From a Greenwich estate to a Georgetown rowhouse, if you take a look at any of Sarah Bartholomew’s design projects you will quickly understand why she has received accolades from the likes of Vogue and Architectural Digest. Just like her work, Sarah is elegant and timeless, and her work is known for embodying both beauty and practicality. In addition to raising four children and designing homes all over the country, she’s also launched a collection for Pottery Barn and opened a brick-and-mortar store in Nashville. The woman can do it all–and with grace and style, to boot.
HOMEWORTHY: How do you describe your interior design style?
SARAH BARTHOLOMEW: I have a fresh take on timeless designs. Every space I design, including my own home, has a cohesive mix of color, pattern, and style but maintains warmth and livability.
HOMEWORTHY: What are your favorite things in your home?
SB: My living room sofa. Upholstered in a now-discontinued dusty blue Osborne and Little striated velvet with a bullion fringe, this is the most comfortable, serene and quiet corner in my house.
SB: My Chinoiserie high boy–I love a touch of Chinoiserie! The west meets east aesthetic is always striking. I found this piece years ago and it anchors my living room.
SB: My kitchen table. Because my house was built in the 1930s, the kitchen is actually quite small in relation to the rest of the house. To make the small space functional for our family, I took a Saarinen table base and had a long narrow top made from white quartz to custom fit our built-in banquette. It seats all six of us comfortably and we try to have family dinners there each night.
HOMEWORTHY: What item did you splurge on?
SB: D. Porthault linens in my daughter’s room
HOMEWORTHY: Any sneaky decorating tips?
SB: Look for reproductions or vintage furniture with good scale and silhouettes. They may have a bad finish, but if you cover it in a coat of chalky white paint it can easily be mistaken for a fine antique. An example of this is my entry console: I have always loved William Kent style antiques, and I found this piece in a Charleston second-hand shop. It had all the right carvings and a great scale, but a terrible 1950s veneer finish. I had it sanded down and applied multiple layers of chalky textured paint. Now it is one of my favorite pieces!
HOMEWORTHY: What is your go-to hostess gift?
SB: A Myrtle Topiary in an aged terra cotta pot, or Cire Tridon Ernesto Candle (my favorite)!
Photography credit: David Hillegas
Headshot credit: Melanie Acevedo
