We gush about readers on a regular basis throughout our Cup of Jo workforce conferences, and Lauren O. is a reputation that usually comes up. A reader from the start, she has left many hilarious and heartwarming feedback (assume: “Cling unfastened my goose“, a birthday realization, and what occurred when she deleted Pokémon GO from her cellphone). Different readers have requested to study extra about her, so at the moment we’re thrilled to function her one-bedroom Manhattan condo, which she shares together with her husband, Joe, and two darling cats…
LIVING AREA
Chairs: classic Niels Otto Møller from Housing Works Thrift. Throw pillows: Pendleton. Stereo: “Joe’s audiophile ‘Frankensystem’ — it’s a Linn turntable on a customized plinth with a Leben amp beside it, and DeVore Constancy audio system.”
On transferring to New York: Joe and I got here from San Francisco to Manhattan in 2003 in order that I may intern at a PR journal. We initially thought we’d simply keep for the summer season, so the transfer felt low stress. However then we sneaky fell in love with the town. Earlier than New York, I’d by no means actually discovered a metropolis that spoke to me. So, on the finish of my internship, once I was provided a full-time job, my reply was ‘After all.’
Purple lamp on file shelf: Nicholas Furrow. Report cabinets: “Joe and our buddy George made them.” Media middle: Design Inside Attain thrifted by way of Craigslist, comparable. Purple lamp on espresso desk: Mantar.
On private type: Our design vibe is much like the Bergdorf Goodman vacation home windows, in the event that they had been made by and for raccoons, since we love shiny issues. I’d additionally describe it as a metropolitan goblin really feel — there’s plenty of information, books, orbs, minerals and rocks.
Artwork mural: thrifted from Housing Works. Report shelf: CB2, comparable. Pink lamp: classic, by way of Furlong. Plant shelf: Ethnicraft. Espresso desk: Jordan Crowell. Purple lamp: Mantar. Sectional: Saba Italia. Moth throw pillow: Timorous Beasties. Rug: Saint-Ouen flea market in Paris.
On bursts of colour: Earlier than the pandemic, there was undoubtedly much less colour within the condo. However as soon as we had been caught right here on a regular basis, we wished to brighten issues up. Joe was truly the one who stated, ‘Now we have to get a pink sectional.’ So, we went for it.
On a journey custom: I used to volunteer on the Housing Works bookstore, and sooner or later a mysterious Frenchman got here in asking if we had any copies of George Orwell’s novel 1984. We pulled out all these totally different editions, and he was over the moon, saying that whereas touring, he all the time goes to native bookstores and asks for an version of 1984 from their nation. I believed that was the very best concept. The guide was revealed in a zillion languages, and it has been launched in new editions. In case you learn the varied introductions, folks love to border it by way of their nation’s present political second; it’s an fascinating lens by which to see different locations. I’ve now taken his custom on as my very own.
On fibre artwork: I am going by random phases the place I get the urge to make fibre artwork. I made a Debbie Harry portrait throughout our first summer season in New York, when Joe was as a paralegal and by no means dwelling. A number of years later, I embroidered a portrait of David Bowie on a purse for a contest held by the now defunct purse model Rachel Nasvik. I ended up successful!
Lauren and Maya
On beloved cat kids: We adopted our cat Matty in Anaheim, California, whereas I used to be down there visiting household. He had been a stray operating round in some parking zone, and we discovered him on Petfinder. Then we adopted Maya a 12 months in the past. She was initially dwelling together with her 5 kittens in a kill shelter in Tennessee, after which one way or the other all of them ended up on Staten Island? The truth that she ended up there together with her infants all the time makes me snicker as a result of it jogs my memory of Madonna’s music video Papa Don’t Preach.
BEDROOM
Basket: Swahili African Trendy. Blue bench: West Elm. Tiger throw pillows: Williams Sonoma. Cover: “A white West Elm comforter I acquired on tremendous clearance after which tie-dyed and appliquéd with a bunch of quilting scraps.”
