As a child, Laura Sullivan was always involved in art in some form or fashion. Whether it was drawing, painting, or pottery, she enjoyed it all. She loved creating, not just for the joy of bringing something new to life, but the joy created when it was shared.
The Beginning
Growing up, her father was in real estate. He would buy investment properties to fix them up. He loved putting something better back into the market than what he took out. Laura was his sidekick; tagging along to job sites, cleaning, and pitching in wherever she could. Her mom, however, was a nurse anesthetist. She was always telling Laura her stories and experiences in the operating room; and how she helped her patients heal. It was important to Laura as she grew up to think about doing something that helped people, making the world a little better for being in it. With that drive, she became a certified nursing assistant in college, thinking a career in healthcare would be her path forward. However, after failing chemistry miserably, she thought, “maybe this isn’t what I’m meant to do.”
After that realization, she came to Interior Design as a craft that really tapped into two areas of fond childhood memories: home, and art. It allowed her to help people by bringing their vision to life in the home of their dreams. After finishing college with a BS in Interior Design from Appalachian State University, Laura stayed engaged in crafting artwork, and began tandem careers in real estate and construction.
ID.ology Interiors & Design
Out of these passions, ID.ology Interiors & Design was born in February 2012. Through partnering with her husband Sean, CEO of Living Stone Design & Build, Laura began learning the importance of green building and design. Laura has been able to fuse her love for design with helping people well beyond just providing them with a beautiful home; but a home that cultivates health and wellness. What Laura does for her clients isn’t just about sustainability and caring for the world we live in, but also caring for their health in their homes. Understanding what you put into your body – the air you breathe, the light around you – affects you. It is intrinsic to the building, designing, and furnishing of all Laura’s projects.
Atelier Maison
This led Laura and Sean to step out into a journey of creating and sourcing healthy furniture for their clients. In doing so, they determined that this is too important not to share with other industry peers and the public. That’s when Atelier Maison & Co., “Asheville’s Elevated Furnishing Destination,” was born. This is a way to share healthy furniture, art, and accessories with the community; while promoting indoor air quality and the health of its customers. Many people are unaware that furniture & furnishings can be very toxic; so Laura and Sean are on a mission to educate the community through providing classes about the importance of the air you breathe.
Laura’s Inspiration
“When I think about someone who’s provided great inspiration to me in my life, I think about my father,” Laura says. “As an entrepreneur I watched and appreciated what he did; his independence and drive to do things for himself and continually work to grow and improve, at times in the face of adversity. Even without a college degree, he proved that hard work and diligence can really be rewarding. Sean’s dad is someone I look up to as well, especially what he’s taught me about servant leadership.”
In the end, Laura’s “why” comes down to truly caring about every home created for the health and wellness of the homeowner. It is an honor and a responsibility to design homes to be the best they can be for her clients.
Interested in learning more about what ID.ology has to offer? Click Here to contact us today!