A Home That Feels Like You

A thoughtful modern interior with Arco and Cait Lauring

It’s easy to design a house that looks good. Designing one that feels good is another discipline entirely.

This Arco home began with a foundation built for maximum livability. From architecture and layout to construction, Arco designed each element to support real life, flexibility, and long-term functionality. Every detail was guided by how people move through the space, how they gather, unwind, and host.

Once the home was complete, the new homeowners hired interior designer Cait Lauring to make the space truly theirs. They welcomed us into their journey, allowing us to follow along as Cait layered in comfort, personality, and emotional resonance, transforming the spaces to reflect both their lives and their aesthetic.

“I want a house to feel as good as it looks,” she explains. “Elevated, but never stuffy. Comfortable enough to live in every day, but still special when you’re hosting or gathering.”

Cait approached the project with a philosophy of effortless comfort and quiet sophistication.

That intention guided every decision, from the overall flow of the home to the smallest material choices.

Rather than starting with a blank mood board, Cait works with what her clients already love. Art, rugs, and meaningful pieces become anchors around which the rest of the design unfolds.

“Clients fall in love with things for a reason,” she says. “If we design around those pieces, everything else we add will feel intentional and personal.”

In this home, cherished artwork and staple pieces such as rugs set the tone for several rooms. Spaces were built outward from these elements, creating a design that feels grounded rather than imposed. The result is a home that feels collected over time, even though it was designed cohesively.

While some designers work strictly room by room, Cait considers the house as a whole, even if the project begins with only one space.

“I like to get a sense of where the entire home is headed,” she says. “Many clients come back later to design additional rooms, so it’s important that everything flows; now and years from now.”

This long-term perspective ensures each space feels connected without becoming repetitive. Materials, tones, and textures evolve subtly as you move through the home, creating a sense of progression rather than abrupt transitions.

Before interior design, Cait worked in PR and product management; experience that continues to shape her approach today.

“It’s all storytelling,” she explains. “In PR, you listen and translate ideas into experiences. In design, you listen and translate how someone wants to feel into a physical space.”

Her approach requires trust, honesty, and collaboration. Cait encourages clients to be open about their likes and dislikes so that the final result truly reflects them.

Although the architecture leans modern, Cait softened the interiors with layers of texture. Wool rugs, velvet drapery, boucle seating, concrete surfaces, and warm wood tones coexist, creating a tactile richness that feels inviting rather than stark.

“I wanted it to feel modern and cozy at the same time,” she says. “A place where you walk in and immediately want to sit down, relax, and stay awhile.”

That balance becomes especially evident upstairs, where lighter woods and softer fabrics create a gentler atmosphere while still echoing the deeper tones found below.

Function is never secondary. Every layout decision begins with understanding how the family moves through the space, how they gather, host, relax, and unwind.

“How many people are sitting? Are they hosting cocktail parties or family movie nights? Are spaces meant for conversation, work, or rest?” Cait asks early on.

These questions shape everything from furniture placement to material selection. The goal is a home that works today and continues to work years from now.

“True elegance comes from ease, not excess,” she says. “A house can look beautiful without being fragile or impractical.”

Two areas in particular define the emotional experience of the home. The front office, positioned near the entry, creates a bold first impression. Dark woods, stone elements, and rich finishes set a grounding tone for the rest of the house. Upstairs, a family lounge offers a softer counterpoint: built-in bookshelves, a restrained palette, and comfortable seating create a quiet retreat, equally suited for reading, conversation, or an afternoon reset.

“Home holds your story,” she says. “It’s where you connect, rest, and feel most like yourself.”

Arco provided a flexible, livable foundation and Cait transformed it into a space that is deeply personal, expressive, and enduring. We were grateful to witness the process, capturing how architecture and interior design together create a home that’s not just lived in, but felt.

Every room reflects individuality and comfort; a home designed not just to be seen, but to be experienced.

Quietly elegant. Effortlessly comfortable. Entirely human.

Connect with Cait Lauring, CL Design Interiors

Email: cait@cldesigninteriors.com

Website: CL Design Interiors

Instagram: CL Design Interiors

Connect with Arco Design + Build

Website: Arco Design + Build

Instagram: @arcohomes