True Californian
Experience Lifestyle Design
For more than four decades, Sue Firestone has cultivated her personal passion for design, operating two leading, international interior design firms and assembling a portfolio that includes the world’s most luxurious homes and premier five-star resorts and hotels.
As chairman and founder of sfa design since 1996, Sue has led the firm to complete acclaimed projects in destinations throughout the United States, U.A.E, Asia, and Mexico.
About Sue Firestone
Having been honored with more than two dozen awards, including the prestigious Platinum Circle Award from Hospitality Design, and a place on Robb Report’s “Top 40 Best Designers in the World,” Sue is now focusing her creative vision on product design, launching lines of nature-inspired fabrics, wallcoverings, furniture, tile, carpeting, and lighting.
Growing up in Malibu in the 1960’s, Sue spent the majority of her time immersed in nature, riding horses, hiking the Santa Monica Mountains, and getting lost in her thoughts amongst the tide-pools at Point Dune. Sue’s innate love for the outdoors became even stronger, when she sailed around the world at 20, with family and friends in a sailboat they purchased and renovated themselves.
With fresh, interested eyes Sue absorbed a myriad of cultures that left her with a deep appreciation of the unique and profound impact of art and design. At the same time, seeing places almost completely untouched by humanity left Sue with a passion for what we would today call green living and an eagerness to incorporate her experiences into her personal taste in design.
Sue’s ignited passion for all things aesthetic led her to take a position at Design 1, a Los Angeles-based design firm in 1976. In just four years, Sue rose from designer to president. During her two decades directing the company, Sue led Design 1 to become the sixth largest design firm (with over 90 employees) in the United States, including international offices in Hong Kong and Paris.
In 1996, Sue turned her focus toward creating a boutique-style firm, large enough to execute projects of grand scale, but personal enough to truly provide the direct personal attention for each client. The result was sfa design, currently managed by Kara Smith. The firm abides by Sue’s strict philosophy of fully appreciating the client’s vision, lifestyle and point of view in order to intelligently reflect them in all aspects of design.
Sue believes there is no need to choose between good design and a green approach and always tries to find new ways to incorporate her fervor for healthy, eco-friendly living into her design concepts, . All of her collections are informed by her passion for nature, exploration and travel, as well as her deeply rooted ties to an authentic California aesthetic, initially inspired by legendary California designers Michael Taylor and Steve Chase.
After a fulfilling career in designing luxury interiors, Sue is creating products that include hand-crafted and high-quality furnishings for A. Rudin (in 4 showrooms) and a luxe line of fabrics and wallcoverings for Kravet, Inc. Sue’s launched collections of natural custom rugs for Mehraban, unique luxury lighting for Fuse Lighting, and beachy tiles exclusively for Country Floors. Sue continues to expand her luxury lifestyle products to plumbing, outdoor furniture and fabrics, and other collectibles to interior designers internationally.
Collaborations
Textiles
Kravet Inc.
The sandy, pebbly textures of the boucle and chenille. Heavy quilted fabric inspired by horseback riding blankets. The shimmer of chenille like the reflection of light off the water. The palm tree, shell, sea urchin motifs. Endless inspiration from nature’s patterns, colors, and shapes. It shows in these textile designs in the Malibu Collection.
Furniture
A. Rudin
This elegant chic collection is inspired by growing up in California by the beach. Specialized craftsmanship is showcased by the unique wood details. It is important to Sue to create a comfortable and meaningful environment that elevates someone’s personal style without overtaking it.
LIGHTING
Fuse Lighting
Fuse is celebrating two decades in business with a new line of product featuring the company’s first ever collaborations including Sue Firestone.
Fine Rugs
Mehraban
Sue returns to her roots in Malibu for inspiration in this collection. Each piece arises out of a sense of the colors and atmosphere unique to this enclave, from a time in history when the line separating earth and ocean was undefined. Each rug evokes a different unique sense of the California coast and deepens our appreciation of this wonderful place.
Tiling
Country Floors
The irresistible tidal pull of California style is imbued in these decorative ceramics. Channeling a mix of sizzling ‘60s mod style and summer of love BoHo inspirations, Sue has translated her love of coastal living into designs with a fresh and distinctive 21st century vibe.