We gush about readers on a regular basis throughout our Cup of Jo group conferences, and Lauren O. is a reputation that always comes up. A reader from the start, she has left many hilarious and heartwarming feedback (assume: “Hang loose my goose“, a birthday realization, and what happened when she deleted Pokémon GO from her phone). Different readers have requested to be taught extra about her, so immediately we’re thrilled to function her one-bedroom Manhattan condominium, 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 come from San Francisco to Manhattan in 2003 in order that I might intern at a PR journal. We initially thought we’d simply keep for the summer time, so the transfer felt low stress. However then we sneaky fell in love with 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 report shelf: Nicholas Furrow. File cabinets: “Joe and our pal George made them.” Media heart: Design Inside Attain thrifted by way of Craigslist, similar. Purple lamp on espresso desk: Mantar.
On private fashion: Our design vibe is just like the Bergdorf Goodman vacation home windows, in the event that they have been made by and for raccoons, since we love shiny issues. I’d additionally describe it as a metropolitan goblin really feel — there’s a lot of information, books, orbs, minerals and rocks.
Artwork mural: thrifted from House Works. File shelf: CB2, similar. Pink lamp: classic, by way of Furlong. Plant shelf: Ethnicraft. Espresso desk: Jordan Crowell. Purple lamp: Mantar. Sectional: Saba Italia, similar. Moth throw pillow: Timorous Beasties. Rug: Saint-Ouen flea market in Paris.
On bursts of coloration: Earlier than the pandemic, there was positively much less coloration within the condominium. However as soon as we have been caught right here on a regular basis, we wished to brighten issues up. Joe was really the one who mentioned, ‘We’ve got to get a pink sectional.’ So, we went for it.
On a journey custom: I used to volunteer on the Housing Works bookstore, and someday 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 assumed 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 assorted introductions, folks love to border it when it comes to 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 time in New York, when Joe was as a paralegal and by no means dwelling. Just a few 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 profitable!
Lauren and Maya
On beloved cat kids: We adopted our cat Maddie in Anaheim, California, whereas I used to be down there visiting household. He had been a stray working round in some parking zone, and we discovered him on Petfinder. Then we adopted Maya a yr in the past. She was initially dwelling together with her 5 kittens in a kill shelter in Tennessee, after which by some means all of them ended up on Staten Island? The truth that she ended up there together with her infants all the time makes me snort as a result of it jogs my memory of Madonna’s music video Papa Don’t Preach.
BEDROOM
Basket: Swahili African Modern. 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 finding out overseas on the College of Oxford in England. For one in all our first dinners, he made me this unbelievable, difficult, vegetarian Thai soup — although he lived in scholar housing with a crappy kitchen shared with a dozen folks, and he had to buy groceries in a small city within the early aughts the place good components have been laborious to return by. That gesture meant a lot to me as a result of up 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 critically and my eccentricities in stride — like once I wake him up in the midst of the night time as a result of I’m unhappy about the best way persons 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 Home.
On favourite books: I’m eternally recommending Kelly Hyperlink’s Magic for Beginners, a collection of quick fantasy tales. You’ll be able to really feel your mind rising new wrinkles and buying new neural pathways as you learn. She’s simply so artistic and I’ve such a crush on the best way 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 group asking if I might purchase one. They then despatched me a pair free of charge.” Mattress: CB2. Velvet blue throw pillows: West Elm and Timorous Beasties. Brass bookcase: One Kings Lane, similar.
On mushroom decor: It began with submitting a pitch to Mushroom People Magazine about an artist who made shrouds inoculated with mushroom spores that you might 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, similar.
On touring with mother and father: The image of the little lady is my mother. A pair years in the past, Joe and I began a practice of occurring trip together with her and my stepdad Doug. Mother and I really like strolling round all day, so we’ll placed on our comfortable 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.Okay., and I discovered a lake in the middle of the Hampstead Heath that only women can swim in. And although it was November and freezing, my mother and I jumped in. After that, we determined we have been formally pond scum and needed to swim in all places we traveled. In Iceland, we went to the lagoons, and after 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 have been as poor as church mice, so they basically made everything in their apartment. Her factor was that should you ponder one thing lengthy sufficient, you may work out a cool approach 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 outdated design decisions: Our kitchen may be very a lot not our fashion. However it was model new after 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 one by one, 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 job, nevertheless it has was 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. More home tours, together with a a reader’s ‘introvert nook’ and a yoga teacher whose Manhattan studio apartment is a love letter to women.
(Photographs by Christine Han for Cup of Jo.)
