Our homes serve as a refuge from the ravages of the outer world. Stepping through the front door, we need to feel a sense of calm and coziness to unwind. "The way our homes look and function has a true impact on how we feel,” says Susie Prince, founder of Susie Mae Design. Susie first recalls falling in love with an interior space while watching 1994’s adaptation of Little Women. Growing up in a farmhouse herself, she was in awe of the one featured in the film and developed a fascination with every detail. Throughout her childhood, Susie recalls redecorating her bedroom over and over, demonstrating an already keen eye for aesthetics.
A degree in graphic design kick-started her career trajectory. At that time, interior design didn’t feel like an accessible career, so she decided to channel her visual talents into a corporate avenue. Her first job, designing for Home Depot’s Home Decorator’s Collection, foreshadowed her future. She met a colleague there who worked in the interior design world with HGTV, and they began a blog together. Then, when a three-month styling gig with the station came up, she leapt at the opportunity with full faith. Quitting her corporate job and diving headfirst into her dreams paid off.
Eleven years later, Susie Mae Design is a roaring success. Susie tailors every home she touches to enhance form and function while spotlighting each client’s individuality. By maximizing square footage, new life is breathed into previously underutilized spaces. This is much more than a luxury service; it is “emotional medicine.” Our capacity for rest is directly tied to our surroundings, and when we step into an expertly curated environment, filled with textures and memories, internal balance follows.
Susie Mae Design offers a range of services, from consultations to full renovation makeovers. Susie’s signature styling always includes a careful balance of colors and patterns through layered textiles (she loves softening a space with subtle animal prints). She always encourages hand-knotted wool rugs: they are durable, easy to clean, and stunningly crafted. "Hand-knotted rugs are a work of art that you can walk on,” she says. “They will last forever, they're an heirloom piece." The furniture upholstery she and her team select is always of the highest quality while adding visual interest to the space. You’ll also find pieces that encompass the beauty of the natural world, with a special affinity for burlwood and stone. These are elements that provide something “humankind can’t recreate,” she adds.
Susie’s reverence for authenticity and grounded beauty is reflected clearly in her designs. She doesn’t make assumptions about her clients’ taste based on existing items in the home, as they could be gifted, hand-me-downs, or bought during a trend cycle. "I don't want to only know what style you like,” she explains. “I want to know where you've been, what kind of food you like. Do you like animals? Do you like old stuff? What are the things that make you tick?" This ability to listen deeply and ask the right questions helps her and her team get to the root of who her clients are based on their personal history, hobbies, and passions.
The design team thrives on collaboration, and you’re enlisting an array of experts when you start a project with them. Susie is the Principal Lead Designer, and Elizabeth Lamb serves as the Associate Designer. This core duo creates magic together, and Susie describes bringing Elizabeth on full-time as her “best business decision.” She serves as a sounding board and second set of eyes, infusing every project with elevated creativity while taking some of the endless decision-making off Susie’s plate. Brinley Gunther crafts 3D floor plans and drawings on an as-needed basis, and contractors are brought in to assist with renderings and other services when needed.
Susie and Elizabeth are also passionate pet advocates, partnering with and fostering for Lifeline Animal Project. This advocacy shows up in how they incorporate furry family members into their home designs with thoughtful care. From pet-friendly performance fabrics on furniture to decorative baskets for toys, Susie and her team honor everyone in your home. A signature idea Susie has been loving is including custom-made sofa covers crafted from matching upholstery fabric. The fabric blends perfectly into your furniture while protecting it from shedding and other wear-and-tear, and it’s effortless to toss off for company. And they always make sure to carve out a designated spot for pet beds in every single room.
Working with Susie Mae Design entails being honored for your unique personality and life experiences while receiving a deeply effective design upgrade. Everyone is heard, respected, and has fun along the way. In Susie’s words, "When you're represented better in your home, when your home functions better, you feel more at peace, you're better rested, and so then you can show up better in other places in life." Elevate your everyday life with Susie Mae Design.
"When you're represented better in your home, when your home functions better, you feel more at peace; then, you can show up better in other places in life."
Working with Susie Mae Design entails being honored for your unique personality and life experiences while receiving a deeply effective design upgrade.
Susie Prince’s decor style leans eclectic with color and patterns. Her home, built in the 1960s, incorporates mid-century modern elements to align with its architecture. She designs bedrooms and family rooms for their textural possibilities, and loves brightly colored kitchens.