Suzanne Tucker is one of America’s leading interior designers, and founder of Tucker & Marks, which she established in 1986 with husband Timothy F. Marks. Suzanne has become renowned for her elegant interiors, timeless style and passion for decorative arts. Her work has received countless awards, she has been published in international magazines and has repeatedly made it into the Architectural Digest 100 list of top designers. So we are proud to bring you the Designer Insights of Suzanne Tucker.
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1) In your own words describe your unique style and creative aesthetic?
I stay away intentionally from a signature look. I prefer adjectives like comfortable, inviting, and elegant, whether the home is casual or formal, in the city or in the country. It's a very personal style. The best compliment I can receive is when someone says they saw a house that I did, and it looked so much like the occupants.
2) When starting a new project, what is your creative process?
I always look to the “bones” of a structure first, and work from the outside in to ensure that a house remains true to the conventions of its style while its functions suit a contemporary lifestyle and sensibility. When it comes to design, my diehard rule is that scale and proportion are everything.
3) Out of the creative people you have worked with, who is it that you respect and admire the most?
That would be Michael Taylor; he was my mentor and took me under his wing. My degree in design came from UCLA so I would say my masters came from London and working for Michael and learning under his tutelage was definitely the PhD! His mastery of scale and proportion, his use of of color and light, and his knowledge of furniture and antiques were greatly influential to me. I've definitely done my own thing, but I find that I will still invoke him and ask myself “What would he do in this space?”
4) When looking for inspiration is there a particular thing you do to get inspired?
Travel energizes and inspires me more than anything else. No matter where in the world I go, I always come back with a suitcase full of ideas and a camera loaded with images….
5) What has brought you to this point in your career? And what is your advice for people looking to follow in your footsteps?
Work hard and be nice to people :)!
