There are so many wonderful features in the May-June issue of Veranda, and I was particularly delighted to read an article on well-dressed windows stating, “From pleated tails to tent flaps, lavish curtains with couture trimmings make a red-carpet return—with all the pomp of their predecessors.” The article showcases John Fowler and his protege Mario Buatta, who were masters with curtains, along with current designers embracing the style including Miles Redd, Alex Papachristidis, Alessandra Branca, Katie Ridder, and more.
Two years ago, I espoused my passion for Couture Curtains and Dressmaker Draperies, and after decades of minimalism, I am thrilled to see them return! Please click over to my post from 2019 to read more, and I have included a sneak peek of some of the curtains I designed for our new Dallas home below…
Based in Atlanta, Lauren E. Lowe enjoys designing bespoke spaces for creating beautiful memories. She founded Lauren Elaine Interiors in 2016 and has become known for her signature relaxed and elegant style. Her work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Veranda Online, Elle Decor Online, Martha Stewart Online, Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, Modern Luxury’s The Atlantan, and more. Today, we are delighted to welcome Lauren to The Glam Pad for a Style Profile Q&A… Welcome Lauren!
Lauren E. Lowe
Q: When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in interior design, and what did your career path look like?
A: When my parents gave me the Barbie dream house when I was in kindergarten, I was beyond disappointed when I put my Barbie furniture into each room – the bed took up the entire bedroom and you could only fit a sofa in the living room. I abandoned the house and made rooms on the bookshelves in my playroom, even making drapery and pillows using scrap fabric. As they watched my passion unfold, my parents subscribed me to Architectural Digest and Traditional Home right away. I got my education from SCAD and the University of Georgia with a focus on commercial design. I grew up thinking I was going to decorate houses, but I was drawn to the exclusivity and rigor of the commercially-focused education. I worked for 7 years at a commercial firm in Atlanta that designed office spaces. I am so thankful I took that detour because I learned so much about space planning, running a team and running a business. I did eventually realize that that path was indeed a detour – commercial designers are completely different than residential designers. I didn’t have the ability to sit in small details and spend intimate time with my clients. The end goal was to fulfill a timeline, a brand and a bottom line. I care more about fulfilling a feeling, a memory and all the quiet details. With tons of support and encouragement from my husband, I quit in 2016 and founded Lauren Elaine Interiors. l started with zero leads and zero dollars. It was a lonely road in the beginning, but I am so proud of my journey and where I am today.
Q: How do you define your style?
A: A layered mix of old and new – traditional balanced with touches of contemporary; a study in the juxtaposition of masculine and feminine. I love a feminine touch used in a way that doesn’t feel girly at all and am forever inspired by menswear, thanks to my stylish father from New England. Definitely more of an anglophile than a francophile.
Q: Who are your favorite designers (past and present)?
A: The masters of collected and layered interiors: Albert Hadley, Billy Baldwin, Matthew Carter, Ashley Whitaker, Miles Redd, Markham Roberts, Stephen Sills, Thom Scheer, Michelle R Smith, Robert Passal, Gil Schaffer.
Q: Do you have any favorite go-to paints, wallpapers, linens, artists, etc.
A: Every project has its own identity, but I always come back to stripes, especially those inspired by menswear. Japer, Classic Cloth, Marvic and Bennison are my favorite fabric lines. I am sucker for a faded floral fabric on a tea stain background, camel browns, braided sisal rugs, and antique pieces with a shell carving motif. We always go through all paint manufacturers to select the best paint color for a project, but Farrow & Ball and Fine Paints of Europe usually do have the most subtle, complex and livable paint colors.
Q: So many people have been feathering their nests during covid, and many tradespersons and supply chains are backed up. How has this affected your business?
A: Covid and its fallout has really affected our industry. Leadtimes are much longer than normal, prices are rising, demand is high, and we are watching selections fly out of stock. We are also seeing pesky surcharges on freight fees, which are a pain to explain to our clients. Luckily, we have a Project Manager on our staff whose sole job is to place orders and monitor timelines, so she keeps close tabs on all our orders and is in constant communication with our clients. It’s really just another problem to solve creatively. We are able to reserve fabric and wallpaper quantities for our clients, utilize a local upholstery resource for all of our upholstered pieces and source a lot of vintage and antique items which all helps eliminate some of the extraneous wait time … the decorating must go on!
