the company was wonderful and I made
many friends I wasnrsquot satisfied creatively I felt un-
inspired and overwhelmed with a feeling of ldquois this
itrdquo Meanwhile I began helping friends decorate
their homes and homes and apartments and really
enjoyed the process That led me to start blogging
as a hobby
As I got more involved with my blog I began realiz-
ing that interior design wasnrsquot just a hobby to me- it
was a passion After talking with other bloggers
who had made similar transitions I decided to leave
my oil and gas job and go back to school at The Art
Institute of Houston to pursue my Bachelor of Fine
Best in Blogging Leaving her job in the oil and gas industry Samantha Penner pur-
sues her true passion for Interior Design with a fabulous blog
18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
To continue earning an income while in school I
worked as an assistant to a high-end residential in-
terior designer This job exposed me to the busi-
ness side of design how to keep track of invoicing
and purchasing and dealing directly with cli-
ents It was a wonderful opportunity Then last
October I decided to go to school full-time and be-
gan doing freelance design projects on my
own Running your own business is much more
work than one would expect You have to be okay
with taking risks working around the clock and
but I wouldnrsquot trade it for anything
What keeps you inspired
In the movie The September Issue Grace Cod-
dington says that Norman Parkinson once told her
ldquoAlways keep your eyes openhellip Never go to sleep
in the car or anything like that keep watching- be-
cause whatever you see out the window can inspire
yourdquo I try to live by that quote Of course I love
to read other blogs browse Pinterest and read
shelter magazines and that can be inspiring But
you have to be careful because it can easily stifle
your creativity if you just repeat something some-
one else has done
I try to see new places go visit new restaurants
and change up my day-to-day routine so that I am
continually exposing myself to new things I also
like to book at least 1 trip a year to visit a place
Irsquove never been- either nationally or international-
ly Travel broadens your perspective and enhances
your creativity It teaches you to see familiar
things in a new way Thatrsquos very important to me
In interior design your clients are paying you to
share with them your unique aesthetic
and if you are just recreating some-
thing you have seen someone else do
what good is that It is our job and re-
sponsibility to be up-to-date and
knowledgeable on trends but to use
them as a springboard for creating
something original
What is your Dream Job
I am DOING my dream job As I said
I officially launched my interior design
business The Peak of Tres Chic Design
Studio a few months ago In fact I just wrapped up
my first installation on my own and that was an in-
credibly gratifying feeling Of course I would
love to grow my business and perhaps one day take
on hospitality design projects in addition to resi-
dential As I finish up my degree I have to be se-
lective of what projects I can take on right now If
only there were more hours in the day Irsquod also
love to open an antique store one day Itrsquod be so
fun to travel the world looking for unique items to
sell in my store
Can you Give us a peek into what your dream 18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
(continued) Think silk dupioni drapes Italian wed-
ding chandeliers a winding staircase and skirted
round tables but with touches of animal print and
bright color Irsquod love to have an exterior of white
painted brick with black shutters and a brick flooring
in the kitchen and entry A large backyard with a gar-
den would be lovely too
What is the most exciting opportunity that has come
along since you started your blog
There have been many highlights during my short
year and a half of blogging I think the BEST part is
the friendships and connections you make Some of
my closest friends I met through blogging (crazy I
know) Houston Tidbits did a ldquo5 Local Bloggers
We Loverdquo feature about 6 months ago and that was
definitely flattering We got to showcase our favorite
beauty products at a Neiman Marcus party and
the publicity from that led to a lot of other amazing
What are your favorite design products right
now
I have always loved New Ravenna tile and
mosaics They do such incredible work and
have a variety of creative options for kitch-
ens and bathrooms Circa Lighting is my
ldquogo-tordquo for beautiful and classic lighting
and luckily we have a showroom right here
in Houston I love sites like Etsy and 1st
dibs which make finding interesting and un-
usual items easier Itrsquos like a treasure hunt
20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
SPECIAL ORDER THROUGH LAURA U INC20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
Brass Gateway Irons
Gold Scarab Ring Beau amp Arrow
Wyndham Brown Wood Iron
Swivel Barstool ARTERIORS
Phillip Jeffries wallpaper in Belle Eacutepoque
home Marc Corbiau amp Timothy Whealon
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
Pink Chair DuPont Registry
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
In the Light 3 Nicola Parente
Crystal Lighting Windfall
Cocktail Table Pearson
Muliti-Wheat Necklace Tory Burch
Peonies
Copper Shade Pendants Tom Dixon
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
JULIAN CHICHESTER The noteworthy design specialist we have come to love
We love anything and everything Julian Chichester His one
of a kind eclectic design is said to be inspired by fellow Brit
David Hicks and French designer Jean Royegravere Julian Chich-
ester creates an eclectic mix of luxurious furniture that
evokes the home of an experienced world traveler The
London-based designer who had worked as a stockbroker
had his ldquoa-hardquo moment while on a
trip to Thailand and Burma
(wwwGiltcom) He began to im-
port teak outdoor furniture and
then started designing formal in-
door furnishings launching his first
collection in 1995 One can see his
love of color and pattern in the up-
holstered pieces while the lighting
and case goods reveal his fondness
for warmth and texture
Chichesterrsquos contemporary designs
are inspired by tradition and craft
to create timeless furnishings In
the last decade he established an
enviable reputation for classically
inspired quality English Furniture
DESIGN SELECTED SOURCE
Two of our favorite
places to find Julian
Chichester designs are
Gilt and OneKings-
Lane
Our design team loves scouting new and undiscovered artists on Saatchi
