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For more than a quarter of a century, Suzanne Lovell (architecture '83), who studied under Olivio Ferrari at Virginia Tech, has transformed home interiors into functional, elegant spaces.
Today, Lovell is founder and principal of Suzanne Lovell Inc., an architectural interior design firm with Chicago headquarters and a New York City studio, specializing in residential interior architecture, design, and decoration. She is widely recognized as an expert in art, antiques, textiles, and furnishings and is a sought-after lecturer.
Lovell's first monograph, "Artistic Interiors: Designing with Fine Art Collections," was published by Stewart, Tabori, & Chang, a division of Abrams Books, in October 2011. An excerpt, reprinted with the publisher's permission, follows:
"If you were to ask most people what, exactly, an interior designer does, they would probably say something about the decoration of homes.That's not entirely inaccurate. But after 25 years of practice, my firm has developed a signature working method that is more broadly multidisciplinary—one based on decades of immersion in the study of architecture, the decorative arts, and, not least, art history—and is aimed at producing fully integrated "couture" environments that, above all else, express the special personalities of the individuals for whom we work."
"Our interiors derive from three elements. Each serves as a stage for what comes next. Having begun my professional life as an architect at the corporate modernist firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, I understand that what's most important in home design is to first create a clear, authoritative architectural foundation—one that, through its consistent language of material, detail, and color, conjures a legible environment that can be quickly, reassuringly understood. On top of this aesthetic legibility, we construct a timeless and elegant interior design scheme in which every space is meant to be used, and there is no moment in which one can't sit down and feel comfortably held. Finally, these interiors serve as the frame for the third and most important component of all: the fine art and collections. By capturing the spirit of the residents, these make a house into a true and genuine home."
Suzanne Lovell '83
Images courtesy of Suzanne Lovell.
Spring 2012
BOOK NOTES
Alan Bayer, professor emeritus of sociology and director emeritus and founder of the Virginia Tech Center for Survey Research, et al., "Professors Behaving Badly: Faculty Misconduct in Graduate Education," reference, The Johns Hopkins University Press.
Harold Burkhart, University Distinguished Professor, et al., "Modeling Forest Trees and Stands," reference, Springer.
J. Michael Kelly, College of Natural Resources and Environment dean emeritus, et al., "Getting Published in the Life Sciences," reference, Wiley-Blackwell.
Charles Lytton, senior Extension agent emeritus, "The Cool Side of the Pillow," memoir, Southern life, Penworthy LLC.
Daniel J. Schneck, professor emeritus of engineering science and mechanics, "Omniology: A Unified Approach to the Study of Everything," philosophy, CreateSpace.
Dean Stauffer, professor of wildlife and associate dean of academic programs, College of Natural Resources and Environment, "Ecology and Management of Appalachian Ruffed Grouse," reference, Hancock House.
Robert L. Clark (physics '68), "Crossing Wall Street: The Road to Independent Financial Security," investing, Saint George Seminary Press.
Sylvia DeSantis (M.A. English '93), "Watercharms: Ocean-Reiki Meditations," self-healing, Schiffer Books.
Dan Hague (forestry and wildlife '79), et al., "Redpoint: The Self-Coached Climber's Guide to Redpoint and On-Sight Climbing," reference, rock-climbing, Stackpole Books.
Kristi Hedges (communication '92), "The Power of Presence: Unlock Your Potential to Influence and Engage Others," how-to, American Management Association.
Kathy Jordan (Ph.D. education and student personnel '94), "VOICES: Words from Wise Women," women in leadership and career, MAS Publishing LLC.
G. Alexander Kish (M.A. political science '88), "The Origins of the Baptist Movement Among the Hungarians," critical, Brill.
Laura Starr Levengard (hotel, restaurant, and institutional management '90), "Exercise for the Masses: Are You Fit to Pray?," relationship between fitness and prayer in world religion, CreateSpace.
