Lauren Caruso

Lauren Caruso is an LA-based, freelance writer and content strategist for publications like Allure, Refinery29, and Harper's Bazaar. In addition to writing, she's also collaborated with brands like Farfetch, La Mer, Klarna, Shopbop, and Marc Jacobs. We got to speak to Lauren about her space, and how she makes it feel like home. 


Our spaces are so personal — What does home look and feel like to you? 
Home has been a lot of different things to me over the last decade, and my definition of it has shifted just as many times. My parents still live in the house I grew up in, so at its most broad definition, that’s what comes to mind when I think of home. Since I moved across the country from NYC to Los Angeles, home has felt a little more fleeting. I recently moved into my second apartment in LA, and it’s at the top of a hill with sight-lines of both downtown and the ocean. I realized it feels so much more like home than my last place because it feels just a little more like New York. I share the two-bedroom space with my partner, and he feels like home, too.


Are there any rituals, routines, or practices that make your space feel like yours?
I thrive off of order, so I wake up and make the bed immediately—unless my partner’s still asleep. I walk down the big hill for coffee for us both, and then come home and enjoy it on my balcony or my couch. I really love that I’m able to slow down in Los Angeles in a way I was never able to in New York.


We tend to share and see the most perfectly-curated snapshots of our homes — can you share a challenge, mishap, or work in progress in your space?
My first apartment in Los Angeles was sprawling—almost too big—and my dining table almost felt too small in the space. Now that I’ve moved into a new apartment with a tighter dining room, the table is a bit cumbersome, but I can’t bring myself to swap it out unless I find the right vintage hexagonal travertine table to put in its place. I’ll be on the search until I find the right one.

How has your sense of style at home evolved over the years?
I honestly didn’t even realize I had a home style until I moved into my first solo apartment in NYC. I’d been feeling stifled after I’d moved into my ex-partner’s space, and over time, it really took a toll on my creativity and sense of home. His style — very more is more is more — was the polar opposite of my minimalist preferences. There was just so much stuff and I never felt at peace. 

I knew that my clothing style was minimalist, but I didn’t really understand how that translated to my space until I had one of my own. I’d started visiting vintage stores around the city and found that I was drawn to natural materials like travertine and marble. I love how grounding the stone is for large-format items, like my dining table, or the pedestal in my corner. These days, I incorporate a bit more color into my space in the form of artwork or florals.


Thanks so much Lauren, we can’t wait to follow along and get inspired by your space! See more from Lauren, here.  Love her rug? Browse similar pieces below, or reach out to start the process for a custom rug!

Photographed by Ashley Barrett.