On a long-time love: Joe and I met 26 years in the past, whereas learning overseas on the College of Oxford in England. For certainly one of our first dinners, he made me this incredible, sophisticated, vegetarian Thai soup — regardless that he lived in pupil housing with a crappy kitchen shared with a dozen folks, and he had to buy groceries in a small city in 1999 the place good components had been onerous to come back by. That gesture meant a lot to me as a result of prior to now, earlier boyfriends made me really feel like shit for being a vegetarian. Prefer it was a problem to work round. However Joe has all the time taken my wants significantly and my eccentricities in stride — like once I wake him up in the midst of the evening as a result of I’m unhappy about the way in which individuals are imply to pigeons — and he all the time actually hears me and makes me really feel taken care of.
Gold dachshunds: classic by way of Atlantis Residence.
On favourite books: I’m ceaselessly recommending Kelly Hyperlink’s Magic for Rookies, a collection of brief fantasy tales. You possibly can really feel your mind rising new wrinkles and buying new neural pathways as you learn. She’s simply so inventive and I’ve such a crush on the way in which she places her tales collectively. I can’t think about anybody not discovering this guide magical.
Paint: Middleton Pink from Farrow & Ball. Mushroom throw pillow: John Derian for Goal. Mushroom print: David Shrigley. Wolf print: “From a pageant in Montreal. I noticed them all around the subway and ended up writing to the pageant’s workforce asking if I may purchase one. They then despatched me a pair totally free.” Mattress: CB2. Velvet blue throw pillows: West Elm and Timorous Beasties. Brass bookcase: One Kings Lane, comparable.
On mushroom decor: It began with submitting a pitch to Mushroom Individuals Journal about an artist who made shrouds inoculated with mushroom spores that you may be buried in. In principle, the mushroom would eat you. Placing that piece collectively ended up spurring a lifelong mushroom enthusiasm. I’m now a part of the New York Mycological Society, a gaggle of citizen scientists and foragers who’re actually into mushrooms and tremendous beneficiant with their data. Now throughout walks, I fetch sticks with thrilling issues rising on them and current them to the extra skilled members like a retriever with a Frisbee.
Brass bookcase: One Kings Lane, comparable.
On touring with dad and mom: The image of the little lady is my mother. A pair years in the past, Joe and I began a convention of happening trip together with her and my stepdad Doug. Mother and I really like strolling round all day, so we’ll placed on our cozy footwear and head out. Then Joe and Doug will go to a sports activities bar and chat about baseball factoids. For our first journey, we went to the U.Ok., and I discovered a pond in the midst of the Hampstead Heath that solely ladies can swim in. And regardless that it was November and freezing, my mother and I jumped in. After that, we determined we had been formally pond scum and needed to swim all over the place we traveled. In Iceland, we went to the lagoons, and once we go to my sisters, we all the time choose a lodge or trip rental with a pool.
ENTRYWAY
Credenza: classic. White lamp: Verner Panton. Rhino: gifted from her mom.
On particular presents: My mom shocked me with this rhino for Christmas. She was an artwork historical past main who took a bunch of studio artwork courses, like furniture- and rug-making programs. When she and my dad acquired married, they had been as poor as church mice, so they principally made every part of their condo. Her factor was that when you ponder one thing lengthy sufficient, you’ll be able to determine a cool solution to make it. She is an enormous affect on my sisters and me. We’re all the time questioning, ‘What can I make to go in our house?’ and ‘What can I make for different folks to indicate them how a lot I really like them?’
KITCHEN
On working round previous design selections: Our kitchen could be very a lot not our type. But it surely was model new once we moved in and is in actually nice situation, so I can’t think about spending cash on ripping out the counters. As a workaround, I’ve added private touches. I’ve been switching out the cupboard knobs separately, so none of them match. Some are snails, some mushrooms, one is a resin knob with a bunch of moss inside. I additionally began drawing this mural. Altering the kitchen initially felt like an annoying process, nevertheless it has changed into this house of giving myself permission to do no matter I need. And that’s been very liberating.
Thanks a lot, Lauren. We like you! By no means cease commenting!
P.S. Extra dwelling excursions, together with a a reader’s ‘introvert nook’ and a yoga instructor whose Manhattan studio condo is a love letter to ladies.
(Pictures by Christine Han for Cup of Jo.)
