Ep. 415: Embracing Bold Design with Susan Ferrier

Summary

Podcast Summary: How to Decorate Episode: Ep. 415: Embracing Bold Design with Susan Ferrier
Host/Author: Ballard Designs
Release Date: May 27, 2025

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Introduction and Welcome

In Episode 415 of How to Decorate, hosts Caroline, Taryn, and Liz warmly welcome returning guest Susan Ferrier, an award-winning interior designer renowned for her bold and atmospheric room designs. Susan's unique blend of traditional symmetry with unexpected twists has made her an iconic figure in the interior design world.

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Susan Ferrier’s Journey Since 2019

Susan begins by reflecting on the growth of her business over the past six to seven years, highlighting how the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated her work, multiplying her projects by four. She emphasizes her commitment to independence and adaptability in the ever-evolving design landscape.

Susan Ferrier [02:17]: "I've been up to the same. Hope that's more and better."

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Spotlight on Villa Violeta

The conversation delves into Susan's standout project, Villa Violeta, a testament to her ability to create spaces that are both bold and functional. She shares the backstory of her client, a remarkable woman undertaking her first home project after the loss of her husband. The design aimed to reflect independence and honor a shared dream with her late husband.

Susan meticulously crafted a color palette inspired by beach sunsets, incorporating blushes, pinks, lavenders, and plums. This unconventional choice allowed her to introduce atmosphere, romance, and a strong sense of femininity without compromising functionality.

Susan Ferrier [03:46]: "I loved working in a color palette that most people are not brave enough to venture into."

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Design Elements and Color Usage

Draped Sofas

A unique feature of Villa Violeta is the draped sofas in the living room, which resemble elegant ball gowns with fringed trims. Susan explains her inspiration from period films and the Merchant Ivory style, aiming to evoke romance and softness.

Susan Ferrier [12:24]: "I get a lot of inspiration from watching period films."

She discusses the importance of selecting furniture that not only serves a functional purpose but also interacts harmoniously with the room's overall aesthetic. The draped sofas add texture and warmth, creating an inviting and emotionally resonant space.

Susan Ferrier [13:56]: "It's about the relationship between the forms that are next to each other and how you carry your eye through the space."

Teal Room and Jewel Tones

Susan highlights a teal room within Villa Violeta, where she transformed a bold rug into the room's neutral base, allowing jewel tones like lavenders and blue-greens to add depth and interest. This approach prevents monotony and introduces dynamic visual elements.

Susan Ferrier [14:32]: "There's always one room that kind of breaks the flow every once in a while."

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Functionality Meets Aesthetics

Kitchen Island Seating

Susan shares her innovative approach to kitchen island seating, combining a single statement chair with long, unadorned benches. This mixture not only adds variety but also enhances functionality, accommodating different usage scenarios such as working, entertaining, and family interactions.

Susan Ferrier [24:40]: "Putting something back at a kitchen counter, you can engage what's in front of you and what's behind you."

She advises balancing ornate and simple pieces to maintain a cohesive look without overwhelming the space.

Susan Ferrier [29:36]: "Not every piece of furniture can be the star in the room. There needs to be supporting characters."

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Balancing Light and Color

Susan emphasizes the importance of creating rhythm in a room by balancing dark, medium, and light tones. She advises against using a single tone throughout, as it can make a space feel flat.

Susan Ferrier [37:03]: "It's kind of like a ping ponging effect."

She cautions against relying solely on imagery for room design, noting that photographs can exaggerate light and shadow, which may not translate accurately to the actual space.

Susan Ferrier [39:29]: "The lens is really great at capturing light and creating shadow when shadow might not be there."

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Emotional Impact of Spaces

Susan discusses her philosophy of designing rooms that evoke feelings of safety, calmness, and security. She likens the emotional resonance of her rooms to the deep, resonating sound of a gong, providing a sense of arrival and comfort.

Susan Ferrier [42:06]: "I want the rooms to feel like you hear a gong rather than you hear chimes."

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Personal Anecdotes and Inspirations

The Suitcase Tower

Susan shares a personal story about her "suitcase tower" in her bedroom, an artful arrangement of antique suitcases that serves both as storage and a striking visual feature. Her dedication to unique design elements sometimes leads her to make unconventional choices that later become beloved parts of her home.

Susan Ferrier [48:22]: "It was a amazing decision because years later, I met the antique dealer again, and he remembered me for buying the whole collection."

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Listener Interaction: Window Treatment Advice

A listener named Kate asks for advice on window treatments for a condo with sliding glass patio doors. Susan recommends using sheer linen fabrics and a French return rod but suggests stacking drapery on the larger wall to maximize light and functionality.

Susan Ferrier [51:00]: "Stack everything on the nine-foot wall. It should be a sheer to maximize light."

She offers practical tips on balancing ornate and simple elements to create a cohesive and functional window treatment solution.

Susan Ferrier [53:22]: "You have to be brave. And the most important thing is that it is not blocking the light."

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Final Thoughts and Personal Space

Susan reflects on her own home, noting that while it shares some similarities with her client spaces—such as a commitment to large pieces and scale—her personal space is highly curated with inspiring collections. She is currently in the process of decluttering, aiming to maintain a harmonious and functional environment.

Susan Ferrier [44:39]: "My home is a highly curated space where personal items must belong or be removed."

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Conclusion and Farewell

The episode concludes with Susan sharing where listeners can find her work online and in upcoming design magazines. The hosts thank her for her invaluable insights and expressive storytelling, expressing their desire to have her back on the show.

Carolene [57:10]: "You have the best voice."

Susan expresses her enthusiasm for future collaborations, hinting at potential roles such as hosting segments or engaging more interactively with the podcast.

Susan Ferrier [57:37]: "I'd love to be the person asking the questions."