Garret Mathews (economics '71), "Folks Are Talking," oral history, journalism, American life, self-published; and "Sandra's Story: It's Not Gonna Be a Very Good Day," nonfiction, urban poverty, Plugger Publishing.
Bob Polomski (M.S. horticulture '86), "Carolina Gardeners Resource," gardening, Cool Springs Press.
William R. Schilling (civil engineering '56), ed., "Nontraditional War and Peace: Twenty-First Century Challenges and Solutions," Nontraditional Warfare Institute.
Victor E. Sower (chemistry '68), et al., "Better Business Decisions Using Cost Modeling," Business Expert Press.
Ashok Vaseashta (Ph.D. materials engineering science '90), et al., "Technological Innovations in Sensing and Detection of Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear Threats, and Ecological Terrorism," nanomaterials and nanotechnology, Springer.
Stafford Vermont Camp III (general agriculture '54), "The Camps of Barn Tavern, Va.," memoir, history, CreateSpace.
Angelina Hopkins (education specialist, educational leadership and policy studies '99, Ed.D. '01), "What If Angie Don't Like Cabbage: Triumphing from Foster Care to Adulthood," memoir, Publishing Connections.
Douglas Cameron (Ph.D. mathematics '70), "The Body in the Perch Pond," mystery, A-Argus Better Book Publishers LLC.
Pete Delohery (civil engineering '65, M.S. '71), "Lamb to the Slaughter," boxing, Xlibris.
James Kennedy George Jr. (electrical engineering '64), "Reunion," coming of age, family, Southern life, Authorhouse.
James D. Kellogg (biology '92, M.S. civil engineering '96), "E-Force," thriller, Wild Child Publishing.
Lewis King (business administration '58), "Over the Shoulder," short story collection, CreateSpace.
Eric Mosher (communication '00), "Lost at Comic Con," CreateSpace.
Domingo Rocha (physics '78), "Death Across the Pond," and a sequel, "Death Down Under," thrillers, Old Line Publishing.
Elisabeth Staab (management science '01), "King of Darkness," paranormal romance, Sourcebooks Casablanca.
George A. Bowers Sr. (agricultural education '86), "Valley Verses, Vol. II," poetry collection, Lulu.
Donna Lewis Cowan (English, psychology '92), "Between Gods," poetry collection, Cherry Grove Collections.
Suzy Beamer Bohnert (communication '83), "Game-Day Youth: Learning Basketball's Lingo," reference, B&B Publishing.
Scott Freund (mechanical engineering '91), "Rise of the Hokie Nation," picture book, Mascot Books.
Shannon Milliken Pappert (communication '95), "Boddler Bites, Food in a Flash: The ABCs of Feeding Your Boddler (older baby + younger toddler)," parenting, cooking, self-published.
![The graceful pair of Joseph Piccillo charcoal drawings, Candida Höfer's bravura photograph on the dining room wall, and the Robert Polidori peeking out from beneath the stair attest to [the] client's love of portraiture and personality. Despite the great expanse of French limestone floor, the space is warmed up by the dark, rich walnut lining the archways and openings and making its way up the Georgian-style stair. The balance of architectural materials is as important to the success of the design as the art and furnishings. From Suzanne Lovell's "Artistic Interiors: Designing with Fine Art Collections"](images/books-lovell-room.jpg)
The graceful pair of Joseph Piccillo charcoal drawings, Candida Höfer's bravura photograph on the dining room wall, and the Robert Polidori peeking out from beneath the stair attest to [the] client's love of portraiture and personality. Despite the great expanse of French limestone floor, the space is warmed up by the dark, rich walnut lining the archways and openings and making its way up the Georgian-style stair. The balance of architectural materials is as important to the success of the design as the art and furnishings.
A series of drawings, etchings, and lithographs by Matisse, Bissière, and Toulouse-Lautrec—all of them portraits made in the 1920s, and with stylistic elements common to the period—line the stairway wall in this Lincoln Park residence. They strike an intimate moment in this four-story, 15,000-square-foot (1,394-square-meter) home. The bust of Shiva is from Indonesia.
