Lauren Li

4 weeks ago | laurenliofficial.substack.com | Lauren Li

When was the last time you went for a walk just to walk? No agenda, no “must-do” list, no need to arrive anywhere in particular—just the sheer delight of moving your legs and letting your mind wander? And (here’s the crazy part) without airpods? Madness, right? Well, that’s exactly what I’ve been up to these last couple of days in London. And here’s the thing—I can’t actually remember the last time I gave myself permission to do something this simple.

1 month ago | laurenliofficial.substack.com | Lauren Li

I bit of a personal one for my paid subscribers today. If you’re in business and are going for it, putting yourself out there, then maybe this has happened to you too. I’ve come to a hard truth: I’ve been the "dumb friend" more times than I’d like to admit. It’s tough to swallow when you realize you were the last to know that you’ve outgrown certain friendships. It stings, it's confusing, and it takes time to step back, reflect, and truly see the bigger picture.

1 month ago | laurenliofficial.substack.com | Lauren Li

Well, that was fun. The launch party episode of The Design Anatomy Podcast(my podcast with Bree Banfield) was a glorious mix of big design chats, even bigger opinions, and some truly excellent furniture. Generously hosted in the stunning Living Edge showroom (a candy store for design lovers), we gathered under the warm glow of designer lighting, surrounded by iconic chairs and equally iconic minds. The one and only Simone Haag—stylist, curator, furniture whisperer, and certified risk-taker.

1 month ago | laurenliofficial.substack.com | Lauren Li

This mistake I made early in my interior design career had me completely shook. Honestly, I thought—am I even cut out for this? Was I ever going to know how to create the perfect space for clients? Did I have any taste at all? Was I fooling myself into thinking I could actually design? I questioned everything. Looking back, 20-year-old me at least knew one thing: I didn’t know enough. And that mistake? Well, it pushed me to go back to school.

1 month ago | laurenliofficial.substack.com | Lauren Li

Okay, I need to be honest here: I am so over scrolling through Instagram and seeing neutral spaces that are just... meh. Beige-on-beige, blah-on-blah. What happened lived-in spaces with personality? Look, I get it. Neutrals can create that calming, serene vibe. But when you take colour out of the mix, it can quickly feel like you’ve stepped into a waiting room, not a living room. Style Studies is a reader-supported publication.