Happy 2019. It’s a new year and a new line up of Interior Idols – where I harass artists, designers, photographers, architects, stylists, makers and influencers to find all the things they are lusting after. First up is a real gem – the immensely talented and oh so elegant Susi Bellamy. Wow, Susi certainly has a love affair with colour and patterns. She is classically trained as an artist with an MA in fine art but it is her life and journeys that have inspired her brilliantly unexpected designs.
To sum it up, Susi is all about luxurious interiors inspired by colour, let’s check out some of these wonderfully vibrant designs …
I had the pleasure of meeting Susi (in real life, yes!) and hearing all about her inspiring journey at a local design evening at Ampersand Interiors in Edinburgh. I think my head was in the clouds & my jaw was on the floor being surrounded by her bold abstract art and marbled designs. Susi’s entertaining story began by working her way up to Fashion Editor at a popular Conde Nast publication before giving it all up to move to the US (where she studied art) and then another move to dreamy Italy. Not just anywhere, but the epi centre for art, Florence. Can you guess where she lived? In a villa with a tower! Oh my, this is the making of a RomCom or period drama.
It gets even better – she taught art classes from her villa tower. While she had been painting for years before the move to Italy – there was something about the Italian landscape, the legendary palazzos, the corner shrines, the fine art galleries and even crumbling plaster – that lit a spark in Susi and has had the greatest influence on her designs. It was in 2015 that she made the leap into interiors and was immediately spotted by Amara and Liberty London. Not a surprise at all. Art is never too far though as each of her designs starts its life as an original unique painting – and – everything is produced in England. Yes, all of the cushions, the lampshades, stools, wallpaper and fabrics.
What strikes me as special about Susi’s creative & playful designs is the way each piece has depth & layers. The balance of bold and delicate shapes, curves and lines and the perfect contrast of vibrant & subtle colours. Each piece is literally a work of art, just heavenly.
Here’s my “shop the edit” from Susi’s website:
(see below for shop the edit)
Let’s hear from Susi …
CRUSH … Susi is crushing on the new Pantone colour of the year Living Coral for 2019. It is everything she loves – fresh, pretty, happy, optimistic, joyful and it reminds her of the decorative coral motif so often used in Florence for prints and decoupage.
LUST … Susi’s must have interiors lust list includes the velvet shell chair by House of Sloane which she would love to also see covered in her patterned velvet fabric and some enamel Cloisonne jars she spotted at Ampersand Interiors the other week.
STALK … Her favourite instagram feed comes from Sophie Bloomfield who works for Harpers Bazaar – she find Sophie’s edit just right with an eclectic mix of interiors, art and details. Susi says “I just love her taste”.
Are you ready to be inspired?! Susi lives in an Edwardian house packed full of period details and sky high ceilings. She worked with an architect to bring more light and symmetry to her home and she says it’s all about balancing old & new. You can read about it in a feature from the Observer (click here). Her fave space at the moment is her daughter’s room that beautifully packs a vibrant punch with Susi’s orange feathered wallpaper, dusty rose headboard, corals, and a stylishly deep dark turquoise side table. Simply elegant.
What’s next for Susi? A new collection of course! Be the first to preview it at Maison et Objet — head over to Hall 6, J130 and meet the designer & the new cotton marbled collection and her new linen fabric line. I’ll just say one word ‘Indian summer’.
That’s a wrap on the first Interior Idol – Crush Lust Stalk of 2019. Thanks for reading and please check out Susi’s Insta feed and her site. Mega thanks to Susi for the inspiration and for giving us a peek into her crushes.
Cheers,
Liz xx
Shop the Edit:
Tytolean kaleidoscope marble cotton oblong cushion £80
Pink in the middle silk square cushion £125
Blue fantasy velvet lampshade £155
Pietra blue fabric £155
Orange feathered washbag £55
Pietra grigia velvet stool £395
Indian summer wallpaper £145
Osmosi giallo abstract velvet cushion £105
liznylon designs 