Luxury Service, Luxury Experience Sometimes things just work out better than anticipated, which was exactly what happened for the local interior design studio, Lauren O’Donnell Interiors. Juggling upwards of 25 design projects at a time, working out of her home with her team had run its course. The garage was bursting at the seams with inventory used to put the final touches on clients’ homes, Lauren’s two young boys were running around playing frisbee with carpet samples, and her husband was (patiently) enduring the endless deliveries. During an unprecedented year, full of uncertainty amidst the pandemic while juggling quarantine with kids, school, work and everything in between, the downtime led Lauren O’Donnell to her new “home” at 1350 E. 9th Street in Chico. What happened next, although unplanned, was the start of Chico’s newest shopping experience. Lauren quickly started doing what she does best—remodeling! The studio began to take shape, and two 40-foot trucks of inventory quickly filled the space. “I was instantly in love with the new studio,” Lauren said. “It was centrally located, full of floor-to-ceiling windows, had wonderful neighbors, and enough space to finally spread out.” Lauren envisioned the space being a place where clients would visit for presentations, a showcase for design and what she could do, and a place to put her skills on display. She also wanted it to offer visitors the opportunity to purchase on-hand inventory because, why not? People were always asking to purchase products they had seen through her Instagram profile (@lodesigns) or from one of her finished projects in someone’s home. “It was surprising how many people came in and bought a piece here and there,” she added. So with the help of her team, they quickly decided to go all-in with a full-time shop. The shop officially opened its doors on the first day of spring, in March of 2021. “The grand opening was a blast,” said Lauren. The sun was shining, the 26
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