Online Saatchirsquos tag line ldquoDiscover Art Get Discoveredrdquo sums up their
premise perfectly Their easy to use ecommerce site full of well organized
up and coming artists provides even the art lover on a budget something
fabulous for their home Here are our favorites from Saatchirsquos ldquoBright
ART TALK
Razzle Dazzle Red by Sara Willett United Kingdom
Starry Starry Naught POP POP or just what is it that makes todays
markets so different so appealing by Scott Hollingsworth Spain
Dancer by Sara Willett United Kingdom
First by Sandro Chkhaidze Georgia
Speed by Claire Desjardins Canada
White Fire by Beatrice Robert UK
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
Samantha Penner is the is the founder and editor of
the style blog The Peak of Tregraves Chic where she ex-
plores her love of good design fashion travel and
entertaining We were delighted to ask her a few
questions to find out more about her personal life
and what shersquos looking forward to for herself and
her blog
What inspired you to start your successful blog I
originally went to college and studied Energy Man-
agement a business degree with an energy fo-
cus After graduating I began working for an up-
stream oil and gas company here in Houston Alt-
hough the company was wonderful and I made
many friends I wasnrsquot satisfied creatively I felt un-
inspired and overwhelmed with a feeling of ldquois this
itrdquo Meanwhile I began helping friends decorate
their homes and homes and apartments and really
enjoyed the process That led me to start blogging
as a hobby
As I got more involved with my blog I began realiz-
ing that interior design wasnrsquot just a hobby to me- it
was a passion After talking with other bloggers
who had made similar transitions I decided to leave
my oil and gas job and go back to school at The Art
Institute of Houston to pursue my Bachelor of Fine
Best in Blogging Leaving her job in the oil and gas industry Samantha Penner pur-
sues her true passion for Interior Design with a fabulous blog
18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
To continue earning an income while in school I
worked as an assistant to a high-end residential in-
terior designer This job exposed me to the busi-
ness side of design how to keep track of invoicing
and purchasing and dealing directly with cli-
ents It was a wonderful opportunity Then last
October I decided to go to school full-time and be-
gan doing freelance design projects on my
own Running your own business is much more
work than one would expect You have to be okay
with taking risks working around the clock and
but I wouldnrsquot trade it for anything
What keeps you inspired
In the movie The September Issue Grace Cod-
dington says that Norman Parkinson once told her
ldquoAlways keep your eyes openhellip Never go to sleep
in the car or anything like that keep watching- be-
cause whatever you see out the window can inspire
yourdquo I try to live by that quote Of course I love
to read other blogs browse Pinterest and read
shelter magazines and that can be inspiring But
you have to be careful because it can easily stifle
your creativity if you just repeat something some-
one else has done
I try to see new places go visit new restaurants
and change up my day-to-day routine so that I am
continually exposing myself to new things I also
like to book at least 1 trip a year to visit a place
Irsquove never been- either nationally or international-
ly Travel broadens your perspective and enhances
your creativity It teaches you to see familiar
things in a new way Thatrsquos very important to me
In interior design your clients are paying you to
share with them your unique aesthetic
and if you are just recreating some-
thing you have seen someone else do
what good is that It is our job and re-
sponsibility to be up-to-date and
knowledgeable on trends but to use
them as a springboard for creating
something original
What is your Dream Job
I am DOING my dream job As I said
I officially launched my interior design
business The Peak of Tres Chic Design
Studio a few months ago In fact I just wrapped up
my first installation on my own and that was an in-
credibly gratifying feeling Of course I would
love to grow my business and perhaps one day take
on hospitality design projects in addition to resi-
dential As I finish up my degree I have to be se-
lective of what projects I can take on right now If
only there were more hours in the day Irsquod also
love to open an antique store one day Itrsquod be so
fun to travel the world looking for unique items to
sell in my store
Can you Give us a peek into what your dream 18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
(continued) Think silk dupioni drapes Italian wed-
ding chandeliers a winding staircase and skirted
round tables but with touches of animal print and
bright color Irsquod love to have an exterior of white
painted brick with black shutters and a brick flooring
in the kitchen and entry A large backyard with a gar-
den would be lovely too
What is the most exciting opportunity that has come
along since you started your blog
There have been many highlights during my short
year and a half of blogging I think the BEST part is
the friendships and connections you make Some of
my closest friends I met through blogging (crazy I
know) Houston Tidbits did a ldquo5 Local Bloggers
We Loverdquo feature about 6 months ago and that was
definitely flattering We got to showcase our favorite
beauty products at a Neiman Marcus party and
the publicity from that led to a lot of other amazing
What are your favorite design products right
now
I have always loved New Ravenna tile and
mosaics They do such incredible work and
have a variety of creative options for kitch-
ens and bathrooms Circa Lighting is my
ldquogo-tordquo for beautiful and classic lighting
and luckily we have a showroom right here
in Houston I love sites like Etsy and 1st
dibs which make finding interesting and un-
usual items easier Itrsquos like a treasure hunt
20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
SPECIAL ORDER THROUGH LAURA U INC20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
Brass Gateway Irons
Gold Scarab Ring Beau amp Arrow
Wyndham Brown Wood Iron
Swivel Barstool ARTERIORS
Phillip Jeffries wallpaper in Belle Eacutepoque
home Marc Corbiau amp Timothy Whealon
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
Pink Chair DuPont Registry
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
In the Light 3 Nicola Parente
Crystal Lighting Windfall
Cocktail Table Pearson
Muliti-Wheat Necklace Tory Burch
Peonies
