Interior designer and home décor expert, Lauren Makk, has made some serious waves as the co-host and home life-stylist on the hit daytime talk show, “FABLife”. She has come a long way from her native state of Oklahoma, having hosted and appeared on Emmy Award Winning shows like “Trading Spaces” and “Drill Team” on A&E. Her continued success and excellent sense of style piqued the interest of OBVIOUS Magazine, so I got a chance to meet with Lauren Makk on the set of the “FABLife” for a quick one on one about her personal style.

I like bright colors and bold patterns, so I find myself attracted to those things.

Beyond interior design & home décor, you certainly seem to have a great sense of personal style. Tell us a little bit about your wardrobe choices.

Well, I certainly have some help with the amazing stylists on the set of the FABLife, but my style changes as my body changed over the years. I’ve lost 140 lbs, and I try to find silhouettes that flatter my figure and don’t reveal too much LOL! I like classic silhouettes like pencil skirts and V-neck tee shirts that help with overall coverage and enhance the current figure.

Do you enjoy working with other stylists, or do you prefer dressing yourself?

I think it’s a collaboration of the two. Stylists are great because they help you develop a look, but it’s really about your personal taste. I think that’s what style is, developing the personality of yourself, so there’s definitely some collaboration there. On the weekends, I’m left to myself and pull it through on my own.

Is your personal style any different from your day to day activities outside of the FABLife set?

Not necessarily. I think it all goes kind of hand in hand. For example, on the weekdays, I might wear heels with my pencil skirts, and on the weekends, it may be a pair of flats and a jean jacket. I essentially adhere to the same style and just switch it up with some casual pieces; balance.

How do you correlate your personal style with interior design? Do certain trends overlap between the two?

Absolutely! As an interior designer, I like bright colors and bold patterns, so I find myself attracted to those things. And for me, as my body has evolved, I have to find pieces that I can intertwine the two. For instance, my personal aesthetic in design is black and white, and with clothing, I like to find black and white pieces as well. If my body goes up or down in sizes, I can just mix & match or get something tailored, and I can still wear pieces interchangeably. And as I mentioned, I like bold pops of color, so I can just have a bold clutch purse or bold patterned shoes. It’s like a lifestyle. I style myself the way I style my environment.

After spending some time living in Hawaii, how would you compare L.A. style with Hawaiian style?

It’s pretty much night & day, to be honest! Hawaiian life is all about living “Aloha” and living easy. It’s mostly swimwear out there. We would usually interchange our swimwear and our fashion together, because, at any moment’s notice, you could be at the beach. In Los Angeles, fashion is a little more tailored. There are stars and celebrities here, so you have to look like you’re on your A-game all the time. It’s definitely different. You won’t see flip-flops on the red carpet LOL!

There’s a lot of body shaming on social media and media. Have you ever experienced this and how did you react?

The response I’ve received about owning my curves has been widely appreciated and celebrated by 99% of our audience, and for that, I am honored! However, it is virtually impossible to be a public figure and avoid being ridiculed for SOMETHING about your physical appearance. Often, it’s for things you never even had a complex about, like a short pinky toe. That’s when you put into perspective how much pain others are into notice something like that and then make negative comments about it. You brush that negativity off.

It’s no coincidence that I have spent my lifetime perfecting a career of creating the perfect home, and my body – your body – is the space we all LIVE in. My home, like my body, is always under some type of construction, but it has never let me down, and there’s no place like home. I’ve worked hard at loving everything about me, and I hope my new found platform gives others the strength to love themselves too!

What else can your fans look forward to from you?

There are so many things that I’m looking forward to for the rest of the year. First and foremost, we’re still working hard on the FABLife. We love our show, and we want to give it 150% of our support. Beyond that, you’ll just have to wait and see!

To learn more about Lauren Makk and to get great tips on modern home décor, check out her website at www.LaurenMakk.com, and keep up with her daily on Twitter and Instagram at @LaurenMakk.

Images courtesy of FABlife/Photo Credit: Danny Feld