Q: What are your thoughts on the Grandmillennial movement?
A: I am thrilled that the rise of traditional design has gone viral and now has a trend name. My love for traditional design has not wavered since the early 90’s (Ralph Lauren Home forever!). Although I consider myself to be less girly/ruffly than the peak of what we are deeming “grandmillennial,” I identify with the movement as a whole and would rather see it take over the world than “urban farmhouse” or big box stores that rhyme with Schmrestoration Hardware. My only concern is keeping timeless icons timeless and not feeling like a trend. I had a client tell me she thought if we used Bowood fabric it would be too trendy and that upset me. I explained that while this might be popular right now, it has been timeless and will continue to be timeless for those who identify with layered traditional interiors.
Q: What are some of your tips for incorporating beauty into your everyday life?
A: Working to create beautiful moments in everyday life has been my focus since childhood. Making my surrounding areas beautiful affect how I feel and the tone of my memories. If you think back on favorite vacations or time in favorite restaurants, chances are that the beauty of those surroundings has a lot to do with the positive feelings of those memories. House plants and fresh flowers are a must. Collections of treasures that bring you joy or spark a memory should be on easy display. Make everyday tasks into a beautiful experience, such as dining, with a pretty set of tableware/linens and candlelight. Have speakers in the areas of your home where you cook, dine and lounge so there’s lovely music playing in the background. There is so much beauty in the world, why not make as much of your life as beautiful as possible?
Q: What are 5 everyday luxuries you could not live without?
A: Loads of books and coffee table books (bookshelves full of actual books are of extreme importance to me), collections of plates and table linens, fresh flowers, beautiful bespoke stationary, striped button-down shirts.
Q: When you aren’t busy designing, what do you enjoy doing in your free time?
A: I try to reserve as much of my free time for family as possible. Being a mom to young children makes time pass at warp speed, so I am doing my best not to blink and miss it! Otherwise, I enjoy hosting & entertaining, gardening, and alone time to read my shelter magazines and coffee table books. Post-Covid and post-pregnancy, travel is up next, and I can’t wait (baby girl Lowe is due in July!)!
Q: What are your goals for Lauren Elaine Interiors over the next five years?
A: My goal for LEI is to keep going. We have an amazing team and process in place that I hope will continue to yield clients with passions aligned with what we do best and care about the details. I want to keep LEI a very boutique luxury service by preserving my ability to be intimately involved with every client and detail. We also have some preliminary conversations and ideas open about products and writing that I am excited to keep moving forward.
Q: Anything else you would like to add?
A: Thank you for having me and for carrying beautiful, layered traditional interiors onwards and upwards!
Photography by Mary Catherine Brownfield and Emily Followill.
We have been in our new home just over a year, and I am having such fun decorating! But our garage and backyard renovation are a complete disaster with no end in sight. In the meantime, I have been gathering landscaping ideas, dreaming of the day we can use our backyard at long last! In our last Dallas home, we had mounds of hydrangeas, and I have missed them dearly. Fortunately, I can turn to Gina @gncgarden in Denmark, to enjoy what are quite possibly the most beautiful hydrangeas in the world! With nearly 200K followers on Instagram, Gina has developed a loyal following of garden enthusiasts, and her bountiful white Annabelle hydrangeas are instantly recognizable. Of course there are other flowers too throughout the seasons, including tulips of all varieties, purple Alliums, Narcissus, Hyacinths, Daffodils, beautiful Boxwoods, and various pink hydrangea… But the fluffy, dreamy Annabelles are certainly Gina’s signature flower. Let’s take a peek in the garden!
And how precious is Carlo, Gina’s beloved Cavalier King Charles Spaniel?! We have been considering getting another dog – if we can ever finish our backyard – possibly a Cavalier!
To see more of Gina’s gorgeous garden and for ongoing inspiration, please follow @gncgarden on Instagram.
When it comes to celebrating our number one man, there’s no better present than the gift of quality time — in every sense of the word! (We happen to know a dad or two with a timeless timepiece near the top of the wishlist, second only to an afternoon well spent with you, of course!)
