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Meet Laura Hur, the founder of Lorla Studio recognized as one of the Best Interior Designers in Washington, DC by dcarchitects.org!! Read on to hear about the intersection of art and service, and some insights into the joys and challenges of starting and running a small business. Let’s see how Lorla stays focused on client satisfaction in the intimate space of interior design. Before you invite Lorla Studio into your home, let’s take a step back and better understand its founder.
Can you tell us about your journey and what inspired you to become an interior designer?
I lacked a clearly-defined direction for my professional life as a college graduate. I blame this on my core purpose in college: Division I sports! I went to school on a scholarship at a top-10 program, and after a great four-year run and turning down a tryout for the national team, I returned to the DC area, and took a job in real estate to pay the bills while I figured out what to do with the rest of my life.
A year later, I jumped at the opportunity to house-sit for my uncle in Key West for a summer. It was a big leap for me to go to a new town, but I was heartbroken and wanted to put as much distance between myself and my ex as I could (who is now my husband… a story for another time!). I got to know the Green Parrot and lived a full life in the tropics, and after a couple months, was nearly considered a local.
On a rare off-day, I had an epiphany in my uncle’s rented bungalow along Angela Street, with its view of the Key West Cemetery. With the constant reminder of my own mortality, I looked around and found myself surrounded by stacks of interior design magazines. A light went off, and I reflected on my whole life, where I had spent days helping my mom re-arrange the house. I thought about my own childhood room, and the various iterations I had created over time, including a private kids’ lounge in my closet! Seating for four, incense, mirrors, and art on the walls. It was a scene. And as silly as it sounds, I realized that I could go pro as a designer! After my three-month stint in Key West, I returned to D.C. on a mission, took a job at Jean-Pierre Antiques in Georgetown, and plotted to return to school for a degree in interior design.
After graduating from Pratt in Brooklyn, I launched Lorla, and the rest is history! And the grind has never stopped…
How would you describe the aesthetic of Lorla Studio, and how do you ensure your designs are both modern and functional?
For me, this comes back to materials. Let me run through a few general thoughts that might describe our aesthetic.
A mix of new, custom and vintage pieces.
Warm, natural, handcrafted materials. Think plaster walls, millwork with visible and tactile woodgrain (white oak, walnut), leathered stones.
Design for all the senses. Things that have a feel to the hand and foot as pleasing as they are to the eye.
Vintage pieces collected over time, and across the globe. 1stdibs, flea markets, and items picked up on adventures abroad.
Finishes that age over time (unlacquered brass, for example).
On function, this often means custom-designed pieces built perfectly for the parameters of the specific space.
What about your design process?
I gotta give a lot of credit to Pratt that instilled in me the framework for creative problem-solving. It was very conceptual, which I might describe as… finding a throughline of the space, user, constraints, and the historical precedent of the space (just to name a few key factors). For example, give me one client, who maybe has their primary home, and then a weekend getaway. By the very nature of these two properties– their purpose, history, architecture, and location– our design outcomes are going to be drastically different, even though the client and their design aesthetic is the same.. So, we are not beholden to a specific style or look. We are like a bespoke custom-tailored article of clothing, fit precisely for the specific space and use.
At the heart of this job is solving problems. In effect, our job sits at the crossroads of Art + Function + Service.
What are some key principles you follow when designing a space?
Listening to our clients. This pertains to budget, timeline, aesthetic, everything! We reflect back what we hear to ensure understanding.
Attention to detail, precision. This is especially true when designing custom furniture, kitchens and bathrooms, though it applies to every facet of a project. We’re in a business where an inch is a big deal! So our attention to detail is absolutely critical.
The end result is not always what we expect. We guide the process, have a clear vision of how it should end up, but the process from conception to end result will always have curveballs that require creative solutions. For example, the process is highly collaborative with artists (including furniture makers, mill workers, etc.), and we are always open to their input. We riff off their riffs, and together we create a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.
How do you stay inspired in your interior design work, and where do you find your design inspiration?
Travel is huge for me. One of the benefits is that it forces you to be more observant because everything is new to you. It puts us more in a space to consider ideas from a different light. The artistry and craft is never ending– every place and peoples will approach a problem that is unique to them, and that time and place. Going to restaurants in NYC, for instance, always leads to inspiration. I have a background in commercial design, and love taking whimsical, playful and bold concepts that are more common in a high-end hotel or restaurant, like the Santa Monica Proper Hotel, and distill the idea to apply it in a residential setting. Another huge source of inspiration is the wealth of creative minds and talented designers out there. A firm like Studio Giancarlo Valle makes me drool! I love old design books, too. Historical interior and architecture books are often inspiring, and used as references throughout a project.
How You Can Work With Us
At Lorla Studio, a modern interior design firm in Washington, D.C, our talented team of designers craft modern, livable and functional spaces throughout the district and beyond. Hire us for a seamless renovation process, and a modern, approachable design you are sure to love!
Check out the five questions to ask yourself before hiring an interior designer in Washington D.C. If you think we’d make a good team, contact us today!
Ready to transform your space with us?
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