With a warm and welcoming design style, rivaled only by her outgoing personality, getting to know Charlotte-based interior designer Lauren Clement of Lauren Nicole Designs has been an absolute pleasure. We reconnected with Lauren at a recent renovation project outside of Charlotte, NC, which challenged her to transition a French Country vibe into a home that combines traditional styles with modern farmhouse influences. Meet Lauren Clement.
Lauren Clements
We’ve been following Lauren’s career for many years, noting her fun implementation of Sunbrella fabrics for a variety of clients and settings. While Lauren doesn’t officially lay claim to any specific design aesthetic, we have noticed that she can often make a use case for performance fabrics. With kids and dogs, pools and lakes at the center of most of her clients’ lives, we can’t say we blame her!
Sunbrella performance fabrics in buffalo check, styled poolside by Lauren Nicole Designs.
Transforming Traditional
Making her way around the circumference of Charlotte, NC, Lauren’s designs weave together a story of updated traditional Southern style. Lauren’s motto is one of “Your style is my style”, letting her clients’ interests prevail over a personal design influence. While there are nods to the modern farmhouse trend and an abundance of natural elements that could lean toward rustic, the main style we find with Lauren’s decor centers around everyday casual.
A family dining space features Sunbrella performance fabrics on host and hostess chairs, providing durability, cleanability and comfort.
Lauren emphasizes the importance of finding pieces for clients that are not just beautiful, but add comfort and durability for a home that can be fully lived in. For dining areas, living spaces, kids rooms, and anywhere a pet can be found, Lauren works with her clients’ style to find performance fabrics that fit the need.
Designing with Details
Lauren has an innate knack for designing with texture and pattern to add subtle depth and interest. An area that Lauren often features unexpected texture? Ceilings. From flat or textured wallcoverings to reclaimed wood, ceilings can add a layered interest to a space without overwhelming the eye.
In this Charlotte home, Lauren uses a textured applique on the ceiling to elevate a traditional tray ceiling, using a lighter hued blue to tie in with the deeper navy used on the bedding and the Sunbrella-covered ottoman.
An ottoman Agra Indigo by Sunbrella anchors the master bed.
Additionally, she expertly pulls in the antique brass lighting fixture with an armchair covered in Zebra Flax Sunbrella pattern. Coordinating tones pull together the featured elements in the space, while a mix of metal, wood, and burlap keep the traditional space feeling fresh and airy.
A reading nook is carved out of the master bedroom. A vintage brass armchair gets a fresh look with Zebra Flax Sunbrella performance fabric.
Functional yet Fabulous
With the family-centered clients that Lauren finds herself designing for, comfort and function cannot be compromised. While a perfectly styled reading nook should be durable enough to withstand coffee stains, Lauren also wants to keep style at the forefront. When a 65 lb. German Shorthair Pointer is welcome in the master bedroom, an ottoman covered with a Sunbrella Agra pattern is a functional choice that can withstand the wear and tear.
This ottoman was built for the family’s dog, Babaloo, to jump up on the bed, so Lauren elected a stylish fabric that could still withstand the family’s lifestyle.
“A primary challenge on many projects is creating high-designed spaces while maintaining the durability needed for young children, pets, and entertaining,” notes Lauren. “You want the common spaces and private rooms to make a statement while still holding up to lots of use over time. Durable fabrics, a variety of seating, and a mix of natural materials help to create flow and function.”
This family room features performance fabrics on all seating options, and swivel chairs covered in Sunbrella fabrics allow guests to be a part of conversations in the living, dining, or kitchen spaces with ease.
Lauren proves that no matter the lifestyle, performance fabrics make a space everyday livable, and achieve a casual luxury for her clients. To see more of Lauren’s portfolio and shop her equestrian inspired Benjamin Moore paint palette, visit https://www.laurennicoleinc.com/ and to see more inspired design content, follow @sunbrella on social channels!