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Key Takeaways

• Bold Color Palettes: Embrace unconventional colors to add depth and personality to spaces.
• Functional Aesthetics: Balance functionality with aesthetic elements to create harmonious environments.
• Emotional Design: Design spaces that evoke specific emotions, such as calmness and security.
• Mixing Furniture Styles: Combine ornate and simple furniture pieces to maintain visual interest without overwhelming the room.
• Lighting Considerations: Utilize light and shadow effectively, understanding the difference between photographic and real-life lighting.
• Personalization: Ensure that personal spaces reflect one’s own tastes and needs, maintaining balance and harmony.

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Notable Quotes

• Susan Ferrier [12:24]: "I get a lot of inspiration from watching period films."
• Susan Ferrier [42:06]: "I want the rooms to feel like you hear a gong rather than you hear chimes."
• Susan Ferrier [54:44]: "You're taking your challenge and you're turning it into almost what could be the best feature in the house."

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Connect with Susan Ferrier

• Website: Susan Ferrier Interiors
• Instagram: @susanferrier
• Location: Atlanta
• Publications: Featured in Loft, Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles

For more insights and to explore Susan Ferrier’s stunning portfolio, visit her website or follow her on Instagram.

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Thank you for tuning into Episode 415 of How to Decorate. Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and send in your decorating dilemmas to [e-mail]. Until next time, happy decorating!

Transcript

[Caroline]

Welcome to how to Decorate from Ballard Designs, a weekly podcast all about the trials and triumphs of decorating and redecorating your home. I'm Caroline. I'm on the marketing team. And I'm Taryn and I'm a product designer.

[Taryn]

I'm Liz. I head up the creative team. We're your hosts.

[Caroline]

Join the expert team at Ballard Designs for tips, tricks and tales from interior designers, stylists and other talents in the design world. Plus, we'll answer your decorating dilemmas at the end of each episode.

[Taryn]

We love answering your questions, so don't forget to email [e-mail] now, on with the show.

[Caroline]

I'm sure you're familiar with our guest today because we just recently reshared our first conversation with her. Back from 2019, award winning Interior designer Susan Ferrier. She's an iconic voice in the interior design world, known for her bold and atmospheric rooms. They're both traditional and irreverent, rooted in symmetry, but with an unexpected twist at every turn. Soon. Susan, welcome back to the show.

[Susan Ferrier]

Well, thank you for having me. I'm thrilled to be here. I hope I'm consistent on both in both sessions.

[Caroline]

I have no doubt that you will be. I am beyond thrilled to welcome you back because I shared this with our listeners when I introduced your episode. But what really stuck with me about our conversation was how practical all of your insight was. I think your rooms are so stunning and bold that I was not expecting that. And just the descriptions of, you know, sort of what led your choices were so rooted in function and it made it so. I kept revisiting that episode and all that you shared. So thank you for your generosity and for coming back to chat with us today.

[Susan Ferrier]

Well, I'm thrilled to be here.

[Taryn]

I took a listen back to that first, that first time you were here, and it just, I feel like you really opened up a way for me to think about design in my home in a way that was different than other conversations I feel like we've had in the past, like how we move through our homes, how we think about our homes, how we think about design. So I'm so excited to hear what you've been up to.

[Susan Ferrier]

Well, I guess I should probably say I've been up to the same. Hope that's more and better.

[Taryn]

When you last spoke to the podcast group, you had been in business only a year.

[Caroline]

Well, with your. With your own.

[Taryn]

Yes, with your own.

[Susan Ferrier]

Under my own.

[Caroline]

Yes, exactly.

[Susan Ferrier]

Well, it's been like seven, maybe now six or seven years.

[Caroline]

Yeah.

[Taryn]

Yeah. And I think, you know, we multiplied that by four by. With COVID So we're.

[Susan Ferrier]

Oh, my. Yeah, you're right. Yeah. It has been forever. I can't imagine a time when it wasn't the way it is now. Which I think is a good thing.

[Caroline]

I think so. Yes.

[Susan Ferrier]

I think it's a good thing. We're all settled in. And, you know, I always acted. You know, I've always acted very independently, so nothing has changed.

[Caroline]

Well, you know, what you're doing and the project that I was. You know, I was going. Going back into your portfolio, all the new things you've added. And what was really stunning to me was your project, Villa Violeta. And I would love to start with that, if you don't mind the mood and the backstory. Just start with the backstory. Maybe for our listeners.

[Susan Ferrier]

My client, the loveliest of women, was doing a home project. Her first home project since she had lost her husband. So this was something which I think was an expression of independence, but also it was a piece of land and a dream that she had shared with her husband. And. And she was really excited to execute it and wanted to be inspired by the sunsets at the beach and all the different colors that people don't expect to see when you're on the water. So she came to me with a very, very clear idea of the aesthetic and what she wanted at least the color palette to be and the feeling to be. And as an interior designer, there's no greater gift than a client that knows their mind and knows what they want. So I have just turned it practical. But in doing that, we then had the freedom to introduce the atmosphere and the romance and the softness and I'm going to say the very strong femininity that I think that the villa encapsulates. I mean, it's definitely. To me, it's definitely female, but not. It's not weak.

[Caroline]

No.

[Susan Ferrier]

So I really. It was a beautiful project. I loved working in a color palette that most people are not brave enough to venture into. And as a. You know, I'm always looking to do something new and different. And the more you do this over the years, it gets harder and harder and harder to find somebody that wants to take a risk and do something differently.

[Caroline]

Even when working with someone like you.

[Susan Ferrier]

Like, you know, I'm gonna say yes. I think that people. You know, we're always. Sometimes people wanna be really conservative. Cause it's a very big investment, and it's in time and in money. And so it's rare that you get somebody that will really go there. And she was just lovely. And there's no house like it.

[Caroline]

No.

[Susan Ferrier]

That I know of. And especially in that area on the water. It is, it is. It's analysis done on 30a and the panhandle of Florida.

[Caroline]

Yes. Which is just like, you know, you picture white because so many of the projects are so, like, light bright, sort of, you know, Moroccan, I guess, maybe inspired. And this was not that. And I loved that about it. What?

[Susan Ferrier]

Okay, well, maybe this was the inside of the genie bottle.

