Vol. 5, Issue 1
Spring 2024
[By Susan Yeley] It was a good marketing move for the Earth Day people to make their month April. My 13-year-old, Liza, recently told me that besides Rain, her favorite weather is Vibrant. I eventually gathered that she meant Spring (though Fall gets an honorable mention), when the colors don't look as though they could possibly exist in nature: trees awash in their lime green baby leaves, fuchsia blooms on Redbuds and Crape Myrtles, neon blue buds on Forget-Me-Nots and Grape Hyacinths. It seems these days that everyone is into vibrant, or at least that's what we're seeing at market, on the socials and in the design mags. Just as we have eschewed the notion that one person or group of people controls the cultural narrative, embracing instead a multiplicity of voices and perspectives, we are also embracing pattern, variety, and vibrancy in design. It is often harder, and it can feel chaotic; nonetheless, I would argue that pattern, variety, and vibrancy in fact reflect nature better than flat monotone. We still work in neutrals; they can ground and quiet a space, and if done right, still have richness, texture, depth, and interest. But at the end of the day, if pressed, I must say that I'm with Liza: my favorite season is Vibrant.
New Project Reveal: in the press
While our objective at SYH is to ensure happiness for the particular people who hire us to work on their particular spaces, if it turns out our work appeals more broadly, it feels awfully nice. Our Midcentury Marvel was published by Indianapolis Monthly and 1st Dibs Introspective last year. Then, one of our MCM favs, Atomic Ranch, picked it up in their Spring 2024 issue, and has been sharing it on their socials too, where it has been garnering all kinds of positive attention.
Susan was also featured in Bold Journey and Real Producers, a magazine distributed to top Indianapolis realtors. Meanwhile, she and the SYH team weighed in with expert perspectives in Architectural Digest more than once, and a number of other notable publications: Martha Stewart, Forbes, Homes & Gardens, Real Simple, House Beautiful, Living, Etc. and The Spruce.
There isn’t one of us at SYH who doesn’t feel lucky to get to do this fun and rewarding work, creating so many friendships along the way, but when the press recognizes it, it’s icing on the cake. And who doesn’t like icing?
Photographer: Sarah Shields
What We Are Digging: High Point Market Spring ‘24
Warm and getting warmer
In fashion and design, new trends are often a response to what came just before--a new direction that proclaims “we've had enough!” The harvest gold, burnt sienna, and natural wood that defined the 1970s shifted to the outspoken purple, turquoise, and brass that trended in the 80s. Over the past 4 decades, we have meandered through palettes of muted peach and sage green, bold and serious crimson, evergreen with royal purple, every permutation of neutral, and (at least fifty) shades of cool gray. Now, in an official “so long and good riddance" to all of that, things are warming up! High Point is a poster child for the red-orange-brown corner of the color wheel right now, and the collective leaning in to warmth is evident not just in colors, but in shape and detailing.
Vintage and Men’s Wear Fabrics
We are talking plaids, checks, tweed and houndstooth, and designs revitalized from way back when, like the Bloomsbury Collection for Norwalk, reinterpreting the playful modern style of the 1920s Bloomsbury artists' group in the UK. The furniture industry's firm nod to the past, and to fashion, is notable, but in the 2020's, everything is oh so soft. Think your great grandpa's suit jacket, but with a velvet welt and a curved hemline.
Blue & Brown or Orange
If there were any doubt what color trends are permeating our collective psyche, it couldn't be more clear this market season. Blue paired with brown or orange was everywhere! We were reminded of our elementary art classes, and how satisfying it is to mix complimentary colors.
Traditional Detailing
Traditional details were so prevalent at Market this year, they need their own sub-categories.
Pleated lampshades
Yes please! It is incredible how much a lamp shade can change the feel of a room. We saw them in every size and pattern- and all the frill was just so fun.
Gingham & Scallop & Tufting Oh My!
Sugary sweet, but not so much that we won't partake. On everything from lampshades and dining chairs, to headboards and rug edging.
Poster beds
They never fail to make a statement. We wouldn't argue with straight and clean, but paint a four-poster something daring, and turn the posts in some unexpected way, and wow! That's leaning in.
Floral wallpaper
Wallpaper has been making its way back for a while; showing up on accent walls and in powder rooms, but at Market this year we saw whole rooms awash in gorgeous pattern, and floral is obviously trending. We couldn’t stop requesting samples.
