Meet Laura Roberts | Interior Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Laura Roberts and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Laura, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned throughout my career is the importance of collaboration. When the ego takes over, it can hinder cooperation, compromise, and the ability to understand and fulfill the client’s vision. Some of my most successful projects resulted from incorporating specific client requests that seemed unrealistic or even downright wrong at the time into the project. But in taking on this challenge, finding a way to work a version of these ideas into the design created an even better outcome. Interior design also involves working with a team – architects, contractors, and many other talented craftspeople and professionals. I constantly rely on my collaborators’ expert opinions and ideas to create the best designs for my clients as possible. As I’ve learned repeatedly, being open to different ideas and perspectives creates more innovative and successful projects in the long run.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I started working in interior design in 2001, right after I had relocated to Los Angeles from New York to continue my career as a set decorator/production designer. But opportunities working in interior design quickly arose, and I realized that was my true calling. I was fortunate enough to begin working right away for some of the most prestigious interior designers and architects in Los Angeles. Along the way, I furthered my design education with classes at UCLA and Santa Monica College. In 2016, I faced a crossroads of whether or not I wanted to continue working for firms or venturing out with my own company, and with both feet forward, I established my own interior design business. What sets me apart as an interior designer is the personal attention and focus I give to all my projects. Even as my business has continued to grow from just myself to now a team of five and still growing, I always place the client and the project first before any other personal gain. My set decorating and design background has imbued me with a level of creativity and open-mindedness that not all interior designers possess. I look at every project as a character study and that every client’s environment should reflect their personality and style, not mine. Coming from a collaborative background like filmmaking has also made me appreciate the importance of collaboration not only with my clients but with all of the talented craftspeople and contractors involved in creating a successful project.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
One can’t visit Los Angeles without going to the beach. The Santa Monica pier and surrounding beaches are always a fun spot for anyone visiting for the first time. For shopping, I would take them to Abbot Kinney in Venice, which has an abundance of creative and interesting boutiques and restaurants. One can’t miss the world-class museums in our city, such as the Getty and Getty Villa, LACMA, and the Broad, to name but a few. And then I would take them to the Sofi Stadium in Inglewood and perhaps even catch a show at the nearby Forum.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My shoutout goes to all of the clients who have entrusted me with the very personal job of creating their interiors. My second shoutout goes to all of the talented architects, contractors, and craftspeople I have collaborated with over the years that have ultimately made me a better designer.

Website: www.laurarobertsinteriors.com

Instagram: @laurarobertsinteriors

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-roberts-819b841a/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraRobertsInt

Image Credits
Meghan Beierle O’brien Amy Bartlam