Loire Design Lab Series - Preface
Welcome to our newest series, The Loire Design Lab!
What has been in the works for a full year and half, but really nearly half a decade, is finally in motion and coming to life. And so we have decided that it's the right time to introduce this project to the world AKA all of you!
Maybe you've already caught a glimpse of the project over on Instagram or one of our teasers on Substack or we've had the chance to tell you about it during a recent catch up. But if you have no idea what we are talking about, allow us to explain what it is that we are doing, why we want to share it and what we hope to accomplish. We'll make it brief.
Loire Design Lab is our version of an interior design laboratory…in France. For years, we have dreamt of creating a space where we could experiment with all of the different brands, products and materials that fascinate, intrigue, and inspire us. As we continue to cultivate and grow our expertise as sustainable design leaders and advocates, we have developed a deeply intentional focus on healthy materials that serves as our foundation. Without going too deep into our design philosophy, we will mention that interiors have an impact on our health, from paint to flooring to furniture and beyond. We believe in the importance of carefully selecting each material and product that we place in our homes in order to avoid harmful effects in our most sacred personal spaces.
And so we embarked on the journey of finding a place in need of preservation and renovation, where we could experiment and then showcase the results of how healthy materials can enhance wellness, without any compromises on the aspect of beauty. Europe lent its hand to the project seeing as we were expanding our Chicago-based interior design practice to France and because of the advancement of material health and sustainability in Europe.
We are really thrilled to be able to share this journey from the genesis, through the evolution and process, to the results of how this space is being revived for the next chapter. And while we have a really intentional vision of what we are building, so many unforeseen things have unfolded along the way…and we will definitely be sharing those lessons!
Our hope is that you will not only enjoy the story but that you'll also get a glimpse at the importance of material health and the positive impact of preserving what exists. And of course, that you will experience a taste of the magic of the Loire Valley and understand our love for it and why we split our time here.
And as we go deeper, we would love to know any questions you may have about the journey and process, so feel free reach out or comment.
To be continued…
À bientôt,
M&D
