Southlake native Lacey Land was still studying at Savannah College of Art and Design when she landed the job as full-time photographer at Loloi Rugs. The Dallas-based wholesale textile producer sells its rugs through Wayfair, Pier 1, Rugs USA and The Home Depot among others - and works with designers like Ellen DeGeneres and Joanna Gaines.
"The Lolois were really accommodating with me finishing school, graduating and traveling before officially starting," Land says.
But her path to photography started long before that, during a photojournalism class in middle school. "I took 300-plus photos of cows," she says. "It drove my mom crazy."
We chatted with Land, now director of photography and art director for Loloi Rugs, to get a sense of what life is like behind the lens at a successful textile company.
What kind of rugs would we find if we stepped into your home? Right now I have a one-of-a-kind, hand-knotted viscose rug in our living room. It's silvery-white with black accents. It's sort of tribal-looking with a hint of traditional. I love it. It works well with our eclectic tastes. I also have two other hand-knotted jute rugs - one from the Sahara Collection and one from our Xavier Collection. I got to see both made in India, which was really incredible.
How would you describe your own home design style? Eclectic. My husband Brett and I love mixing the old with the new. Almost any weekend we're in Dallas you can find us in the Design District looking at antiques or figuring out fabrics for reupholstered chairs (we have way too many chairs). We have both modern and rustic furniture - for example, in our living room, we have a modern sofa, a reupholstered Folke Ohlsson chair, and massive centuries-old bookshelf with a number of knickknacks from our life. It's all about the balance. We like hunting for really unique pieces that have a story, and I think it brings a lot of character to our home.
What are some common rug trends you're seeing lately? For a while now, fringe has been and continues to be really popular. Also, distressed rugs seem to be high in demand. A lot of people are wanting vintage rugs with a more fresh color palette. There have been a lot of advancements with machine-made rugs, and Loloi has recently produced some really innovative collections like Anastasia and Javari. They're colorful, distressed, have a beautiful sheen and are overall pretty stunning. Also, hand-knotted contemporary rugs seem to be really popular now too. We recently introduced the Odyssey Collection, and it"sabsolutely stunning.
What are some of the biggest mistakes people make when buying rugs? Not thinking about what's practical for their lifestyle. If you have kids or pets, you probably shouldn't get a viscose or jute rug. If you like to lay on the floor in your living room, you might want to get a machine-made microfiber polyester rug over a jute or wool rug. What's great is that there aresomany to choose from. You can easily find a design that fits your preferences and lifestyle. You just have to be a little educated first. Loloi's "Rugs 101" booklet is a great tool.
Let's talk about your cool job. What's a typical day like for you? I'm either in the office, hopping between the graphic designers" desks and the studio, or on location shooting. We shoot a lot so it's a great mix.
Besides your camera, what's one thing you have with you at all times? An extra pair of shoes. I don't ever want my wardrobe to hold me back whether I'm working or playing. When I'm shooting, it's all about comfort and functionality. We often play "flip this house"in one day. It's not uncommon for me to be crawling under a bed to hide some cords or climbing inside a bookshelf. Whatever it takes to get the shot. The same goes for when I'm relaxing. I like knowing I won't lose out on a spontaneous basketball game or playtime with my nieces and nephews, so I almost always have an extra pair of shoes just in case.
What has been one of the most exciting parts of your career so far? Traveling to India twice. My first trip I shot video for the first time and loved it. I went back a second time to shoot video for Joanna Gaines and her Magnolia Home line with Loloi. Both videos and photos detail the process of how our designs are made in India. It was hot, humid and exhausting but also the most incredible adventure. Sensory overload is an understatement. For a textile-loving photographer, it was a dream. Oh, and IloveIndian food.