Suzan J Designs Decorating Den Interiors

Embrace working from home. Whether you are converting a small niche space, making over a no-longer-needed bedroom, making an office space as part of a large multi-purpose room, or making a statement, we can provide a variety of inspiration. Read more in our latest blog post: https://bddy.me/48jFmSU

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love chairs, so when a writer contacted me for an article she was writing - to get some comments and insight into chair styles that have stood the test of time - I jumped at the chance! The chair pictured here is a Bergere, in a room I designed several years ago. While I have it shown in a traditional fabric here, this could easily translate into an eclectic or transitional room with a whimsical fabric on it and a painted (rather than stained) chair frame.

Read the article on BHG's Stylemaker digital launch for more on chair styles. I'm thrilled to be a part of offering advice for the many Better Homes and Gardens readers. Enjoy, all you chair lovers!

https://www.bhg.com/iconic-chair-designs-7553739

While wallpaper has been with us since the 16th century, it has evolved. Patterns have become larger, bolder, and more eye-catching than ever before. Total wall murals are more available and can make for a huge wow factor. We can add texture with wallpaper, either faux texture with patterns of bricks or stone, or actual texture with grass cloth, glass bead, flock and the like. Read about our wallpaper Do's and Don'ts in our latest blog post: https://bddy.me/45es6wM

This simple quote applies not only to products you buy but services you purchase as well. Do your research, choose wisely and you’ll be glad you invested in quality products and quality services, because in the end, you do end up paying a price for cheap.

My PSA for the day.

You’re welcome.

🎨✨ As an interior designer, there are 5 reasons why I absolutely love what I do! 🏡💕

Reason 1: Bringing Dreams to Life 🌟💫
Transforming spaces and turning clients' visions into reality is incredibly rewarding. Being able to create environments that evoke emotions and reflect their unique personalities brings me pure joy.

Reason 2: Building Meaningful Connections 💼🤝
Working closely with clients allows me to build lasting relationships. Being a part of their journey and collaborating to create their dream spaces fosters a deep sense of connection and fulfillment. Together, we make design dreams come true.

Reason 3: Igniting Creativity and Innovation 🎨🔥
As an interior designer, I constantly explore new design trends, materials, and techniques. The ability to bring fresh, innovative ideas to each project and push the boundaries of creativity is both thrilling and inspiring.

Reason 4: Making Everyday Life Extraordinary ✨❤️
Creating functional and beautiful spaces enhances people's lives. Seeing the impact of a well-designed home on my clients' daily routines, their comfort, and their happiness is incredibly fulfilling. Design has the power to transform lives.

Reason 5: Leaving a Lasting Legacy 🌿🌟
Every design project is an opportunity to make a lasting impact. By creating spaces that stand the test of time and reflect timeless beauty, I leave a legacy that clients will enjoy and cherish for years to come. Design is my contribution to making the world a more beautiful place.

🎉 Let's collaborate to bring your interior design dreams to life! Whether it's a cozy home or a vibrant office space, I'm here to turn your vision into reality. Contact me today, and let's embark on a journey of creativity and transformation.

HELLO, to the weekend!

This bathroom screams - weekend retreat!

From the walk-in shower and oversized soaker covered in stone to the finer details on the wood paneling leading to two elegant vessel sinks, this rustic and modern space offers a decadent retreat-like feeling to anyone that walks in. ✨

This space was designed with purpose, intention, and creativity.💕 It was designed specifically for my clients and how they wanted to feel whenever they entered the room. It came together beautifully and had me wanting a space like this to call my own.

Who else agrees? 😅💁‍♀️

Anyone that knows me knows how much I love art - art galleries, art museums, art shows are all my jam. As an artist wannabe, the pure talent that these artists have leaves me in awe. Years of study perfecting their craft allows them to make a living creating beauty. So imagine my surprise and delight when asked me to be their speaker at their New Collector Series event this Saturday. I’ll be discussing how to start collecting art, choosing your first piece, how to hang art and more. But wait - there’s more! Every attendee gets a $75 voucher from towards a piece of art. Attend each of their events now through December and receive a voucher each time. How’s that for assisting you in starting your collection?

Lastly - this is an art filled weekend in as the three day starts tomorrow! Situated on Milwaukee’s on the grounds of the the festival is a feast for the eyes. Saturday’s hours are 10-5, so it’s perfect timing to then head over afterwards to our event at the gallery in the . Register at the gallery’s website - it’s free, but registration is required. Hope to see you there!

Today we remember and honor those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our country. We are forever grateful for the brave men and women who have served and continue to serve our nation.

