Grand Plans {Lav + Co}

Finding a Professional Passion in a New Season of Life

Words by Christopher Ferguson, RA | Photos by Andrea Calo

While designing a dream home with her late husband, Lorenza Avila discovered her passion for creating functional, elevated spaces that foster connection and introspection. Her timeless aesthetic defines elegant interiors that remain adaptable to life’s cycles of change.

Born in Mexico, raised on the east coast, and having lived all over the world, Lorenza Avila is no stranger to change.

After leaving the corporate world behind and building a successful online business, her husband was tragically diagnosed with an inoperable cancer. Before his passing eight years prior, the couple lived intentionally, ultimately embarking upon an ambitious, final project: designing two sophisticated homes on a generously long lot in Austin’s East MLK neighborhood.

Upon approach, a black steel gate yields to a long drive flanked by Japanese blueberry trees, and at last, the primary home announces itself. Two dramatically pitched, white farmhouse volumes bookend a double height, glass foyer, capped by a crisp roofline and affording views of the luxurious and comfortable interiors.

Let There Be Art:
Notable artists Diana Greenberg and America Martin are featured in the home, aided by Wally Workman Gallery.

Inside, the spaces are airy, refined, and brimming with personality and drama. Vaulted, cedar ceilings soar 19 feet overhead in the main living space, while a high-contrast kitchen features a 12-foot long island. The backyard feels like a mini-resort, with its manicured landscape inclusive of a pool, large cabana, and a dining table for up to 16 guests.

A calming, neutral material palette sets off many playful and surprising “wow” moments of punchy color and curation throughout the home. Responsible for all of the interior details and decor, Lorenza’s eye is undeniable.

As transitions often yield personal transformations, the entire process revealed Lorenza’s natural talent and passion for creating stunning, thoughtful spaces for living. Embracing the several successful, self-directed residential development projects under her belt, she has since launched Lav + Co., a residential design studio focused on custom residential builds in Texas and Connecticut.

“Building a home is about overcoming challenges, managing uncertainty, and being able to come up with something out of nothing,” says Lorenza, “and if you’re good with abstract thinking and can hold your own when there are obstacles, you can turn those challenges into opportunities and create a masterpiece.”