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2 weeks ago | 
laurenliofficial.substack.com | Lauren Li
Not every hue, shape, or shiny new object from Milan Design Week is destined for Australian homes - or any home for that matter. Sometimes the colours are so wild and weird you’re left blinking, wondering if you’ve time-travelled back to the ‘70s. And yellow is often the main offender (there was also orange and purple but that’s for another day). Yellow is often misunderstood. Often feared.
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1 month ago | 
laurenliofficial.substack.com | Lauren Li
We’re smack bang in the thick of Melbourne Design Week and let me tell you, the vibes are HOT. It’s been a huge year — not just big in quantity (so. many. events) but big on QUALITY, too. Now look, I have just returned from Milan (and yes, I plan to casually mention this in every conversation until 2026), but I can confirm — hand on heart, espresso in hand — that our local designers are absolutely world class. Truly.
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1 month ago | 
laurenliofficial.substack.com | Lauren Li
I popped over to London in March—my first time back since I lived there many moons (and TopShop jackets) ago. And gosh, I’d forgotten how much I adore that city. Yes, I did the nostalgic lap around old haunts (cue emotional sandwich on the Thames), but I also made it my mission to sniff out some stellar design brands. Some old flames, some fresh finds.
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2 months ago | 
laurenliofficial.substack.com | Lauren Li
I’ve just landed back after three weeks away and—look, I missed my family, obviously—but what I really missed was... my bed. MY glorious, cloud-like, snuggly sanctuary of a bed. Just before I left, I gave our bedroom a little zhuzh, which (plot twist) started with a new mattress. Enter: DuuDuu. Now, considering how many bedrooms I’ve designed over the years, you’d think the mattress would’ve been front and centre. But nope.
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2 months ago | 
laurenliofficial.substack.com | Lauren Li
I’m back! I landed from Milan the other day and I have so much to share with you. I have seen SO MUCH furniture it’s ridiculous. My brain has not caught up with what my eyes have seen and I am still making sense of it all. But one experience stands out that I want to show you; L’Appartamento by Artemest.
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Mar 28, 2025 | 
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.
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Mar 17, 2025 | 
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.
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Mar 13, 2025 | 
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.
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Mar 12, 2025 | 
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.
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Mar 6, 2025 | 
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.
