i suwannee: the real raleigh

the real raleigh :: lauren hood

By Unknown 5/02/2017 therealraleigh

Name Lauren Hood
Occupation Shop Owner + Interior Designer for Children & Families

Who do you live with husband David, daughter Lila (5), son Charlie (5 months), and 3 insane cats
Describe your style in 3 words cozy, family-friendly, eclectic

A book you've read more than once Wuthering Heights
Your favorite 3 things in your house 1) my bed - it’s so comfy, 2) our old china cabinet that’s been painted too many times, 3) an old blue and white soup tureen from my great aunt

Favorite places to score finds for your home Furbish, and a little junk shop in my hometown China Grove
Favorite piece of clothing right now Natalie Martin dresses because they are flowy and I just had a baby

Necessary extravagance/simple indulgence expensive wrinkle cream, Reese’s peanut butter cups

Impromptu talent show - how do you win with my 1996 jazz dance to I Will Survive that won my high school pageant hahahha!

3 favorite things about your house 1) Our screened in porch with the fireplace! 2) We kept the old part of our house (built in 1926) and didn’t tear it down completely when we renovated, which is probably what most people would’ve done 3) The open space we have in the kitchen/family room area - great for parties and my child riding her scooter indoors

Where is the last place you traveled without kid(s) - San Francisco & Sonoma, CA with kid(s) - NC coast
What did you bring back wine and lavender (Cali), seashells (NC beaches)

Book you're reading right now Who Thought This Was a Good Idea? By Alyssa Mastromonaco - a memoir of her life and time in the Obama White House

Favorite restaurant Poole’s Diner
What smell do you love lavender, grapefruit, cut grass

What do you like to do in your home snuggle my babies and keep everything around me clean and organized
You know you can always count on my parents

What do you collect seashells, old bric-a-brac, wine

Favorite song right now Die Young by Sylvan Esso

What’s always in your refrigerator cheese, olives, strawberries, apple juice
What’s your newest music discovery Michael Kiwanuka

Dream dinner party guests Michelle Obama (grace and intelligence), Bill Murray (humor obviously), Anne Lammott (realness and spirituality)
What do you bring with you everywhere you go? Lip gloss / lipstick - I was raised by a good southern mama

What would be your perfect weekend? Sleeping in, going to brunch, 2 bloody marys, a massage and/or pedicure, sitting in the sun, reading a book/listening to music, taking a nap, having a really good dinner with wine and dessert, going to bed early (can you tell I’m sleep deprived right now?) - basically a weekend at The Umstead

Favorite cocktail ice cold slightly dirty vodka martini, bloody mary with homemade mix/horeradish, old fashioned
Best concert you've ever been to Bon Iver

You just tackled a huge renovation - what’s the best advice you can give to someone who's about to get started on one 1) don’t get overwhelmed, there’s only so much you can control, 2) know your style before you start - or hire a designer if you are clueless because there are many lighting, hardware, trim details, and paint decisions to be made, 3) you’ll probably go over budget by at least 10%

One piece of advice you’d give an aspiring entrepreneur make sure you’re all in or it just won’t work - and even then sometimes it doesn’t work out - so basically don’t be afraid of failure