Lucianna Samu:

Lucianna Samu is the author of Can't Fail Room Makeovers. She has spent 10 years as a decorative painter in the New York Metropolitan area working for some of the best and brightest designers and architects in NY. She put away her paint brushes 5 years and moved to Saratoga Springs, New York ago to become an Interior Designer, Space Planner and Color expert.

She spent several years creating projects of Benjamin Moore
Paints and has been a frequent contributor to many magazines and books. She currently lives in the 200 year old farmhouse house she and her husband recently renovated just outside Saratoga on the Hudson River. She is currently designing the barn to bring her horse's home.

Mark Samu:

Mark Samu, was the photographer for the CH book, Can't Fail Rooms Makeovers. He has been an architectural photographer for 25 years, working all over the country for architects, designers, and magazines. He is a graduate if the School of Visual Arts in NYC.

 

Mark and Lu Samu have been married for 25 years and have completely or partially renovated 6 houses over the last decade. The first major undertaking they did was a 200 year old Carriage House in Blue Point New York. Having gone on there first vacation in 10 years to celebrate to completion on the way back from Saratoga Springs they decided if they could get the right price for the house they would sell and move upstate NY. They sold the
house in a week and haven't looked back or slowed down since. Although they don't fit the profile of "house flippers" (they do really think they are going to live in the houses they renovate), they have moved their whole life lock, stock, and barrel (and teenage son) 4 times in the last 6 years. They do think they are going to stay in the 206 year old farmhouse on the Hudson River they just finished renovating. This may be true as they are building a barn to bring their 2 horse (Leroy & Mr. Peabody) home! They began their professional relationship while living on hot dogs and crackers while Lu practiced painting and Mark practiced photography of her painting and within a year they both had fabulous portfolios. Combing their individual talents together they started to produce projects for companies such as Benjamin Moore and many shelter magazines. In the last few years they have contributed many complete projects and images to Creative Homeowner Press for a variety of books.