Lauren Meichtry, principal designer of Elsie Home, met and became fast friends with Erin Vancura seven years ago while taking a boxing class at Equinox Palos Verdes. They soon discovered their connection was even stronger—their daughters were in the same ballet class. A few years later, Erin and her husband, Mike, and their two daughters moved to Manhattan Beach, and Lauren and her family coincidentally also moved there.
“After 10 years of living in Palos Verdes, we were looking for a change,” explains Erin. “On a whim, we began renting in the Tree Section, and we found everything we were looking for: great community and neighbors, walkability and a laid-back beach lifestyle.”
So when the opportunity arose to purchase a new-construction home by Thomas James Homes, Mike and Erin decided to take the chance. Meanwhile Lauren, who had spent the previous several years designing bespoke pillows, segued into interior design in 2021. Though she had recently completed a kitchen remodel for a close friend, she had yet to complete an entire project.
“I always knew Lauren had incredible style and taste, so when we moved, I asked her to help with ‘a few details,’” says Erin, who had previously selected the lighting and fixtures for the house with Danni Murray, lead interior designer at Thomas James Homes. “Those ‘few details’ turned into Lauren designing from top to bottom. It was the best decision we could’ve made. She has an effortless style that was the perfect match for us.”
While the Vancuras gave Lauren free rein on the overall design for the five-bedroom, four-bath home, they conveyed a list of must-haves including a sauna for Mike; an outdoor living area for morning coffee and family barbecues; a craft room for Erin and the girls; a media room for video game sessions and sleepovers with friends; and the integration of two existing pieces of furniture: a woven leather bed for the primary bedroom and a Cloud sofa from RH for the living room.
“I hadn’t done a project of this size for full-home furnishings, but I said, ‘yes’ because I knew I could do it,” recalls Lauren. “I think that’s why this was so fun, because I wasn’t designing for someone to try to appease them. It was more like, ‘OK, you trust me. I will create what I think makes the most sense for this house and the people that live in it.’ It made the process much more organic.”
“What was a completely empty house just days prior was suddenly our home.”
The design—which Lauren calls “California cool” with hints of white oak and black—was also a celebration, in part, of a new beginning. “In my early 30s I was diagnosed with cancer, and it was a battle for all of us,” explains Erin. “Our journey has a very happy ending, and we learned a lot. We gained a new attitude and perspective on life, and a ‘let’s do it!’ approach toward adventures and new things. I think we brought a little bit of that fun, playful side into the house.”
With the help of general contractor Jorge Pasten of 360 Painting, Lauren addressed all their needs while infusing character into the approximately 3,000-square-foot residence through bold patterns and texture in artwork, accessories, fabric and wallpaper. “We knew design details like wallpaper were going to be what brought the space together,” says Erin. “With such a blank canvas, the wallpaper allowed us to make each room different.”
In the craft room, intended as a creative lab for handcrafted greeting cards, slime projects and hot glue gun creations, Lauren selected an eye-catching, black-and-white Dashes Stacked wallpaper by Love vs. Design, wooden Brighton mirrors by Jamie Young and a pair of Isador executive desks by Four Hands.
“We envisioned a room with enough desk space to do homework but also a place to paint and mix slime,” explains Erin. “The room has also been home base for a lot of friendship bracelet-making. Thank you, Taylor Swift!”
Whimsical hints continue in the girls’ bedrooms with a nod to their interests and traits. The youngest daughter’s colorful, rainbow-themed bedroom is appointed with a hanging rattan chair by Serena & Lily, an Arches bed by Sarah Sherman Samuel and a macramé wall hanging found on Amazon. The older daughter’s room is awash with wall-to-wall Patterned Fronds wallpaper by Love vs. Design in a custom sage green colorway, Finn two-drawer nightstands from Crate & Kids, and a hand-knotted Acoma rug from Lulu and Georgia.
For the sophisticated and tranquil primary suite in soft caramel and blue-grey tones, Lauren anchored the space with their existing bed, pillows by Elsie Home and Beach Near Etretat, a landscape print from Celadon Art. “They said they never had a ‘real’ bedroom, and it was like an afterthought at every house they had ever lived in,” says Lauren. “So it was important for me to make this room feel like an oasis for them.”
In the living room, replete with a pair of custom Allie swivel chairs by Rowe Furniture, Lauren chose a triptych, Diver Triple, from Trowbridge Gallery in London as a wink to Erin’s journey. It was also intended to complement the fireplace surround clad in Stella Hex by Merola Tile, a black-and-white star pattern that Erin chose before Lauren was enlisted.
“The tile sets the tone for the room,” says Lauren. “When I saw these diver prints, I knew I wanted to use them here. I see this strong woman jumping and diving off, and for me there was some symbolism of Erin.”
The Vancuras count the final reveal as one of the most gratifying and memorable moments of the entire process. “What was a completely empty house just days prior was suddenly our home,” recounts Erin. “Lauren and her team worked hard to set up the house, from fresh flowers and sheets to all the furniture and artwork. It was a moment we will never, ever forget. To this day, we haven’t changed a single thing about the home, and everything is where Lauren left it.”
For her first official project, Lauren couldn’t be more fulfilled. “The moment they walked in, they kept saying, ‘This feels like us,’ and ‘You nailed it,’” she says. “Doing this house and feeling like I had full creative control while capturing their personality, I felt like: ‘I did it.’”
Southbay Shopping Guide
Shop local! As fall comes into view, we look to our retailers for inspiring seasonal style. Get to know some local destinations and preview a handful of their latest arrivals.