Copper Shade Pendants Tom Dixon
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
JULIAN CHICHESTER The noteworthy design specialist we have come to love
We love anything and everything Julian Chichester His one
of a kind eclectic design is said to be inspired by fellow Brit
David Hicks and French designer Jean Royegravere Julian Chich-
ester creates an eclectic mix of luxurious furniture that
evokes the home of an experienced world traveler The
London-based designer who had worked as a stockbroker
had his ldquoa-hardquo moment while on a
trip to Thailand and Burma
(wwwGiltcom) He began to im-
port teak outdoor furniture and
then started designing formal in-
door furnishings launching his first
collection in 1995 One can see his
love of color and pattern in the up-
holstered pieces while the lighting
and case goods reveal his fondness
for warmth and texture
Chichesterrsquos contemporary designs
are inspired by tradition and craft
to create timeless furnishings In
the last decade he established an
enviable reputation for classically
inspired quality English Furniture
DESIGN SELECTED SOURCE
Two of our favorite
places to find Julian
Chichester designs are
Gilt and OneKings-
Lane
Our design team loves scouting new and undiscovered artists on Saatchi
Online Saatchirsquos tag line ldquoDiscover Art Get Discoveredrdquo sums up their
premise perfectly Their easy to use ecommerce site full of well organized
up and coming artists provides even the art lover on a budget something
fabulous for their home Here are our favorites from Saatchirsquos ldquoBright
ART TALK
Razzle Dazzle Red by Sara Willett United Kingdom
Starry Starry Naught POP POP or just what is it that makes todays
markets so different so appealing by Scott Hollingsworth Spain
Dancer by Sara Willett United Kingdom
First by Sandro Chkhaidze Georgia
Speed by Claire Desjardins Canada
White Fire by Beatrice Robert UK
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
To continue earning an income while in school I
worked as an assistant to a high-end residential in-
terior designer This job exposed me to the busi-
ness side of design how to keep track of invoicing
and purchasing and dealing directly with cli-
ents It was a wonderful opportunity Then last
October I decided to go to school full-time and be-
gan doing freelance design projects on my
own Running your own business is much more
work than one would expect You have to be okay
with taking risks working around the clock and
but I wouldnrsquot trade it for anything
What keeps you inspired
In the movie The September Issue Grace Cod-
dington says that Norman Parkinson once told her
ldquoAlways keep your eyes openhellip Never go to sleep
in the car or anything like that keep watching- be-
cause whatever you see out the window can inspire
yourdquo I try to live by that quote Of course I love
to read other blogs browse Pinterest and read
shelter magazines and that can be inspiring But
you have to be careful because it can easily stifle
your creativity if you just repeat something some-
one else has done
I try to see new places go visit new restaurants
and change up my day-to-day routine so that I am
continually exposing myself to new things I also
like to book at least 1 trip a year to visit a place
Irsquove never been- either nationally or international-
ly Travel broadens your perspective and enhances
your creativity It teaches you to see familiar
things in a new way Thatrsquos very important to me
In interior design your clients are paying you to
share with them your unique aesthetic
and if you are just recreating some-
thing you have seen someone else do
what good is that It is our job and re-
sponsibility to be up-to-date and
knowledgeable on trends but to use
them as a springboard for creating
something original
What is your Dream Job
I am DOING my dream job As I said
I officially launched my interior design
business The Peak of Tres Chic Design
Studio a few months ago In fact I just wrapped up
my first installation on my own and that was an in-
credibly gratifying feeling Of course I would
love to grow my business and perhaps one day take
on hospitality design projects in addition to resi-
dential As I finish up my degree I have to be se-
lective of what projects I can take on right now If
only there were more hours in the day Irsquod also
love to open an antique store one day Itrsquod be so
fun to travel the world looking for unique items to
sell in my store
Can you Give us a peek into what your dream 18 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 19
(continued) Think silk dupioni drapes Italian wed-
ding chandeliers a winding staircase and skirted
round tables but with touches of animal print and
bright color Irsquod love to have an exterior of white
painted brick with black shutters and a brick flooring
in the kitchen and entry A large backyard with a gar-
den would be lovely too
What is the most exciting opportunity that has come
along since you started your blog
There have been many highlights during my short
year and a half of blogging I think the BEST part is
the friendships and connections you make Some of
my closest friends I met through blogging (crazy I
know) Houston Tidbits did a ldquo5 Local Bloggers
We Loverdquo feature about 6 months ago and that was
definitely flattering We got to showcase our favorite
beauty products at a Neiman Marcus party and
the publicity from that led to a lot of other amazing
What are your favorite design products right
now
I have always loved New Ravenna tile and
mosaics They do such incredible work and
have a variety of creative options for kitch-
ens and bathrooms Circa Lighting is my
ldquogo-tordquo for beautiful and classic lighting
and luckily we have a showroom right here
in Houston I love sites like Etsy and 1st
dibs which make finding interesting and un-
usual items easier Itrsquos like a treasure hunt
20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
SPECIAL ORDER THROUGH LAURA U INC20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
Brass Gateway Irons
Gold Scarab Ring Beau amp Arrow
Wyndham Brown Wood Iron
Swivel Barstool ARTERIORS
Phillip Jeffries wallpaper in Belle Eacutepoque
home Marc Corbiau amp Timothy Whealon
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
Pink Chair DuPont Registry
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
In the Light 3 Nicola Parente
Crystal Lighting Windfall
Cocktail Table Pearson
Muliti-Wheat Necklace Tory Burch
Peonies
Copper Shade Pendants Tom Dixon
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
JULIAN CHICHESTER The noteworthy design specialist we have come to love
