"The Power of Color" for VIE November 2023

“In Africa, where my family lived in dozens of US government-owned houses, we carried our furniture and belongings with us, including bookshelves to hold the thousands of books and records my father collected. But we unpacked without ever changing the interiors: each house had the same bland wall color. I suppose it was because, in those tropical and subtropical climates, the color was outside, in the gardens and views.

As a result, when I had my own house to design, wall color remained a mystery. I was color clueless. But at the time, I figured, ‘How hard could this be?’ If I like light gray, why not use that? However, when the color went on the wall (I was too inexperienced to test different shades), the gray was uninspired and didn’t move me. The truth is, at the time, I didn’t know about the connection between color and the experience you have living with it—my understanding of the role of color came years later….”

Read more about “The Power of Color” in the latest issue of VIE Magazine HERE.

"The Power of a Good Walk" for VIE August 2023

“Another cultural connection to nature that I read about and incorporated in a way is the Japanese custom of shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, an eco-therapy that emerged in the 1980s designed to encourage people to reconnect to and protect the country’s forest. For me, that translated into being more observant of nature that surrounds me in my coastal ecosystem, cultivating quiet, contemplative time as I walked along the vast vista of the water under expansive skies. My area may not have forests to stroll through daily, but I could still bathe in nature and absorb the therapeutic benefits to mind and body.

“Although walking has been a formative aspect of my life and part of my routine for a long time, implanting these customs from other countries has given new meaning to my daily practice.…”

Read more in the August issue of VIE Magazine HERE.

"The Power of a House" for VIE May 2023

“My childhood abodes in Africa birthed my faith in the power of houses. Because my father was a diplomat and we moved frequently, our homes were more than shelters for our family. They were tools that helped us quickly connect with the communities where we were sent, until my father was posted somewhere else—or until a civil war erupted and we evacuated. Although temporary segments of our lives, those houses of my younger life sparked my feelings of how to be in this world—that it is possible for homes to reflect and respect our privacy while providing a conduit to the community around us….”

Read more in the May 2023 issue of VIE Magzine HERE!

'Class is in Session' for VIE December

Wenda Millard, Vice Chairman at MediaLink

Dr. Joan Robinson-Berry, Senior VP of Engineering at Boeing

Jennifer Griffin, National security correspondent of FOX News Channel

Suzanne interviews these plus six other incredible women on their careers, fears, relationships, and lessons learned. The [article] shares their candid advice and perceptions in their own words…

Read the full article via VIE Magazine HERE.