Whether it’s harmonious hygge or functional feng shui, interior decorators often follow the golden rule of living with what you love. For Nicole Russell, owner of Lauren Alexandra Interiors, this couldn’t be truer.
Cotton, velvet, silk, linen, leather—Nicole uses and embraces them all when putting together a room for her clients. She doesn’t shy away from a particular fabric, style, color or accessory. Perhaps by skill (and a touch of magic?), she pulls out personality and infuses it into her décor designs. Nicole doesn’t simply redo spaces—she reimagines them.
With an avid attachment to creativity and an over-the-top love for windows (say the word and her face lights up), Nicole first began creating window treatments as a hobby in 2008. Her favorite part of the room, she believes window treatments are the ultimate finishing touch. It was this love for creating that prompted her to go beyond windows and step into the world of interior design. So, in 2014, Nicole started Lauren Alexandra Interiors. Thanks to word of mouth among the community, her business has grown—and she isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
Lauren Alexandra Interiors, named after her two daughters (Lauren, 13; Alexandra, 16), prides itself on understanding a client’s wants and delivering them in the most cost-effective, elevated way. Nicole describes herself as a good listener, which, time and again, ultimately gains the trust of her clients.
“My goal is to help those who get overwhelmed easily and provide options to help narrow down,” she says. “When someone is indecisive, it can be challenging—but that’s what I’m there for … to help them.”
Although Nicole doesn’t have a formal showroom, clients are welcome to visit her own eclectic home to see a handful of pieces and manufacturer styles. She’s all about making things simple but significant, refined yet relaxed.
And it is this simplicity that she applies to her design process with each new (or returning) client. After an initial meeting at the client’s home to see the current room setup and furniture, as well as determine the purpose of the space, Nicole begins pulling tailored ideas together for layout, furniture, window treatments and accessories.
Whether it’s merely updating a color story or doing a total revamp of the room, she’s happy to tackle any request—from simple to lavish. Once the pieces have been ordered and a plan is in place, Nicole preps the space for items being delivered—anticipating each client’s excitement for the finished, curated product.
One such client was the Krebs family. Kurt and Bridget (and their three children) decided to update their home rather than move to a new one. Nicole helped them tackle their kitchen, family room, dining room, kids’ bathroom, master bedroom and screened-in porch.
“Kurt and Bridget wanted a warm and comfortable vibe—updated but not too trendy,” Nicole says. “We succeeded in using a lot of what they had while adding new pieces in.”
Bridget says before Nicole updated their home, things were dark and dated—now it’s bright and warm.
“I’m not good at selecting room colors and coordinating furniture with accessories,” Bridget admits. “There are so many options; I get overwhelmed easily. I shared what I was looking for and Nicole offered several ideas. She recommended reupholstering our drab family room chairs in a lighter color with an interesting pattern to match a new custom couch. I appreciate that she offered premium products, but also mixed in more practical and cost-friendly pieces where they made sense.”
Bridget’s favorite area of their home now? Their back porch—a new living space the family didn’t have before.
“Thanks to Nicole’s classy design eye, the accessories and patterns make the area inviting.” Bridget continues. “She’s patient, fun to work with, makes decorating decisions easier … she knows my style.”
In the age of Pinterest and mood boards, Nicole knows it’s easy to get wrapped up in current trends or try to do too much. Among her favorite design suggestions:
● Determine how you want to use the space and who will be in it.
● Identify how long you want to live with the color scheme you select—if it’s an extended period of time, take that into consideration.
● Find a balance between how much you add to a room. Don’t put something in just to put it in—everything should have a function.
● Mix it up by combining and layering different textures and patterns.
At the end of the design day, Nicole’s top priority is for her clients to be comfortable and make them part of the process.
“I design the room, but I don’t live in the space,” she says. “Once a plan is chosen, I bring fabric and color swatches so a client can touch, feel and see everything. If they are completely at a loss, I’ll try to use a trend—but the focus still remains on the client’s personality because I want them to be happy with the end result.”
As for knowing when the room rejuvenation mission is accomplished?
“When I walk in a room and I visually feel like everything has a purpose and a place, then I know it’s complete.”
LaurenAlexandraInteriors.com | 1207 Ridgewood Drive, Loveland | 513.582.2495