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Since 2006 when Laura Umansky founded the Laura U Interior Design firm, we never anticipated that we would grow to where we are today. Over the last fifteen years, we have expanded our studio from Houston to Aspen and have completed projects all across the Southern US. In fact, Laura U Design Collective won Best of Aspen 2022: Interior Design Firm this year! We have collected accolades from so many organizations that we admire. Laura has had the honor of being named a Leader in Design and a Design Star on the Rise by Decorative Center Houston. Our projects have graced the pages of Houston Chronicle, Voyage Houston, CultureMap Houston, and Houstonia Magazine. We work all over the globe and have been featured in national press for more than a decade. Still, it is with great pride that we thank our hometown. Our team is honored to be considered the best interior designer in Texas.
Texas Interior Designers Awards and Top 10s
From bold and dramatic to neutral and organic, our team designs client-centric interiors that are an authentic representation of what our clients love most. The American Society of Interior Designers, Texas Gulf Coast Chapter holds annual awards to honor the best designs of the year.
The ASID Awards are one of our favorites. This is because we are able to see all the designers that make Houston such an important part of the international design community.
A Roy Lichtenstein hangs over a dining area in the Astoria High Rise
ASID Interior Design – Residence Small: Astoria Pied-à-terre
The client’s incredible art collection was the inspiration for this interior design. We used rich, dark floors and light, neutral walls to provide the perfect backdrop for their art. Luxe textures like velvet and fur paired with organic textures of wood and stone create spaces that invite you in.
The award winning outdoor space at Encino, designed by Laura U
ASID Honorable Mention Interior Designer – Outdoor Living: Encino Retreat
Inspired by California’s natural beauty and the exotic designs of Morocco, this is a soothing, welcoming space. Sliding doors, a Zen garden and tons of natural light combined with a warm, neutral color palette make this home a relaxing oasis.
This space also won the LUXE Red award for Contemporary Interior Design. To create your own stunning outdoor space, check out our post “11 Outdoor Design Ideas for Entertaining All Year.”
Interior Designer – Renovation Small Interior: Romantic and Modern Home
Our client’s favorite destination, a love of organic shapes and ethnic designs were the inspiration for this interior. Whites and creams paired with metallic accents and natural textures create a laid back, warm, and glamorous combination.
This home was also featured in Elle Decor IN.
Home Builder Digest – #5 on the 10 Best Custom Home Interior Designers in Texas
The interior designers named to this exclusive list are selected based on their project portfolio, collaborations with top industry professionals, and client feedback. We’re honored not only to have been named to the list, but to be ranked in the top 5 interior designers on this list!
Our ability to infuse luxury and striking details into functional family homes was one of the reasons we were selected. But our design process, The Process of Design, also caught their attention. Our team works closely with architects, custom home builders and realtors to ensure we create cohesive designs inside and out.
Designers in Houston Lists
Houston is an incredible place to be a designer. It’s casual, but elevated. Relaxed and refined. The culture is diverse and open. The people are kind, collaborative, and appreciate the value of residential design.
Houston has also played a vital role in the history of Laura U Interior Design. For over 10 years this city has supported our business and continues to do so today. We love the design community here. We’re not competitive, we’re cooperative.
A couple Autumns ago, Laura hosted a gorgeous fall fête with a group of talented event professionals. She has also co-hosted a Texas Design Week Kick-off party. Most recently, we enjoyed our 15-Year Party — celebrating fifteen years of business in Texas.
Being a part of the Houston business world has given us the opportunity to meet amazing business owners and entrepreneurs. Many are designers themselves! Like Courtney Paddock, second from right below. As the owner of Little Coterie she designs gorgeously planned events all over Texas.
The Fall Fete hosted by Laura U
Decoraid – 15 of the Top Decorators and Interior Designers in Houston
The 15 designers on this list redefine and elevate interior spaces. Our “command on glorious color and everyday elegance…with home decor that reflects our client’s active lifestyle” made our portfolio stand out.
Decorilla – Top 10 Houston Interior Designers
Our team’s portfolio of vacation home designs were one of the things Decorilla loved most about our work. What caught their eye is how we “combine sophistication with playfulness” and our attention to bold details to make every space luxurious and functional.
