Laura Stein Interiors, Inc.

Billy Baldwin is known as the Dean of American Decorating and is considered the most influential American decorator of the post-war generation. While he understood the importance of European design, he had a general disdain for its embellishments. His style was polished, tailored and distinctly American. He had a great sense of proportion and scale, and was not afraid to experiment with pattern and colour. Quality and comfort were of utmost importance. Although he started man...y trends, he steered clear of anything trendy. In one way or another, whether knowingly or not, Baldwin has probably influenced all of us. To Baldwin, decorating was a journey that he took with his clients. The relationship was essential. He told them, Be faithful to your own taste, because nothing you really like is ever out of style. This resonates deeply with me. The strong, trusting relationship I cultivate with my clients is the key ingredient to creating beautiful, transformative homes they love. Style and trends have nothing to do with it. I often tell my clients that it doesn’t matter if something is out of style. If you love it, we’ll make it work, and we’ll make it gorgeous. @billybaldwinstudio #laurasteininteriors #luxuryinteriors #luxurydesign #torontodesigner #torontointeriors #torontolife #custominteriors #customdesign #designmasters #billybaldwin

Vladimir Kagan was a German-born American furniture designer who rose to fame in the 1950s with his modern, sculptural furniture. His sensual, glamorous pieces quickly found themselves in the homes of Hollywood elite like Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra and Gary Cooper. Kagan was a free-thinker and a master at balancing engineering and aesthetics. His designs are still relevant today. Kagan’s Serpentine Sofa, shown above in the Holly Hunt showroom, was born from the idea that f...urniture should float in the middle of the room so people could circulate and converse. Its curved shape allows people to face each other rather than being lined up straight in a row. Most of his furniture was created to cater to the specific needs of a client. Recently, I have started combing through all of my furniture designs and have begun curating and designing a new collection that will be launched in the coming months. Vladimir Kagan has been a big inspiration. He created stunning pieces that followed his aesthetic values without compromising the basic idea that form should always follow function. You can’t go wrong with functional AND glamourous. #laurasteininteriors #luxuryinteriors #luxurydesign #torontodesigner #torontointeriors #torontolife #custominteriors #customdesign #designmasters See more

When I was in my mid-20s, before I went to design school, my boyfriend and I moved in together. The problem was I hated most of his furniture. But the thing I hated most was this huge old lounge chair and ottoman upholstered in beat-up brown leather that he had picked up at a garage sale. It got kicked to the curb. Then I went to design school and realized that I had trashed an original American icon worth thousands of dollar. While I’m still not a huge fan of the Eames Loung...e Chair, I now appreciate the significance of it’s design and it’s contribution to American modernism. Its designers, Ray and Charles Eames are two of the most significant figures in American design history, and responsible for bringing functional post-war modernism to the masses. They were innovators in almost every aspect - architecture, furniture, graphic design, textiles, industrial design, film, and manufacturing - but are best remembered for their groundbreaking chair designs and their use of new materials like moulded plywood and plastics. The DCW chair, pictured above, is one of my favourites. Its design, like most of their work, is entirely about function and problem-solving. The focus is on the object’s relationship with its user, and in this case, creating an extremely comfortable seat from a hard material like wood. #laurasteininteriors #luxuryinteriors #luxurydesign #torontodesigner #torontointeriors #torontolife #custominteriors #customdesign #designmasters See more

Arne Jacobsen’s work is a study in the detail of simplicity. Both an architect and designer, Jacobsen was one of the leaders of Danish modernism. He was a minimalist and functionalist, and liked to design every aspect of his projects - from the building and its furniture, down to the flatware and staff uniforms. Although he considered himself an architect first and foremost, he is best remembered for his furniture designs. The Egg Chair, Ant Chair, Swan Chair and Series 7 Cha...irs are his most enduring. Last year I had the opportunity to travel to Copenhagen and see some of Jacobsen’s work first hand. Although I had seen these chairs literally hundreds of times, seeing them in context I was struck by the elegance of their simplicity and sculptural form. There was nothing that shouldn’t be there, and everything that should. For most of my design career I’ve been known for layering patterns, textures and materials. More recently I’ve been scaling back and exploring the more subtle aspects of design - line, form and what happens in the negative spaces. I learned from Jacobsen that less can be more, and sometimes what isn’t there is as important as what is. #laurasteininteriors #luxuryinteriors #luxurydesign #torontodesigner #torontointeriors #torontolife #custominteriors #customdesign #designmasters #arnejacobsen See more