Let us pay tribute to them with respect, admiration, and admiration. Thank you for your service.

Happy Friday.

Coming home is a time to relax and unwind for the day. Hopefully, all of you have that feeling when you come home from a long day at work.

If so, how do you like to relax at home?

We are thrilled to be a part of this editorial! Big thanks to for wanting my viewpoint on downtown living.

Milwaukee's downtown, Walker's Point and the Third Ward are just a few of the many areas where my clients live, and designing for my clients in these neighborhoods opens up many possibilities that they can be excited about.

Looking for help with your home? Contact us to discuss how we can help you love your home again, and pick up a copy of the magazine today to read about my take on designing homes in these vibrant neighborhoods.

After and Before of a recently completed project, designing several rooms on the first floor. Contact us to learn more about what we can do for you!

Creativity takes courage, whether you're a designer like myself or simply decorating your home!

It's not always easy to pick something bold, different, or unique, but trust me, friends, all those bold and terrifying choices are well worth it. 🤩

Do you tend to play it safe in design and decor, or do you lean towards the creative side and like to try new things? Share below! 👇

When I am brought into a project I look at what’s good about the elements in the home as well as what doesn’t work. These were beautiful cherry custom cabinets (look like Hickory but were in fact cherry), but the angled island didn’t function well for my client. Additionally the two tiered nature of it felt uninviting.

We removed the island (donated it to ReStore) and ran into some problems with the flooring underneath not matching up. Good contractors are a must on any home project - we brainstormed and resolved the issue. Couldn’t have done it w/o pros who knew what they were doing. Teamwork!

And here’s a hint - don’t be afraid to go big! These pendants are oversized yet simple, and they really make the room a visual delight.

My clients love their new kitchen!

My designs run the gamut of traditional, transitional, modern and industrial. This particular client wanted to keep her traditional oak cabinets but update them; she had no idea on what to do to make that happen. I had worked with her on several other projects over the years so she reached out to me - help!

What I stress to clients with oak is that painting it will still show the heavy grain. I decided to go one step further here and actually accent the grain with a light wash over the paint. I also selected new doors with *character* - ie, knotholes. Imperfect perfection is what I call it.

Now don’t get me wrong - just because we decided to keep the boxes (what the main frames of cabinets are called), it does not mean that this was simple, easy, fast or cheap. Did we save $$ by keeping the boxes? Yes for sure - and we also kept them out of a landfill. But so much planning and detail goes into re-using portions of well, pretty much anything, that the details our team pays attention to aren’t necessarily seen until the room is put together; one can’t tell what’s old and what’s new. That doesn’t happen by accident.

Anyway, I’ll stop babbling - clearly I never tire of talking design! Enjoy the Afters and Befores - and a few Durings!

Life is too short to spend most of your time in a place that doesn’t make you happy.

Surround yourself with people you love, and make your home a place of joy and comfort.

Let me help you create a space of comfort and joy.
https://suzanw.decoratingden.com/

Creative solutions to your design dilemmas are at the cornerstone of our services. We want to find out how you live, how you use your rooms, and what luxury means to you. While many clients seek us out for our take on creating classic, timeless interiors, we welcome and thrive on various styles, including MCM, boho eclectic, and vintage modern.

Our ladder of services allows us to help clients at various levels, and each service we offer is fine-tuned for every project. A lot goes into making your home “you,” and we help you get there. We want you to love your home again.

Are you ready for a change?

https://suzanw.decoratingden.com/

After and Before. Sometimes simple changes can make a huge impact - but don’t assume simple means easy or cheap. This dining room was not going to be used if set up as expected. A sitting room, where my clients could enjoy an evening cocktail or a good book made more sense for them.
We started by removing the carpet and replacing with 5” solid wood planks. A deep paint color added to the mood I wanted to create. Painting both the ceiling and walls in the same color gave us the color-drenched look I was going for - enveloping the space in elegant coziness - while keeping the beautiful millwork intact. A simple modern light fixture acted as an art piece. The built-in china cabinet was transformed into a dry bar. The client had these chairs and coffee table in a little used upstairs loft, so we moved them downstairs into the space. A black distressed wool rug, one minimalist framed photograph and a tall leafy green in the corner completed this room.
Designing for others is something I love to do; it’s imperative to make sure it’s designed beautifully and cohesively while honoring their aesthetic and lifestyle. I love my job! Follow me on Instagram @ suzanjdesigns1 - photo by 📷

A few vignette photos from showroom at market. The varying styles of each vignette gives a nod to how versatile the TK line is. Contemporary? Got it. Traditional? No sweat. Transitional? Of course. Notice the use of both colors and neutrals in these settings as well. I love this showroom, not only because of the quality of their product and the awesome people who work there, but also because their designs speak to a wide array of personalities and styles, which is one of the key elements in my work. I think it’s great if designers have a “style” or “look”, and truthfully sometimes I wish I did too. But I’m just drawn to so many different styles, eras and genres that it’s futile to try and narrow it down! Jumping into different styles does help keep my mind - and designs - fresh, which is a plus! Anyway, beautiful showroom TK! Love it!

