Everything Old is New Again!

There are always trends in interior design. Some come. Some go. Some come back. Some are classic. Some are way out there. Some are stupid. Some are timeless. But sooner or later, interior styles come full circle. What's old is new again.

Retro style is one of those. Modernism has a strong influence in almost all room settings today. Basically, I like it! Of course,you all know how I feel about orange...a totally retro color, back in full swing. 50's and 60's chairs are cool in any book. (Remember the chairs I had reupholstered for the Princeton Designer House this year?!)

Well, tonight, I paid a short visit to my cute friends Wayne and Bonnie. I couldn't help but look around their charming home and this is what I saw!

These vintage retro chairs upholstered in velvet...orange,of course!! Ah, my heart sings.

Okay, so the feet take them a little out of "cool"...but that's nothing my great upholsterer can't take care of. The modern, low profile of these lounge chairs speaks for style, and fairly current I might add!


I queried Bonnie about their age. Promptly, without a moment's delay, she told me she had purchased them in 1966. Brand new when they moved into the house. Orange. Velvet. Couldn't get much better.

And take a look at this lamp in the room! Bonnie just shook her head when I told her how popular this shade was! I rehearsed with her how many times I tell a client to update their rooms by changing up their lamp shades for drum shades. Yep, once again, perfect style! And natural burlap shades-so cool!

As a designer in the trade, it was so fun to see the "real McCoy" so to speak . Bonnie loved my stories of current style and felt amazed to have come full circle.

Look around your mother's or aunt's home. You'll find treasures of your own.

Thanks for sharing a little retro style, Bonnie! I'll take them all.

Window Wizard!!

That's right! Susan is on sale! I am running a sale on professional fees. All areas of our services apply, so to view our menu of services email me for a complete list at Susan@besusan.com. You'll be surprised how many different ways we can help with your home/office design needs.

The table is dotted with lemonaide bottles serving as vases for the fabulously real looking seasonal blue hydrangeas. I tinted the water lime green to carry the color story of the opposit window. Real life shows this a bit better! Two large concrete urns support the window display, utilizing linen pillows and life-like calla lily folliage for color. I like the simplicity of the table and it has the feeling of late summer in Bucks County, Pa. Our blooming hydrangeas are a beauty to behold and these hydrangeas could take their place along side the real thing and go undetected! Don't worry, I have plenty more for the taking, as well as a beautiful dramatic wreath using them.



The stripes we painted for the last window change survived the cut once again. A comfy and delightful chair in aqua and soft chartreuse finds a home next to a recycled chest that I painted in a favorite aqua.Oh so fresh! How perfect this chair would be in a delightful sunroom or favorite bedroom. (It would be pretty darn perfect in my main family room as well! Rememeber the Christmas tree with the aqua and lime design several years ago?) Yep, that's where it should be! It has a great price on it right now and is on sale. Come check it out. You're welcome to sit in the window and try it out!!

The windows have been completed for another month. Hope you enjoy the view.

Nature's Art!

Some time ago, on a cold icy day I spotted this unusual and beautiful sight on the way into a prestigious neighborhood in Bucks County, Pa. I couldn't help but turn around instantly and walk right up through the gated driveway to snap my shot.

My friend Jeff feared that the fountain was most likely ruined with the freeze........

Pure magic!

I closed in for one more shot.

The storm caught us by surprise, as you can see from the green grass. How perfect that I was able to find inspiration and pure style in this, Nature's Art! Ahhhhhh, the beauty of the earth.