Good Shepherd Center Interview: Susie Ho

Good Shepherd Center Interview: Susie Ho

Susie Ho is an interior designer and owner of Mend, a boutique design studio located in Long Beach. A local to Los Angeles, Susie has always had a passion for design and has worked professionally as an interior designer for over six years. Her boutique design studio offers a wide range of interior design services along with re-loved furniture & accessories. She believes that your environment should make you happy, reflect your personal style and inspire you. Susie and her design studio are here to provide creative solutions while enhancing your life through design. Mend... heart, soul and home.

We cannot wait to see Susie’s design philosophy come to life in her GSDCP room. Her eagerness to enhance the lives of the Good Shepherd residents can be seen in her interview below.

TP: How did you hear about the GS Design Project?
SH: I was catching up on my blog reading one day and happened to catch Vanessa De Vargas' post about the women's shelter and the call for designers. I was really excited to hear that Vanessa and Vanessa Kogevinas were organizing a shelter project together.

TP: Why did you choose to design a room?
SH: I had attended the open house for Upward Bound House last year and was really impressed with the work from the participating designers as well as all the support for the cause. Getting to do what you love is pretty gratifying, but getting to do it while also helping others is even greater.

TP: What do you think the biggest challenge of the project will be?
SH: I think the biggest challenge will probably be donations. I think individuals and companies are still experiencing financial hardships, but I have faith that everyone will be able to achieve great design with the donations that we've received so far. I think this is a very creative group involved in this project and I know we're all reaching out to as many people as we can to make this project successful.



TP: Do you have an inspirational photo for this project?
SH: I do! I love all things vintage and this is my inspirational photo because it draws from the past, it's architectural, graphic, feminine and there is a touch of glamour. Everything I love! Through my design I enjoy giving nod to the past, but updating it for the present and future.

TP: What are you most looking forward to with the project?
SH: I'm really looking forward to working with the shelter and sharing in the design process with the other designers. (Did anyone measure the elevator?!?) I'm also excited to see how the women will react to the newly designed rooms. I know everyone wants to achieve the best possible design for the women living at the shelter.

TP: All the rooms at Good Shepherd are dorm size, what advice or tip do you have for someone decorating a space this small? 
SH: I think there are the "standard rules for decorating small spaces", but I don't always like to follow rules and frankly some rules are meant to be broken. I'm not afraid of color and I'm definitely not afraid of pattern, so I say use those two with abandon if that is what you want. When working with smaller spaces, I think it's really important to designate areas of the room for different tasks so get creative with the furniture layout. I believe creating small pockets for different activities in a small space will make the space seem larger than it really is.