She Did It Her Way

Living Life to the Fullest at Double S Farm

By Lisa Marie Burwell | Photography by Hunter Burgtorf

It’s been said, “There’s something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.” (In this case, a woman.) Meet Susan Lovelace, a remarkable tastemaker, interior designer, and mother of six boys in a blended family with her late husband, Dewitt “Sparky” Lovelace. She is a visionary, entrepreneur, and a passionate lover of all things equestrian. Winston Churchill has often been attributed to this quote, which resonates with those living the equestrian life as well as those watching from afar. The grace and power horses possess are symbolic in battles, representing glory and honor when gathered in numbers.

What do Frank Sinatra, Justin Timberlake (JT), Dierks Bentley, and Tim McGraw have in common? They all reside together in a luxurious barn fit for royalty at the 135-acre Double S Farm, affectionately called Nirvana, located on the outskirts of DeFuniak Springs, Florida. Susan is a joyful person who embraces life with enthusiasm, turning it into an art form. Unsurprisingly, she has named her horses, donkeys, cats, and chickens after some of her favorite entertainers. Most of them bear the names of her favorite crooners, like the legend himself, Frank Sinatra—Ol’ Blue Eyes—an American Paint Horse, striking with his piercing blue eyes, standing tall and dignified. He knows how handsome he is.

Susan used to ride her beloved Frank Sinatra in the show ring for the hunter-jumper sport until he got injured, requiring several surgeries to nurse him back to health. “It was a miracle he was able to heal, and that horse saved my life,” says Susan. This incident deepened her passion for horses, and she began training in various equestrian disciplines, starting with Show Jumping. She also trained rigorously four days a week in multiple styles: Dressage, a discipline that emphasizes the harmonious development of the horse through a variety of movements; Western, a style of horseback riding that evolved from the working cattle horses of the American West; and Reining, a western riding competition for horses. Her partner, Rueben Murphy, is a professional cutter, and their shared love for these creatures makes them a perfect match.

Susan is a joyful person who embraces life with enthusiasm, turning it into an art form.

Before purchasing Double S Farm in 2012, Susan owned ten horses, three of which had to be boarded for half the year in Colorado, where she and her late husband split their time. The first was Belle, a beautiful American Quarter Horse who lives on the farm today. One of her favorite horses was a seventeen-hand Irish sports horse named Waldadear. “I fell off him and ended up in a wheelchair for eight weeks with a compression fracture,” says Susan. “I got back on him, and he threw me off again,” she continues, a testament to her resilience. “So, I had to sell him. He was too much horse for me,” Susan laments, shaking her head.

Immediately beyond the gates, the farm is an awe-inspiring sight. We lost our phone signal on the morning of our cover feature photo shoot. We didn’t have the code to enter, so I hopped the fence and walked about a quarter mile while marveling at a perfectly manicured spread of unobstructed greenery before seeing the beautiful southern wraparound porch of a sprawling single-story ranch-style home. There’s also a stunning barn and a guest house overlooking a large lake with two fountains. “We harvest about thirty-five acres of hay each year, with fifty acres cleared for pasture. We also mow five acres each week during the summer months. And the remaining sixty acres are used for hunting, complete with riding trails,” Susan notes confidently. “It’s my slice of heaven!”

If I only knew back then that buying a horse was the least expensive thing about owning a horse! But I wouldn’t change a thing.

The boho-chic barn, with chandeliers and oriental rugs over a brick floor, features an air-conditioned bar, a bath, a laundry room, and a tack room with cats, horses, and roaming chickens. Susan shares, “We added a cooking porch at the barn with a covered area, and this is my happy place.”

Susan Lovelace and Reuben Murphy

Double S Farm is an elevated Gentleman’s Farm that has been Susu-fied. “Susu-fied” is a term Susan uses to describe her unique style and influence on the farm. Once Susan gets her hands on something, she dresses it up to the nines with a feminine touch. She loves to inspire women and show them how to enjoy themselves, even as they age. She believes life is like a waltz—you have to lead the dance. She wanted to be a designer, so she became a licensed interior designer and opened her firm, Lovelace Interiors, over thirty years ago.

“Women mean the world to me,” says Susan. “Don’t give up just because you’re getting older. Never, ever, ever give up!” This message of empowerment and resilience is a testament to Susan’s love and respect for women, making them feel appreciated and valued.

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Visit LovelaceInteriors.com or follow on Instagram @lovelaceinteriors to learn more and see more of Susan and her team’s work.