Susie Frazier led the model suite design for The Edge 1909 in Pittsburgh, PA, an NRP multifamily project. Leaning into the principles outlined in her book, Designing For Wellness®, Susie created several mind-calming custom elements for space including distinctive artwork, custom furniture, and tabletop objects to ensure the property was more memorable to potential residents touring the site.
Using found objects as innovative tactile elements. Susie's 110" long wall piece titled, "Cadence," was made out of reclaimed mechanical drawings from the 1960s, hardened around wire forms, and mounted to drywall with stainless steel sewing pins.
The distinct gradient pattern was created by sorting each paper form by tonal value. As gentle breezes poured into the room, the individual pieces gently swayed and wiggled like leaves on a tree.
In addition to wall art, Susie designed custom tables and a magnetic bulletin board as tactile elements residents and visitors were encouraged to touch. Susie's distinctive maple wood nesting tables, featuring a recessed tray, could be filled with dried beans, rocks, or other favorite decorative elements that delight the senses for each season.
Susie's distinctive Branches Headboard was developed specifically for this project and has since been customized for other applications. The original design came from a scene she saw while walking in the woods, which she later sketched on paper and refined using Adobe Illustrator. Knowing that fractal patterns in nature can actually reduce anxiety of those who look at them, even just with a peripheral view, Susie made sure that organic visual elements were integrated into every key area of the suite.
For an additional touch that brought the outside in, Susie placed her signature steel and glass wall vase on the counter surface. When the glass insert is removed, the steel cradle can be mounted to the wall allowing for fresh flowers, grasses, or willow stalks to sprout out of the top, allowing for residents to feel healthier simply through direct contact with living nature.