We love anything and everything Julian Chichester His one
of a kind eclectic design is said to be inspired by fellow Brit
David Hicks and French designer Jean Royegravere Julian Chich-
ester creates an eclectic mix of luxurious furniture that
evokes the home of an experienced world traveler The
London-based designer who had worked as a stockbroker
had his ldquoa-hardquo moment while on a
trip to Thailand and Burma
(wwwGiltcom) He began to im-
port teak outdoor furniture and
then started designing formal in-
door furnishings launching his first
collection in 1995 One can see his
love of color and pattern in the up-
holstered pieces while the lighting
and case goods reveal his fondness
for warmth and texture
Chichesterrsquos contemporary designs
are inspired by tradition and craft
to create timeless furnishings In
the last decade he established an
enviable reputation for classically
inspired quality English Furniture
DESIGN SELECTED SOURCE
Two of our favorite
places to find Julian
Chichester designs are
Gilt and OneKings-
Lane
Our design team loves scouting new and undiscovered artists on Saatchi
Online Saatchirsquos tag line ldquoDiscover Art Get Discoveredrdquo sums up their
premise perfectly Their easy to use ecommerce site full of well organized
up and coming artists provides even the art lover on a budget something
fabulous for their home Here are our favorites from Saatchirsquos ldquoBright
ART TALK
Razzle Dazzle Red by Sara Willett United Kingdom
Starry Starry Naught POP POP or just what is it that makes todays
markets so different so appealing by Scott Hollingsworth Spain
Dancer by Sara Willett United Kingdom
First by Sandro Chkhaidze Georgia
Speed by Claire Desjardins Canada
White Fire by Beatrice Robert UK
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
(continued) Think silk dupioni drapes Italian wed-
ding chandeliers a winding staircase and skirted
round tables but with touches of animal print and
bright color Irsquod love to have an exterior of white
painted brick with black shutters and a brick flooring
in the kitchen and entry A large backyard with a gar-
den would be lovely too
What is the most exciting opportunity that has come
along since you started your blog
There have been many highlights during my short
year and a half of blogging I think the BEST part is
the friendships and connections you make Some of
my closest friends I met through blogging (crazy I
know) Houston Tidbits did a ldquo5 Local Bloggers
We Loverdquo feature about 6 months ago and that was
definitely flattering We got to showcase our favorite
beauty products at a Neiman Marcus party and
the publicity from that led to a lot of other amazing
What are your favorite design products right
now
I have always loved New Ravenna tile and
mosaics They do such incredible work and
have a variety of creative options for kitch-
ens and bathrooms Circa Lighting is my
ldquogo-tordquo for beautiful and classic lighting
and luckily we have a showroom right here
in Houston I love sites like Etsy and 1st
dibs which make finding interesting and un-
usual items easier Itrsquos like a treasure hunt
20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
SPECIAL ORDER THROUGH LAURA U INC20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
Brass Gateway Irons
Gold Scarab Ring Beau amp Arrow
Wyndham Brown Wood Iron
Swivel Barstool ARTERIORS
Phillip Jeffries wallpaper in Belle Eacutepoque
home Marc Corbiau amp Timothy Whealon
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
Pink Chair DuPont Registry
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
In the Light 3 Nicola Parente
Crystal Lighting Windfall
Cocktail Table Pearson
Muliti-Wheat Necklace Tory Burch
Peonies
Copper Shade Pendants Tom Dixon
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
JULIAN CHICHESTER The noteworthy design specialist we have come to love
We love anything and everything Julian Chichester His one
of a kind eclectic design is said to be inspired by fellow Brit
David Hicks and French designer Jean Royegravere Julian Chich-
ester creates an eclectic mix of luxurious furniture that
evokes the home of an experienced world traveler The
London-based designer who had worked as a stockbroker
had his ldquoa-hardquo moment while on a
trip to Thailand and Burma
(wwwGiltcom) He began to im-
port teak outdoor furniture and
then started designing formal in-
door furnishings launching his first
collection in 1995 One can see his
love of color and pattern in the up-
holstered pieces while the lighting
and case goods reveal his fondness
for warmth and texture
Chichesterrsquos contemporary designs
are inspired by tradition and craft
to create timeless furnishings In
the last decade he established an
enviable reputation for classically
inspired quality English Furniture
DESIGN SELECTED SOURCE
Two of our favorite
places to find Julian
Chichester designs are
Gilt and OneKings-
Lane
Our design team loves scouting new and undiscovered artists on Saatchi
Online Saatchirsquos tag line ldquoDiscover Art Get Discoveredrdquo sums up their
premise perfectly Their easy to use ecommerce site full of well organized
up and coming artists provides even the art lover on a budget something
fabulous for their home Here are our favorites from Saatchirsquos ldquoBright
ART TALK
Razzle Dazzle Red by Sara Willett United Kingdom
Starry Starry Naught POP POP or just what is it that makes todays
markets so different so appealing by Scott Hollingsworth Spain
Dancer by Sara Willett United Kingdom
First by Sandro Chkhaidze Georgia
Speed by Claire Desjardins Canada
White Fire by Beatrice Robert UK
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
SPECIAL ORDER THROUGH LAURA U INC20 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 LAURAU 21
Brass Gateway Irons
Gold Scarab Ring Beau amp Arrow
Wyndham Brown Wood Iron
Swivel Barstool ARTERIORS
Phillip Jeffries wallpaper in Belle Eacutepoque
home Marc Corbiau amp Timothy Whealon
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
Pink Chair DuPont Registry
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
In the Light 3 Nicola Parente
Crystal Lighting Windfall
Cocktail Table Pearson
Muliti-Wheat Necklace Tory Burch
Peonies
Copper Shade Pendants Tom Dixon
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
JULIAN CHICHESTER The noteworthy design specialist we have come to love
We love anything and everything Julian Chichester His one
of a kind eclectic design is said to be inspired by fellow Brit
David Hicks and French designer Jean Royegravere Julian Chich-
