Women in Design: A Conversation with Ann Sutherland of Perennials Sutherland

Q: Tell us about your role in the industry and what your professional relationship is with design. 

A: I have been involved in interior design from the moment I graduated college. My only professional jobs have been in the industry since I started in 1975. I began as an associate designer in Oklahoma City, then created my own firm in 1979 as a one-man band working on residential projects.

In 1997, I moved to Dallas and began the founding of Perennials with David Sutherland as a partner and husband. From that point on, my role has been not only to advance our own company and create products for the trade, but also to support showroom representation of other boutique manufacturers as a third-party representative. We have established a network of showrooms that includes the USA and countries abroad, including the U.K., UAE, India, and Italy. 

The whole ride has been very exciting and rewarding, and I have grown to know and admire so many in our industry. Watching the progression of businesses and the transitions being made has been very exciting.  

Q: What is your earliest memory of design?

A: As a young girl growing up in a small rural town, I spent time playing with the pre-Barbie dolls, dressing and setting scenes for them on my bedroom floor. My mother made clothes for the dolls, and somehow we found furniture that was scaled similarly to their size. I spent hours in my bedroom setting up rooms and layouts with that furniture for my dolls and became interested in decorating. That included convincing my mother to allow me to paint a feature wall and hang flowers in my doorway. It was a lot with a little budget, but from that time on I planned to be an interior designer and graduate from college with a Bachelor in Interior Design.  

Q: What women in design—or in any creative category—do you admire most?

A: There are so many talented women who have made an impact in design and should be admired for their tenacity and talent. Florence Knoll, Andrée Putman, Zaha Hadid, and in our close world, Rose Tarlow and Holly Hunt. Lifestyle designers that influence clients and the industry like Martha Stewart make a huge impact on the view of current design. Personal friends such as Trisha Wilson and Liz Lambert from Texas have been very successful in design and also inspire me.  

Q: What mantra would women benefit from while following their creative path?

A: Everyone, not just women, who wants to pursue a career needs to start at the bottom and work their way up in order to understand the dynamics of the business. Stick to it, don’t quit, don’t get discouraged when things aren’t perfectly working or going the way you want. The dream needs to prevail over reality sometimes. The path may change, but the fulfillment will come if you work hard, are reliable and make the most of the circumstances that appear. Of course, seeking good mentorship is important as well to learn from others that you admire.

Q: How have you seen the industry landscape change for women over the years?

A: The landscape for jobs has always been a mix of men and women and does not really discriminate in the interior design world, other than having talent and visibility to clients. With the advent of AIDS in the ’70s, we lost many talented male designers, which was tragic. Strong personalities and connections are key to success. But still, women are more predominant in interior work, and men probably still dominate the architectural and landscaping world. Good business practices and reputation go a long way for any person wanting to be in the field. 

Q: Can you share a moment that made you feel particularly empowered as a woman in design?

A: My moment of empowerment in design was to step out and create a business of my own, then following the opportunities and moving into product design. I found this very rewarding, as not only did I align with a fabulous partner to create Perennials, but I was on the path to grow a business through very difficult periods. What I learned as I went along was to not only have a vision for the business, but also to operate all the different aspects of organization and growth. This really isn’t a gender discussion, however, as I didn’t find being a woman more or less helpful in this effort, just commitment and hard work.   

Q: How do you stay inspired and push the boundaries of your own work?

A: Staying inspired is easy when you rub shoulders with talented people who become your friends in business as well as personally. If I see a great project in a magazine or hear a wonderful designer describe a project, I get pumped up to do more and be involved. It is hard to walk away from something that has been a passion all of your life.   

Q: What are some of your favorite or newest products available in your showroom at 200 Lex?

A: Perennials has recently introduced the wallcoverings category, which is particularly exciting to me!

Funny story: as a young designer working in the Dallas market, I had the opportunity to meet David Sutherland and be invited to his condo for a cocktail party. I was so excited, but my mission was not to visit David personally, but to see the wallpaper that he had installed on his walls! It was a product that he represented called Silk Dynasty and was the cat’s meow! I joke that I married David for his wallpaper. Now years later, Perennials is introducing some brilliant new papers that are as exceptional as I remember the paper in David’s apartment. I can’t wait to use some in my own home.