Laura and Andrea’s Design Adventures

Living with someone can be life changing. Hopefully you got to choose your significant other. But you don’t always get to choose your roommate. Second semester, junior year, Andrea Schmidt had a double room and a roommate studying abroad. Laura McDonald’s roommate decided to get a cat and she was allergic. We didn’t plan on being roommates and best friends, but when you’re living in a 10×17 dorm room you learn pretty quickly to love or hate each other.

I don’t remember the design being anything special in that dorm room (there’s not much you can do with standard issue beds, desks, and dressers against white walls and non-descript carpet), but I do remember the green loveseat Laura brought with her. I’ll admit, I was probably a little stressed in general at this point in my life and that probably affected my reaction to the sudden change. But I do remember that it wasn’t pretty. I may have said something along the lines of “What is that ugly piece of furniture doing in our room?” Luckily Laura has thick skin, and a great eye for design. I now wish I had that vintage loveseat in my house, but alas, it has been recovered now lives in another friend’s home in San Francisco.

I don’t claim that the loveseat solidified our friendship, though it was the backdrop for countless naps, laughing fits, and conversations.

Since then Laura’s worked in LA on movie sets and as an interior designer/producer and I’ve worked for home design magazines including the now defunct Country Home. We like to think we have an eye for good design.

Fast forward five years and we’re both married (now Laura Johnson and Andrea Cooley), still living in different time zones, and trying to figure out how to live with boys. We love them-that’s why we married them-but navigating the ins and outs of creating a home with two very different opinions can be a challenge. From choosing paint colors and furniture to buying houses and cars we hope we can ease some of your angst or at least entertain you as we try to figure it out.

Those of you that are joining us we thought we’d highlight some of our favorite post over the last few months.

Front Door: Andrea & Adam

Front Door: Laura & Cody

Redecorating for Free

Merlot Pairs Nicely with Humble Pie

Paring Down: My Closet

Sunday Afternoons

For the Love of a Ping Pong Table

Setting the Table- Round II

Fabulous Find: Vintage Dishes

Just to name a few, we hope you enjoy our adventures as much as we do!