ester creates an eclectic mix of luxurious furniture that
evokes the home of an experienced world traveler The
London-based designer who had worked as a stockbroker
had his ldquoa-hardquo moment while on a
trip to Thailand and Burma
(wwwGiltcom) He began to im-
port teak outdoor furniture and
then started designing formal in-
door furnishings launching his first
collection in 1995 One can see his
love of color and pattern in the up-
holstered pieces while the lighting
and case goods reveal his fondness
for warmth and texture
Chichesterrsquos contemporary designs
are inspired by tradition and craft
to create timeless furnishings In
the last decade he established an
enviable reputation for classically
inspired quality English Furniture
DESIGN SELECTED SOURCE
Two of our favorite
places to find Julian
Chichester designs are
Gilt and OneKings-
Lane
Our design team loves scouting new and undiscovered artists on Saatchi
Online Saatchirsquos tag line ldquoDiscover Art Get Discoveredrdquo sums up their
premise perfectly Their easy to use ecommerce site full of well organized
up and coming artists provides even the art lover on a budget something
fabulous for their home Here are our favorites from Saatchirsquos ldquoBright
ART TALK
Razzle Dazzle Red by Sara Willett United Kingdom
Starry Starry Naught POP POP or just what is it that makes todays
markets so different so appealing by Scott Hollingsworth Spain
Dancer by Sara Willett United Kingdom
First by Sandro Chkhaidze Georgia
Speed by Claire Desjardins Canada
White Fire by Beatrice Robert UK
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
Brass Gateway Irons
Gold Scarab Ring Beau amp Arrow
Wyndham Brown Wood Iron
Swivel Barstool ARTERIORS
Phillip Jeffries wallpaper in Belle Eacutepoque
home Marc Corbiau amp Timothy Whealon
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
Pink Chair DuPont Registry
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
In the Light 3 Nicola Parente
Crystal Lighting Windfall
Cocktail Table Pearson
Muliti-Wheat Necklace Tory Burch
Peonies
Copper Shade Pendants Tom Dixon
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
JULIAN CHICHESTER The noteworthy design specialist we have come to love
We love anything and everything Julian Chichester His one
of a kind eclectic design is said to be inspired by fellow Brit
David Hicks and French designer Jean Royegravere Julian Chich-
ester creates an eclectic mix of luxurious furniture that
evokes the home of an experienced world traveler The
London-based designer who had worked as a stockbroker
had his ldquoa-hardquo moment while on a
trip to Thailand and Burma
(wwwGiltcom) He began to im-
port teak outdoor furniture and
then started designing formal in-
door furnishings launching his first
collection in 1995 One can see his
love of color and pattern in the up-
holstered pieces while the lighting
and case goods reveal his fondness
for warmth and texture
Chichesterrsquos contemporary designs
are inspired by tradition and craft
to create timeless furnishings In
the last decade he established an
enviable reputation for classically
inspired quality English Furniture
DESIGN SELECTED SOURCE
Two of our favorite
places to find Julian
Chichester designs are
Gilt and OneKings-
Lane
Our design team loves scouting new and undiscovered artists on Saatchi
Online Saatchirsquos tag line ldquoDiscover Art Get Discoveredrdquo sums up their
premise perfectly Their easy to use ecommerce site full of well organized
up and coming artists provides even the art lover on a budget something
fabulous for their home Here are our favorites from Saatchirsquos ldquoBright
ART TALK
Razzle Dazzle Red by Sara Willett United Kingdom
Starry Starry Naught POP POP or just what is it that makes todays
markets so different so appealing by Scott Hollingsworth Spain
Dancer by Sara Willett United Kingdom
First by Sandro Chkhaidze Georgia
Speed by Claire Desjardins Canada
White Fire by Beatrice Robert UK
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
DESIGNER faves
Bond Vintage Brass Snow Marble Desk Lamp Project Decor
In the Light 3 Nicola Parente
Crystal Lighting Windfall
Cocktail Table Pearson
Muliti-Wheat Necklace Tory Burch
Peonies
Copper Shade Pendants Tom Dixon
22 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 23
JULIAN CHICHESTER The noteworthy design specialist we have come to love
We love anything and everything Julian Chichester His one
of a kind eclectic design is said to be inspired by fellow Brit
David Hicks and French designer Jean Royegravere Julian Chich-
ester creates an eclectic mix of luxurious furniture that
evokes the home of an experienced world traveler The
London-based designer who had worked as a stockbroker
had his ldquoa-hardquo moment while on a
trip to Thailand and Burma
(wwwGiltcom) He began to im-
port teak outdoor furniture and
then started designing formal in-
door furnishings launching his first
collection in 1995 One can see his
love of color and pattern in the up-
holstered pieces while the lighting
and case goods reveal his fondness
for warmth and texture
Chichesterrsquos contemporary designs
are inspired by tradition and craft
to create timeless furnishings In
the last decade he established an
enviable reputation for classically
inspired quality English Furniture
DESIGN SELECTED SOURCE
Two of our favorite
places to find Julian
Chichester designs are
Gilt and OneKings-
Lane
Our design team loves scouting new and undiscovered artists on Saatchi
Online Saatchirsquos tag line ldquoDiscover Art Get Discoveredrdquo sums up their
premise perfectly Their easy to use ecommerce site full of well organized
up and coming artists provides even the art lover on a budget something
fabulous for their home Here are our favorites from Saatchirsquos ldquoBright
ART TALK
Razzle Dazzle Red by Sara Willett United Kingdom
Starry Starry Naught POP POP or just what is it that makes todays
markets so different so appealing by Scott Hollingsworth Spain
Dancer by Sara Willett United Kingdom
First by Sandro Chkhaidze Georgia
Speed by Claire Desjardins Canada
White Fire by Beatrice Robert UK
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
JULIAN CHICHESTER The noteworthy design specialist we have come to love
We love anything and everything Julian Chichester His one
of a kind eclectic design is said to be inspired by fellow Brit
David Hicks and French designer Jean Royegravere Julian Chich-
ester creates an eclectic mix of luxurious furniture that
evokes the home of an experienced world traveler The
London-based designer who had worked as a stockbroker
had his ldquoa-hardquo moment while on a
