Let's Meet Sarah of Sarah's Haven Interiors

I first met Sarah through the magical world of Instagram friends and I was blown away by her home and by the wonderful tutorials she shares about interior decor and design.

Sarah welcome to the Chalet. Happy to be here Meryl.

You’ve lived in your 116yr old home in a borough of Manhattan for the last decade - you share the home with your husband, two daughters and three cats. Yes, I have three cats, and to be honest if my husband wasn’t stopping me I would probably have more! Baby Jade is 10 years old; Milo is 6 years old, and Tofu (our baby!) is 2.

How do you classify your homes architecture? I would classify our home as Tudor in style; it’s brick with a gabled roof—some of the features considered Tudor in design.

What attracted you to the home? I wouldn’t necessarily say any features in particular attracted me, but when I walked into my home for the first time, I knew it was the right place. Something about it just felt like…home. So, I guess it was a feeling more than anything else.

Tell us your favorite space in your house and why. My living room has always been my favorite place to relax, but I recently finished a DIY range hood cover, and it’s completely changed how I look at my kitchen—I love being in there. It proves that minor tweaks to your living areas can impact your feelings about a space.

Do you have a favorite architectural and or design element in your home? Our sunroom/entry room is pretty special. The windows are tall and arched, and they let in so much light. Unfortunately, they were ill-maintained for decades. Around eight years in, we found a carpenter to restore them. It was such a big project, but we are thrilled with the result.

I want to touch on your fabulous couch. Did you set out to find a bold color when you purchased it in 2015? I’ve always loved touches of bold color here and there. When we were ready for a new couch I knew I wanted something that would be a showstopper, and this teal color just spoke to me. Eight years later I can say I have no regrets. Never be afraid to go bold!

Can you tell the readers about your design philosophy. I always try to make my spaces comfortable and welcoming—in fact, when someone visits my home and tells me how cozy it is it’s the ultimate compliment! Otherwise, I try to fill my home with things I love. My favorite is having items that tell a story.

My mom, Evelyn, was always into vintage pieces. I have one of her antiques—a vintage bread box—in my living room. I use it as a console table! I guess you could say that’s where I got my love of collecting.

How do you characterize your design style? I guess I would say it’s somewhere between modern vintage and modern traditional. That being said, I do love a few mid-century modern or modern pieces here and there! I actually believe one of the best ways to find your design style is by looking in your wardrobe!

You tackled redoing your half bath recently with a beautiful result. Yes, recently, I decided to redo our half bath on the first floor. I wanted to add molding—it was my first larger-scale DIY. Because it’s small, I wanted it to feel special and unique. The molding and wallpaper were manageable because the room is so tiny, and now this space has its moment—I love it!

HALF BATH

Have you always been a DIYer? Or was the process of purchasing your home in 2013 start this odyssey for you? I have not! I didn’t start DIYing until last year. I always did my own painting, but building things is relatively new. I’ve been inspired by all the incredible things I see people doing on this platform.

Tell us where did you grow up? I lived in Canada until I was 13, then moved to Connecticut.

Did you decorate your bedroom while growing up? I loved decorating my bedroom as a little girl; I still remember this light blue color I had on my walls as a 12-year-old with these frilly floral shades. I loved it! Another thing I loved as a child was dollhouses—I collected furniture (I still have some of it!). I still follow a few dollhouse accounts—maybe one of these days, I’ll get myself a grown-up version.

You started your Instagram account in Spring 2021. Your brilliant design style has been embraced by over 118K followers. What was the jumping off point for you? I started my account on a whim in 2021. We were on the tail end of Covid lock-downs, and I needed a creative outlet. I had no idea how much of an impact this would have on my life! One of the best parts about this space is connecting with people I would have never met otherwise. For this reason, I love and cherish every comment and DM.

I’ve recently started consulting work, helping people re-imagine their spaces. It’s not something I would have ever imagined doing before starting this account, never mind that I’m in my mid-40s and exploring what could become a new career. It proves there is always time to start something you’re passionate about.

Sarah you share so many fabulous tutorials. The first post of yours I ever saw was you laying garland on your mantel and I’ve been a huge fan ever since!

TUTORIALS

Anything upcoming for the rest of 2023 you wish to share with the readers? I’m hoping to finish a makeover of our office space before the end of the year; it will be my first time using real wallpaper, so stay tuned!

My website sarah’s haven, is a work in progress, but it’s also one of the things on my to-do list for this fall. I’m hoping to add some more shoppable links, photos, and information about me.