Carmel project by Studio Collins Weir © Jose Manuel Alorda

Meet Susan Collins, a distinguished interior designer who co-founded Studio Collins Weir with her husband, Chris Weir. With a rich background in both the art and architectural worlds, Susan's innovative vision blends modern aesthetics with historical insights. This unique approach results in richly layered and tactile spaces, creating unique, personalized environments for her clients.

1. Hello Susan! Thank you for speaking with us today. Could you start by telling us about yourself? How did you launch your career as an interior designer and Studio Collins Weir ?

Thank you for inviting me to speak with and tell you a bit about myself and our studio. “Launching my career" felt more like the inevitable end to a path I'd been on for some time. A prior career in the American Furniture and Marketing departments at Christie's New York and a degree in architecture put me in a unique position to build a practice anchored in history and professional practice. I'd say I was circling this career for years assessing where I could fit in and provide a unique experience for our clients.

2. How would you describe your design style and where do you draw inspiration?

My business partner in Studio Collins Weir is my husband Chris Weir. We are modernists in that we try to realize our projects as simply as possible. There is a lot of noise in the world and we feel our job is to create homes that are a sanctuary for our clients. Our work is modern but it's also quite layered and tactile. We love texture and color and use it to create spaces that celebrate this interest. I may call my design style "textured modernism". Is that a thing? I love process: The process of making a space, sourcing furnishings, textiles and objects, crafting a piece of furniture, creating a piece of art. The hand of the artist or maker is so important and something I draw inspiration from.  

Vineland Residence Project by Studio Collins Weir © Jose Manuel Alorda

3. You and your husband, Chris Weir, collaborate closely on projects. How do your backgrounds in art and architecture complement each other in your work together?

Chris and I have been working together forever. We have a short hand that is very intuitive and based on trust and belief that what we're doing is inherently important to our clients. From a practical standpoint our backgrounds let us run a studio that carefully balances the decorative and pragmatic sides of interior design. Our projects are beautiful to look at and they live well. We care about the details and that a project is lasting. My background in art influences many of the decisions we make and helps the work be incredibly personal to our clients. Chris's architectural background helps us underpin our work with a conceptual language that ties each project together.  

4. Studio Collins Weir is known for designing interiors that enhance a home's distinctive architecture without overwhelming it. Can you share some insights into your process for achieving this balance?  

While our process is very intuitive, the design direction is based on listening to our clients and really caring about what they want in a project. They have selected a property or an architect for a reason. By listening and getting to know them, each project becomes a unique experience. This allows for a lot of flexibility in design language. What we're not flexible on is quality of design and a strong understanding of scale, proportion and color.

Carmel project by Studio Collins Weir © Studio Collins Weir

5. How do you integrate contemporary art into your designs, and what role does it play in enhancing the overall atmosphere of a space?

Integration is an important word here. Art is not necessarily a backdrop or a decorative element in our work. Art is a further extension of our clients interests and we work to highlight that in a project. We are very fortunate to work with clients whose interests extend into the world of art. It inspires us and makes our work stronger.  

6. You've received many awards and have been featured in various magazines such as The New York Times, GQ, Wall Street Journal or Elle Decoration. Can you tell us about a project or experience that stands out to you? What did you learn from it that changed how you design?

We actually have several projects that are standing out to me right now. We recently finished a beautiful residence on 400 acres in Sonoma County with Turnbull Griffin Haesloop, one of the original architects of the iconic Sea Ranch. We've also just begun a three story townhouse on Prince Street in Manhattan and there's also a historic San Francisco property with a beautiful art collection. Each of our projects is truly unique, and I learn something new each time. That's one of the things I love most about what I do.

Portrait of Susan Collins  © Alanna Hale