Washington Design Center Hall of Fame Gala



This past Thursday night was the opening Black Tie Gala for the Washington Design Center's 2010 Design House sponsored by Elle Decor Magazine.  Dave & I decided to go and were so excited... until I tried on my dress options 2 hours before we were supposed to leave.  eeeeeeeeeek  not good.  You would have thought I would have been a little more prepared but it's fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants-time at our house these days and it really just slipped my mind.  I also don't have a full-length mirror right now (it helps the post pregnancy self-esteem... no actually we just keep forgetting we need one ;) so I couldn't tell what I looked like in a dress and my mom snapped a picture to show me.  (A very diplomatic/ honest move.)  And when I saw the pic, I knew we had to high-tail it to Tyson's (our mall).  So to Tyson's we went with Dave in his tux, us sprinting around like lunatics with only 50 minutes to find a dress.  I went all over but eventually I found a dress- and the ppl at Nordstroms were so sweet as always.  (This is no joke-  ever since high school I have these nightmares every so often that I'm off to homecoming or prom and I am dress shopping and I don't have anything to wear and I'm late or miss the dance.  Well, this was my nightmare come to life and it was not really nightmarish at all...  just kind of ridiculous.)  I wore the dress out and people laughed at us as we sprinted through the mall- me in a floor-length gown with flip-flops...  ruinging any chance of a good hair day.  When we finally got there we saw lots of friendly faces & also met some new ones: 
{ Textile Designer Bryant Archie, me & my friend Michele Ginnerty of My Notting Hill

{New friend Nicole Qualls of Elle Decor.  We're kindred spirits- do you see how she loves the monkey?!}

{monkeys all over the showhouse!}

{Bryant, me, my husband, fellow-shelter-designer Raji Rhadhakrishnan and her husband}
photo by Michele Ginnerty via My Notting Hill


{Dave & superstar advertising director Matthew Talomie from Elle Decor  ...We love Elle Decor  and were so happy they came down to DC!!}


{ me with friend/designer Rachel James, and Kathleen Litchfield}

I was a very bad blogger (as usual at any events) and spent more time having fun than taking pictures, so I missed a lot of great new friends in the photos including Sherry from Elle Decor (Nicoles's mother- what an awesome family they are!!!) and  sweet/fun-local-designers Sally Steponkus, Heather Safferstone, Barbara Franceski, Andrea Hickman, and builder John Petro.

I did get this photo of Kelley Proxmire in her gorgeous turquoise accented foyer:

{She matched her room- how perfect?!}


{ Chandy with honeycomb beeswax shades..  LOVE}



{And of course I loved the accents in he garden room}
...But then the music got to us and dancing ensued and the camera was forgotten.  ah vell.
If you're interested in seeing all of the rooms, check out this article in The Washington Post or go to the Design Center to see them in person!  Thanks to the Design Center and Elle Decor for an amazing night!!

xoxo,
lauren

ps- we went out afterwards and people thought we'd just gotten married!! of course dave insisted it was true as he showed them photos of our 5 month old and 2 year old. 

32 comments:

Hamptontoes said...

Lauren,
You look absolutely gorgeous, regardless of having just had a baby or not. The event looks wonderful...it looks like you and your husband had a great time...well, deserved for two hardworking parents! Thanks for sharing.

El said...

Glad you had a great time. You look stunning.

Kathysue said...

What a fun memory you made. You will talk about that dress and the purchase for years to come. You looked lovely and elegant. So glad you did not miss out on a wonderful evening because of a dress!! Thanks for sharing,Kathysue

Love the Decor! said...

Too funny but you look stunning!!! and you made a memory too!!

Erin {House of Turquoise} said...

You look so beautiful! What a fun event to be able to attend! I love that photo of Kelley Proxmire!

So funny you mentioned that dream...I have the same one all the time. I've had it about dances, Halloween and even my own wedding!

LindsB said...

You look amazing!! The dress was totally made for you!

Looks like a great time was had by all!

Privet and Holly said...

Glad you found a dress that felt RIGHT and that you had a blast! Looks like a veritable whos-who! I wanted to let you know how wonderful it was that you partnered with Rebecca and the other designers on the domestic violence shelter. I left Rebecca a comment on her post but now see you posted on it, too! Amazing transformation by an amazing group ~ BRAVO! Happy Monday! xx P&H

Janell @ House of Fifty said...

You look fabulous!! It's very hard to get any photos at an event you are at...just too busy. I'm starting to learn I need to pass the camera off to other people! Janell

Catherine said...

You look beautiful! And what a great night!
xoTrina

Unknown said...

Hi Lauren: great post and so fun to hang out with you and Dave. You are supremely talented and your style has struck a resounded chord with the next generation of design enthusiasts!
Keep up the great work and keep inspiring us.

Lindsey said...

Wow, what fab fun! And I never would have guess you just had a baby!! You look great!! I can only hope I look that good after having a baby one day!!

traci zeller designs said...

You look beautiful ... and what a great story!

red ticking said...

you look like cinderella to me... glad you had fun at the ball with your prince xx pam

pve design said...

I just want to hear what your 5 month and 2 year old said about your pretty dress and handsome dad sporting his monkey suit.
You both look fatastic.
pve

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

something different..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7RdggoD1Z8

Tracy Watier said...

What fun! A mad dash around the mall followed by cocktails with grown-ups in grown-up clothes and great design thrown in almost as an afterthought. Thanks for sharing it with us. You are one busy, accomplished, beautiful mommy!

kayce hughes said...

You are so beautiful! Sounds like a great event.

Averill said...

Sounds like such a fun event! And I love your white dress -- what a lovely summertime departure from black!

Unknown said...

You look fabulous! And, sometimes you just have to put down the camera - otherwise how do you balance your champagne and hug your friends?! :)

Stephanie Sabbe said...

so fun! that's hilarious people thought you just got married

Anonymous said...

you look FAB

Dianne said...

Lauren will we have an easy way to get to archives in your blog? I wanted to show a friend your dining room and could not figure out how to get there without going through all old post. perhaps it is here and I am not tech savvy enough. help!
Also...you both looked great for your design gala. I hope you had lots of fun.

Leah Moss said...

Lovely Lauren as always!!!!


So bummed I miss you, yet again! We were having a send off party for my brother in law who's moving to Rome. I was so sorry to miss it, and even sorrier now that I know I missed you there too!


So glad you had a wonderful time. And so HILARIOUS about Dave and the just married comments!!!

xoxo

Emily A. Clark said...

You look beautiful!

Does this mean we'll be seeing your home in Elle Decor soon, too? :)

Anonymous said...

Lauren,
You are so precious...you looked lovely....
what a fun night!

Connie @ SogniESorrisi said...

Looks like an amazing time and you looked gorgeous!

Dreamy Whites said...

Dear Lauren,
Sounds like such a fun event!
You looked beautiful!
Take Care,
Maria

angela | the painted house said...

Footloose and fancy free, you two! Sounds like so much fun. And, you, my dear, looked ravishing!

Living It At Home said...

You look fabulous! Cute dress and what a special event!

Maria Killam said...

Lauren you are so beautiful and your husband so handsome, loved your dress shopping story!
x
Maria

Maurie said...

From the pictures, your mad dash to Tysons didn't give you a bad hair day at all! You looked spectacular in your white...such a nice contrast to your husband's tux.