I'm Susan — devout Francophile, mother of twins, writer, creative director, and aspiring author. I've been sharing my life here since 2010...thanks for reading!
Louis XIV, Louis XV, whatever Louis…I will most likely love it. I originally saw this settee in Nesting Newbies, and think it is just the coolest. The mix of the traditional, antique Louis with the mod lucite is so fresh. DWM Maloos is the company behind the re-defined, one-of-a-kind products…check out their website! I will continue to covet this and imagine all the interiors it would enhance.
I just discovered the work and talents of Helen Amy Murray, and am so amazed. A London-based textile designer, she sculpts floral designs into fabric, such as wool, suede, and leather. I especially love her damasks and peony patterns. She collaborated with Isu on these fabulous tub chairs for a private London residence…swoon.
Sister Parish has always been a design inspiration to me. I have kept this quote of hers for years in a prominent place, to remind me how down to earth she was. I have always strived to follow her advice, follow my gut, and my “eye”. I may not use color as strongly as she did, but I am a big believer of using things you love in your designs, and not worrying so much about “matching”.
“It is only my eye that has helped me. I am still hopeless with that thing called a scale ruler. I love color, but that comes very naturally to me. From the beginning, I never followed trends. If I was aware of them, I didn’t care, for I believed as I do now, that rooms should be timeless and very personal. And I certainly don’t have a “look”-just a mishmash of everything that somehow, by instinct, usually turns out to be a warm, imaginative, ‘living room’.
-Sister Parish
(image is of a Parish influenced room by another of my design idols, Bunny Williams. Bunny is an alumni of Parish-Hadley Design. Image courtesy of the book Sister Parish Design-a design essential!)
There is something very therapeutic for me about fabric sourcing. My Mom is a librarian, so I spent much of my time as a child in libraries-alphabetizing, organizing, and of course, reading. I feel fabric showrooms are a similar environment…quiet, educational, and inspirational. I have been spending time at the Marketplace Design Center in Philadelphia, where everything I need is in one building-it’s fabulous! I’m doing what I love, and it feels great.