A few more unique light fixtures from hubbardtonforge lighting. I love the detail and thought that goes into every piece they design. I just ordered quite a few fixtures from here for a modern log cabin project I’m working on. I can’t wait till we install them!

If you haven’t looked at lighting lately, it’s time to take another look. While they will always carry their classics, they also have these great collections that can lean traditional, modern and anything in between - the new classics I’d say! I wish I could photograph lighting in such a way that truly shows the beauty of each piece, but I’ve not had much success with that. Suffice it to say that these are true pieces of art.

Had a whirlwind few days at market, checking out the latest and greatest spring introductions. Wow - did not disappoint! Starting with lighting, this unique multi-light pendant caught my eye. Best way to describe this? Simplistic elegance. Just a few elements here, but how it’s designed and fabricated along with the materials and finishes that makes it a must-have. Love it!

Color is the place where our brain and the universe meet. - Paul Klee

Updated kitchen project, recently completed. Happy clients!

After and Before. I loved transforming this space!

Styling - the finishing touches - is just as important as the renovations and furnishings. 📷

Last day to vote! Select one first, second and third place across all categories. Thanks!

Looking to freshen up your home as we enter the new season? Look no further than this post for all your spring interior design inspiration!

🌱 Create your dream garden. Indoor plants are having their moment, but plant moms and dads want more! Create your own garden to add even more personality to your home. (And it’s a fun hobby!)

🌱 Earthy tones. Gone are the days of pastels for spring. We’re seeing a wave of minimalistic and soothing earthy tones this 2022.

🌱 Pops of bold color. Continuing the palette trends topic, funky and bright colors take the interior design world by storm. Bold colors work best as accents. (Think: throw pillows, a chair, one wall, etc.)

🌱 Light and airy spaces. Large windows, outdoor dining areas, whispy canopies, and open floor plans are popular examples of achieving a light and airy space.

🌱 Texture. This spring, consider playing around with textures! That can look like textured throw pillows, art, or even bringing various pieces of nature into your home.

Would you incorporate any of these trends in your home? Or do you have any to add? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

It’s Saturday night - a perfect way to spend it is to vote for your favorites! 😊

Happy Friday! Here’s a very telling game of ‘this or that’ for ya!

Would you rather have dark furniture in your home or light furniture — and why? Sound off in the comments!

It’s a workin’ in the studio kind of day

Don’t forget to vote!

If this doesn’t scream “the first day of spring,” nothing will. Enjoy the day! 📷

Time to vote for People’s Choice in the annual Design/Dream Room competition. Vote for one 1st, 2nd and 3rd place for ALL categories - not one for each. My entries are listed below, so you can look for these entries or scroll through the many beautiful rooms entered this year. I believe you can vote once per day. I’ve attached a Before and After of each of my entries, but there are several additional photos of each room shown - so if you enjoy interior design and pretty rooms, you’ll enjoy scrolling through the site!
1) look for room # in each category
2) click on ❤️; repeat as many times as you want
3) scroll to bottom of page, then select your top three ❤️s for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Repeat daily. 😊

Feel free to share. Contest ends 3/31.

My entries are in these categories:

Kitchen - 0815 large expansive kitchen in the suburbs; 0816 small galley kitchen, downtown

Bathroom - 0122

Bedroom - 0232

Dining Room/Area - 0532

Home Office - 0710

Living Room - 0930

Miscellaneous (foyer) - 1219

https://drvoting.decoratingden.com/

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

So what are you doing tonight? 📷

Interior design is about more than replacing old with new – it is NOT being someone’s personal shopper. A room design often includes new furnishings, flooring, lighting, window treatments, paint colors, and a new space plan. The home, however, needs to speak to the homeowner’s personality and lifestyle so that when they are home, they are in their favorite place to be.

At Suzan J Designs, we ask, listen, research, design, procure, and manage – that is how we offer the best in full-service interior design. Our discerning clients are too busy to spend their free time trying to do it all themselves; they want to do what they enjoy and leave the heavy lifting to us.

https://suzanw.decoratingden.com/