Each building interior becomes a stage
Lauren Brandwein sculpts your visual journey
"Everything your eye lands on as a finish, I pulled together," says Lauren Brandwein.
Recently Brandwein designed for Williams Selyem, a winery in Healdsburg noted for its pinot noir. "I did complete interiors for the winery and administration level, as well as a tasting section downstairs," she says. She coordinated all interior finishes and furnishings.
Brandwein has worked 15 years as an interior designer, starting at top design firms in San Diego then moving to San Francisco, Petaluma and Santa Rosa, where she now has her office. For the last eight years she has worked for herself. She has worked on all levels of residential projects as well as commercial buildings, wineries, offices, schools and recreational facilities.
Sometimes she does space planning, determining sizes and shapes of rooms during remodeling or new construction. "I like coming in from the beginning to make sure it's a successful, flowing space," she says. "The finish is on top of that, a complete experience. Not an architect, she never designs the shell of a building or its structural elements.
"Adjacencies make sense in a flowing space," Brandwein says. In commercial buildings, public areas merge gracefully with private areas. The path of circulation for people using the building functions smoothly. "Planning space so it is efficent is paramount."
"I love the creative work," Brandwein says, and her eyes light up. "It's extremely creative. Your brain is working in this spatial function, a very exciting mental state. You think about space at the same time you are dealing with personalities. I love the psychology, relating to people. You problem-solve financially within the budget. That flows into materials. You foresee what is going to sell the project. I like the stimulation."
Personalities of clients sometimes require gracious negotiations, such as when a wife's tastes differ from those of her husband, or when clients are unsure of their own tastes or decisions. Brandwein does her best work when clients relax and let go of the design. In some situations her job shifts to defining design choices or "iterations," each well-defined for the client, who then simply chooses. Brandwein's upbeat attitude usually works well.
"I can't stand clutter. Hoarding does not work with me. If I am dealing with a hoarder, it's like resuscitation. The place is dying. I bring it back to life."
Her favorite style is "eclectic modern," a mix of modern and traditional. "I really love editing interiors," Brandwein says. "I love combining styles, but very edited." Her lips tighten. "I can't stand clutter. Hoarding does not work with me." She laughs. "If I am dealing with a hoarder, it's like resuscitation. The place is dying. I bring it back to life. I will work with anybody if they are open to a new experience."
She keeps track of trends in appliances, green technology, lighting, furniture, architecture. "I have to be open to all the new product that's available all the time," she says. "It's crazy! It changes daily, a moving mass of consumer product." One stress: if she designs around a particular bathtub, tile or fabric that goes out of production before the client makes the purchase. "That can be a drag, heartbreaking," she says. "Buy it now!"
Some work stands out as the pinnacle of creative expression. On one project in 2008 for a 3,000-square-foot custom home on a vineyard with spectacular views, the Realtor owner "gave me so much freedom," Brandwein recalls. "There's something totally thrilling about the owner trusting my taste and judgment."
Brandwein designed or purchased nearly everything: the entire space plan, finishes, cutlery, napkins, plates, flowers for their first party. "It was the entire experience," she says. "Very cool."
—James Dunn
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