Freshome – The Best in Houston
The interior designers named to the list were selected based on their portfolio quality, industry experience and customer satisfaction. “Our bold aesthetic, polished, and classically modern styles” were a few reasons why the Laura U portfolio stood out to them.
Homedit – Houston’s Top Interior Designers
Chosen from among a fabulous group of interior designers, the interior designers on this list create luxurious, award-winning spaces. Our ability to “meld clean lines with striking details [to] yield spaces of high design that are still practical living areas” definitely stood out. We’re thrilled to hear our clients say their homes are reflective of their lifestyle, functional and have a feeling of warm luxury.
Houston Architects – #3 on The Top 10 Interior Designers in Houston List
Interior designers must have a great relationship with each and every architect they encounter. The architect focuses on developing the home’s bones and an interior designer continues to bring that vision to life in the interior.
Together, an architect and interior designer are able to maximize your home’s functionality and expose its intended beauty. The Laura U designers work closely with our client’s architect to ensure that every detail in the home tells the client’s story. Learn more about how to work with a residential architect alongside your interior design team here.
To be selected as one of the top 3 interior designers in Houston is such an honor.
Interior Design Features
We’re honored to have been named one of the top interior design firms in Houston and in Texas. And we’re also honored to have our work featured in these Houston and Texas-based publications.
Mid-century modern style living room with gold acent table
CultureMap Houston Interior Design Feature – Mid-century Home
The team transformed this 1950s ranch home into a mod, contemporary mid-century home. Playful pieces like a Union Jack refrigerator and a touch of cow hide create a warm, inviting design full of personality. It definitely speaks to the couple’s diverse background.
Colorful tile and an Arabesque nook adorn this Houston home, designed by Laura U
CultureMap Houston Interior Design Feature – Southern Americana Home
The shades of blue and white we used in this interior design is a nod to our client’s alma mater, Rice University. The white walls provide the perfect backdrop for the client’s art collection. And pops of blue add depth and dimension. It’s a casual, chic home that doesn’t sacrifice functionality for style.
A John Staub home in Houston, interior design by Laura U
LUXE Houston Interior Design Feature – River Oaks Residence
We gave this historical treasure designed by John Staub a modern update to make it suitable for entertaining and our client’s growing family. Our team brought a touch of old Hollywood glamour through luxe fabrics and stunning light fixtures.
We kept the gorgeous original black and white floors to add an element for grandeur. Metallic accents with unexpected pops of color make it feel fresh.
It’s such an honor to be recognized and awarded by the industry and our peers for the work we’ve done. We like to say our greatest rewards are “design tears.” Design tears are the result of the intense joy our clients experience when they see their new home for the first time.
Second to that, would be being named as the best interior designer in Texas.
Projects Highlighted by Texas Press in 2022
Our Braeswood Place project recently took the cover of Luxe Houston’s July issue and was lauded in an article by Christine Deorio. A March 2022 article published in the Houston Chronicle listed some of Houston’s stunning modern homes. Braeswood Place was included!
The remodel of University Place was celebrated by Diane Cowen in another article for The Houston Chronicle. With its intriguing textures, sculptural elements and gorgeous millwork, University Place’s moody study took the cover of Rue Daily.
The firm was also profiled by Luxe earlier this year. Both LUDC Founder & CEO Laura Umansky and Gina Elkins were interviewed for Luxe’s “Women in Business” issue.
What Does the Best Interior Designer in Texas Look Forward to in 2023?
We can’t wait to see what gorgeous spaces the best interior designer in Texas creates throughout 2023! But I’m making it the year to get organized at home and in the studio. At the studio, the team and I are constantly pulling together samples for inspiration and design plans. Unfortunately, that means things don’t always make it back to the correct spot.
Being able to gain control of the clutter is going to make life at home run more smoothly. Of course, throughout the year you can expect to see more stunning new project reveals. The team and I are working on some projects in Aspen and a few big projects here in Houston.
We can’t reveal the details yet, but I can tell you that we’ll be working on some of the biggest projects in firm history! We can’t wait to share more about these exciting projects with you. To get a sneak peek at what’s happening at Mountain Lane Show House, my Houston home and in the studio, follow along on Instagram.
Learn more about the accolades and awards LUDC received throughout 2022 in our recent post.