[Caroline]

Ah, yes. I like that. I like that.

[Taryn]

I love that.

[Caroline]

Okay. You said she. She had a specific vision. I'm curious what words she used to describe that to you. Like, before even really, like, at the very onset, what were the words that she kind of gave you as your jumping off point?

[Susan Ferrier]

Well, for me, the biggest word that she used was the sunset and the colors that come from the sunset. So it was an atmospheric reference in the language that she used. She definitely, I'm gonna say she is the first client that came to me all those years ago with a Pinterest board. So I almost wanna say that the words weren't necessary because she was speaking to me in a language that I understood, which was imagery. And she had put together all these beautiful boards with all these great colors and variations of blushes to pinks to lavenders to plums. And so it's kind of funny when you. When you ask me what words she came to me with when this is the first person that actually came to me almost exclusively with one word and a bunch of pictures.

[Caroline]

That's so funny. Wait, how. When did you start the project?

[Susan Ferrier]

About eight years, maybe. It's been eight years ago. Seven or eight years ago. It was right at the very beginning of my company being formed. I had originally started it within my partnership, and then it ended up turning over into, you know, one of the first projects in my business. So it's been a little while, I guess. Eight years.

[Caroline]

Yeah. I'm, like, so surprised by that, because I think it was. It was only just published a couple of years ago, so the lifespan is just. It's. Yeah, it takes time.

[Susan Ferrier]

Yeah, it does take a long time. But one of the really great things I would like to think, if you do something, one of the signs of success for me is if you can't tell how long ago it was done. And it lasts for a long time. I have been fortunate that no one has come back to me and changed anything other than damaged fabric from accidents or pets or grandchildren. So I'm hoping that if I'm going to be remembered as doing something hopefully lasting and timeless is kind of in there someplace.

[Caroline]

Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Okay. You talk about the color palette, and that was certainly something that was unexpected to me, just because it. It's a. There's a real moodiness to it and a. And darkness in some. In many places. Not everywhere, but in many places, which I think, you know, there's been a lot of published projects in Alice beach, and so it's just not what you typically see. So I'm curious if there was ever a point where you questioned that direction, knowing how, you know, it's beachfront. It's like. It's literally on the water, overlooking the water, lots of natural light. Was there ever a point where you're like, is this gonna work?

[Susan Ferrier]

No. I mean, I can. I mean, honestly, I guess I'm confident once I see it. And if I really listen to my client and I execute on what they say, I was never really worried about it. There's so much light. I want to say corneal, burning light outside at Alice Beach. Cause it's all North African white plaster with. With the hot sun. I think that I thought of that house kind of as a little bit of a respite from that hot light that surrounds you. And, you know, light does funny things on water, and it even magnifies it more greatly, if that's even a term that I can use, because everything's so reflective. So I never really. If anything, I was seeking comfort with the client. Something softer, kind of a break.

[Caroline]

Okay. I totally get that. I love to take, like, a nap in a dark room when you've been out on the beach, you know, and I hadn't really connected those things, but you're right. That is such a nice, like, respite from just the brightness. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. I want to hear more about the draped sofas in the living room. You're the only person that I've seen do that. And it's almost like the sofa is just to describe this for our listeners. It's almost like the sofa is wearing this elegant ball gown, this fluffy ball gown, and it's trimmed in fringe and. Okay, tell us about that, because, gosh, what a moment.

[Susan Ferrier]

I've never thought about it like that. But since you've described it now, all of a sudden, my head is going to opera cape.

[Caroline]

Yeah, kind of.

[Taryn]

Oh, it totally is. Because there's such beautiful texture in that fabric as well.

[Susan Ferrier]

I think about. I can't remember it. I get a lot of inspiration from watching period films. And I can't remember the movie that it was, but I'm sure it was a Merchant Ivory film. And the women at the turn of the century, under the COVID of darkness, would wear these capes with these hoods so that no one could see them out in the street, maybe at indecent hours. So to me, that kind of adds to the story and the romance of the opera cape. But it's a. Gosh, I believe those sofas are cachet sofas. And I loved that. It was an elegant slipcover effect. And it was, you know, they're very inviting. They rest really well because there's a break in the bottom. You know, you're always going for that emotional effect of warmth and settling in. And that's why I really enjoyed using those sofas. And, you know, not everyone. Again, bravery. Not everyone is brave enough to use them. Julie was great. She was great about that.

[Caroline]

That is such a great word, an emotional effect for your sofas. I don't think many people think, like, what is the emotion that I need to evoke when I'm buying, when I'm shopping for the sofa? But you're right. Like that's. That's what you're trying to evoke when you're in the room. So why not channel it with every choice, even the practical ones?

[Susan Ferrier]

Right?

[Caroline]

And then. So you were talking about the fabric, and there was that great velvet room that was sort of like the blues. And it. Well, it looked like blue velvet to me. May Perhaps it wasn't, but it was actually some kind.

[Susan Ferrier]

It was a. A linen or cotton weave, and it was a teal. Oh, kind of like a teal bluey green. You know, there's always one room that kind of breaks the flow every once in a while. It's almost like you get that, you know, that one little tart taste of something different to compare the rest of it to so that it doesn't get too monotonal. And that room actually started with the rug. And the rug had that blue in it. Well, I just never seen at that time. And actually I haven't again seen another rug like it. And I pulled that blue out of it and covered the room in it so that the blue became the neutral because so much of it was used.

[Caroline]

And.

[Susan Ferrier]

And also there was talk about that was going to be the room that was going to be used in the winter months. It has the television and the stereo and a fireplace. So when you're not right on the ocean, you know, that was where she was going to spend the colder months, you know, away from all the big windows. So I don't know if you've noticed, but if you look at the images in that room, there's two stone penguins at the fireplace.

[Taryn]

Right.

[Susan Ferrier]

I'm going to.

[Taryn]

I was curious about those.

[Susan Ferrier]

Well, it was just like a little nod to this is what we're using in the winter.

