close connection
Text by Maria Masters; Photography by Jenn Hall Sweatte
This article appeared in the September/October 2026 issue of Home Design & Decor’s Triangle edition.
For designer Susana Goss, designing a home is like telling a story—one piece of history at a time.
One thing that Susana Goss knows is that designing a home is never just about the house—it’s about the people who live there. “If you’re building or renovating a home, it’s because you’re in transition,” she says. “You want to change something about your life, and that’s not about the house, it’s about you.”
Goss experienced this herself when she and her husband relocated to Raleigh in 2016. Goss had worked as an architect and adjunct professor for fifteen years, but, as a new mom, she wanted to take a few years off to raise a family. She knew what she wanted in a home, though—namely, a smaller, intimate space that fostered connection and closeness. She eventually found exactly that in a smaller, three-bedroom ranch home nestled in a secluded, wooded area.
The renovations commenced in stages. First, Goss relocated the kitchen, opening the space between the living and dining areas, and widened the area between the countertops and the island to allow extra space for her children to play on the floor. “This way, there’s enough space for them to be with me while I’m cooking,” she says.
The other rooms were also designed with the same intentionality and thoughtfulness, each area designed to maximize togetherness as a family. In the living room, the arrangement centers on a fireplace the family enjoys throughout winter. During the next phase of renovations, Goss opted for one sink in the en suite bathroom instead of two, a decision that encouraged closeness in the time before bed. Now, she says, “we’re both at the sink at night, and it’s amazing how that brought back a ritual of talking about our days together.”
This design philosophy stems, in part, from Goss’s upbringing. Born in Portugal, Goss lived overseas until the age of four, when she and her family moved to the United States. Although she’s been stateside ever since, she still maintains a deep love of European culture and tradition. “There’s a different set of values at home in Europe than in the United States,” she says. “In Europe, people live in the same house forever, and furniture gets passed down to you from your parents and grandparents, but the American dream is to find your own way,” says Goss. “And, to me, the crossroads between those two things is what’s interesting.”
Goss brings this design sensibility to each of her projects. Before she ever starts sourcing furniture or putting together a mood board, she asks her clients about their childhood home or about a place where they felt most at home. “After that, they sort of forget about the stuff and get excited about the life they’re trying to create,” she says.
For Goss, her home is filled with pieces that both harken back to her roots and speak to who she is today: a vintage cabinet, unglazed tile from Morocco, a nautical map that once belonged to her father. “I bring storytelling to my design,” she says, “but I always say that I’ve done my job if my clients feel empowered to build their own story.”