“I’m inspired by things that haven’t been done before. I do not follow the masses, trends, or what the market is telling us the ‘look’ of today is. I follow my passion and heart and keep a futuristic mind.”
From admiring mansions and estates as a child to having her own interior design firm, Susan Semmelmann is a testament of talent, passion, and leading with a giving heart. Founder of Susan Semmelmann Interiors, Susan and her team of 30 design timeless and forward-thinking spaces fueled by the desire to create something that has never been done before.
Cosentino sat down with Susan for an exclusive interview where she gave us an inside look into her inspiring journey, style, and exciting projects in store.
We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know
‘You don't know what you don’t know’ - that phrase is especially true when speaking of my career journey. I went to school to be a teacher, did some student teaching, and was also a flight attendant for American Airlines for some time. I did not know what interior design was nor was I licensed in it, but I always had an underlying passion for it.
I was lucky to have parents that were school teachers, which meant we were able to travel all around the United States during summer break. As a family we toured incredible mansions and estates and even president’s homes. I grew up admiring such elaborate and intricate homes, so I always had design in my system.
A Career in Home Building
My husband and I bought my grandmother’s 1913 home and began remodeling it. It turned out to be a money pit and wasn’t working out, so we decided heartbreakingly to tear it down and build a few new homes on the land, which turned into a full-blown building career. We built homes for 12 years together and that’s where my love for interior design truly flourished. Clients would ask me to help them select countertops, cabinets, flooring, and more and I had a natural talent to put things together. My mother-in-law was an interior designer by trade, so she was a great mentor to me.
Building homes took my career to the next level because it gave me the know-how of what can and cannot be done from a structural standpoint. It also allowed me to use my abstract mind to create unique things.
Susan Semmelmann with a Dekton Helena Fireplace
THE ORIGINS OF SUSAN SEMMELMANN INTERIORS
As a couple we decided to leave the home building business and I now design full time and have my own business: Susan Semmelmann Interiors. I carry all lines as a stocking dealer including 30+ lighting lines, I also go straight to the mills for fabrics, have my own workroom and nine seamstresses that sew custom bedding and window treatments, I stock wallpaper, tiles, and more. We use our resources and put them into play as a design team all the way through project completion.
Design by Susan Semmelmann Interiors
Taking Creativity to the Next Level
The launch of my own brand in 2019 released an incredible vision to take things to the next level creatively. I started with a team of four and now there’s 30 people on staff with more to come. We have a wonderful company culture, so our challenges lie more on lead times post-COVID, like most companies in this space.
Susan Semmelmann Interior is headquartered in Fort Worth, TX where we have a 10,000 square foot showroom featuring Dekton on the floor and fireplace surround. We are officially opening in January 2024 and I could not be more excited for everyone to experience the space.
Making Every Room THE Room
A person’s home must reflect their lifestyle - it is their happy place, so beauty and comfort must come into play. A home can look beautiful, and that’s important, but we want to take it a step above. We’ve all been in a space that has a comfy room that everyone is drawn to, well, we want to make every room in the house the comfy room. We treat every room like THE room. From the cushion quality, to where you kick your feet up, to the look, touch, and smell of the space. We want to create spaces that activate all the senses. That plays a huge role in our design and it is interesting to see how each one has its own unique takedown in a job.
I'M INSPIRED BY WHAT'S NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE
Inspiration is all around me. It comes from the abstract, from social media which opens a portal to see masterpieces created all around the world. But above all, I’m inspired by things that haven’t been done before.
I do not follow the masses, trends, or what the market is telling us the ‘look’ of today is. I follow my passion and heart and keep a futuristic mind. My designs are progressive and unexpected. If my clients want to incorporate on-trend elements, that’s perfectly fine, but I’m always going to add something to take it to the next level. I am continuously searching and doing things I believe have not been done before.
A Love Affair With Cosentino
I have a love affair with Cosentino because your product reflects my brand. I will not sell a product I don’t believe in, it is against my core values. I pride myself on being extremely transparent and if I believe in something I want to share it - there’s no motivator besides giving my clients products they’ll love and be happy with. I don’t sell, I believe. I am a high-end designer, so I make sure any product I suggest to my clients is high quality and reflects the ethos of my own brand.
The Spirit of Living is in the Giving
My heart is about giving and I live by the words ‘the spirit of living is in the giving’. I believe that you get what you get because you give what you give, so I will always do anything in my power to serve. Every year I do the Dream Home for A Wish With Wings where we’re able to facilitate wishes for terminally ill children and children with life threatening conditions. I am about to start the St. Jude Home and I am so excited for this opportunity to give back and raise money to help these children and their families.
“I believe that you get what you get because you give what you give, so I will always do anything in my power to serve.”
Susan Semmelmann
Interior Designer
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