Lauren Rodriguez
Owner + Principal Designer
Lauren is the lead designer on all full-service design projects, from construction design through soft goods procurement and custom design, with the support of her team. Her journey into interior design began 10 years ago with the purchase of her first historic investment space that required a full redesign, continued with additional investment properties and culminated in her launching Sparrow at the end of 2018. Endlessly curious and “humbled everyday” by all she doesn’t know, Lauren combines an innate sense and a cultivated eye for design and style with formal design education and certification in kitchen and bath design. She is grateful for her team, as well as the talented partners who help bring Sparrow’s signature design visions to life. Read more about her philosophy, aesthetic and the values for her studio below.
Lauren lives in Olympia, Washington with her husband, two young children and rescue terrier. Aesthetics-obsessed, eternally optimistic, and forever curious, Lauren is passionate about living a beautiful, meaningful and inspired life and helping others do the same through good design.
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I really don’t take myself too seriously. But the beauty and functionality of a space is another matter entirely.
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Hayley Murray
Senior Project Manager
Hayley joined Sparrow in April of 2021, with a background in design warehouse and inventory management as well as logistical coordination for commercial and residential design installations. Even with design education, her passion is in the project management and process of design. And our clients appreciate that! She is with our clients every step of the way, especially leading up to and during construction.
Originally from Dallas (also Lauren’s hometown!) Hayley lives in Olympia with her husband and their two babies. Hayley loves the personal fulfillment that comes with being a working mama and is passionate about healthy and meaningful living. Her lovely and easygoing nature coupled with her high standards for organization, communication and attention to detail put our clients at ease and let them know they are in the best of hands.
“It’s a total privilege getting to be at the center of bringing a remodel project to life, using critical thinking at every turn, and seeing our designs we’ve worked so hard on take shape!”
Cailin quirk
Project Coordinator
Cailin is in the process of joining our team! Stay tuned for more on her strong client service and coordination background.
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The home should tell the story of the family that lives there.
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Our Values reflect what is most important to us as a design studio.
Our values guide who we are and how we conduct each part of our business, from choosing projects to designing, communicating and supporting our clients, our partners, and our team.
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We are authentic, honest, thoughtful, and integrous in how we express ourselves and represent our company. We are at all times authentic to Sparrow’s style and design philosophy as well as the era, architecture and design intent of the spaces we work on. This commitment also means knowing when to say no to a project that may ask us to compromise any of these. We are committed to the delicate dance between giving our clients what they want and also honoring spaces through authenticity.
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We engage each day with gratitude for ourselves and our work, our team members, our clients, and our partners. We are grateful for the good times and also for what we learn through the challenging ones. And we are immeasurably grateful for the privilege and honor of making the built environment, particularly its interiors, uniquely beautiful now and into the future.
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We prioritize and promote creativity and beauty in all that we do. Vibrant beauty in the designs and spaces we deliver, beauty, kindness and grace in our interactions with others, and beautiful consideration for how we contribute to each project, our community and the world around us.
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We are forever learners. We honor the process of learning and growing in ourselves and our team. We also honor the client learning process—in how they work to grow their trust in us, stretch to learn alongside us, and even learn to do things differently in their homes. We give benefit of the doubt that we are all doing the best we can with what we know, but we are also committed to knowing more!
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Our designs are driven by curiosity. We honor the curiosity in ourselves and we promote it and celebrate it in our team members and our clients. No idea, design or question is “silly.” Curiosity is always rewarded when it is shared and acted upon thoughtfully and with courage.
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We are envelope pushers. We are committed to being courageous in our designs. We take calculated design risks—daring to step out into new territory—and we honor the courage and creativity in ourselves, our team members and our clients. That courage leads us to learn, grow, and be authentic.
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We engage all projects in the spirit of collaboration. We extend grace, patience, and a demonstrated desire to work together as a team to increase our shared learning, our efficiencies, our creativity, and—most importantly—the design outcomes for our clients. Each member of our team brings to the table unique ideas, perspectives, solutions, skills, and beauty—all of which we celebrate.
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We honor and have gratitude for the gift and responsibility of family. We make decisions that put family first and allow space for each team member to personally define what that means. Beyond our personal families, we regard and honor our partners and our clients as our Sparrow family whom we treat with priority, respect, kindness and gratitude.
“I put a lot of emphasis on what I call ‘intuitive design.’ When I first see a space, I take it in and I ask what it wants to be. Without fail, I find that the answer unfolds over time. I can’t tell you how often I’ve picked a tile or piece of furniture, and when we share it with our client she gasps, ‘I just saw something like this the other day and was really hoping we could work it in!’ Or we propose a wallpaper only to find out that its theme has particular meaning for our client, and they’re truly overjoyed by it. These are true stories. And this is undoubtedly one of the most rewarding parts of my work.”
— Lauren , Sparrow Owner & Principal Designer
Our work and the purpose of our studio is founded on the relationships we have both with our clients and with their spaces. To be entrusted with a family home or a valuable work space someone has devoted themselves to building is an honor, and we really listen and care about our clients’ priorities and challenges. Our team works hard from the very beginning to build trust with our clients as we take the lead in designing spaces that are beautiful, classic, vibrant and functional; that improve the lives of our clients and reflect who they are at their absolute best; and that honor the architectural language and intent of each space that is in our charge.