[Taryn]

Nice. But I think in the winter, we all crave such blue sky when it's so gray. That's a really lovely twist.

[Susan Ferrier]

I would say that I was glad to be able to use some jewel tones in the house, whether it was in the lavenders or in the blue greens. It's kind of nice to use a jewel tone with that depth.

[Taryn]

You do such a beautiful job making lavender feel like a neutral. It's just remarkable how you're able to pull that together.

[Susan Ferrier]

Well, you have to use enough of it if you're gonna do it. You have to commit. You can't be shy. And if you cover a lot of things with it, it becomes a neutral. It becomes your neutral tone. You can do that with any color.

[Caroline]

I've been loving purple for a while because we just hadn't seen it for so long. But it goes beautifully with blue and pink, which are those sunset colors you're talking about. So it was kind of the perfect in between, I would think, to use as a neutral, because complements the other ones so nicely.

[Susan Ferrier]

Well, it's kind of. There's off shades, you know, so it's not like it's not primary at all. It's a tertiary color, so that helps when it gets along with other shades that are kind of off shades. And I was so moved by the purple palette that when I did my own office, I resorted to palms. I wanted to look at something. I wanted my eyes to rest and feast on something different, you know, something that would kind of agitate me. Cause a lot of my world is in the blue and green realm. And I needed something different. I didn't want all the same.

[Caroline]

Yeah, I really enjoyed seeing the sort of entry in that space because, gosh, it was so symmetrical and so dramatic, but unexpected. Will you share a little bit about the function of that room and the just inspiration that you went to there and maybe describe it a little bit for our listeners?

[Susan Ferrier]

Well, when you walk into the room, there's a hair on hide rug in a geometric pattern. And a lot of the brindle colors in that hair on hide relate directly to the oak paneling. That is kind of a Blonde color, a blonde green, gray color that then serves to neutralize it as a really wonderful box. With that stone floor, I like to use crusty pieces of furniture. Furniture that looks like it may have lived a life and has endured possibly some damage. And on either side of that room, we have two very grounding large consoles that are not slick or shiny. They look like you pick a seashell up off the sand. And sometimes, you know, they're chalky and they have barnacles growing on them, and they're chipped, possibly, or peeling, but they hold life. Or held life. So I look at the two main pieces of furniture in that room as something that kind of rustled up through the sand. And I knew that that was going to be the only truly kind of colorless spot in the house that everything else is going to be set apart from. So you walk into this incredibly. What I feel was fairly neutral environment, and then you're led up to the stairs, and then you get to the second floor of the house. You are awash, you know, on the horizon with the color that's in that main room. So it was an effect that I was trying to achieve in order to make the most of the decisions that were made on the second floor where the color. The color palette was concerned.

[Caroline]

The mirrors and the accessories and those candelabras on the. Just every piece was so bold and striking that it just. I'm sure I would imagine you walk in and you're just transported because it's.

[Taryn]

I feel like every room that you have to kind of need some fanfare to walk into any of these rooms. A little bump up a bump. Well, it's just so drama. It's so. It's so gorgeous.

[Susan Ferrier]

Again, we go back to the opera of it, but I'm glad that you said that because that was a. You know, I don't know if anybody's ever done work or been in homes on Alice beach, but the lots are very. They're in high demand and they're very small. And you have to be. The architect has to be very smart about how he lays things out on that plot. And so sometimes it's like a puzzle. You've got the space that you have for that function, and then you need to make the most of it. And if we hadn't addressed that entry point with the drama and the interesting things to look like, you would have run the risk of walking into something that could probably, in another dimension, be referred to as a low ceilinged box.

[Caroline]

Mm.

[Susan Ferrier]

So it had to be opened up so that you could see almost through the walls.

[Taryn]

Right. Because the ceilings do feel pretty low.

[Susan Ferrier]

They are.

[Taryn]

In comparison to everything else in the house. Yeah.

[Susan Ferrier]

Whenever. When these, A lot of these communities have building restrictions, you can only go so high, you can only go so wide. But people are asking for, you know, people are asking for a lot of programming that has to be put within that space. It's almost like you have to treat it like it's a boat.

[Caroline]

I hadn't thought about the programming and the actual architecture creating the challenge for you in that entryway. I was just so dazzled by the, the elements you put in there. But it does make sense. Yeah, exactly. Because when you look at, you know, there was a write up about the house and you could see the exterior and it's very tall and kind of squished, really. Because they're all kind of there in a line. So I guess that, that makes sense. You're. It was kind of an unexciting spot, but you were giving it that moment that you needed to then lead into the other moments.

[Susan Ferrier]

Right. It was compressed. You go up this, the stairs for your release. There's like an emotional, you're like into yourself and then you go up and you see that great space with all that color and you're, you're free. You can fly.

[Caroline]

Yeah. In our last conversation, you were talking a little bit about how you love to mix up the seating around a dining table because you felt like if it's all the same, then it can feel very like conference like. And that really clicked for me. But as I was going through your, your, your work in this house, you do it. You also did that at the kitchen island. And to me, the, the dining table feels like, okay, that makes sense, I've seen that. But the island, I, I don't see that. So walk me through that because I, I loved it.

[Susan Ferrier]

There's all different ways people like to sit at a kitchen island. And you know, I have to say, you follow function first and then you put the veil of beauty over it. And you know, you have many people asking for different things and you have to figure out how to accommodate it. I believe for this particular island, there was like one star piece that was a really beautiful chair and then some long benches to complement it. And it's just another way to put in a little bit of variety. But also I find myself repeating that practice because it gives you more variety in how you can use the island. Sometimes when I'm at a kitchen island, I'm working and I'm surrounded with paper and a computer, a drink and who knows what else. And if you have a bench that you're sitting on you, you can set things next to you without having to maybe put everything right in front of you. So it gives you a double layer of workspace, A double level of workspace. And also it helps when there might be children that are going to frequent the house. And sometimes you can put two spots for an adult. If you marry those and make it a little bit longer. Bench, sometimes you can put three or four kids in.

