The Peak of Design

Interior designer partners with Monogram to make her family’s dream-home a reality

Laura Umansky had long dreamed of moving back to Aspen, a charming Colorado town known for exceptional skiing, breathtaking landscapes and relaxed vibes. When the pandemic forced the world to slow down, the Houston-based interior designer took the opportunity to consider her future — and it just made sense to make the move.

“We felt it was a good time to make this dream a reality,” says Laura, who relocated in the fall with her husband, Michael, and their 8-year-old twin daughters.

Laura U Design Collective is a “wholistic” studio, specializing in residential architecture and interiors. The team works all over the country, with two brick-and-mortar studios: one in Houston, and now one in Aspen.

With the new studio in Aspen, Laura and her family settled into temporary digs so they wouldn’t have to rush their house search. Turns out it didn’t take long to find the place they’d call home — but it would require a major renovation to make it their own.

“Finding this home was just great luck,” Laura says of Mountain Lane, a four-bedroom residence located just north of Snowmass Village, featuring expansive views of the Continental Divide. “The location is prime, but the home itself lacks functionality and a design aesthetic that reflects our family.”

That’s all in the process of changing, as Mountain Lane is undergoing a transformation to become the perfect family home for Laura’s family as well as the first-ever show house hosted in the area. Laura U Design Collective has teamed up with partners Monogram Appliances and Permiano Builders to present the Mountain Lane Show House.  The team has hit the ground running at Mountain Lane: Extensive structural changes are underway, and they are beginning to make design selections for the interior — including the kitchen.

A Kitchen for Family and Friends

Mountain Lane is open concept, with the kitchen at its heart. It’s a space where the family will gather around a large island for informal meals and homework sessions; where the girls will hone their cooking skills (scrambled eggs are their latest specialty); and where friends can enjoy a little après ski after a long day on the nearby slopes.

“We wanted a kitchen that was large, open and inviting, but also functional,” says Laura. “I’m designing a space that is warm and welcoming, but with a cool edge. And above all, it has to function for our family.”

When planning a kitchen, Laura typically selects appliances first, which helps inform the rest of her design. Mountain Lane is no exception: The designer says she chose a full suite of “high-performing and effortlessly stunning” Monogram appliances.

Selections include a 48-inch Custom Brass Hood, Dual-Fuel Professional Gas Range with 6 Burners and Griddle, Smart Five in One Wall Oven, Integrated Column Refrigerator and Freezer, Smart Fully Integrated Dishwasher and, of course, the all-new Fully Integrated Wine Refrigerator — for the all-important après ski.

“We have always loved working with Monogram. Any chance we get to collaborate we take!” says Laura. In 2018, her design firm partnered with Monogram on the Boulevard Show House in Houston.

“Not only is the Monogram team amazing,” she adds, “but the product is excellent, high quality, and very beautiful.”

The current show house partnership is still in its early stages — “It’s basically timber and holes in the ground right now,” Laura says — and the creative design collaboration is just getting started. Stay tuned for updates as this mountain vision becomes a family’s dream-home come true.