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 (suppose: “Hold unfastened my goose“, a birthday realization, and what occurred when she deleted Pokémon GO from her cellphone). Different readers have requested to be taught extra about her, so right now 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 shifting to New York: Joe and I got here from San Francisco to Manhattan in 2003 in order that I may intern at {a magazine} writer. 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 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, after I was supplied a full-time job, my reply was ‘After all.’
Crimson lamp on report shelf: Nicholas Furrow. File cabinets: “Joe and our buddy George made them.” Media middle: Design Inside Attain thrifted by way of Craigslist, comparable. Crimson lamp on espresso desk: Mantar.
On private model: Our design vibe is much 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 data, books, orbs, minerals and rocks.
Artwork mural: thrifted from Housing Works. File shelf: CB2, comparable. Pink lamp: classic, by way of Furlong. Plant shelf: Ethnicraft. Espresso desk: Jordan Crowell. Crimson 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 have been caught right here on a regular basis, we needed to brighten issues up. Joe was truly the one who stated, ‘We have now to get a pink sectional.’ So, we went for it.
On a journey custom: I used to volunteer on the Housing Works bookstore, and in the future a mysterious Frenchman got here in asking if we had any copies of George Orwell’s novel 1984. We pulled out all these completely 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 perfect thought. The e book was revealed in a zillion languages, and it has been launched in new editions. Should 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 way of which to see different locations. I’ve now taken his custom on as my very own.
On fibre artwork: I am going by way of 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 house. 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 profitable!
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 yr 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 chortle 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. Quilt: “A white West Elm comforter I obtained 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 among our first dinners, he made me this unbelievable, sophisticated, vegetarian Thai soup — though he lived in scholar 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 have 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 trouble to work round. However Joe has all the time taken my wants severely and my eccentricities in stride — like after I wake him up in the course of the night time 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 House.
On favourite books: I’m endlessly recommending Kelly Hyperlink’s Magic for Newbies, a collection of brief 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 way in which she places her tales collectively. I can’t think about anybody not discovering this e book 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 everywhere in the subway and ended up writing to the pageant’s group asking if I may purchase one. They then despatched me a pair without spending a dime.” Mattress: CB2. Velvet blue throw pillows: West Elm and Timorous Beasties. Brass bookcase: One Kings Lane, comparable.
On mushroom decor: It began after I submitted 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 devour you. Placing that piece collectively ended up spurring a lifelong mushroom enthusiasm. I’m now a part of the New York Mycological Society, a bunch 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 knowledgeable members like a retriever with a Frisbee.
Brass bookcase: One Kings Lane, comparable.
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 convention of happening trip together with her and my stepdad Doug. Mother and I 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.Okay., and I discovered a pond in the course of the Hampstead Heath that solely girls can swim in. And though 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 every single place we traveled. In Iceland, we went to the lagoons, and once we go to my sisters, we all the time decide a lodge or trip rental with a pool.
ENTRYWAY
Credenza: classic. White lamp: Verner Panton. Rhino: gifted from her mom.
On particular items: My mom stunned 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.
KITCHEN
On working round previous design decisions: Our kitchen may be very a lot not our model. However it 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 one after the other, 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, however it has was this house of giving myself permission to do no matter I would like. And that’s been very liberating.
Thanks a lot, Lauren. We like you! By no means cease commenting!
P.S. Extra house excursions, together with a a reader’s ‘introvert nook’ and a yoga trainer whose Manhattan studio condo is a love letter to girls.
(Images by Christine Han for Cup of Jo.)