[Caroline]

That is genius. Would have never thought of that. Yeah, but you're right.

[Taryn]

At the kitchen island is, is just brilliant.

[Caroline]

It really is. And you know, in this case and in so many new homes now, the island has gotten so big that, you know, it's not just three to four stools anymore, which can be a lot. It's like, okay, you got six spots or something. So you run the risk of doing what you talked about last time, which was it looking very conference room like.

[Susan Ferrier]

Yeah, and. And I, I want to create a little bit of a landscape and I don't want it to be boring. And I feel that if you put something. The second part of that is that if you put something back at a kitchen counter, you can engage what's in front of you and what's behind you.

[Caroline]

Oh, yeah.

[Susan Ferrier]

In a big open floor plan like that. The last thing I wanted to do this is in our kind of an architectural thought process, I didn't want to set up a low wall to block the people from the kitchen into the main living space. So although it's great for the function of the different kinds of people, a number of people that you can put at the island, it also helps the flow of the room because you don't have that guardrail that you're constantly looking up and over. I actually prefer very low backed or no backed seating at a bar so that you can turn around and see the entire room. And also it's meant to be used from both sides. But if you have a row of taller backed seating, you can't get up and over it if you're going to set something on it. So for function in a smaller beach house, if the back is lower, you can lift things up onto that counter and still use it without having to pull the chair out.

[Caroline]

I imagine we might have some listeners who are working on a kitchen renovation and maybe they have a large kitchen island. We're not all Susan Ferrier though. So do you think other people could pull this off in a way that is cohesive. And if so, what advice would you give them?

[Susan Ferrier]

100%. And a trick to combining a long bench with a. With a single bar stool. Is your ornament organic expression, however you want to refer to it needs to be front loaded on that one single bar stool. And then the bench needs to be kind of dumb. It needs to. It needs to be massing and go away with very little ornament so that they play off of each other so you don't have two fancy things that looks like, you know, you went to the flea market. Although, you know, flea markets are great. But everything that you do in your house needs to be about relationship between the forms that are next to each other and how you carry your eye through the space. And if you have something that is a little bit more ornate or has some beautiful line, you want to sit it next to something that allows it to shine and doesn't detract from it by competing with the lines that are so strong in it. Anyone can do that. Anyone can do that. They just have to understand that not every piece of furniture can be the star in the room. There needs to be supporting characters, and that's true of life, you know, there needs to be strong supporting characters.

[Caroline]

Okay, so bench is long and unadorned, and the single stool seating options are more of the unique silhouette. The interesting silhouette.

[Susan Ferrier]

The sculpture.

[Caroline]

Yeah, yeah, the sculpture. Okay, that makes sense. Do they need to have similar materials or can they be contrasting?

[Susan Ferrier]

They can be contrasting. They just need to be. You've got to curate it like with your fabrics and they just need to get along.

[Caroline]

Easier said than done. But yes, that makes sense.

[Susan Ferrier]

Oh, sorry.

[Caroline]

No, no, no. I think it's, I think, theme that we talk through on the show. So, you know, our listeners know what you're talking about. But also it feels daunting a little bit, I think.

[Susan Ferrier]

Well, you could put a texture on the chair and do leather on the bench. That way one thing is smooth and the other thing has some tooth to your eye. And by no means do not do two patterns. You know, even though it's a dumb shape, don't do two different patterns because then you're just throwing the whole, the basis for the whole idea out the window.

[Caroline]

Yeah.

[Susan Ferrier]

So, you know, you have to think about how you dress. And if you have a pair of plaid pants on, I don't think you're going to put a polka dot shirt on. I could be wrong. Things are changing. But I think about, I think about it in that way. Would you dress like that. So with fabrics, I would give that piece of advice. If you're on the fence.

[Taryn]

Yeah. There's something about the way that you talk about furniture pieces that. But I start to visualize them as people, and I'm searchable. I know. So I'm wondering, like, do you personify the furniture that you're placing in there?

[Susan Ferrier]

Well, everything about it like that everything has a spirit. And you think about people that remind you of something, a form or a attitude. So I guess I. And the big word is. I think I anthropomorphize furniture and human. I do. I think about it like it's a person.

[Taryn]

No, I mean, just the way you were talking about benches and bar stools, like, thinking about that, it made me think about, you know, everybody knows a relationship where. Or a marriage where there's one person that talks all the time and then their partner is kind of, you know.

[Caroline]

Someone asks me to listen.

[Susan Ferrier]

Right. Yeah, it's a listener.

[Taryn]

Yeah, it's a listener.

[Susan Ferrier]

But that's the same. This whole. And I'm glad you brought it up, it's the same thing at a dining table. You have to have all different kinds of guests at your dining table. Some are there to sit in the middle and talk and keep things going, and other people are there to anchor the ends and listen and lend support to the conversation. So it's, you know, it's all about interaction and relationship.

[Caroline]

Well, I also loved, you know, I think, like, kitchen islands are now, like, your entertaining space. They're where you eat breakfast.

[Susan Ferrier]

They.

[Caroline]

They serve so many functions these days. And so I was also just looking at it. I think this is so clever because sometimes I'm the person sitting at the island watching another person cook. And I'm just there chilling, hanging out, drinking my wine, eating my snacks, and I'm really tucked in for a while, in which case I might choose the bench, but then occasionally I might just be, like, perching, like, eating my yogurt, running out the door. In which case, I'm not going to pick the bench. I'm going to pick, like, the backless one. You know, you have the different seats for different functions like you would in a living room. I just don't think we typically do that at the island. For some, it's. It's funny how we don't. Many of us. You do obviously apply that same thinking to the island, too. So I think that's a great, like, sort of little takeaway for someone maybe that's picking some stools because. Yeah, you've Once you've got this big expanse of space, you have the opportunity to fill in different.

[Susan Ferrier]

And can I give you some practical information about that?

[Caroline]

Please.