Updated lighting
Some big things are happening in lighting, and we are here for it. Cordless and rechargeable are hitting the market in all the best ways. We saw cordless picture sconces and rechargeable floor lamps that immediately solved problems in our current projects. How to get electricity in really tricky places? Now you don’t have to! The technology in the cordless lamps is in the bulbs. When a bulb goes out, you charge it back up at a docking station. (It is recommended that you have a couple on hand, so you aren’t left in the dark.) In rechargeable technology you either bring a charging device to the lamp, or you bring the lamp to a charging device. The run times were really impressive--from 10 up to 22 hours. We think this new technology is really going to change the lighting game.
Couches as deep as beds
If we could insert videos into these newsletters, we would show you all the clips of Susan Yeley throwing herself on couches as deep as beds, and asking why she doesn’t already have one in her home. We love how they force you to put your legs up and relax. We couldn’t help but dream up ways we can get these into clients’ homes, as we took a minute to rest our feet and catch our breath. Perfect for a basement lounge zone, movie room, or (a very lucky) college student's apartment, but we won’t stop you if you want to put a bed-couch right in your living room (if the dimensions work, people - it does have to fit). We are SOLD.
Star Style: Interiors of Martyn Lawerence Bullard
Martyn gave a Keynote talk at High Point this year, and while we weren’t sure what to expect, or what we could take away from the L.A. based Designer to the Stars, it ended up being a valuable, entertaining, and inspiring experience. Walking us through his newest book, Star Style, Martyn talked about the journey he takes to develop his designs. And wouldn't you know, he starts the same way we do: learning who his clients are and what they love. And, to get to the best end result, he needs from his clients the same thing we do: trust. People hire Martyn - and SYH - to design a space that feels exactly right. As Martyn stressed, to do that, they must allow him to push past their comfort zone, to create the wow moments. Take note! Trust the people you hire to do what they do best.
Spotlight: Sustainability
At SYH, sourcing responsibly is always in the forefront of our minds. We recognize we are in the business of Want and not Need, so to do our part to lower our carbon footprint, we try to use our buying power to speak for the things we believe in: livable wages and good working conditions, lower negative impact on the environment, quality that stands the test of time, and reusing when possible. One of the ways we achieve this goal is by learning about the vendors from whom we source, making sure we feel good about how and where they are making their products, and their efforts towards sustainability.
We source and restore vintage when appropriate, taking advantage of classic designs and high quality pieces from the past, and giving them new life. We shop American-made, because it helps our economy and lowers our carbon footprint, and because buying quality now eliminates the need to purchase new in the future. Quality furniture can be refreshed and updated, but should last for decades.
All this is partly why we go to Market multiple times a year, to sit on all the furniture, ask all the questions, and build relationships with the vendors we trust to be making their products in the responsible ways we strive to support. We want to feel good about the products we put in our clients' homes.
One such vendor is Lancaster, a North Carolina-based upholstery manufacturer. This year, Bill Lancaster himself, the company's Founder and Production Manager, spent two hours giving us a tour of the factory floor. We saw every stage of production, learning why kiln-dried wood is the best base and how 8-way hand-tied springs provide the best lasting support. We met the singular Lancaster employee whose job it is to sit in every seat and make adjustments to the fill, so that every piece meets their standards. We can tell you, the sit on Lancaster furniture IS perfect, every time.
The Lancaster factory is relatively small, since every piece of furniture they make is bespoke, instead of mass-produced. There were around 10 people on the floor when we were there, each one was introduced to us by name. The care and precision these craftspeople take in their work was striking.
In the photos, notice the perfect symmetry of the fabric, the precision of the seams, and the reinforced solid wood arm. Don't fret! You can sit on the arms of these sofas all day long.
Project on the Horizon?
If you have a home project on the horizon, whether you want to build, renovate, or furnish, SYH should be your first call! That's not only because we sometimes have a waitlist, but also because we help you articulate your needs and wants, set expectations, visualize, and prioritize. We work with you to craft a plan, so that when it's time to connect you to a builder or start hunting for vintage and artisan pieces, everyone has what they need to be efficient and effective. Reach out to us to tell us about your project, and a real live human (named Caitlin) will schedule an initial consultation. That's when Susan Y. meets with you to get to know you and see your space or property, to hear all your hopes and hang-ups, and offer on-the-spot feedback and advice to help you determine your next steps. If the next step for you is comprehensive design services, we pencil you in and launch your project as soon as your name rises to the top.
At SYH, we believe in the power of good design to change the way you feel and function in your home. Life is too short not to love your home. If you long to live in a home that has the same qualities as your favorite humans - depth, texture, intrigue, light and lightness, color, whimsy and warmth - we'll be a good fit. We're looking so forward to meeting you.