Interviews
Studio Hour with Lauren Liess
Known for her natural, relaxed style and down-to-earth approach to design and living, interior designer Lauren Liess understands the ins and outs of a busy, beautiful, and sometimes-messy life. Through her work, Lauren creates homes that are warm, livable, and deeply personal, spaces where muddy boots, wildflowers in a chipped vase, and family dinners all coexist with thoughtful design.
The Lauren Liess x Troy Lighting collections are an extension of that philosophy: simple yet classic fixtures crafted with timelessness, durability, and natural materials in mind, pieces designed to help any space truly feel like home.
In this Studio Hour, Lauren shares her design philosophy, the inspiration behind her collection with Troy, and her favorite ways to style each lighting family.
Q: How would you define your design style, and how did it develop?
I live a sort of indoor–outdoor, barefoot life at home. Homegrown food, good music, and fresh flowers are some of my favorite things. My husband (and business partner!) David and I have five kids, three dogs, a pair of geese, an interior design studio, a textile company, a retail shop, a property development business, and a lifestyle brand, each of which feels slightly like a kid.
We do what we can to make our own home and life as great as we possibly can, but we’ve found that a relaxed attitude toward “perfection” has led to real contentment. A crooked smile, wildflowers from the side of the road, a chip in the good china, I love it when things are slightly off and tell a story, because to me, that’s real life. And it’s beautiful.
That’s the heart of my design style: natural, relaxed, and a little bit imperfect in the best possible way, warm, grounded spaces that feel truly lived in.
Q: Tell us about your collection with Troy. How did it come to be?
Organic, high-quality, functional lighting is essential to my firm’s work. This newest Lauren Liess x Troy Lighting collection is filled with pieces that all reference the earth in some way. Lighting can get so tech-y and space-age that it starts to feel cold. I’ve been craving a timeless, grounded, natural collection that adds warmth, texture, and soul to spaces.
With Troy, I was able to create exactly that. We focused on:
Earthy inspiration: Shapes and finishes that feel like they’re drawn from nature or from much-loved, timeworn objects.
Thoughtful design process: Getting the silhouettes and proportions right first, then layering in texture, patina, and detail so each piece feels special but still easy to live with.
Natural materials and finishes: Real wood, rope, warm metals, textured shades, and hand-touched finishes that feel honest and enduring.
The result is a series of simple yet classic fixtures, pieces that feel both familiar and fresh, and that I hope will be lived with for years and eventually passed down.
Q: How do you want consumers to feel when they live with this collection?
There is a difference between something new from a big box store and something old or handcrafted from a vintage shop or by a maker. I’m not knocking the former, I love a new chic steal, but the feeling that objects crafted from the earth or from another time hold, it’s almost impossible to manufacture. The energy is real and it’s everything.
While this line is newly made, I hope that by incorporating real wood, rope, warm metals, and organic forms, we can harness that feeling of connection and groundedness and offer pieces that become the vintage treasures of the future. I want people to feel calm, at home, and a little bit transported every time they turn these lights on.
Kindle Rechargeable Lamp
Q: In your view, how does lighting contribute to an interior?
All elements contribute to the success or failure of a room, but lighting is the glue. It can make or break an otherwise well-appointed space.
Too much “blue” light (we prefer 2700 Kelvin), the vibration of a poorly made LED bulb, or aggressive overheads all kill the mood and don’t flatter faces, art, food, or furnishings. Candlelight is both the healthiest and most pleasing type of light.
While we don’t have any open flames here, we sought to hit a similarly elemental note with these pieces, soft, warm, and flattering. My hope is that they’ll feel as inviting and natural as candlelight, and that they’ll resonate in this moment and far beyond.
The Lauren Liess x Troy Lighting collections are ultimately about embracing the beauty of a life well-lived, a little imperfect, deeply personal, and always grounded in nature and real moments. These fixtures are not just meant to light a room. They are meant to live with you and become part of your home’s story.
Explore the collection here.