Laura Grey, Editor and Publisher
Welcome! It’s great to have you here. I look forward to sharing insights, discoveries, and tips about the world of interior design, decor, and home and garden maintenance with you. I will do all I can to make At Home with Style your go-to spot for design and decor inspiration, tips, history, and sourcing. I’ll also share tips and resources to help you make your home more accessible, more sustainable and environmentally friendly, and safer. Let me tell you a little about myself and my love of interior design, and how I hope to help you feel more at home with your home.
A Lifelong Love Affair with Design
As an interior design devotee since childhood, I’ve visited and studied hundreds of historic houses and gardens, delighted in endless art and design museums, and scoured galleries around the world for inspiration. I’ve always collected design books and decor elements to learn about construction techniques, materials, and maintenance. Since 1985, I’ve bought, renovated, decorated, staged, and sold homes for myself and others in and around Boston, Seattle, and the San Francisco Bay Area. I’ve also spent years researching, co-creating, and maintaining cottage gardens.
In addition to my love of interior design, I’m an artist whose paintings and assemblages have been featured in gallery shows in Seattle and online. I’m also an arts educator. I’ve taught art history and art-creation workshops to children from ages two to 18. Over the course of decades I’ve written and edited for a number of nonprofits, educational institutions, and businesses. I’ve also launched, edited, or written for various news outlets.
Design Guidelines Are Opinions, Not Laws
Knowing established interior design guidelines and techniques is invaluable. It sharpens the eye and explains the functionality and psychology behind good design. But design “rules” are actually only suggestions. I find them valuable, and because they can help you make a home more functional and beautiful, I’ll share them with you. But they’re not set in stone. Taste and style are subjective things, and you get to choose what’s tasteful or stylish for your space. Breaking a few design rules can make a home feel more alive, exciting, and personal. So listen to your heart. Make your home right for you.
Minimal or Maximal? Both Can Be Beautiful
Studying history and art history long ago led me to collect antique, vintage, and contemporary art and interior decor. I’ve never stopped. I enjoy mixing classic and modern elements to create distinctive and comfortable living spaces. But I also appreciate the beauty in pared-back simplicity. Sometimes less is more, it’s true. But sometimes too much can be marvelous.
Clutter, however, is not my idea of fun. Collecting can bring joyful profusion, but it can also lead to disarray and frustration. That’s why helping others reclaim spaces once lost to clutter is so satisfying. Together we can figure out what brings joy and what’s ready to go. We can determine the best storage solutions. I’ll share the same techniques I’ve used to help others in At Home with Style, so you can use them in your home, too.
Even Non-Designers Can Create Magical Spaces
Professionals can bring great style and improved functionality to a home. I’m not a licensed interior designer, but you and I can do so much on our own to make spaces more beautiful and comfortable. If you’ve deep pockets, I can point you toward expensive delights. But you really don’t need much money to make a space beautiful. I’ll share my tips on repurposing things you already have, or finding great deals on new or vintage style. It’s my privilege to offer the tips and experience I’ve gathered during a lifetime of home design, maintenance, garden care, and organization here in At Home with Style.
In addition to my experience in home design, renovation, and maintenance, I’ve been a professional writer and editor for over 30 years. Through it all, I focused on making homes more beautiful, comfortable, and livable. I’m thrilled to combine my love of writing and research with my devotion to quality design and home-keeping on this site. I’ll do my best to make At Home with Style a fun, helpful, and inspiring resource.