As designers, we’re fascinated by the history of style and design, and we believe there is so much to learn from historic styles, materials and techniques from architecture, to textiles, to art, and metalworks. We love at least something about every century or decade of design, and we believe enduring elements always have a place in contemporary design. Because of this, you’ll usually see something vintage or antique in the spaces we design.
When it comes to art, we love using our clients’ pieces, or to source or commission art with meaning for our clients. And we will build entire concepts around beloved art, furniture or textiles when appropriate, so they are honored and the spaces we design feel really thoughtful, unique and highly personal to our clients.
In general, we don’t like concepts that are too formal or fussy. While we believe that defining purpose and distinguishing primary usage of space from room to room is an important part of the design process, when it comes to family homes, careful or “off-limits” living spaces don’t align with most families today. We believe homes and workspaces should feel accessible and intimate even when totally spectacular.
The “Sparrow Style” is hard to define.
Our designs are not dictated by trends or a particular style.
We blend what a home or commercial space is calling for, and what our clients love, with our knowledge and design sensibility. We do our best work when our clients give us their trust and the creative discretion to craft a unique vision and arrange the elements that bring it to life. And they keep that trust alive throughout.
If we had to define Sparrow’s style, it’s probably closest to eclectic–we love to combine the simple with the embellished, and the contemporary with the found or antique. We want spaces to feel authentically curated—as if every pieces is a treasure collected across space and time. But we are also not afraid to employ other styles—from transitional, to midcentury, to traditional—depending on the era of the space and what it’s really calling for.
It all comes down to what we’re designing and for whom. intuitive design keeps the process really interesting and spaces fresh and unpredictable.
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A profound design process makes the patron, the [designer], and every occasional visitor a slightly better human being.
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The process of design and design execution spans months—more often a year or more. We work with our clients consistently and at times very intimately, especially for our residential clients, as we peel back the layers of how they live, what energetics and dynamics exist in the home that they may want to exalt or improve upon, and even their dreams for how they wish to live. We get to know them and their families, down to the smallest detail. With this level of intimacy, you can see how the designer-client relationship determines the experience for everyone.
Before we ever take on a project, Sparrow evaluates each one to ensure it is the right fit for us. And we ask potential clients to determine whether we also fit them. With that in mind, this section shares a glimpse into what it’s like working with us on a high level. And because it is without a doubt a big part of the relationship equation, in the next section below we have shared the client characteristics we’ve found to be the best fit with how we work.
Here is what you can expect from us
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As interior designers, it is our job to introduce new ideas and designs that push you outside your comfort zone. The more open you are, the better. Clients invest in us to deliver something they know they could not do on their own. And they trust than even when there are bumps and hiccups during design or construction, it’s part of the process and that we always arrive at the best outcome possible.
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Our aesthetic, while signature to us, is adaptive to each home and is always evolving. Your home will not look like the images you see in our portfolio—every home represents a unique combination of our + our clients’ design sensibilities and also what the home called for. There is often compromise—sometimes it’s on our end, sometimes the clients’, and sometimes both. Once we design a space, we retire the unique or foundational elements we used, such as a distinct wallpaper or fabric, and start new in each space.
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Balance between form (aesthetics) and function (how a space and its components within operate) is critical. Function is always important and will be greatly considered, but as designers who are obsessed with artful spaces, we are not willing to compromise form for function. If someone is looking for a designer to deliver a highly functional space without much consideration of, or budget for, aesthetics, we are not the right fit.
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We know good design and we listen and apply preferences and ideas you have in context of the space we’re working with. But there are three parts to our equation, and the space itself must also be considered. If we were to not honor all 3 parts of the equation, we would not be doing our jobs well.
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Challenges, setbacks, and unpleasant discoveries are virtual guarantees with a build or (especially) a remodel from design through completion. We ask clients to trust us to take the lead, and to achieve the vision we develop together even if it means pivoting here and there where needed. We are experts at troubleshooting issues that arise during a project and act thoughtfully and swiftly to find the best solution.
our ideal client
In the section above, you learned a little about us, as you assess whether we are the right fit. And in this section is a bit about the characteristics of the clients with whom we have found, over years of experience, we work best.
They are certain they want someone else to take the lead in designing their space. They are ready to follow that lead, knowing there is a format and plenty of space for their feedback, ideas and collaboration during the design phase.
They’re ready to invest in a design team to execute designs they know they could not. They are fully committed to the best outcome for their needs and the space itself, which means openness to both the style and use of a space.
“Form” (aesthetics) closely follows or (better yet) is just as important as “Function.” They are excited to invest in a space that is as interesting and beautiful as it is functional. They don’t ask us to compromise style for function.
They understand the value of investing in high quality products. While Sparrow is mindful of client budget and chooses finishes accordingly, our clients know we are not purveyors of “cheap” or low cost goods. Finding good quality at a lower price is a bonus, not a guarantee.
They are good communicators. They eagerly carve out time during the week to meet, talk, review emails and make decisions to keep the project moving efficiently. They understand that this is collaborative and team-driven work. They are open, respectful, and direct.
They are easy to work with through demanding processes. They understand that good interior design and construction are filled with highs and lows. They are patient and flexible through all phases of a project as well as solution-oriented, collaborative, and emotionally intelligent.
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To create, one must first question everything.
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