Talk Shop: Sue de Chiara // The Zhush
ABOUT SUE
Sue De Chiara is an artist, entrepreneur, and seasoned interior design blogger behind one of our most favorite blogs and Instagram accounts, The Zhush. Sue loves to provide her readers with up-to-date home decor and fashion advice, and since 2009 she’s been attracting thousands of weekly readers eager for updates and inspiration on interior design, fashion, beauty, art and so much more. We love Sue for her style, kindness, and most importantly, her sense of humor! Read below for her fabulous tips and tricks on all things home.
Describe your style in three words or less:
Classic, feminine, casual.
What have been the three biggest influences on your aesthetic in your life:
Living on the east coast - either in the tri-state NYC area or in NYC. Growing up in a family of artists. Travel.
How did you start your company, and what is your favorite thing about what you do:
Like most bloggers in the early days, my site started out as a hobby. Simply sharing what I liked on my blog (before Pinterest and Instagram). Because I enjoyed it, I stuck with it. Little by little, social media became an actual "thing"—I feel VERY lucky to have found this fun job. Aside from being my own boss, I love meeting other like minded creatives and learning new things by sharing them.
Do you have a mentor in your career, and if so, how have they helped to shape your trajectory:
Unfortunately, I don't have a mentor. The world of sites like mine is still pretty new and ever evolving, so I try to learn what I can from anyone willing to share! And, vice versa!
What does your home say about you:
Hopefully it says I care a lot about design, but not TOO much. I want my home to look good but also be a comfortable retreat for my family and guests.
Where do you find inspiration:
So this is terribly cliche, but literally EVERYWHERE. Online, books, TV, movies, travel, hotels, people watching, nature...you get the picture.
Who are your style icons:
Off the top of my head, I've always loved the sophisticated yet laid back style of Emanuelle Alt. Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy was also another favorite. Gwyneth Paltrow is another woman who I think has great personal style.
What are your key ingredients for entertaining:
Dim lights, good music, BOOZE, good food (ideally catered).
Do you collect anything:
Ironstone pottery, blue and white jars and urns, and endless coffee table books.
Favorite Instagram accounts to follow for inspiration
There are SO many. @arielokin, @PalomaContrerasDesign, @HillHouseVintage, @StudioMcGee, @IndiaAmory, @oliviatmbrock…there's SO many more!
What design “rule” do you always follow, and which is made to be broken:
I think they're ALL made to be broken. I only follow the rule of "surrounding yourself with the things you love."
What are you working on right now:
Renovating our Beach House in Westerly, Rhode Island.
Wardrobe staples:
Jeans and jewelry.
Best interior advice you ever received:
Pay for the best and you'll only cry once.
Best career advice you ever received:
A little kindness goes a long way.
Types of home purchases you invest in, and save on:
Invest: Statement lighting carpet, soft furnishings, fabrics and wallpaper.
Save: accent furniture, accessories, bamboo blinds, table lamps, vintage pieces.
Your greatest extravagance:
Our bed and bedding. Have to have good quality bed linens!
Favorite places to shop for home:
I've been really into Etsy lately! One Kings Lane and Serena and Lily.
Most prized possession and why:
My photograph albums. I'm very sentimental. And, really everything else is replaceable.
Your interiors motto:
Surround yourself with the things you love.
Your life motto:
Never take yourself too seriously and surround yourself with positive people.
Advice for someone looking to define their own interior style:
Can't recommend Pinterest enough for this. Create a digital mood board of everything you love, doesn't matter what. If you're drawn to it, save it.
When you're done, see if there's any type of theme running through the majority of images. Colors? Style? Mood? Keep doing it until you have a real sense of what this is. That's your style. Choose your interior pieces as if they were going to live on this mood board too.
Take Ten: My Favorite…
Food: Pizza
Drink: Diet Coke/ Champagne
Film: The Royal Tennenbaums
Hotel: JK Florence
City: New York
Bedding: Matouk
Tea or Coffee (and how do you take it): Coffee, light and sweet (skim milk/splenda)
Playlist: Almost all the music from the Seventies.
Weekend Activity: Sleeping as late as I can get away with.
Design Book: Darryl Carter's The Collected Home