Elsie de Wolfe is credited with starting interior decorating as a profession in 1905. She was a woman ahead of her time. From a very young age she understood how one’s surroundings could affect their happiness, and she set out to create beauty in all that surrounded her. Her vision and design philosophy are still relevant today. At a time when the dark, heavy, and ornate Victorian era homes were in fashion, de Wolfe was opening things up, letting in light, using a light colou...r palette and simplifying. De Wolfe was unapologetically confident in her work When I draw up a set of plans, she said, there is no second choice. There is only what I show you. The best. This powerful concept influenced the way I shaped my business, and continues to influence how I approach my work. It makes me think about the kind of work I want to do and the kind of clients I want to have. Why should people hire me? I decided long ago that I did not want to hand hold people through design decisions and a myriad of confusing options. I want to work with clients who see the value of my ideas, experience and expertise, and allow me to create something beautiful and inspiring for them. My goal is not to make suggestions, but to create gorgeous, transformative solutions. #laurasteininteriors #luxuryinteriors #luxurydesign #torontodesigner #torontointeriors #torontolife #custominteriors #customdesign #designmasters #elsiedewolfe

Dorothy Draper has been a role model for me since the first day I started my business. I was recently divorced and on my own. For a thousand different reasons I had to make this work. I was dedicated, determined, and stubborn. I wrote "FAILURE IS NOT A OPTION" in huge letters on a piece of paper and stuck it to the bulletin board above my desk. I had taken it upon myself to learn everything I possibly could, including the things I hadn’t learned in design school. That’s when ...I discovered Dorothy Draper. Dorothy Draper was the first to professionalize interior design by starting the first design firm in the United States. It was 1923, a time when it was considered daring, if not down right scandalous for a woman to own her own business. If she could do it, I thought, so could I. Like her determination, DD’s style was bold. She was known for her wild colour combinations, ornate details and her signature massive black and white checkered floors. In her 1939 book she wrote that the first rule of decorating is COURAGE. While DD’s style has never been up my alley, her strength, determination and courage has made her the most influential designer on my career. #laurasteininteriors #luxuryinteriors #luxurydesign #torontodesigner #torontointeriors #torontolife #custominteriors #customdesign #designmasters #dorothydraper

If we are talking about design masters, there is no better person to start with than Albert Hadley. Known as the "Dean of American Design", Hadley, along with his partner Sister Parish, created some of the most enduring and influential designs of the 20th Century for a who’s who A-list of clients. In 2011, a year before his death at age 91, he told Architectural Digest, "To be a successful designer, you must have a point of view." From the moment I first read that it struck m...e, and as I grew to understand what it meant it changed how I design and how I run my business. Having a point of view and a set of core values that are infused in my work has been the single greatest catalyst to the growth of my business and me personally as a designer. Hadley stood by his principals and was confident in his work. Regardless of the style, he knew how to design for sophisticated clients. He was incredibly technical and focused on the bones of the house first, but he was also a visionary. He was a master at creating groundbreaking designs that captured the essence of his clients. Every day I strive to be like Albert Hadley - to have a greater vision, to hone in on the details that make that vision come to life, to ensure it is expressed in technically detailed and accurate drawings, and to ultimately capture the vital essence of the home, its history and the story of the people who live there. #laurasteininteriors #luxuryinteriors #luxurydesign #torontodesigner #torontointeriors #torontolife #custominteriors #customdesign #designmasters #alberthadley

