Photography by Max Burkhalter Words by Rachel Schwartzmann
Styling by Elaina Sullivan
IN STYLE
Fashion designer Lauren Chan has always challenged convention when it comes to how she dresses. Now she’s doing the same with her interiors.
AS A FORMER FASHION EDITOR,
Lauren Chan spent years advocating for women. When thinking about her space, the plus-size model and founder of size-inclusive luxury womenswear brand Henning uses words like pacifying and calm, an obvious reaction to the past year. “Paint has an incredible ability to increase that sensation,” she says. “The level of attention I paid to my space over the past few months got me excited to try something that wasn’t the standard white.” In her fast-paced, pre-quarantine life, “home was not a place I spent a lot of time,” she adds. Now Chan, who describes her wardrobe as “practical, minimalist, and a touch quirky,” is translating these elements to her Brooklyn apartment.
Much like Henning’s collections, Chan’s bedroom features understated colors and elevated silhouettes; her furniture is overwhelmingly cognac, black, and walnut, while the linens are oatmeal and cream. For the walls and trim she looked to the Sherwin-Williams® ColorSnap® Color ID quiz, which offers exclusive color palettes curated to different personalities, to find shades that reflect both her interests and sensibility. She aligned with the Enthusiast—whose qualities are open-mindedness and expressiveness—and the result is a space that feels immersive; modern; and, most important, personal.
Art—including an 82-inch painting of a group of dogs and a leather horse head bust—is the focal point of Chan’s bedroom. Wanting colors that would highlight but not overpower the pieces, she chose Natural Linen SW 9109 for the walls and Sommelier SW 7595 for the trim. When selecting shades, Chan suggests ordering color chips, which Sherwin-Williams offers 10 of free online. Stick them on your walls and give yourself time to see how they look both in the daylight and at night.
Think of Color as the Canvas
For the closet trim, Chan wanted something to mask the inevitable fingerprints that come from leaning on the wall while putting on socks or shoes. “Design
is best balanced with durability,” says Chan. “It makes everything less fussy.” Inspired by her bedroom’s chestnut checkered rug, she went with Tanbark SW 6061 to help hide any marks between cleanings.
Durability Is in the Details
For the walk-in closet, Chan was inspired by a photo she saw on Instagram of a dark-painted pantry with under-shelf lighting. “It looked like a display case in a store and made the room feel rich and fun,” she says, noting it also helped the small space appear larger. In contrast to the bedroom walls, Chan chose
Griffin SW 7026 from the Enthusiast palette, which allowed her to mix and match different shades with confidence. “I love going from a soft taupe, sun-filled bedroom to a darker walk-in closet every morning when I get dressed,” she notes.
Don’t Let Your Closet Be an Afterthought
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
Lauren Chan spent years advocating for women. When thinking about her space,
the plus-size model and founder of size-inclusive luxury womenswear brand Henning uses words like pacifying and calm, an obvious reaction to the past year. “Paint has an incredible ability to increase that sensation,” she says. “The level of attention I paid to my space over the past few months got me excited to try something that wasn’t the standard white.” In her fast-paced, pre-quarantine life, “home was not a place I spent a lot of time,” she adds. Now Chan, who describes her wardrobe as “practical, minimalist, and a touch quirky,” is translating these elements to her Brooklyn apartment.
Much like Henning’s collections, Chan’s bedroom features understated colors and elevated silhouettes; her furniture is overwhelmingly cognac, black, and walnut, while the linens are oatmeal and cream. For the walls and trim she looked to the Sherwin-Williams® ColorSnap® Color ID quiz, which offers exclusive color palettes curated to different personalities, to find shades that reflect both her interests and sensibility. She aligned with the Enthusiast—whose qualities are open-mindedness and expressiveness—and the result is a space that feels immersive; modern; and, most important, personal.
Think of Color as the Canvas
Art—including an 82-inch painting of a group of dogs and a leather horse head bust—is the focal point of Chan’s bedroom. Wanting colors that would highlight but not overpower the pieces, she chose Natural Linen SW 9109 for the walls and Sommelier SW 7595 for the trim. When selecting shades, Chan suggests ordering color chips, which Sherwin-Williams offers 10 of free online. Stick them on your walls and give yourself time to see how they look both in the daylight and at night.
Durability Is in the Details
For the closet trim, Chan wanted something to mask the inevitable fingerprints that come from leaning on the wall while putting on socks or shoes. “Design is best balanced with durability,” says Chan. “It makes everything less fussy.” Inspired by her bedroom’s chestnut checkered rug, she went with Tanbark SW 6061 to help hide any marks between cleanings.
Don’t Let Your Closet Be
an Afterthought