Susan Semmelmann | Women of Impact 2025

SUSAN SEMMELMANN

Visionary and Founder

Semmelmann Interiors

Semmelmann Interiors is a couture design firm of radical creators, offering full-service interior design, construction detailing, and custom furnishings. We craft bold, statement-making homes made for hosting and connection — where every detail reflects radical creativity and purpose. Because the spirit of living is in the giving — and great design should welcome, wow and bring people together.

PRESSING QUESTIONS

How I knew this was my passion

When I realized design could be a vessel for service, storytelling and impact — not just aesthetics — it became more than a career. It became my calling.

Biggest challenges in my career

The hardest part was saying yes — starting without a roadmap. But even now, the challenge is ongoing: trusting God daily as I lead, grow, and serve through every unknown that follows.

My first job and what it taught me

An AA Flight Attendant out of NYC, a job I took so I could pursue my dream of becoming Miss USA. I learned the true meaning of “Fingers in the Dirt”.

A nonprofit I wish more people knew about

Raquel’s Wings for Life flies cancer patients to treatment centers across Texas, free of cost. They flew us to MD Anderson — and today, my husband, a survivor, flies for them.

What keeps me coming back to my job every day

The chance to create something that’s never been done before — that’s what excites me. But the real joy comes in using that creativity to serve people and make their lives more beautiful.

Best career moment so far

Launching my own product line where we can share our ethereal collection and be a mission driven messenger.

A skill I never expected to need in this field

Business Growth Strategy! Creative vision is essential, but in the six years since I launched the business, I’ve learned the power of building a scalable business and a strategic team.

One practice I use to maintain my mental health

I start each morning journaling and spending time with God — declaring what I want the day to bring and thanking Him for the opportunity to make an impact and pursue my purpose.

Best advice I ever received

When my husband was dying of cancer, I asked what I should do. He said, “Buck up.” That simple phrase gave me grit — and strength I never knew I had.

The one thing I wish people knew about my field

People think design is just decor, but it’s creative problem-solving — designing every inch with purpose so your home functions beautifully and reflects you, not something pulled from a showroom floor.

The first thing I do to course-correct when I hit a wall

I go back to the source — God. Time in His Word and in nature reminds me where true beauty and creativity begin, and it always resets my spirit.

IN THE DETAILS