Every great art form has its masters. These are the pioneers, the ones who made, and then broke, all the rules. They are the ones we now consider the classicists, but in their time, they were the rebels. Without them, what we know today would be very different, or may not be at all. These days, we seem to give all our attention to what is coming next, but I think it is equally as important to look back at what came before us. In understanding the past, we can have a clearer v...ision of the future and how to move ahead in innovative ways. After all, if you never learn the rules, how do you know how to break them? This week I’m going to share the great, varied, and profound influences these interior decorating and design masters have had on my work, ideas, and principals as a designer. #laurasteininteriors #luxuryinteriors #luxurydesign #torontodesigner #torontointeriors #torontolife #custominteriors #customdesign #designmasters

Almost all of the upholstery we use in our designs is custom made for our clients by some very talented local craftspeople. This photo, from @robertcustomupholstery, shows how it's done with 8-way hand-tied construction and a kiln-dried hardwood frame. There is no better way to make a sofa. While most people think it's the cushions that determine a sofa's comfort, they are really only part of the equation. The spring system provides stability by distributing body weight evenly. The better the spring system the more comfortable the sofa will be and the longer it will last. #laurasteininteriors #luxuryinteriors #luxurydesign #torontodesigner #torontointeriors #torontolife #custominteriors #customdesign #livingspaces

This rendering is for a living room and dining room we designed that haven't gone into production just yet. I wanted the space to feel warm, sophisticated and contemporary - edgy, but feminine at the same time. Renderings are one of the ways we communicate our designs. It helps clients visualize what their space will look like before it goes into production. Swipe for a sneak peek at a custom piece I designed for this room that will be available for purchase on our website soon! DM me for info and advance orders. Design by @laurasteininteriors #laurasteininteriors #luxuryinteriors #luxurydesign #torontodesigner #torontointeriors #torontolife #custominteriors #customdesign #livingspaces

I like to think about the design of a house in a holistic way. The architecture, interior design, and decor all need to work together in harmony with the people who live there. There is a symbiotic relationship between them all that needs to be discovered and nurtured throughout the design process. I never design piecemeal. All the details are thought through early on. Often I'll select the fabrics and furniture for a room while I'm designing the construction portion of a pro...ject so I get a full picture of what the room will look like when it's finished. Since everything needs to work together, nothing is chosen in isolation. This scheme is for a soft and feminine home office and private lounge, currently under construction. Design by @laurasteininteriors #laurasteininteriors #luxuryinteriors #luxurydesign #torontodesigner #torontointeriors #torontolife #custominteriors #customdesign #livingspaces

This cozy little corner is one of my favourites. Even though it's more on the traditional side of what we usually do, everything about it speaks to me. It's fairly monochromatic, and the only pattern here is on the rug, which keeps it feeling fresh and current. All the richness comes from the textures and materials, including the panel moulding on the walls - one of my favourite design tricks. I would love to curl up here with a good book! Design by @laurasteininteriors #laurasteininteriors #luxuryinteriors #luxurydesign #torontodesigner #torontointeriors #torontolife #custominteriors #customdesign #livingspaces #livingroomdesign

I'm generally not one for trends. Creating spaces that transcend time is an important part of my philosophy. I want my clients to love their homes for years, not a season or two. But timeless doesn't mean old, or traditional, or safe. I like to be current and contemporary, to push my boundaries. Trendy and timeless cannot exist together. By definition they are opposites. Current and timeless work hand in hand. Timeless translates history in a way that is relevant for how we l...ive today, and how we want to live in the future. It is both reflective and aspirational, enduring and forward-thinking. It grounds us so we can be confident to take a leap. And really, that's the best part of designing - taking a leap, trying something new, and coming up with something amazing that our clients will love. Background image by @laurasteininteriors. Quote by @charlottemossco #laurasteininteriors #luxuryinteriors #luxurydesign #torontodesigner #torontointeriors #torontolife #custominteriors #customdesign #livingspaces #timelessdesign

I love this photo from a family room we did. To me a room feels bare and empty without accessories. I've been known to layer on the accessories, sometimes to excess, but lately I'm more about simplicity. Sometimes you don't need much as long as you have the right balance of scale, texture, contrast and light. Design by @laurasteininteriors #laurasteininteriors #luxuryinteriors #luxurydesign #torontodesigner #torontointeriors #torontolife #custominteriors #customdesign #livingspaces #familyroomdesign #designaccessories