the voice of Susan Weiss of Emerson Bailey
If your interior spaces could speak to you, what would they say? The stories that await in every cozy corner, in every curated vignette, can illustrate more about us than we can say about ourselves. Furniture and décor fade in and out of style, but the purpose remains the same — to provide functionality in the colors, shapes and textures that embody our personal aesthetic. In an era of mass-produced furnishings, the stories of our spaces can feel muted by what is readily available; oftentimes, sacrificing quality for convenience.
Curators like Susan Weiss of Emerson Bailey, one of Denver’s most renowned antique and global furniture boutiques, challenge the notion that unique, high-quality discoveries should be hidden behind a heavily stamped passport book, inaccessible to those that desire the iconic without the roadmap to finding it. We sat down with Susan to talk about the pathway she took to global discoveries and partnerships and how she takes her clients on that journey with her.
- How did you find your calling in curated antique furnishings? What drew you to it?
- My father was an architect and an avid collector. I experienced his dream of a space, the completion of an antique restoration and the unique find of an object. The emotion, excitement and the exhilaration when something was discovered! At an early age, I was submerged into a world of seeing things others didn’t and finding that one very special thing. I traveled extensively to expand my global viewpoint; looking in each destination, bringing back a discovery to hone my design perspective. I continued my education by getting my Interior Design degree to embrace interior design as the marriage of sourcing the unique and special finds with the creation of emotionally resonant environments to house them.
The company is named after my father, Harold Emerson Bailey.
- You conceived and built a design studio — why was this important?
- At Emerson Bailey, we believe in the discovery of objects that tell a story, combining remarkable finds with unexpected curation. With the design of our studio, we want our clients to feel inspired to discover something extraordinary through our design aesthetic. The studio enables clients to experience the way a space can make you feel. It compels clients to understand how a uniquely curated space that combines modern pieces and techniques with touches of magical antiques and artisan crafts can transport them to an exceptional place they’ve never seen before but feels like home.
- Tell us a bit about your partner, Daniel Larsson.
- Daniel and I met while I was on a buying trip in Sweden and formed an immediate connection and friendship based on mutual respect and the passion we share for design and rarities. Daniel founded his antiques dealership, D. Larsson Interior & Antikhandel in 2010 and today is a discerning and respected specialist in 18th-19th century Swedish painted furniture and decorative arts. In recent years, D. Larsson has established an enviable international reputation for quality and integrity while developing a broad clientele and enjoying the privilege of working with the world’s leading Architects and Interior Designers, a handful of the world’s top International Dealers and a selective group of Private Collectors.
- What is unique about your partnership and why is it important to clients?
- We are on the constant hunt for the best of the best — objects and approaches — that excite. With the combination of my design knowledge and Daniel’s antiques expertise, we grant our clients access to an unparalleled world of the extraordinary from across the globe. Together we offer the experience of beautiful things – whether it is an object that is hundreds of years old, or a surprising design for an interior, we find the hard-to-find. With this, we are able to help clients understand the value of our discoveries and guide them to seamlessly integrate them into a modern home.
- It sounds like you are also collaborating with European companies — can you tell us more about that?
- While we love to celebrate the past, our curated selections of European artisans, most of which are new to the U.S. market, are the perfect complements to a well-designed interior and lifestyle. Each of our unique collaborations are a tribute to craftsmanship. We source contemporary pieces from rugs to ironwork, ceramics and lighting as well as beautiful and enduring brass sinks and plumbing fixtures from Denmark’s oldest manufacturer of kitchen and bathroom fixtures. Our collection also features a line of innovative, luxury home fitness equipment from Poland and a Swedish company, Hästens. With nearly two hundred years of history, they are dedicated to providing the best sleep ever. Pairing our antiques with our Contemporary Collection provides a beautiful dynamic of depth and modernity to our spaces.
“Whether it is an object that is hundreds of years old, or a surprising design for an interior, we find the hard-to-find.”
- Describe your process of working with clients.
- We love and celebrate character and the imperfect. We want a space to feel special and lived in; we create real relationships with our clients to understand their lives and design specifically for them. We always want one truly extraordinary thing in every room. While this can be a striking antique piece of furniture, it can also be an object or a design technique that feels truly unique to the client and the space. We focus on helping our clients find that thing to make a space stand out as we are able to offer them our unrivalled expertise and access to antiques, vintage and contemporary art, as well as little-known artisans through our Contemporary Collection brands.
- Where do you find inspiration?
- By working closely with our clients, our partners, and our artisans whom we collaborate with, and of course, travel. Seeing, experiencing and constantly learning. New and old, our objects simply have to be the best, special and rare. They become sculptural art, not just furniture, and they bring depth and soul to a space.
- What do you want our readers to take away from this?
- Extraordinary need not be inaccessible. We are lovers of the rare and want to unlock this magical, often times inaccessible world for our clients. We curate opportunities for those who want something that no one else has and who want to know the story behind it.
To emphasize that mission, we are expanding our operation to a new location at 1787 Broadway, 2nd Floor from our current showroom location. This will be a beautifully curated space to provide the extraordinary for design projects and homes. We are also opening a new design studio in Bozeman, Montana’s Cannery district to support our clients not only in Montana but the greater Yellowstone area. Our Montana location will open mid-June upon the arrival of our next container. Stay tuned, this is just the beginning!
Discover the unique by following the Emerson Bailey Instagram, visiting the website, and reaching out directly at 720 800.6268.
