Design Unlocked
With Melling Studio
Meet the Designer: Laura Melling
Laura Melling is the founder and creative director of Melling Studio, a Vancouver-based interior design practice that explores the connection between space, ritual, and sensory experience. Known for her refined approach to West Coast minimalism, Laura brings intentionality to every project—inviting clients to connect with how a space feels, not just how it looks.
About the Project
In this episode of Design Unlocked, Laura walks us through the transformation of the Stephens Residence—a dark, outdated home reimagined into a light-filled, functional sanctuary for a young entrepreneurial couple and their three kids. The design centered around two goals: rethinking the main floor layout for flow and connection, and establishing a cohesive material palette rooted in West Coast textures and tones.
Key Takeaways
Expert insights for effortless, beautiful living.
Begin with curiosity.
Start by visualizing how you want the space to feel—what it smells like, how materials feel to the touch, and how you move through it.
Use fewer, better materials.
Limit your material palette to three to five high-quality finishes. Repeating them throughout a space creates calm and cohesion.
Design for ritual.
Build around your daily moments—from morning coffee to bedtime stories. Function and beauty can (and should) coexist.
Invest in quality pieces.
Thoughtfully crafted furniture, especially from local makers, becomes part of your home's evolving story that develops over time.
The Hatch Stool
A design collaboration with Lock & Mortice and Melling Studio
The Hatch Stool Design Story
The Hatch Stool was born from a process of curiosity and collaboration—an idea between Laura Melling and Lock & Mortice.
“It really represented this process of incubation of an idea and collaboration. And it was this just very natural idea that was hatched and then this product that came about from that,” Laura explains.
The goal was a stool that felt essential—simple, timeless, and versatile. The result: a reimagined, four-legged design with a minimal footprint that tucks easily under a counter.
Thoughtful details bring the form to life. A tapered edge offers a refined profile you can still hold onto. The footrest is built without visible metal, thanks to interlocking joints that use a mortise in the leg—sturdy, seamless, and entirely wooden. Even the shape of the legs was intentional: designed not just for aesthetics, but to accommodate machining and assembly.
The result is a piece that’s minimal yet grounded, refined yet approachable—made to live beautifully in a space for years to come.
Handpicked by Designers, Crafted for Your Home.
Find the perfect piece for your space.
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Azure Dining Table
Regular price From $9,440Regular priceUnit price per -
Hatch Stool
Regular price From $950Regular priceUnit price per -
Essential Bench
Regular price From $1,320Regular priceUnit price per -
Hawkins Table
Regular price From $4,860Regular priceUnit price per -
Hawkins Bench
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Essential Entry Console
Regular price From $3,250Regular priceUnit price per
Watch More on Youtube
Explore quick-fire interviews with featured designers, bonus clips, and past episodes that dive deeper into the ideas behind the spaces. It’s where candid moments and extra inspiration live—all in one place.