A Designer’s Timeless Living Room in Washington

Design consultant Sarah Meyer welcomes us into the living room of her 1936 brick colonial in Vancouver, Washington — a home she used to drive past and dream about as a college student, then bought off-market years later.

When they moved in, everything was white and flat, so Sarah painted the walls orange, her favorite color, and hasn't touched them since — rare for someone who rearranges rooms constantly.

Two sofas face each other around the fireplace for the big gatherings the family hosts at the holidays, and the room opens through large windows onto a screened sunroom she has big plans for. Nearly every piece is vintage — Facebook Marketplace, antique malls, 1stDibs — because Sarah believes older furniture is better made and carries a story.

Potted geraniums, a ficus, and a lemon tree bring in the green she loves, the piano came with the house, and design books stack on every surface. Her guiding rule through every remodel: make it feel like it was always this way.