trip to Thailand and Burma
(wwwGiltcom) He began to im-
port teak outdoor furniture and
then started designing formal in-
door furnishings launching his first
collection in 1995 One can see his
love of color and pattern in the up-
holstered pieces while the lighting
and case goods reveal his fondness
for warmth and texture
Chichesterrsquos contemporary designs
are inspired by tradition and craft
to create timeless furnishings In
the last decade he established an
enviable reputation for classically
inspired quality English Furniture
DESIGN SELECTED SOURCE
Two of our favorite
places to find Julian
Chichester designs are
Gilt and OneKings-
Lane
Our design team loves scouting new and undiscovered artists on Saatchi
Online Saatchirsquos tag line ldquoDiscover Art Get Discoveredrdquo sums up their
premise perfectly Their easy to use ecommerce site full of well organized
up and coming artists provides even the art lover on a budget something
fabulous for their home Here are our favorites from Saatchirsquos ldquoBright
ART TALK
Razzle Dazzle Red by Sara Willett United Kingdom
Starry Starry Naught POP POP or just what is it that makes todays
markets so different so appealing by Scott Hollingsworth Spain
Dancer by Sara Willett United Kingdom
First by Sandro Chkhaidze Georgia
Speed by Claire Desjardins Canada
White Fire by Beatrice Robert UK
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
Two of our favorite
places to find Julian
Chichester designs are
Gilt and OneKings-
Lane
Our design team loves scouting new and undiscovered artists on Saatchi
Online Saatchirsquos tag line ldquoDiscover Art Get Discoveredrdquo sums up their
premise perfectly Their easy to use ecommerce site full of well organized
up and coming artists provides even the art lover on a budget something
fabulous for their home Here are our favorites from Saatchirsquos ldquoBright
ART TALK
Razzle Dazzle Red by Sara Willett United Kingdom
Starry Starry Naught POP POP or just what is it that makes todays
markets so different so appealing by Scott Hollingsworth Spain
Dancer by Sara Willett United Kingdom
First by Sandro Chkhaidze Georgia
Speed by Claire Desjardins Canada
White Fire by Beatrice Robert UK
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
Our design team loves scouting new and undiscovered artists on Saatchi
Online Saatchirsquos tag line ldquoDiscover Art Get Discoveredrdquo sums up their
premise perfectly Their easy to use ecommerce site full of well organized
up and coming artists provides even the art lover on a budget something
fabulous for their home Here are our favorites from Saatchirsquos ldquoBright
ART TALK
Razzle Dazzle Red by Sara Willett United Kingdom
Starry Starry Naught POP POP or just what is it that makes todays
markets so different so appealing by Scott Hollingsworth Spain
Dancer by Sara Willett United Kingdom
First by Sandro Chkhaidze Georgia
Speed by Claire Desjardins Canada
White Fire by Beatrice Robert UK
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
Dancer by Sara Willett United Kingdom
First by Sandro Chkhaidze Georgia
Speed by Claire Desjardins Canada
White Fire by Beatrice Robert UK
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
WHERE IN THE WORLD HOUSTON LOCAL EVENTS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
1
ART OPENING RECEPTION THE BLUE TREES
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Konstantin Dimopouloss temporary public art in-
stallation The Blue Trees comes to Houston and
Galveston as part of the international conversa-
tion about deforestation and its global impact
The blue trees are visible to anyone traveling
along Memorial or across the Waugh Bat Bridge
16 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 29
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
2
FLORESCENCE 2013 TREASURE
April 16th amp 17th Museum of Fine Arts
Florescence held in the Caroline
Wiess Law Building showcases
floral and horticulture arrange-
ments by garden club experts
renowned floral designers and
other noted personalities Many
of the flower arrangements are
interpretations of masterpieces
from the MFAH art collections
Other exhibits include arrange-
ments from the Asia Society Fed-
erated Garden Clubs Texas
State Floral Association and floral
-design students at Lamar High
School Photography Credit Culture Map
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
30 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 31
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
Market Square Park located on 420 Travis
St in downtown Houston is hosting a one
month long Rolling Roadshow featuring
timeless classic films you can enjoy under
the stars Perfect for city dwellers who
donrsquot want to travel far for an outside one
-of-a-kind movie event
3 ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE ROLLING ROADSHOW
March 27th thru July 10th Market Square Park
SHOWTIMES April 17 8 pm ndash Singing in the Rain
May 4 8 pm ndash Three Amigos
May 15 830 pm ndash Best in Show
June 5 830 pm ndash Bernie
June 21 8 pm ndash American Graffiti
July 10 830 pm ndash National Lam-
poons Vacation
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
ADVERTISEMENT
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
1 BRASS HORSE
One of our most favored collections is our assortment of refurbished brass animals The
collection is from the Mid Modern Holly-wood Regency Eames Era This brass
vintage horse has been professionally re-polished and sealed to bring out
its true brilliant shine Available soon in our One Kingrsquos Lane Store
2 GEOMETRIC THROW
Dress up any space with this sym-metrically designed throw to em-bellish your sofas chairs or bed
Soft to feel and elegant in design this geometric pattern throw is a
stylish way to enhance your living space or bedroom with texture and
warmth Available now on shoplauraucom
3 FASHION NAPKIN RINGS
What better way to embellish your fabulous dinner than with elegant statement napkin rings These beautiful agate napkin holders turn an everyday meal into a special occasion Coming soon to shoplauraucom
4 MODERN TABLE
Donrsquot miss our custom built brass table Com-plete any room with this exquisitely one-of-a kind table Table top covered in a cream sha-green topped off with a custom cut glass and lays on a brass base It is sure to make a state-ment on its own Sold on shoplauraucom
4 STYLISH SERVICE
For serving storing or just to show off featur-ing fresh takes on our signature abstract and nature patterns The Labyrinth Tray adds retro-chic style to everyday deacutecor and your next home soiree This hand screen-printed glass in a lacquered frame Hangs with wooden wall cleat provided
SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE
34 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
lauraucom
DISCOVER MORE AT LAURAUCOM
D E S I G N P O R F O L I O
S H O P P I N G
C O N T A C T S H E E T
D E S I G N B L O G
L A U R A U S E R V I C E S
L O O K B O O K
your design source
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
Can you say
COLOR
1stdibs Classic Mid Century Tub Chairs Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Pair of Brass Acanthus Leaf
Sconces by Paavo Tynell
Mel Bochner ldquoBlah Blah Blahrdquo
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
Pinning amp Pining
What Our Clientrsquos
Love
Now
Can you say
COLOR 1st dibs Malachite
amp Diamond Ring
ALEXIS BITTAR Large Ophe-
lia Hummingbird Bracelet
Antonio Berardi Neon wrap-
effect stretch-crepe dress
Bungalow 5 Furniture Horses
Rectangle Nesting Boxes
Mid-Century Mazzega Custom
Emerald Green Chandelier
Narciso Rodriguez Lizard Envelope Clutch
Boca do Lobo
Giuseppe Zanotti
Follow Laura U on Pinterest
pinterestcomlaurauinc
36 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 37
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
Oddly Organized founded by Jason Reeves is a professional organizing amp styling compa-
ny based in Houston TX We will transform your home or office into a functional work of
art We will de-clutter your environment and organize every inch of your space until itrsquos
beautiful on the outside and perfectly labeled categorized filed and efficient on the in-
side of every closet cabinet drawer nook and cranny
Jason has been organizing everything in
his path since he was just a little boy
when he felt compelled to line up his
stuffed animals and toy trucks perfectly
by size and color After graduating from
UT Austin and spending over a decade in
LA as a television producer he decided
to return to Texas and make a career out
of his odd childhood penchant for order
and neatness
Hersquos racked up numerous high profile clients including The Ellen DeGeneres Show who
hired him to organize a brand new home for the talk show hostrsquos 1 fan outside of Hou-
ston See that story here He believes that a beautifully organized space leads to a re-
energized environment and in-
spires people to become more
efficient effective clearheaded
all-around better versions of
themselves ldquo
Jason has been organizing everything in his
path since he was just a little boy when he
felt compelled to line up his stuffed animals
and toy trucks perfectly by size and colorrdquo
Column by Jason Reeves Photos by Reed Davis courtesy of wayfaircom
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
L etrsquos face it Januaryrsquos resolutions and good intentions almost never pan
out and the dawn of Spring is the NEW New Yearrsquos Eve Therersquos just
something about the lengthening of days and blooming of flowers that practically
beg you to make a fresh start in some area of your life While for many of us that
means working ourselves into a panicked frenzy of exercising and cutting calories
in a last-ditch attempt to look good in a bathing suit another area that deserves
extra care and attention is the physical space that you live or work in every day
1 Decide to do it and get excited While the idea of Spring Cleaning can seem
daunting at best (and miserable at worst) it can actually be pretty addictive and even
fun once you get going Focus on the image of how you would like your home or office
to look like in all its squeaky clean efficiently organized glory Imagine how excited
yoursquoll feel and how inspired yoursquoll be to conquer other endeavors once your day-to-day
surroundings are clutter-free sparkling and beautiful Then make the commitment and
invest the time to make your vision come true
2 Make a plan and donrsquot get overwhelmed Assess what your most pressing
organizing needs are in your home or office and rank them Tons of mail and paperwork
piled up Clothes overtaking the closet Not ever being able to find anything in your
kitchen Choosing one big project thatrsquos been bothering you for ages is a great way to
Jasonrsquos Top Ten Tips to Get Your Home or Office in Tip Top Shape for Spring
38 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 39
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
3 Get prepared The quickest way to derail a new project is to go in unprepared If
you get started only to realize you canrsquot find a tool you need or you have to go to the
store to get more cleaning supplies or a container of some sorthellipwell then you might just
decide to blow the whole thing off until next year Prepare yourself by making a list of all
the areas of the home or office you want to focus on and then making sub-lists of every-
thing you might need to clean and organize each area Then purchase and gather all of
these items in one place and get to work
4 Start by purging Getting rid of the un-
necessary and redundant items that have taken
over your home or office can feel just as reju-
venating and cleansing as getting a facial or a full body scrub Go through your closet
with a fine-toothed comb and discard anything that is sooo last season never going to fit
on your body again or that you havenrsquot worn in over a year Go through your kitchen and
donate anything that you have no idea what purpose it serves and have certainly never
used to cook with Go through the entire house or office group like items together pick
the best one or two and donate or recycle the rest Purging is the best way to maximize
your space and once yoursquore done yoursquoll see the light at the end of the tunnel begin to
appear
5 Make some money For the items you are purging try to sell any valuable pieces
in bulk at a consignment shop Most of them require you to simply send them a few pic-
tures and theyrsquoll let you know right away if they think they can sell your belongings for a
decent profit (MAI is good for antique
furniture Real Real for designer clothes
The Charity Guild for not-quite-designer-
but-still-worthy articleshellipand many
more) Or try your hand at EBay if you
are especially enterprising as you can of-
ten get a bigger payoff if yoursquore willing to
put in the extra effort Or if you just
want the items out of your life with no
extra steps donate them to Goodwill and
feel good that your trash will become
someone elsersquos treasure
ldquoGet rid of the unnecessary
and redundant itemshelliprdquo
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
