Home Front: Interior Designer Susan Taylor on Creating Your Most Inspired Home!

Susan Davis Taylor is a great friend and a seriously talented designer.  We love her chic, global style that feels polished and pulled together yet comfortable with just a smidge of boho!  We have lured her to both of our houses to help us make them feel like stylish sanctuaries.  As we head into winter, a time to really nest and enjoy our homes, we thought we'd ask her a few burning questions to guide and inspire us all!

Firestone Sisters: 1. How would you describe your design style?

Susan: Clean and eclectic! I love mixing antiques and modern with ethnic accessories.

2.  You are so good at knowing when to splurge on a piece and then balancing with super economical touches!  What are some resources for those of us who are wanting to gussy up our homes on a budget?

Thank you! Finding 'gems in the rough' is my favorite. I love hitting up flea markets, consignment shops, etsy.com, krrb.com has some good local scores and chairish.com is carefully curated and less expensive than 1stdibs.com ... eBay is still my all-time favorite. If you know what your looking for that world is your oyster.

3. You are a busy mother of two kids-- how does a family create spaces for the kids to play (and be safe) without letting baby gear and gates take over the living room?  So many homes are all about open concept these days that it can wind up feeling like romper room in the house!  Help!

Built-ins. They're great because you can create custom storage spaces to suit your needs and organize all those toys. If you are looking for something simple to bridge two rooms, try putting big deep drawers below a book case or a wall of cabinets for toy storage. It's easy for the kids to access and a quick clean-up.

4.  What is your favorite white paint for walls?  For trim?

I love the Dunn Edwards version of 'Swiss Coffee' eggshell finish for walls - it's a barely off-white with a hint of cream and nice depth. It's worked for me in various houses with variety of light and always looks great - never dull. For trim, I like Sherwin Williams 'Bright White' in a high gloss finish. It's so clean and shiny it makes the trim pop and a great frame for the room.

5.  You're also quite the globetrotter!  What's your favorite getaway for inspiring your style?  Destination and hotel?

Hmmmm. That is hard to narrow down. I think what makes my style so eclectic is that I draw something from every place I visit. I love Italy, especially Rome - I'm into Italian modern design right now. Italian designers have a knack for combining chic and simple and making it seem effortless. I also appreciate the whimsy in the way they accessorize - It's a great reminder to me that less is definitely more.  The Portrait Roma Hotel in Rome is a lovely boutique hotel that is stylish and cozy.

Susan Taylor lives in Los Angeles and we're very excited to offer home consults through our soon to launch online SHOP -- just in time for the holidays!!  Stay tuned. Keep up with us on Facebook!  Like us here. xox