[Susan Ferrier]

I mean, you. Everybody works in a budget. I don't care who you are. And one of those really personality bar stools is probably going to cost you a pretty penny, and the bench might give you some relief. So there's also that. I mean, in practicality, there's just. There's. There's just no. It works on many levels, I guess, is what I'm trying to say.

[Caroline]

Yeah, yeah, it's. It's very clever. Okay. You were talking about fabric, so I want to touch on that a little bit, because I really love going through your portfolio looking at the different upholstery pieces, because in many of your. Your projects, you have these big living rooms and you've broke. You know, you. You masterfully lay out the. The floor plan, and you've got all this different seating options. And I was kind of trying to go through. Look, looking at the fabrics you pick, I'm wondering if you could kind of give us your internal monologue, because you use largely solids, not a lot of pattern, but there's a lot of diversity, I guess, in the color or the texture. So, like, what are. How are you thinking about it as you're picking, like, sofa, two chairs, two other chairs, other sofa. Like, what's your thought process there?

[Susan Ferrier]

The fabrics are a great opportunity to balance the color in the room. And the room is going to have finish colors so that you're going to have your walls and your ceiling, and you're going to have your floor, and you're going to have whatever the windows are made out of. So all of a sudden, you are faced with the architectural color palette, where the hard finishes are, and then you've got to pull something out of these finishes so that it gets along and looks like it was all one big cohesive thought. I always start with the function, and I try to put the most durable fabric on the larger pieces of lounge furniture in a room. And as I go from sofa to chairs, the smaller, more sculptural chairs, perching chairs probably get the more. The finer fabrics, because they're not going to be anybody's first choice because you're going to go to the comfortable things. So in a lot of ways, there's a hierarchy of the durability and the colors. You know, I love a room with a white sofa, but a lot of times, people aren't gonna let you do that. So I would love to make the sofa white and have it pop. But you have to live on it. And you have to live on it with kids and pets. And even though we've come a long way with outdoor furniture fabrics, I think that I opt to put the most forgiving thing on the central pieces. The central piece. And if I need a pop of brightness, you know, you can always put white pillows on it. So it's all kind of a balancing game. So if the sofa's really dark, I've gotta find an opportunity for a chair at the opposite or diagonal to it that is also gonna be dark.

[Caroline]

Okay.

[Susan Ferrier]

So it's kind of like a rhythm.

[Caroline]

Yeah.

[Susan Ferrier]

So you have to create. Have to create that rhythm. But I always start. Usually start with a big piece of furniture and then go from there and then keep correcting. You know, that's really neutral. Well, that's too neutral. I need to get darker and. Well, that's dark. Now I need something light. So it's all kind of like a ping ponging effect. Hope I've explained that.

[Caroline]

Absolutely. The rhythm. And the rhythm, I think, is a perfect word. And the diagonal. Interesting. I. I can probably go through and find that in your. In your work. But what a great suggestion for our listeners to think, okay, I've got dark here. I need dark. Either opposite or diagonal as well. And does the same go for. For lightness too?

[Susan Ferrier]

Oh, yeah.

[Caroline]

Okay.

[Susan Ferrier]

Every single thing. Medium. You. You're gonna have your medium, you're gonna have your dark, you're gonna have your light. And you need to. What you wanna do is you wan. To travel to something across the room that is almost akin to where your eye originally rested. So it just makes it more dynamic. You just don't want all the white on one side and all the dark on the other. You kind of have to balance it.

[Caroline]

Yeah. Do you think that that's something. Someone who's doing their own home is where they're making a mistake like thinking, oh, okay, I'm gonna do this room and it's all gonna be. I want it to be light and bright. So I'm gonna use all light and bright. And they'd bring no darkness in and no medium tone in. And that's what's feeling flat or the opposite.

[Susan Ferrier]

No, I'm gonna stop you right there. Yes. That's what makes it flat. It's all like a hum. There's no highs and there's no lows.

[Caroline]

Because I think there was, you know, there was a time where maybe on like Pinterest or Instagram and in design Magazines. There was this light, bright white space and it looked so appealing, you know, and, and those were, were done masterfully. But like it's hard to recreate that without the. Just the right elements. And I feel like that's. It looks like, oh, I could do that. But it's way harder than you think. It's kind of.

[Susan Ferrier]

Well, most of the time we get to experience those rooms through imagery, which is through the photographic eye, through the lens. And the lens is really great at capturing light and creating shadow when shadow might not be there. So when you're there in person and you're eyes are not a camera, that's when things are going to be dull because it's not expressing light the way a camera would. So when we do a photo shoot, I understand that the three dimensional world is very different than the flattened two dimensional world. So I have to step back and let the experts move things in and out. Adjust the light so that on the page you get the emotional effect that you're looking for. But when you're standing there in person, it may not feel like they're doing the right thing. So you have to take that into account.

[Caroline]

I'd never thought about the. Yeah. The camera capturing shadow so well that you're. It's not true to life and. Or it looks great in the picture but like without the shadow in real life.

[Susan Ferrier]

Right.

[Caroline]

Yeah. It's not as warm.

[Susan Ferrier]

Yeah. If you're looking at it standing in this one spa, if you go four steps over to the right, it's going to look completely different. So I love, don't get me wrong, I love an all white interior. But that means there has to be some really great dark lines in it that separate and delineate boundaries, if you will, to all the lightness. I love a white interior. I think that's really great if you can live in it and figure out how to make it work for you. I'm 100% behind that and I'll never say no to doing it. But you also have to use like a lot of textural crusty, dark elements. How can I. It's mascara, you know, you need to outline it to make it pop and give it definition. Or eyebrows.

[Caroline]

Eyebrows. Yeah, exactly.

[Taryn]

I want to talk a little bit about the emotionality of the rooms. So you've kind of touched on that a couple times in the conversation. And I want to figure out what are the, what are the key emotions that you're thinking about when you're putting a room together or putting a house together? And should we feel differently about one room than another.