Our loving, hard-working dads deserve a little down-time, that’s for sure. But in 2021, one thing from which he definitely deserves a break (at least just this year) is the tie. A recent Wall Street Journal article pondered whether ties will “ever be relevant again,” but there’s no need to put ourselves into knots over the issue: instead, look to comfortable, yet crisp duds for dad, such as performance polos and quarter-zip sweaters. And for when he’s not on the clock, smart lounge pants or a tailored robe make a great gift. More ideas below (Father’s Day is June 20, 2021!).
Instagram is an endless source for inspiration, and it has also opened the door to many small businesses over the years. Today, we are featuring Plate and Plaid, a home decor business created by Kim Dowdle in 2016. Kim lives in Raleigh, NC with her husband, two children, and their dog. She has always had a love of shopping and an eye for design so when she began selling some of her own things on a local Facebook site, she decided she would try and make it into a career and full time job. Instagram seemed to be the right fit and it took off from there.
Kim has since gained nearly 25,000 followers and ships all over the country. She is a one woman show and besides a local delivery or post office stop by her supportive husband, she runs everything herself. The shopping of course, photographs, vignette creation, pricing, and all the shipping.
On Instagram @plateandplaid, Kim posts photos of her home and items available for purchase. Monday night at 7:30 EST a large selection of items are added and a few more throughout the week. These sales showcase unique items in a gorgeous setting. Styling is just as fun for Kim as the shopping, and it is so very important when deciding on an item. She is always changing things around and offering new items, so be sure to check back in regularly. Let’s take a peek inside her beautiful home!
Kim’s exquisite Chinoiserie wallpaper was an Etsy find!
I think we may need a Christmas tour in December! 🙂
For ongoing inspiration and sales, please follow Kim @plateandplaid. You can also check her current inventory at plateandplaid.com. And if you are looking for guidance on how to style the perfect bookcase “shelfie” or gallery wall, please email Kim for additional information!
Summer is officially here, and we are excited to spend more time entertaining, enjoying the outdoors, and dressing up again over the next few months! Between pool mornings and afternoon bbqs, here are a few of our favorite things we’re loving for summer from the Memorial Day sales:
Serena & Lily is 20% off sitewide — perfect for stocking up on essentials like beach towels or those bistro chairs you’ve been eyeing
15% off our must-have protective pet covers from our friends at Fursatile
Frontgate is on sale, and we have our eye on planters
MANGO — our not-so-secret source for chic European style is 30% off sitewide and H&M is 20% off
Most importantly, this weekend, we pause and honor the heroes who have fought for our freedom, some making the ultimate sacrifice, and for that we are grateful. Wishing you and yours a meaningful Memorial Day weekend.
Umbrellas and bottles are popping open this weekend to mark the unofficial kickoff to summer, and with that comes a sale we simply can’t resist shopping and sharing! Serena & Lily is 20% off sitewide, and we are fond of their chic home decor collection for many reasons, not least of which is its versatility.
Wicker furniture can be woven into a traditional design setting, abundant gingham fabric options are pleasing to the Grandmillennial set, and classic patio sets stand the test of time in both form and function. We are making our own updates to home and garden this weekend, and here are just a few of our favorite sale picks that we’re shopping now!
P.S. Have you followed us on LikeToKnow.it? We have put all of our latest edits and looks in one place where you can shop directly from the LikeToKnow.it app. Download it here, search “The Glam Pad,” and follow us so you never miss a post!
We’re a pair of old Grandmillennial souls, but every now and then, even The Glam Pad is ready to refresh and redecorate! We have some exciting updates underway, starting with a fantastic giveaway!
We are absolutely delighted to have partnered with the interior design mavens at MADRE Dallas as they celebrate an Instagram milestone on the heels of their recent cover feature in Southern Living, and not only have we collaborated for the mother of all giveaways: a $250 gift card plus to MADRE and two Liberty print wet/dry bags (perfect for pool and beach bag!), but we are also thrilled to welcome the Madres—Mia, Kerri, and Louise—who we get to know better in today’s Style Profile.
Keep reading to learn about one of our favorite Dallas design sources and to find out how to enter to win!
