From child model to real estate lawyer to design writer…Sue De Chiara of The Zhush.com grew up surrounded by artists, so its no surprise that she would find a way to share her creative vision with the world. Through her website, The Zhush, she breaks down trends and décor styles, making it easy for her readers to bring ideas to life in their own homes.

After having devoured design blogs while working on a home renovation of her own, she discovered that she had a lot to add to the conversation and just like that, The Zhush was born! With three children and a husband, Sue knows a thing or two about designing with a family in mind. We checked in with her for advice on how to keep things stylish when living with children, the design trend she is loving right now and the aspect of her home that brings her the most joy.

Readers of The Zhush know that Sue’s love for style runs the gamut. From contemporary chic to old Hollywood glam, her site showcases a wide variety of styles. A common thread, of course, being that no matter the style, the look is always well executed, beautifully proportioned and usually involves some gorgeous color!

Lately though, she has been sharing a personal project: the redesign of her own finished attic. In doing so, she has discovered a love of neutral shades. She has been documenting the redesign of her attic and has embraced neutrals. She shares with us her technique for integrating this soothing look into a home, “I’m loving neutrals and black and white color schemes lately. I think as long as you embrace different textures it’s very easy (and soothing on the eyes)!” While she does still love color, not all hues make the cut in her own home, “I’m not really into warmer colors in general. You won’t find a lot of reds or yellows in my home, it’s just a personal preference.”

Another design element she finds soothing on the eyes? Velvet! “I’m loving all the velvet pieces I’m seeing in home decor. Tufted, channel, these all look so old Hollywood glamorous to me!” Keeping things glam in the home isn’t always easy, particularly when you have children. Sue has learned a thing or two about how to keep things clean and tidy. “The best thing we ever did was use faux leather wipeable seat cushions on our kitchen chairs. Another great idea is to make toy storage (and therefore clean up) very easy…like baskets with lids and toy boxes.

Even though Sue surrounds herself with beauty and style, just like anyone else, she can run out of creative steam. Her favorite way to ward off designer’s block? “Depends on the day. You can find inspiration almost anywhere if your open to it! Sometimes its the internet, other times it’s travel or a magazine, like House Beautiful or Elle Decor.”

 

Three Questions with Sue de Chiara

TLV: What item or element of design in your home makes you most happy?

SDC: The artwork in our home always brings a smile to my face.

TLV: What is the most satisfying part of working on your blog?

SDC: Connecting with readers on social media or through email. Love it that part of blogging!

TLV: Is there anything you collect or just something you are particularly drawn to that you can’t get enough of?

SDC: I love scented candles and can never get enough of them. I also seem to have a subtle star motif going on in my home, love the shape of a star…Moravian stars, star of David, five-pointed stars, in prints and shapes love them all. Finally, it seems I can never have enough coffee table books. It’s the easiest way in the world to express your tastes, personality, hobbies and even add a fun pop of color to a room.

We thought it would be fun to take Sue De Chiara to one of our client’s gorgeous homes for a photo shoot and for her daily dose of design inspiration. She didn’t know what to expect but when she got there she was like a kid in a candy store:-)  So fun spending the day with you. Thanks, Sue !! Xo TLV

Click here for The Zhush blog

Text by Liana Hayles Newton