6 ldquoSeasonalizerdquo your closet Itrsquos time to stash your winter clothes away and bring
your brighter skimpier spring-colored clothing back into prominent display Buy colorful fab-
ric boxes to store and protect your sweaters and scarves and stash them on the top shelf or
in the back of your closet Create sections of like articles of clothing that are arranged in
your closet according to how often you need to access them (Daily office clothing towards
the front weekend casual further back or on the other side off-season or formal wear to-
wards the very back) Tag articles that need to be mended or have a button replaced as you
go and color coordinate each section for maximum visual appeal
7 Clean everything inside and out Many people associate
Spring Cleaning with washing the baseboards windows curtains etc
ndash all good stuff But you should also take this opportunity to clean
ldquobehind the scenesrdquo as well Re-organizing a cabinet room or entire
house usually involves removing the items from their current location
to regroup them and reassess where they should live in a way thatrsquos
more efficient and functional to your lifestyle As long as yoursquore re-
moving these items you should take the time to wipe down shelves
and drawers dust areas that have long been hidden by clutter and
make your space as pristinely clean as it was when you first moved
in
8 Make it pretty Organizing isnrsquot just about filing and sortinghellipit can be a way to en-
hance your existing deacutecor while also serving a purpose Buy colorful organizers andor con-
tainers with fun patterns that complement the existing palette of your home or office Con-
sider arranging all of your books by groups of color vs genre (which works best with smaller
libraries) to turn your bookshelf into an attractive display Turn all your glasses the same way
and stack your dishes neatly Line up your shoes and clothing in the same direction Every-
thing should look orderly and beautiful even if itrsquos inside a cabinet or drawer
Closet Tips from
Jasonrsquos Guest Spot
on The Ellen De-
Generes Show
40 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 41
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
9 Label everything One of the best ways to main-
tain your newly organized space is to put labels on every
cabinet shelf container etc Of course using a label
maker is ideal but a simple handwritten label will suf-
fice If you donrsquot want it to be visible find a hidden spot
to place it on the inside of a door or drawer but donrsquot
forego the label entirely Not only will YOU know exactly
where to return an item to its proper place but so will
your spouse co-workers children andor housekeeper
which will only increase the odds that your new system will re-
main intact
10 Keep it going Devote a little bit of time every day to
keeping your home or office clean and organized Put items
back where they belong after yoursquore finished using them (using
your labels as a guide) Separate your dry cleaning and hang everything in its correct sec-
tion (and donrsquot slack on the color-coordination) Spend a few minutes every day sorting and
opening your mail so it doesnrsquot pile up and become too overwhelming to manage Donrsquot let
all of your hard work be short lived by reverting back to past disorganized habits
Hopefully these tips will help get you on your way to a beautifully organized home or
an office that runs like a well-oiled machine But if your clutter still seems too daunt-
ing to tackle on your own then herersquos one more
BONUS TIP Hire a Professional Organizer
Your Favoritehellip Interior Designers Laura U Lucinda Loya amp Randy Powers
Fashion Designer Tom Ford
Blogs wwworganizedhomecom wwwbuzzfeedcom
Place to Vacation NYCConnecticut in winter any beach in summer
Places to Shop Rye 51 Billy Reid amp Sakrsquos sales rack
Whatrsquos one of your dreams House in River Oaks decorated by one of afore-
mentioned designers
Restaurant in Houston Tonyrsquos or RDG
Trends Bold colors ldquodesignerrdquo organization products
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
The entire Laura U Team worked tirelessly to execute this spectacular space in just under two months Hours and
hours of work went into making this previously underwhelming room one of the most unique in the house
Thank you to our devoted staff of designers interns our purchasing agent and our fabulous vendors for making
this Writerrsquos Cottage truly come together
Thank you to Our Generous Vendors
Laura U Incrsquos Writerrsquos Cottage
2013 Preservation Houston Villa de Luxe Showhouse
MWM Construction Mike Materna
Mecox Gardens
Carl Moore Antiques
Heines Custom Drapery
Custom Designs Upholstery
Tessera
Pride of Persia
Unique Carpets
Schumacher
Pindler amp Pindler
Robert AllenBeacon Hill
Texas Woodworks
Accents in Iron
Circa Lighting
Mel DeWees Fine Art
ldquo The space is reimagined through the eyes of a
1920rsquos world traveler presently settled at the
Villa de Luxe The lsquoWriterrsquos Cottagersquo encom-
passes a collection from his voyage abroad He now
resides in Houston settled to write a novel of his
worldly travels as he attends to this grand estaterdquo
Laura Ursquos Writerrsquos
Cottage is featured
in the April 2013
Edition of
Houstonrsquos Luxe
magazine
Pick up a copy today
ROOM CONCEPT
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE Terrain $4995
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Zazzlecom Zazzlecom
AHALIFE $18400
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
DESIGN ENVY OMBRE DESIGN ENVY OMBRE
Quotient
$180000
Barovier
$145000
Terrain $4995
Nendo
Chandra $123
Target $3000
46 LAURAU JanuarymdashMarch 2013 2013 JanuarymdashMarch LAURAU 47
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
LAURA U| GET THE LOOK
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
One of our favorite projects is this light and airy
home we designed in Highland Park in Dallas TX
The homeowner was looking for a soft and relaxing
respite from hectic big-city life We exceeded their
expectations by incorporating luxurious fabrics
patterns and metallic finishes to polish their contem-
porary-chic formal living room
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
See you in
April 2013
ldquoAlthough no one can go back and make a brand new
start anyone can start from now and make a brand
new endingrdquo
― Carl Bard
ldquo Its spring fever That is what the name of
it is And when youve got it you want - oh
you dont quite know what it is
you do want but it just fairly makes your
heart ache you want it sordquo
- Mark Twain
See You in
July 2013