SKAGGS Blog

As the original creator of the concept of NYLON (NewYorkLondon) and designer of some of the most contemporary residential and commercial spaces in New York City (including SKAGGS HQ), Jo Laurie of Jo Laurie Design is the go-to creative, when you’re in need of practical yet innovative interior design services and advice.

We sat down with Jo to find out how she outshone Terence Conran’s London Flagship store and brought a little NYC flavor to the Sloanies, the importance of a great mirror or lamp, Wigstock and why ICFF is the fashion week of the interior design community.

Jo Laurie — interior designer extraordinaire - tell us about your self!
Jo Laurie, NYC. Based in Downtown NYC since 1985… but with an ever-shrinking world, I’m so pleased that I have US and UK passports and Australian residency! [Talk about jetset! -Ed.]

How did you begin your career in interior design?
Well, that’s way too long a story for here… so I’ll skip a few chapters!
I started with my own jewelry line, then clothing, then hats; selling to about 70 stores including Barneys, Henri Bendel and Bergdorf Goodman in New York and Harvey Nichols in London.  I then fell into fashion styling and started to include prop styling which lead to interior design, which has now matured into a full-service interior design studio.

To date, what has been your most memorable project and why?
The original Nylon, a bar I designed in 1992, on Sloane Avenue in South Kensington. London was my first hospitality project, and is without a doubt my most memorable project. I came up with the whole concept (long before NYLON magazine) and even the hiring of the staff.  My clients had lost a lot of money as silent partners in their previous venture on this site, so we had a really tight budget for creating this heavily conceptual bar. Coupled with the fact that we were located directly opposite Terence Conran’s (slightly intimidating) flag ship store in London, the project was definitely challenging from the get-go!

When I did Nylon the bar scene hadn’t really developed in London. So it was fantastic to return to London about a month after the opening and see the lines of people around the block.  The doorman initially refused to let me in!!  Nylon was so successful that it had the one of the biggest Krystal accounts in London.

You’ve traveled the world and back, but settled (for now) in New York City. Can you tell us more about some of your most inspiring/favorite moments living here?
In addition to all the amazing cultural resources that as New Yorkers we have at our fingertips, I loved going to ‘Wigstock’ that used to take place in Tompkins Square Park in the East Village (a blast from the past… now I’m really showing my age!). It was one of the more gorgeously bizarre NYC events. ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair) is always a great time in NYC.  It’s the fashion week of the interior design world, with all the associated fun and revelry.  It really makes me appreciate NYC, as we all get to experience these events without having to travel to another city and we get to sleep in our own beds!

Is your company thinking differently in terms of design and sustainability? How are you approaching eco-efficiency?
If there’s one thing I could change it would be more affordable sustainable materials. We would dearly love to be working in more of an eco-friendly context, unfortunately materials choices often come down to the client’s budget.  Many of the green options in our industry are still more expensive. For hospitality and commercial projects it is a very hard sell, especially when it’s all about the bottom line. On the bright side, however, residential clients are becoming more receptive to ‘greener’ options.

If you could design any space with an unlimited budget and a client that just said yes (dream on!) to anything, what would you do, what would be on your “must have list” and where?
What a dream!! Well for my personal budget I would love to have a glass master bathroom totally private in the woods, I have the design already in my head… I would love to include the TOTO ‘Neorest’ tub for a mere $25,000.  A penthouse in NYC with a totally integrated alfresco living space and a hot tub which would be a wonderful thing to have for the four months of the year when the weather is gorgeous. For a client: an unlimited hospitality budget that allowed me to hire great artisans and truly have a ‘wow’ component.
Are there any cool furniture or product designers that we should be looking out for?
— I love the Globus Work Pod On Wheels from the Dutch designer Michiel van der Kley. 

— The environmentally conscious Zulu Mama chair, it’s made from recycled milk bottles and hand woven in the Limpopo region of South Africa where jobs are scarce.

— The Flip video camera is a cool product for the great price of $149. It has fun accessories which means you can use it under water or a attach it to a bike! 
— For sheer ‘wow’ factor, Timothy Horn’s luminous art jellyfish.

What are your tips for designing a great space (on a budget)
— Remember to throw in a couple of ‘splurge’ pieces as they will elevate the tone of the room.
— A great mirror or lamp can really add flair, plus it can be taken to your next home.
— Be very careful of fake or cheap wood furniture. There is no substitute for the real thing!  So if you can’t afford a nice wooden table, go with a glass or metal top instead.

For more on Jo’s work, check out the gallery below and for an in depth look at Jo’s work, please visit her website jolauriedesign.com