All photos courtesy of Madre
Q. Tell us about MADRE. How did you get your name, who are “the Madres,” and how did your business get started?
MADRE opened in 2015 and was started by Mia Brous, Kerri Goldfarb, and Louise Marsh: the MADREs. Basically we are three great friends that all LOVE design and would spend our time together talking about fabrics, paint and rooms. We had done a small pop-up together and when a great location on W. Lovers Lane. opened up, we decided to jump on it and start our retail-design adventure! We are all moms and have 11 children between us. It seemed that no matter what we were doing, it all essentially came back to the main thread that we are mothers or “madres.” We treat our employees, clients, vendors and customers with care and compassion, so the name Madre seemed fitting and succinctly embodies who we are.
Q. What was your vision when you started, and how did you emerge into interior design?
MADRE was started on the premise that it is hard to find accessible, great design. When we were designing independently, a lot of clients would first come to us to design their nurseries. It is often times the first room many people get to design from scratch. There is no furniture coming in that you already own, and it becomes its own special space. It is such a wonderful time in peoples’ lives, and (the nursery) is a room that creates such lasting memories. We wanted MADRE to be a space where you could come customize any of your rooms and make it special.
Q. How would you describe your decorating style?
Our style is definitely a combination of elements. It is all about balancing the colors, patterns, and materials. We want our spaces to feel sophisticated yet playful, classic but not dated, layered but not stuffy, and most of all, create happiness for you or your family to love being at home!
Q. Where do you source inspiration and/or mentorship?
Inspiration is everywhere! We get most inspired by fabrics and wallpapers. We love different color combinations and patterns and how they play off of each other. There are so many wonderful designers with great work to be inspired by! We love Katie Ridder, Lisa Fine, Jeffrey Bilhuber, Mark Sikes, Miles Redd, Celerie Kemble… The list goes on and on. Take elements you love from rooms you see in books or Pinterest and try and bring those to life in your own way in your home. Louise and Mia actually did internships with Richard Keith Langham in New York, so I guess you could say he is definitely one of our mentors!
Q.What are your top 5 MADRE must-haves that you can’t live without?
We love everything we buy and make! If we don’t love it, we won’t sell it – That is our very sophisticated buying model! We can’t live without the big things like the MADRE upholstered headboards, daybeds and custom-made tables, and then our favorite small items we use every day: our Liberty pouches and mom-essentials like our heated neck wrap to relax with all the chaos and printed tablecloths to quickly dress-up the dinner table.
Q. What are some style/design elements that you think are distinct or signature to our decorating style here in Dallas?
Dallas seems to be on board with color which makes us very happy! Our clients and customers also seem to really appreciate their home life and want to make it a special retreat. Especially with Covid, everyone has spent more time together as a family, entertaining inside their home or in the backyard. We love that people here want to invest in making wonderful spaces!
Q. What’s your favorite…
Way to spend a girls’ night? Talking about design 🙂 with cocktails and great music or always love an evening walk in summer!
Throw-on, everyday outfit? White jeans, sneakers or flats for running around and a colorful top!
Cocktail? Ranch Water or Palomarita
Lipstick color? Coral tones – we always love that color
Decorating splurge? Custom metal doors, mural wallpaper, custom lampshades on everything! Art you will have forever!
Guilty Pleasure? Extra-long salt baths and dark chocolate, late-night sister phone calls
Q. What are you currently working on that we can look forward to in the coming months?
We have so many fun projects! We have local clients needing small spaces redone to building whole houses, and we have lots of out-of-town clients needing help to create adorable kids’ rooms. Each client has a little bit of a different personality, so it is great adjusting our style to fit their vision and make unique spaces come to life for everyone! We can’t wait for June issue of PaperCity to feature one of our favorite projects. We came out with a needlepoint pillow collaboration and we are working on other styles and sayings that make great gifts. We continue to create new furniture pieces and headboard shapes so will see where the wind blows us!
Loved what you saw? Enter our giveaway to win a $250 gift card to MADRE and two of the Madres’ favorite Liberty print wet/dry bags, perfect for packing your beach or pool bag! Here’s what to do:
Tag friends in separate comments — the more, the better!
Good luck! In the mean time, shop some of our favorite MADRE finds below. So many thanks to Madre for collaborating with us on this fun giveaway and Style Profile!
