Marle Woman: Laura Baross

Industry leaders, new talent, quiet achievers and progressive thinkers, Marle Women is a regular journal series featuring one-to-ones with women of all ages and stages of their lives; women who challenge, excite, teach and inspire us.

In our latest edition, we speak to New York based founder of DESIGN WITH CARE, visual artist, interior and content designer, Laura Baross.

"I've always been drawn to the world of art and design. Growing up in Europe, I was surrounded by a rich tapestry of culture and when I moved to New York, I found myself immersed in a dynamic environment that fuelled my artistic aspirations even further.

I launched my interior design studio DESIGN WITH CARE as a sanctuary for creative expression, where I blend elements of minimalistic & functional approach with comfort and sustainable mindset. Each project is a collaborative journey with my clients, where we work together to breathe life into their visions."

Read on to explore how her practice has evolved, why we should embrace steady progress and to learn more about her fresh way-of-thinking about low-impact lifestyles.

Hi Laura, please share a little bit about how you integrate creativity into your day to day...

In my daily practice, I focus on interior design & crafting nurturing indoor experiences while I also try to make space for a newfound passion for ceramics. Working with clay is my way to unplug from the digital world, which represents a big part of my business. I find working with my hands incredibly soothing & energising. Ceramics allow me to lose track of time and tune into the present moment.

In an interview you once said: 'Sustainability isn’t an endpoint that we reach simply by buying second-hand items or eating consciously.’ Can you talk us through this and explain a little more about your approach to sustainability?

After going through many stages of an environmentalist mindset - growing past the self-restrictive and fear based awareness, I view it now almost as a spiritual practice. A kind & mindful way of living in the western society, where we’re so distant from natural ways of living, that even the small act of kinder choices feels like you’re doing something for the wellbeing of our planet.You can go for a hike and hug a tree to feel an immediate connection to nature, but those activities are rather hard to stumble across when you live in a city like New York. Here, your lifestyle and work flow is keeping your mind busy with other ideas. So in a way, I find these little connections with mama earth, through making conscious choices.

It’s very easy to get discouraged if you try to fix things all at once. Just keep expanding your awareness, be gentle with yourself as you explore what green options you could switch to and stay positive. Steady & imperfect progress is better than a burnout.

You're currently pregnant with your first child, as you near motherhood, have you noticed a change in the way you move through the world? If so, how?

Thank you so much! This exciting new chapter has already begun to shape my perspective as a woman and I’m beyond excited to join the circle of inspiring mamas around me. So far it’s been a lovely journey, experiencing various acts of support from women reaching out and sharing their wisdom & empowerment.

My professional world hasn’t stopped spinning yet, quite the contrary, my studio is in the midst of a large project with gut renovations about to begin. I’m very curious to see what impact the sudden change of pace will have on my mindset, but so far I have made it through life with an open heart and a flexible perspective. So I’m hoping that even if it’s not exactly as I imagined, I’ll find a way to make things work and rebuild what's needed at that moment in time.

I feel very blessed to own my own business and envision that I’ll be able to schedule my hours around the kiddo, but that’s a song of the future. For now, I’m sensing it’s time to start winding down and enjoying the upcoming last months of pregnancy before the newborn phase begins.

Do you have any daily rituals or practices that you swear by?

Slow mornings! Life flies by so fast and if we don’t dedicate a moment to take a step back and check in with ourselves, a year might just slip through our fingertips. In my morning routines, I set the mood with a calming zen playlist, burn palo santo, prep coffee or green tea (Kombucha Green from Yogi is my fav!).

Then I settle down to engage in a calming activity - sometimes it’s reading a few pages from an inspiring book, journalling, manifesting or simply meditating & humming. 

How would you describe your personal style and how has this evolved over the years?

My personal style is developing hand in hand with my design eye. Over the years I’ve grown to like simple, timeless & functional pieces for my wardrobe and furnishings alike. I generally stay away from prints and overly vibrant colours - while I love them in nature, I find them distracting when I look in the mirror or when they're placed around my living spaces.

At this point in my life, I try to be selective and bring home only items that I really love. I use my home also as a studio space, where I spend a lot of time creating and thus it needs to evoke a sense of warmth, comfort and inspire an environment that encourages creative thinking.

Marle is designed to add effortless ease to a woman’s wardrobe, how does wearing Marle make you feel?

I discovered Marle at a very special moment in my life. As I prepare to become a mom, I’ve tried to have a minimalist approach when it comes to pregnancy clothing. I stayed away from maternity styles and chose to upsize or pick adjustable/flowy pieces I can wear long after my pregnancy.

Marle offers a great variety of classic style and feminine pieces that make me feel good in my skin. When dressed in a Marle outfit it truly feels like I just styled my look for the day with ease and poise. Wearing Marle makes me feel put together, comfortable and sophisticated at the same time! It's love at first sight.

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