[Susan Ferrier]

Yes, we should. But I think that I want people to feel held and safe and calm in a room. So I want. There's a security I want people to feel and a calmness I want people to feel. And the best way to achieve that is through balance and a visual math so that everything kind of makes sense. I would like the rooms to feel like you hear a gong rather than you hear chimes, like a lot of little high notes. I mean, there's places for that and it's great. You know, it's sprinkly, it's jewelry, it's all that. But when you go into a room with the furniture, I want you to feel the deep, like resonating gong, you know, that makes you feel safe and that you've arrived.

[Taryn]

That's amazing. That's home as sacral healing. Like that's really kind of amazing.

[Susan Ferrier]

I feel like it was kind of funny. You know, I will say one thing that somebody once told me because I don't know if you've ever talked to me at a cocktail party before, but I am not a calm person. I would say I'm a high strung Aish kind of gal. You know, that it's always looking and watching and very critical and analytical and always moving and highly appear to be highly social when I'm out and about. And somebody once said that, you know, although I might use all different styles, you know, and the rooms look different and the homes look different that I do, there's always a universal feeling. And that feeling that is imparted in these spaces is really my own internal correction. You know, I aspire to the calm, comfortable ease that hopefully I'm, you know, giving to my clients. You know, you just. And also it's actually a really good background for people to be chattery in and have activity in. It's not distracting. You can concentrate.

[Caroline]

What does your home look like? Would you say it's consistent with what your client spaces look like?

[Susan Ferrier]

Um, my home is on my website. I'm going to say it is and it isn't. I do use fewer larger pieces whenever I can. I believe in scale, in filling a space and having a very large gesture in a room to make it calm. So in that way, I'd say that's really consistent. You know, that's me, that's my healing process. But because of what I do for a living and because I'm exposed to so much and I see so much and I need to be inspired, I on so many different levels I am quite a collector. So I'm going to say that there's a lot of things that I find inspiring that I keep around because I want to see the way the light hits it on certain times of the day. Or maybe I just like that color and it makes me feel good to look at that color or it reminds me of a trip. So I hope that what I'm delivering to my clients is a really great space where they can bring then their personal things into mine just happens to be highly curated. Like, if you put something in a room and it doesn't belong, it gets spit out. You know, I'll take it and I'll go, oh, no, no, no, no. They're not getting along. No matter how great it is, it's gone.

[Caroline]

I mean, has that happened recently?

[Susan Ferrier]

I'm in the process of doing that actually right now. You know, during COVID you know, we were all in our homes and the layers started building in, and I wake up in the middle of the night and go, I am now officially a hoarder. You know, and I think over the last, I'm trying to edit and remove those layers that were unnecessary but necessary at the time. So actually, I am giving things away, dividing it up, taking it to another space that I have access to. So I know.

[Caroline]

Where are you taking these things?

[Susan Ferrier]

Oh, well, you know, are you giving them to friends?

[Caroline]

Are you putting them.

[Taryn]

I'm going to.

[Caroline]

In certain antique store. Let me know when you go to Goodwill for a drop off. Susan?

[Susan Ferrier]

Yeah, the big stuff is harder. The big stuff is really harder to get rid of. But, you know, I found that I'm drowning in books, and there's piles of books everywhere. Books as tables, books as on tables, under tables. You know, there was a recent Instagram page that refers to. Or an article, maybe it was, that refers to it as book wealth. And you're gonna see a lot of that on my Instagram now, because my team is like, susan, if anybody has book wealth, it's you. So. So what I'm going to do, my next project is I'm going to go through my books and I'm going to take some of them out and I'm going to take them to the office and let people have them from there. So I'm trying. I guess I'm saying I'm trying.

[Caroline]

Is your house on your portfolio? Lavish tutor Oasis? Yes, it's. It's incredible.

[Susan Ferrier]

Well, thank you.

[Caroline]

We're going to put a link in the show notes to everybody.

[Susan Ferrier]

Oh, okay. Yeah.

[Caroline]

And that was.

[Susan Ferrier]

That was before it's gotten. There's. It's a. I'm trying to get it back to that.

[Caroline]

I'm obsessed with the suitcase tower.

[Susan Ferrier]

Oh, that's in my bedroom.

[Caroline]

That's fabulous. Can you tell everyone about it?

[Susan Ferrier]

Yes. You know, I tried to get a client to buy it. It was Battersea Antique Fair or Antique Market in. In London. And this vendor had all of these old suitcases and trunks that he had. He bleached. And they were in this great stack. And I had a client that I was working with in Oxford, and I kept on sending her pictures, and I was saying, this would be great in your bedroom. This is wonderful. You can put storage you don't need. You know, it's great. You can tuck things that you have to look at once every couple years in there and keepsakes, and they're just like. They didn't quite embrace that romance. And I thought about it, and I thought, I'm buying those for myself. And I was like, I'm just not letting that go. And I know that I did the right thing, because years later, I was walking down the street in some London neighborhood. I don't even know how I got there. And somebody was yelling my name. Susan. Susan Ferrier. Waving their hands. And I turned around and it was this antique dealer. And he came up to me and goes, I will never forget you. Because not only did you buy them from me, but they were published, and I had only intended to sell them one at a time. And you bought the whole collection, so I must have done the right thing.

[Caroline]

Yes. Yes, you did. Oh, my God, it just looks so good.

[Taryn]

It looks so good. And for our listeners, they're stacked almost to the ceiling.

[Susan Ferrier]

Yeah, they're pretty tall.

[Caroline]

It's like an art installation. Like it should be in a museum.

[Susan Ferrier]

Oh, it is favorite. Everybody loves that, and I love it. I look at it every morning. Makes me happy.

[Caroline]

The big tassel. Ah, fabulous. Kate says, here's my question. I'm moving to a condo and need advice on window treatment. The condo has a set of sliding glass patio doors in the living room. Unfortunately, the doors aren't right against the corner of the room as you face the patio doors. The wall to the left is about 9ft long, but on the right, there are only about 8 inches to the corner. I want to hang fixed drapery panels on either side of the doors, but with very little space on the right side. The drapery panels will cover part of the glass, blocking some of the light. What kind of fabric and what kind of drapery Rod should I use to minimize the light blockage? This is the only window in the room. My instinct says use a sheer linen fabric and a French return rod. What do you think? Many thanks for your fabulous podcast. I'm a faithful listener. Kate.

