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usan Jamieson is an acclaimed interior designer behind the Richmond, Virginia-based firm, Bridget Beari Designs. If the name sounds familiar, that’s because she has her own Bridget Beari wallpaper and paint collections. She’s also been a guest on the hit show, “Fix It and Finish It,” and her designs have appeared on HGTV, TLC and NBC, as well as within the pages of Southern Living, Coastal Living and Traditional Home. Lucky us: Susan took time out from our Designer ExperieNCe event (see p. 62) to tell us about her all-time favorite outdoor project. You’ve been in the business now for 25 years, when did you start noticing more requests for exterior design? We’ve always done outdoor. We’re based in Virginia, so we have gorgeous springs and gorgeous falls. People always have outdoor spaces, whether it’s a traditional patio or whether it’s a screened porch or outdoor pool area. This particular project (shown, right) is unique because it’s in Tulum, Mexico, and it’s all about the outside. How did it come about? It started with a husband and wife who have property in Richmond, and I did their house there. They vacationed in Tulum quite often. Then the Sian Ka’an, a biosphere reserve between the Caribbean ocean and the lagoon, became open for building eco-friendly properties. So they jumped at the chance to design a home that’s completely green in concept. (For more, go to exteriordesignonline.com.) Do you have a design approach for the outdoors that’s different from your indoor philosophy? I think it’s all the same. It’s just an extension of a living space. You want to watch TV and do everything you do inside . . . outside. In the South, we have to worry about the heat. So you’re more concerned about the finishes and the quality of the pieces. Nobody wants to buy something that’s going to fall apart, and things are so easily destroyed by the weather. It’s critical to have good quality pieces. Are there specific elements for a luxurious outdoor space? There’s always a fireplace, and there’s always an
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