Designer Lauren Liess is having a moment. Her second book, Down to Earth: Laid-Back Interiors for Modern Living (Abrams; $40), came out on October 8. Then she was off to High Point to launch furniture collections for Taylor King and Woodbridge. But she is not resting on her mountain laurels: Between now and 2020 Liess is also introducing a tile line for Architectural Ceramics, sinks and plumbing fixtures for Atmosphyre, kitchen cabinetry for Unique Kitchens & Baths and assorted home fragrances—all imbued with her easygoing aesthetic that celebrates nature.

Liess segued into product design by necessity after realizing pieces she sought out for client projects simply didn’t exist. “I decided to make exactly what I wanted,” reports the designer, who will also unveil a knife company, Generations Cutlery, with her father next year.

Given that in 2019 she was busy filming “Best House on the Block”—a DIY Network series she co-stars in with husband, David—it’s hard to fathom how the mother of five found time to pen a book. Writing Down to Earth, Liess reveals, helped her make a conscious choice to step back from the everyday and appreciate the wonders in and around her home. “I’m always trying to figure out how to make life more relaxed and functional,” she says. “The book ties that up using design as a means to contentment. It’s a decorating book, but it’s also a living philosophy.” laurenliess.com