I was sad to miss the 4th Annual Kips Bay Show House Palm Beach this year… several friends said it was the best one yet. Fortunately, the celebrated photographer, Carmel Brantley of Brantley Photography, is granting us an inside tour! The home chosen was a 4,400 square-foot, five-bedroom Mediterranean located on the South Flagler Drive waterfront in West Palm Beach. Twenty designers from across the country created inspiring spaces, transforming the home into a tropical paradise.
Let’s start with Brittany Bromley’s bedroom and bath, designed to serve as a respite from everyday life. Named “Jardin des Perroquets,” the room was designed around the pink parakeets from the de Gournay wallpaper.
Photography by Carmel Brantley, design by Brittany BromleyPhotography by Carmel Brantley, design by Brittany BromleyPhotography by Carmel Brantley, design by Brittany BromleyPhotography by Carmel Brantley, design by Brittany BromleyPhotography by Carmel Brantley, design by Brittany BromleyPhotography by Carmel Brantley, design by Brittany BromleyPhotography by Carmel Brantley, design by Brittany BromleyPhotography by Carmel Brantley, design by Brittany BromleyPhotography by Carmel Brantley, design by Brittany BromleyPhotography by Carmel Brantley, design by Brittany Bromley
Ellen Kavanaugh designed a lovely second-floor treetop terrace with an island resort vibe.
Photography by Carmel Brantley, design by Ellen KavanaughPhotography by Carmel Brantley, design by Ellen KavanaughPhotography by Carmel Brantley, design by Ellen KavanaughPhotography by Carmel Brantley, design by Ellen Kavanaugh
Mally Skok created a “Sunny Spot” second floor passageway that serves as an area to catch up on reading or with a friend.
Photography by Carmel Brantley, design by Mally SkokPhotography by Carmel Brantley, design by Mally SkokPhotography by Carmel Brantley, design by Mally Skok
Benjamin Deaton envisioned what Bunny Mellon might do today when turning the formal living room into a a comfortable space with a Florida vibe.
Photography by Carmel Brantley, design by Benjamin DeatonPhotography by Carmel Brantley, design by Benjamin DeatonPhotography by Carmel Brantley, design by Benjamin DeatonPhotography by Carmel Brantley, design by Benjamin Deaton
Mikel Welch’s wanted his ultrasleek informal living room to be a “palette cleanser.” He calls it “Fred Flinstone 2021.”
Photography by Carmel Brantley, design by Mikel WelchPhotography by Carmel Brantley, design by Mikel Welch
Alexandra Naranjo created a bathroom that is a tropical delight, complete with a royal blue bathtub!
Photography by Carmel Brantley, design by Alexandra NaranjoPhotography by Carmel Brantley, design by Alexandra NaranjoPhotography by Carmel Brantley, design by Alexandra Naranjo
Photography by Carmel Brantley, design by Kemble InteriorsPhotography by Carmel Brantley, design by Kemble Interiors
Lisa Hynes and Heather Weisz of HW Interiors created a glamorous laundry room, complete with doggie bathing station!
Photography by Carmel Brantley, design by HW Interiors
SMI Landscape Architecture turned an exterior wall into a secret garden, covering the walls with a leaf-patterned lattice painted Aegean Teal by Benjamin Moore.
Photography by Carmel Brantley, design by SMI Landscape ArchitecturePhotography by Carmel Brantley, design by SMI Landscape ArchitecturePhotography by Carmel Brantley, design by SMI Landscape ArchitecturePhotography by Carmel Brantley, design by SMI Landscape ArchitecturePhotography by Carmel Brantley, design by SMI Landscape Architecture
If you were unable to visit the Kips Bay Show House Palm Beach in-person this year, you can still view the house virtually! Click here for additional information on the virtual tour.
All proceeds from the Kips Bay Decorator Show House Palm Beach benefit the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club and Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County.
Once upon a time, Memorial Day weekend heralded an all-too-brief season during which white shoes were at last deemed permissible (until Labor Day, that is). These days we’re a bit more footloose when it comes to wearing white year-round, but the month of May still marks the peak of chic when it comes to white dresses.
Whether your occasion is baby, bridal, graduation, or garden party, here are some of our latest favorites for a summer of white-hot style!
And have you followed us on LikeToKnow.it? We have put all of our latest edits and looks in one place where you can shop directly from the LikeToKnow.it app. Download it here, search “The Glam Pad,” and follow us so you never miss a post!
by Lacelliese King
