Vibrant and Vivacious in New Orleans

Susan Lovelace Curates a Home with Love

By Jordan Staggs | Photography by Casey McMurray

In the heart of the Big Easy lies a colorful retreat designed with family, function, and fun in mind. Susan Lovelace, the founder and owner of Lovelace Interiors in Inlet Beach, Florida, created this feminine yet cozy residence as her personal New Orleans getaway, conveniently located next door to her son’s house. As the perfect spot to spend a long weekend with family or get away with friends, the two-story abode features pops of pink and blue, equestrian motifs paying homage to Susan’s love of horses, and a primary bedroom fit for a Mardis Gras queen.

Buzzing over to New Orleans from Northwest Florida to see family or clients is a breeze, thanks to Wheels Up, a private airline with operations at the Destin Executive Airport. When the VIE team joined Susan to explore the city her way and tour her adorable getaway house, we were blown away by the Wheels Up team, who had recently come off a busy week of flying clients to and from the legendary Masters Tournament.

Susan Lovelace, owner of Lovelace Interiors, designed this feminine and chic escape for herself in New Orleans.

A quick jaunt to the vibrant city with Susan is also a peek into her unique life as an interior designer, tastemaker, and powerhouse entrepreneur who balances running a thriving thirty-year-old business, a team of licensed designers under her mentorship, a busy social calendar, family, and much more. Susan’s love of fun is evident in all she does, and her smile is infectious. She led VIE’s CEO/editor-in-chief/creative director Lisa Marie Burwell, editor Jordan Staggs, and assistant editor Kelly Curry on a three-day extravaganza in NOLA with many standout experiences, including an exquisite seven-course meal at Emeril’s New Orleans flagship restaurant, now helmed by Emeril’s son and Susan’s godson, Chef E.J. Lagasse. To say the evening was magical is an understatement, and you can read all about it in VIE’s July 2024 Gentlemen’s Edition!

When she’s not having a glass of wine or a cocktail on her porch overlooking the backyard or cooking in the perfectly pink-themed kitchen, Susan is out shopping and enjoying the city life. It’s quite the contrast to the relative quiet found at her primary home in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, and her Northwest Florida farmhouse retreat in Ponce de Leon. VIE accompanied her to Saks Fifth Avenue at Canal Place, where we met with stylist Kim Crane, who helped Susan choose some beautiful summer soiree outfits for upcoming events. Then, we popped in at Valobra Jewelry & Antiques in the French Quarter to chat with interior design and watch expert Giorgio Valobra, who showed us around the store and told us the story of the fourth-generation family business hailing from Torino, Italy. The store features a collection of gorgeous Venetian hand-blown glass chandeliers, antiques, art, jewelry, and timepieces. A final stop in the French Quarter led us inside the whimsical apparel shop and millinery at Fleur de Paris, founded in 1980. With Susan’s Kentucky Derby hat in hand, we returned to the Warehouse District for an excellent dinner at Gianna.

Spending time with Susan and seeing her in action and enjoying life makes it even easier to see how she puts her heart and soul into the interiors she curates for clients and herself. “The principles of design are the fun things: rhythm, balance, contrast, harmony,” Susan told Lisa Marie Burwell on her recent episode of VIE Speaks: Conversations with Heart & Soul podcast. “When your eyes dance, it’s like music. Beautiful spaces that use rhythm are like a waltz or hip-hop come to life.”

In the case of Susan’s quintessential New Orleans retreat, it might be a classic jazz number bringing out the colorful notes, artwork, and spontaneity found throughout this charming home. What a fitting tone for the city where this interior designer finds a spring in her step!

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See more projects and learn more about Susan Lovelace and her team at LovelaceInteriors.com and on Instagram @lovelaceinteriors.