[Susan Ferrier]

She cannot do anything about the architectural layout of that elevation. So you have to accept it, the most important thing, and correct me if you heard it differently, but I think the most important thing is that it is not blocking the light because it may be the only window in that room. So her instincts are correct that however it is, however it's used, it should be a sheer. I agree with that. I think that's really great. But what I would do in an effort to maximize the light and make that elevation, which is not symmetrical, as beautiful as possible is I would get a rod and run it from wall to wall on that entire wall and I would stack that drapery all on the nine foot wall so that the entire window is exposed. And that's gonna do several things. Number one, you're gonna get 100% of your light. You're gonna get a layer on that nine foot wall that will host a beautiful table with things on it or a sofa. It will just be, it'll. It'll add to the decor of the room, not just the drapery. For the window, you're going to add a texture because there's going to be a ripple fold in there and I want you to take it to the ceiling and you're going to have an issue with pulling it. So I'm going to recommend that whatever drapery rod from wall to wall that she selects, it's one where there's a wand at the end and there's ease of movement. So I think. What did she say her preferred rod was?

[Caroline]

French return.

[Susan Ferrier]

The French return. I'm so sorry, it's too prim for this. Okay. A French return kind of comes around and hugs the window and that is not going to work on that wall. It might work on other windows in the house, but I think she needs to have that gesture. So I would stack it to all one side. There's nothing you can do with that 8 inches because if anything that you put there is going to look like a streamer.

[Caroline]

Yeah. Like too thin.

[Susan Ferrier]

Yeah, it's too thin. So I would say strongly go with it and put everything, stack everything on the nine foot wall. And it doesn't need any lining at all because it's a sheer. And she probably needs to do a three times width so that it's full enough so that when she pulls it, it doesn't look like a banner or a sheet. She doesn't have to get the most expensive fabric at all because it's going to be usually right next to each other. Because I know that what I'm suggesting, people are going to say, oh, that's going to be so expensive. Doesn't have to be. Doesn't have to be. So I hope I answered your question.

[Caroline]

Yes, you did. And it's going to look incredible because I totally see what you're saying. She's going to stack the whole, all of it on one side. It's going to be this incredible, like, focal point when it's open, like when it's not covering the window. And oh my gosh, she could put a table in front of it. She could put one of those art easels and hang a paint, like place the painting in the easel that stands up. And it's just going to be this like luxurious softness in the room when it's open. But then you obviously can control the, the lightness when you close it too.

[Susan Ferrier]

Yes. You're taking your challenge and you're turning it into almost what could be the best feature in the house.

[Caroline]

Yeah.

[Susan Ferrier]

Work with Kondo. Yeah.

[Caroline]

Smart.

[Susan Ferrier]

So I hope, I hope that helps. But you have to be brave. And also, whenever you. It's just, you know how when you're looking for the perfect life partner and you have like eight or 10, maybe 20, 30 requirements in this list, you really just need to return to number one. And it's always a compromise. And I think her number one is she needs the light and wants the light.

[Caroline]

Mm.

[Susan Ferrier]

So that. This is the pro light decision.

[Caroline]

Well, she should go look at your portfolio because you, you do this a lot, actually. You have these sort of whole wall expanses of, of drapery and it's so impactful. And even if she do. What color do you think she should do? Like, I'm looking at your, your living room and you've done that. It looks like you've covered some wall with.

[Susan Ferrier]

I have. I live in a hundred year old house and I'm gonna say that there was probably not an architect of note that designed this. And sometimes you have to correct architecture that doesn't come forward in time with you the way people like to live. And one great way to do that is with drapery. And I think that if I were gonna say a color, I think that if it were me, I'd probably make the fabric the same color as the walls because then it would just be A really great texture, and it would be unifying. That's what I would do. Especially for a sheer. If you make a sheer color, then the entire. When the light comes through it, it's going to wash that entire room in that color.

[Caroline]

Oh, interesting. I wouldn't have thought about that, but that makes total sense.

[Susan Ferrier]

So unless you have a very specific design. I mean, I have used black shears before in a TV room with mostly dark furniture, and it was great. But that's rare. You know, that's. That's a rare. That's an exception.

[Caroline]

You've used the ball gown sofa in your own living room. It looks pretty. I love it. Susan, thank you so much. This was such a delight. And please come back anytime. We would love to have you. Because also, I don't know, I don't know if I told you you have an amazing radio voice. Did you know that? You have the best voice.

[Susan Ferrier]

Well, thank you. I have been told that I have a good voice. You do. I guess. You know, if this, if I ever. If this, if I fail at this, I can do voiceover work or, you know, maybe I could be the voice at a museum.

[Caroline]

No, you'll come be the. The host on our podcast with us.

[Susan Ferrier]

Well, I would love to do that. I'd love to be the person asking the questions. That might be fun.

[Caroline]

It is, because we get to pick your brain and answer all of our. Our conundrums so. Well, can you tell everyone where they can find you, follow you, and see your work?

[Susan Ferrier]

Susan Ferrier Interiors. Susan Ferrier on Instagram. Located out of Atlanta. That's how you find me.

[Caroline]

On the pages of our favorite design magazines, too.

[Susan Ferrier]

Oh, yeah. I've got some things coming out in the next couple months in Lochs and Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles, so.

[Caroline]

Okay, well, we'll be on the lookout. Yeah, we will. All right, well, that's our show. And that's our show. You can find all of the show notes on our blog howtodecorate.com podcast to send in a decorating dilemm. Email your questions to podcastallarddesigns.net so we can help you with your space. And of course, be sure to follow us on social media. Alard Designs.

[Taryn]

Don't forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. And please leave us a review. We'd love to hear your feedback.

[Caroline]

Until next time, Happy decorating.