Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Laura Umansky and Gina Elkins. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Laura Umansky and Gina Elkins, appreciate you joining us today. How did you scale up? What were the strategies, tactics, meaningful moments, twists/turns, obstacles, mistakes along the way? We’d love to hear the backstory the illustrates how you grew your brand.

Back in 2007, I founded the Laura U Collection, a boutique design studio that offered furnishings and design to my Houston-based clientele. Over the past 15 years, the firm has evolved and as our team grew, we helped clients articulate their unique personalities through the art of exceptional design. Above all else, our interiors reflect the personality of the people residing within them. I believe that telling the homeowner’s personal story is paramount, understanding our surroundings is our bedrock, and adding more than a bit of drama and romanticism is necessary.

In 2020, our firm expanded to offer a full-service approach to home design. Gina Elkins joined the firm as Creative Director with more than 15 years of architectural experience. Offering residential building design and interior design under one-roof, allows us to work on projects from Foundation-to-Furnishings and provide a cohesive look throughout the architecture and design. Projects are most successful when you have your team selected early in the process – being able to offer both design services in combination makes for a smoother process, and in turn a more successful (beautiful) outcome. We design homes in any style, and we approach each project by focusing on the client’s interests first. We have a unique design process and client-centric approach the focuses on approachable communication and an in-depth getting-to-know-you discovery process that lasts throughout the life of a project.

We opened our second studio in Aspen in the Fall of 2020 to be able to better serve their clients in the West and to expand our footprint further into the US Western market. We are an extremely collaborative team and even through the pandemic continue to grow, with more than 22 employees.

We know we aren’t perfect but are always proactively problem-solving. We work to build a trust with our clients through complete transparency, from the design process to the pricing. We are not done evolving. Everything we do is for the love of home, and we will never lose sight of why we design – for our clients.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Gina and I were introduced to design and architecture at an early age through our families building their family homes. For both of us, this set us on a path towards design and architecture. For me, I love beautiful and unique pieces, and I want to mix them together, so I never have to be without something I enjoy. This is my approach to interior design, finding what’s beautiful and beloved, and surrounding yourself with those things every day. I have my Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin and Master’s degree in Architecture from the University of Houston. My family lives in Aspen where we can be found outdoors skiing and hiking every chance we get.

If you know Gina, you understand how passionate she is about design. This passion and her client-centric approach drives her practice. Her professional portfolio spans all modes and styles, with one constant: each design is a true reflection of how her clients’ live and enjoy their lives. She attended the University of Houston, where she graduated Cum Laude. She lives in Houston and has three beautiful children and loves to cook and be outdoors.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

While our perspective is dynamic, our team embraces one, guiding truth: we do what we do for the love of home. That belief is at the heart of everything we create. We love collaborating with our clients to bring their joys and passions to life in their home.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

When we see our client’s enjoying and living in their home. When we receive a client’s holiday card with their family on the steps we designed or seeing pictures of the family cooking and hanging out in their kitchen we designed. It’s an intangible award.

Contact Info:

• Website: laurau.com
• Instagram: @lauraudesigncollective
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraUDesignCollective
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraudesigncollective

Image Credits
First two images: Amy Bartlam Last 3 images: Michael Hunter