American designer Susan Ferrier describes a childhood habit of gathering paint swatches from a hardware store as the seed of her career in interior design.
Early influences shape a lifelong aesthetic
She recalls accompanying her father to the store and bringing home several swatches each visit. She would then sort the samples, pairing those that “played well together,” a practice that later informed her approach to color composition. The habit grew into a broader fascination with how texture, light, and hue interact within a space.
Every room benefits from “reflection, glamour, and lamplight,” a trio she believes can alter a room’s mood. The emphasis on reflective surfaces and strategic lighting appears in many recent projects, where polished metals and glass amplify natural light.
Historical and natural inspirations
Ferrier says she would choose to live in Mesopotamia around 3500‑3000 BC if she could pick any era, citing the formative period of civilization as a source of creative spark. She also draws from ancient cultures and the volcanic forces that reshaped them, linking the raw power of nature to the structural foundations of her designs.
Among botanical symbols, she identifies the “Pimpernel Classic Aubergine hydrangea” as a representation of her personality. The flower’s color range—from green through blue to purple—mirrors the palette she frequently employs, evoking luxury and deep appreciation.
Her style icons include Iris Apfel, Grace Coddington, Anouska Hempel and John Saladino. Their influence helps her create “signature atmospheres” that feel both personal and timeless.
Key design elements she repeats are unapologetic scale and reflectivity, which generate a “deep vibration and tone of reverence.” Her decorating “superpower,” she calls it, is the ability to infuse warmth and calm through balance and a sense of visual rhythm she describes as “visual math.”
One of her favorite places for inspiration is the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, England. The Victorian collection of anthropological and archaeological items left a strong impression, prompting her to remark, “This is what heaven looks like.”
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She also mentions a particular shade of crayon—midnight blue, formerly known as Prussian Blue—as her favorite. She appreciates its mysterious history and the way it has been reinvented over time, despite remaining the same hue.
When asked about a fantasy job, she suggests that if she cannot work on a palace with architects and garden designers, she would consider curating a natural history museum or serving as a television judge.
Her preferred hotel for a long stay would be the Hotel Esencia on Mexico’s Riviera Maya, a property surrounded by jungle, with a notable pool and restaurant.
Outside design, she says she spends most of her downtime recovering.
If she won the lottery, she would first share the winnings, then sell everything and restart on a Pacific Ocean cliff front, seeking views of rolling blues and greens.
Her best professional advice is to “listen to your client and adapt your voice,” a reminder that client collaboration remains central to her process.
Compared with other contemporary designers who often emphasize trend‑driven aesthetics, her focus on ancient influences and natural materials echoes a broader movement toward timelessness in the industry. While many peers chase fleeting fashions, her commitment to historic references and enduring palettes suggests a more sustainable, long‑term design philosophy.
