Laura Gonzalez
photo by Inês Silva Sá
If you could have a second home anywhere, where would you live? Sicily
What are three words to describe your style? 1. Colorful 2. Warm 3. Maximalist
Tell us about your childhood bedroom? Design has always been surrounding me: even as a child, I had Pierre Frey motifs on my walls! But other than that, I had a normal room, with big windows: as I grew up in the South of France, the light of a room has always been very important for me.
What’s the first investment piece you ever bought for your house? I always start with a central element that needs to be striking for each room. The most important ones would be the coffee table for the living room, and the curtains for the bedroom, and I work on the environment around those pieces.
In the history of design, if you could hire any designer other than yourself, who would it be? Renzo Mongiardino I always admired his lush interiors with trompe l'oeil finishes, museum-quality antiques, sumptuous fabrics and a mesmerizing theatricality.
No room is complete without color.
People think of me as excentric, but I am quite chill
Things you omit from:
1. A flower arrangement: anything too classic, like roses and tulips.
2. An hors d’oeuvre platter: I try to eat less and less meat, so definitely meat
3. A bar cabinet: Liquor
A song for:
1. Dinner at home: Pino D’Angio – Ma Quale idea
2. Working at your desk: Something Jazzy like : Nada- Ma che freddo fa
3. Going for a run: Eye of the Tiger by Survivor
Biggest Vice? Food
If you were on an Ambien high and internet shopping, what would you buy? I would definitely go on 1stDibs, shopping for a new artwork! (https://www.1stdibs.com/fr/)
Do your clothes reflect your design sensibility, if so, how? Of course! As in my designs, I love to mix styles and influences. I love wearing kimonos and patterns from different clients such as La Double JJ and Pierre-Louis Mascia..
Who is your star crush? A young Marlon Brando
What is the thing you would never do on a project, but don’t detest when you see others do it? Minimalism, black & white
If there were a fire, and you could only keep one design book, what would it be? I have always admired the famous French interior designer Madeleine Csataing, so I would say her beautiful book at Editions du Regard.
For posterity, what would you like your work to be known for? Audacity
photo by Inês Silva Sá
A Few Favorites:
Movie: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter…and Spring by Kim Ki-duk. A contemplative film that I first saw when I was 20 and I was really struck by the portrayal of emotions over the course of the seasons.
Book: Death in Venice by Thomas Mann, that I read during the pandemic. It really opened my eyes and helped me get through this strange time.
Scent: As I grew up in the South of France, I do have a particular tenderness for floral and wood scent, like orange blossom or eucalyptus.
The fabric you always come back to: Velvet, for its texture and its way of reflecting light
Dream project: I have always been fascinated by natural history museums, so it would be a dream come true to have the chance to design one.
Drink: Negroni
Hotel: The Saint James in Paris
Travel Destination: Italy, for the warmth and the light
Artist: Iris Apfel
A cause near and dear to me: promoting craftsmanship
Thing to collect obsessively: Tableware, such as plates, glasses and cutlery from all over the world
Era in the history of design: the seventies with the diversity of shapes and colors
Museum: The Doge’s palace in Venice, it is very spectacular !
Paint Color that always looks great: I love sunny colors like yellow or very pale green.
Dogs, Cats, or No Pets? I am definitely a dog person! I do own a very cute labrapoodle.
