Situated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, this beautiful home is the brainchild of interior designer, Laura Solensky. Laura has combined traditional style with colour, pattern and textures to create an inviting and warm space that feels good for the soul.

Nearly five years ago, interior designer, Laura Solensky and her husband, Ryan, came across a listing for foreclosure sale and as soon as she saw it, Laura knew it was the one. “We were living in our first apartment and had begun dreaming of buying our first home. We had six months left on the lease, so we were not quite ready, but I was always checking the listings. It was the week of Christmas when it was listed, and I knew right away I wanted it. It had amazing potential and resale value, which was the goal. Fix it up, live there for a few years and then sell it. It was more than a starter so I knew it would be somewhere we could stay longer if we needed to. We ended up calling the day after Christmas to go see it and placed an offer that day. It was a bit of back and forth as a bidding war ensued, but we won! And the funniest part- it was less than a mile from our apartment.”

Laura, Ryan and their two dogs, Henley and Pete moved in and began renovating every room in the house. The home was a mess, so the renovation was top to bottom including new flooring, paint and wallpaper, new kitchen, and bathrooms. Luckily, Laura had the design know-how while Ryan had the building skills to bring Laura’s ideas to life.

Laura began to share her creative journey on Instagram and from there she has built a loyal following who visit her grid to experience her world of colour, pattern and textures which she mixes with traditional, a style that Laura calls Grandmillennial. “My style is traditional with a twist. I love the layers of a room and bringing in textures, patterns and colours. I think your home should feel personal to you and make you happy. It is the place we make so many of our most cherished memories. I want to set the scene for that!”

Laura’s business quickly grew, and she was soon offering a virtual design service. As this took off, she moved to offering a full-service design studio. “I went to college for business and marketing and have always been creative. I would rearrange and decorate my room hundreds of times over the years. I always loved design but never really thought it could be my career. I mean, could I really love my job?! But after buying our house, my passion only ignited.”

Laura designed the interior and exterior of her home with the goal to appeal to potential buyers but also feel true to her own style. “When I walk into a room and see a colour or pattern I love, it instantly brightens my mood. I don’t think people understand the importance our environment has on our mental and emotional health. We take in what is around us and I want that to be a space that feels joyous, energizing when needed or calming and relaxing. It all depends on what the space is and how you want to feel in it.”

Laura’s happy place is her garden, but she admits her thumb is not the greenest “I am learning as I go but it is so relaxing and rewarding to me. I love all flowers, especially peonies, hydrangeas and roses so that is mostly what you’ll find out there.”

One of Laura’s top tips when decorating is paint or wallpaper if you if you are willing to spend that bit extra. “Paint is so easy, affordable and impactful! And the best part- easy to change. If you want to transform a room, start with paint. Or wallpaper if you are like me!” Laura also stands by the ethos of buy what you love “I so often hear people wanting something neutral or bland because they feel they won’t tire of it, but I don’t think that is true at all. I think you buy what you love because when you do you won’t get sick of it and when you see it you will be happy. When you love something, you will always be able to find a spot for it.”

When asked what Laura loves most about her home her answer is succinct “I love how happy it feels”. And isn’t this what we all want to feel when we step inside our homes. See more of Laura’s work here.

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WORDS: Katie Skinner IMAGES: Megan McGreevy