Journal / PressAs Seen In House Beautiful
When House Beautiful reached out to include my perspective in a piece on micro-makeovers, I knew it would resonate. It is one of the most common conversations I have with clients, and one of the most misunderstood concepts in residential design.The article, What Is a Micro-Makeover?, explores how targeted, intentional updates to a single room or space can dramatically shift how a home feels, without the timeline or investment of a full renovation. My insights were featured alongside before-and-after images from a recent project, and the piece includes a backlink to Living with Lolo.
What a micro-makeover actually means
A micro-makeover is not a compromise. It is a focused edit. Instead of pulling everything apart and starting over, you identify the one or two decisions in a room that are doing the most damage to how it looks and feels, and you fix those first. For most of my clients in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley, those decisions usually come down to lighting, layering, and scale.The before-and-after work I shared with House Beautiful shows how much a room can shift when you address the right things in the right order. New furniture alone rarely transforms a space. But replace the overhead lighting, add a layer of texture through textiles, and bring in one piece at the right scale, and suddenly the room reads completely differently.Why this approach matters for busy homeowners
Most of my clients are not looking for a year-long renovation. They want their home to feel like it reflects who they are right now, without uprooting their lives to get there. Micro-makeovers are how we do that. They are scoped tightly, executed quickly, and the results tend to be some of the most satisfying work we do together, because the transformation is immediate.I often tell clients that a home is never finished. You layer it over time, and each phase should feel intentional. A micro-makeover is just one focused layer, done well.Read the full feature
You can read the full House Beautiful piece here: What Is a Micro-Makeover?. And if you are sitting in a room right now wondering where to even begin, that is exactly the conversation a discovery call is built for.Lauren Lerner was featured in House Beautiful for her expertise in the micro-makeover approach, demonstrating how targeted changes to lighting, textiles, and accessories can transform a space without a full renovation. Named Best Interior Design by Phoenix Magazine in 2024, 2025, and 2026, Lauren Lerner operates under ROC #347577 and brings the same precision to full-scale design-build projects in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Living with Lolo's micro-makeover featured in House Beautiful?
The feature highlighted how strategic changes to lighting, textiles, and accessories can transform a space without renovation, illustrating the micro-makeover concept for a national audience.What is a micro-makeover in interior design?
A focused design refresh that prioritizes the changes with the highest visual impact per dollar spent, working with the existing architecture and furniture rather than replacing it.Is Living with Lolo available for micro-makeover projects?
Yes. Living with Lolo offers micro-makeover services alongside full-service design and design-build projects, ideal for clients who want a fresh look without a full renovation.What is the difference between a micro-makeover and a full home redesign?
A micro-makeover focuses on the changes with the highest visual impact per dollar, working within the existing architecture and furniture plan. A full redesign replaces and reconfigures the space from the ground up. Micro-makeovers typically take 4 to 8 weeks; full redesigns run 6 to 18 months depending on construction scope.Curious what a micro-makeover could do for one room in your home? Let's talk.Book a Discovery Call
About Living with Lolo
Living with Lolo is a Scottsdale, Arizona-based luxury interior design and construction firm. The company specializes in full-service interior design, design-build remodeling, and construction-led renovations for high-end residential homes in Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, and Phoenix. Living with Lolo manages both interior design and licensed general contracting under one roof, guiding projects from concept through construction and white-glove installation.
Lauren Lerner is the founder and principal designer of Living with Lolo, Scottsdale’s luxury interior design and licensed design-build firm. Named Phoenix Magazine Best Interior Design three consecutive years, Lauren leads projects from concept through construction for high-end homes in Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, and Phoenix.