For The Love of Home

Award-winning interior designer and Laura U Design Collective founder Laura Umansky moved to Snowmass with her family to be closer to what they value most: the outdoors, wellness and more quality family time. After completing her own home renovation, Umansky discusses how to create a mountain modern retreat.

By Laura Umansky 

Moving to Aspen has been a long-term goal for my family. When the pandemic began, it presented the perfect opportunity for us to make the move and open a second design studio in the Aspen region. When we started the home search, I knew I wanted to renovate instead of building new. I love large-scale renovation projects—they allow preservation of the home’s history and the ability to honor the original design. Plus, I love a good before and after! In early 2020, my real estate agent FaceTimed me to show me what is now our family home–and I knew it was the one. Originally built in 1995, the house needed updates to match our family’s needs. My goal was to create the perfect modern mountain retreat that is both luxe and practical for my family of four.

I partnered with the home industry’s top movers and shakers to curate a sanctuary that supports our family’s new Colorado lifestyle. We love to be outdoors, from skiing to snowboarding to hiking. We’re so active here. Plus, my husband, Michael, and I are both entrepreneurs in hybrid work environments, which means we spend a lot of time at home in meetings and conference calls. Add in our twin girls and our two dogs, and you have a very full household that is always on the go. It was so important to me to have spaces that embraced all of the things we love to do together while carving out corners dedicated to work, relaxation and occasionally, isolation. We purchased this home knowing it would need a complete overhaul to achieve all we wanted.  With the help of my firm’s creative director, we set out on a 10-month renovation to design my dream home in the mountains. Aspen has never hosted a show house before, and I am thrilled to share what we’ve done here with this community through the Mountain Lane Show House (MLSH), my family home.

On March 19, join Michael and me for an in-person tour of our home, or opt for the virtual tour option that will allow you to experience the home in 3D. All ticket proceeds benefit Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass. I hope you can join me! Click here to purchase tickets and learn more about the Mountain Lane Show House (MLSH). laurauinteriordesign.com