BEHIND THE DESIGN WITH FUSE LIVING: AN ECO OASIS

We love a good designer showcase. I mean, what’s not to love? An opportunity for designers to truly express their style and get creative and for the rest of us to see ALL that inspiration under one roof. But what we love even more is getting to be a part of the fun! So when Shannon Harris of Phoenix-based FUSE Living reached out to me about using Alhambra in her guest bedroom space for ICONIC HAUS, I was all in. Read on as Shannon shares insight into how she created a completely eco-friendly oasis for her showcase room.

Fuse Living’s bedroom for ICONIC HAUS, featuring Alhambra fabric (Photo by Paul Moore)

Kate Miller: Hi Shannon! For starters, can you tell us a bit about Iconic Haus and why you chose to participate? 

Shannon Harris: I was approached by the publisher of Iconic Life magazine – who put on the haus – specifically for the story of sustainability in products. I couldn’t say no to getting the story in front of 19 other designers! I think it’s so important to make people in the industry very aware of the possibilities. And the house itself was just beautiful, I was honored to be a part of it.

KM: As a leader in the sustainable design movement, it’s no surprise that they asked you to participate! And I’m so glad you were able to get the story in front of not only those 19 other designers, but also all the visitors (and virtual visitors). So what was your vision for the bedroom space?

SH: The theme of the house was MOD-iterranean, so naturally I wanted to make sure I was within, while also allowing our firm’s own style and creativity come alive. We’re very colorful, full of pattern and texture, and often allude to a few classic elements. The whole look started forming as a nod to history seen in the Mediterranean with a much more modern approach.

Another look at Fuse Living’s MOD-iterrannean guest bedroom (Photo by Paul Moore)

KM: What drew you/your client to our Alhambra print for this room?

SH: It was THE piece that brought the in Mediterranean mood! And this was actually our starting piece. It was one of those designs that you say “I WILL use this soon” and then the opportunity comes knocking.

KM: I’m so glad it did! What effect does the fabric have in the finished space?

SH: The small scale of the pattern was really the perfect compliment for the larger pieces and color blocking on the walls. The small scale, stylistic nature of the pattern gave a lot of zest to the room; the pattern has a lot of movement, and we’re big fans of movement! It’s like the pattern was the sea and the color blocked arches were the history standing still… to be really cliché about it!

KM: I totally see it! Is the entire room furnished using sustainable and eco-friendly materials?  What were your biggest challenges in achieving this? 

SH: YES! We really wanted to stay true to this for the room, given that was our purpose for being in the house. To be honest, it wasn’t too challenging just because this was the showhaus, and we were able to choose all the materials. We’ve worked hard to curate a collection of sustainable materials, so when we had complete freedom to be making all the material decisions we knew exactly where to source from.

KM: Since you are a pro in sourcing sustainably, I have to ask — what are your current fave eco-friendly interior products?

SH: We’re LOVING all the raw teak root pieces of furniture that we’re seeing. Also, something on our watch list is a new Cactus Leather product – we’ll keep you posted when we learn more about this!

KM: Please do! I’m intrigued. Before we sign off, is there anything else you’d like to to share?

SH: We’ve recently been really into biophilia, and any designs/styles that make you think of and connect to nature. Once you feel a connection in this way, you’re apt to start making small shifts to support it more.

KM: I love that. It feels so needed right now, this deep connection with nature.

Thank you so much to Shannon and her team for including Elworthy Studio in such a beautiful and impactful project, and for sharing some of the inner workings that went into the creation. You can take a virtual tour of the entire 2020 ICONIC HAUS here, and learn more about Fuse Living and their Phoenix showroom here.