Client Story: Sara’s Serene Study Oasis
I remember my undergraduate days fondly — late night library trips, dorm room socials, and game day tailgates. Well, let me tell you, graduate school is an entirely different story. As an adult, the offer of free food doesn’t motivate me to attend group study sessions and resisting the temptation to pop open a bottle of wine with my roommates is a constant losing battle.
What I needed was a place of my own to hole up in with my thoughts and my school books, but making enough money to afford a one-bedroom apartment in Santa Monica while working on your Master’s Degree? Good luck. My quarter-life crisis had struck and I was at a total loss.
During one of my late-night Pinterest procrastination sessions, I stumbled upon the solution to all of my problems — Laurel & Wolf. While I was admittedly skeptical of an interior design service that takes place solely online, I decided to take the style quiz — one test I knew I would pass. After discovering that my style was “Romantic”, I bit the bullet and made the purchase. Maybe it was my delirium from being up so late reading nutrition journals or maybe it was fate, but $299 for the solution to all of my problems? It was a price I was willing to pay. I could handle a few ramen dinners here and there if it meant I would finally have a distraction-free study zone that I actually enjoyed spending endless hours in.
I began the Laurel & Wolf process by filling out a “Design Brief” describing my oddly shaped bedroom, my penchant for neutral décor, and what I had in mind for my study oasis. For the most part, I needed help rearranging my existing furniture to better fit my weird, rectangular floor plan and a desk that would optimize my study experience. With much anticipation, I submitted my Design Brief and eagerly awaited the response of designers.
I felt a bit like Cinderella waiting on her fairy Godmother to come and transform her from sad servant to stunning princess — except my bedroom was the Cinderella in this story. Soon enough, I began to receive designs from a number of designers but none of their work felt as “me” as the simple, romantic pieces designer, Michelle Grant had chosen for me. It was official — I had found my Design Fairy Godmother.
As a Fairy Godmother should, Michelle understood my needs and wants from the start — it was as if she could read my mind. I like being able to spread out while I’m studying and Michelle came up with numerous tricks to make my bedroom feel larger. She strategically placed my floor length mirrors to create the illusion of more space, she suggested eliminating some unnecessary furniture — such as the dog bed my dog never uses, had me swap my bulky nightstand for a floating one, and added a storage bench to the end of my bed to hide clutter.
The transformation was almost complete but there was one final, highly important detail left — the desk. My original desk was tiny, making it difficult to work on my laptop and review multiple books at once. I wanted something fairly large but was worried it might run into the new bench at the end of my bed. Michelle managed to find an elegant and functional writing desk with plenty of storage that fits perfectly in the space. Cinderella was ready for her prince charming (aka, her Nutrition books).
As I continue my Master’s program and the workload gets heavier and harder, I really can’t imagine having survived this long without changing up my space. I feel like I’m finally able to breathe and relax a little as I work. Having a study oasis that even my dog seems to like has been a total savior. Best of all, I now have timeless pieces I can carry onward to my next home. If all goes as planned, I’ll be a successful Dietitian and can use the Design Fairy Godmother powers of Laurel & Wolf to create the Cinderella version of a home.
xoxo, Laurel & Wolf
Photos by Sean Robertson. Story from Sara.
