As a girl who grew up in southwest Georgia (and you wonder why I like country music?), meeting Suzanne was a little like meeting a hometown hero.  Suzanne has been creating stunning interiors in Atlanta, Georgia – and around the country – for over twenty years.   To me, Suzanne’s interiors are much like Suzanne herself – quietly elegant, gently traditional, and always with a graceful sophistication.  Suzanne has a manner that puts you immediately at ease … even if you are consciously trying to make a good impression!  (Oh, no, I’m not talking about myself.)  When I asked her to take a picture with me for my blog, she immediately agreed and – of all things –  began to thank me for the kindness that fellow bloggers and I have shown to her.  Suzanne truly deserves it, however, and you can see her great talent in every interior she creates and every product she designs.  

Suzanne currently designs collections for luxury manufacturers Hickory Chair, Safavieh, and Visual Comfort lighting … and I love every single piece.  Suzanne’s collection for Hickory Chair is amazing, and it was awesome to see it showcased so elegantly in the Hickory Chair showroom.  As Heather with Habitually Chic mentioned, I also love how Hickory Chair uses products from designers' other collections in their showroom as it really lends itself to a cohesive,curated space.  Did you notice the Safavieh rug in the first photo?  Love, love, love it!  Here, you see Suzanne's Loring cocktail table, used as a pair (as she and Mariette Himes Gomez both spoke about). 

My beloved Brock Moran has one of Suzanne's Alexandra side chairs in its showroom, and I want to run away with it every time I visit!  

Of course, we know that I am currently infatuated with all things quatrefoil.  I'm working on a post about the use of the quatrefoil in design, and you can be sure the Alexandra chair will be part of it.  Surely some of my obsession stems from the fact that I – like Suzanne – am in love with all things French.  I studied French in college (no grade below an A-, thank you very much, but please don't ask me to conjugate any verbs!) and lived in La Rochelle, France for a summer.  (Carol, remember our nightly trips for pain au chocolat? YUM!)  But I digress ...  

Here are a few more amazing spaces, courtesy of the Hickory Chair website. 

I love how the upholstery of the Candler twin beds is tone-on-tone with the walls.  If I had twin girls, these beds might be mine! 

Isn't this setting so simple, yet elegant?  I love the striped silk on those Anastasia benches ... and the contrast created with the casual slipcover on the chair.   

Budget a little tight these days?  (Whose budget isn't?!)  I also have great news for those of us who aren’t able to afford a whole house full of the high-end items that Suzanne has created for Hickory Chair and other luxury manufacturers.  One of my favorite catalog retailers, Ballard Designs, just signed Suzanne to produce four collections of home décor products.  This marks the first time that Ballard Designs has teamed with an independent designer to design exclusive product.  Suzanne will style six to eight spreads in the March/April 2010 catalog using “regular” Ballard products.   Her line for Ballard Designs will then debut in August 2010.  I’m already looking forward to it.  Thanks to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (the newspaper I grew up reading) for bringing us this exciting news!     

Finally, thanks so very much to those of you who have clicked to "Follow this blog" ... and a special congratulations to Liz Richardson for winning Suzanne’s new book, Inspired Interiors!  Liz, please email me (traci@tracizeller.com) your address so I can get the book in the mail to you.  I'll be having another contest very soon, so stay tuned for details. 

Oh, and a little birdie (ok, fine, it was Suzanne) told me that she’ll be coming to Charlotte – Mrs. Howard (the new high-end furniture and interior design store on East Morehead Street), in particular – for a book signing.  She’s not sure exactly when, however, so keep watching my blog and I’ll let you know as soon as I hear something.

Photos not taken by Traci are from Hickory Chair

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Back to The Bachelorette ... You haven't gotten an update for a while!  As I mentioned earlier, we've been on hold ... but hopefully we'll be back in the swing of things soon.  The to-do list includes cushions for the dining chairs, pillows for the sofa and chair, a chaise for the office/second bedroom, and rugs.  We already have the fabric for the cushions and pillows, but I've been keeping an eye out for the other things.  The Bachelorette wants the chaise to serve as a restful place to read or meditate, but it needs to fit the space (obviously enough) and also be easy to clean (as her dachshund is likely to be fond of the chaise as well).  Well, a Ballard Designs catalog arrived in the mail over the weekend, and I think I found the perfect piece.  I need to check the measurements, but the size looks about right and the style is perfect.  The price is good, too - Ballard Designs offers a trade discount, and every bit helps.  I love the piping on the slipcover; it really gives the slipcover a much more custom look.  Either the khaki or the chocolate will look great.  The walls are painted Restoration Hardware's Atmosphere Blue, the trim is Benjamin Moore's Simply White, and the ceiling is Restoration Hardware's Seafoam.  What a comfortable little space this is going to be!     

Photo from Ballard Designs