Dallas-based designer Sarah Hargrave adds her southern eclectic touch to any space she designs. Keep reading for her expert tips on interior design and see how she styled Serena Sea Salt and Mirabella to create a soothing bedroom scheme!
First off, tell us a little bit about yourself!
I’m Sarah Hargrave, founder of The Collective, a full-service interior design firm, brick and mortar storefront, and custom furniture business in Dallas. My deep-rooted love of interiors and furnishings is directly influenced by spending my childhood years in North Carolina. I moved to Texas in 1996 and attended Texas A&M University as a Political Science and History major. With a background in real estate finance and construction, I opened my firm in 2013 and have never looked back.I’m a big homebody, so when I’m not spending time with my incredible team and clients, you can find me in the backyard with my husband of nearly ten years, Erik and our three four-legged babies Pippen, Kershaw and Mollie. We love to travel around the country to our favorite golf destinations and spend time at our second home in College Station cheering on our beloved Aggies!
How would you describe your style? Where do you find inspiration?
I always describe my style as “Southern Eclectic”. I love antiques and vintage mixed with modern elements, pops of color, and something unexpected. I am a collector of things I love - artwork, Chinese export porcelain, murano glass - all of which you can find scattered about my home.
What Does Your Home Say About You?
It definitely says that I like color, antiques, and interesting lighting but it’s not formal or fussy. We really live in our home so it’s important that it’s comfortable, inviting, and soothing in certain rooms.
Walk Us Through How You Styled The Pillows! How Did You Choose Which Patterns And Trim To Use?
The Collective is known for its use of pastels and pattern play, so I wanted to select pillows that would be easy to incorporate into a home of any style but would also give people a feeling of our aesthetic in their personal space. When designing bedrooms, I prefer a relaxed vibe that is calming and provides a sanctuary for rest. For the pillows I chose a color palette that is soft and refreshing for a bedroom but also works with a variety of other existing fabrics and colors. We married the two patterns by adding a layer of pom pom trim that accentuates the blue accents in the euros and a white welt that pulls out the swirled design in the lumbar.
How Do You Approach Styling With Different Sizes? What's Your Rule Of Thumb For How Many Pillows Go On A Bed?
For beds, we typically add one euro for each increase in bed size and rescale the bolster or lumbar by twelve-inches accordingly. For example, on a Twin we would use one Euro and a 24” long bolster, whereas for a King we would use three Euros and a 48” lumbar.
Do You Stick To Any Design Rules When Mixing And Matching Patterns And Colors?
It is always important to make selections that bring you joy, but as a rule of thumb, we typically try to vary the scale of patterns used on pillows, furniture and draperies. Additionally, we avoid using fabrics with white backgrounds against each other. Oftentimes these patterns can get lost in one another and not make the statement intended.
One Of Our Mottos Is "A Little Goes A Long Way". What Are A Few Ways To Elevate Your Living Room That Don't Require A Full Renovation Or Splurging On New Furniture?
The beauty of interior design is that every small thing can make a big impact! A few ways you can elevate your space are by mixing in collected antique or vintage accessories, adding window treatments and investing in a piece of art that you truly love. Something as simple as a change in paint color, recovering a chair, or adding new pillows can completely transform a room.
Favorite Design Book?
Mary McDonald Interiors : The Allure of Style
Color Crush Of The Moment?
Periwinkle!
Wallpaper Or Paint?
Wallpaper- always. If I could see no drywall in my home, I would cover every wall!
Favorite Project You've Worked On?
I’m currently working on my own home, finally, and it’s been so liberating! After a catastrophic flood and a year long renovation, we are finally back in. Although we’ve lived here for nearly a decade, I’ve never completed it because I’ve been so focused on my clients’ homes. It’s been so exciting to try new ideas and techniques and use my home as a laboratory. We’ve got a very exciting reveal coming in November, so stay tuned!