We’re excited to welcome interior designer Sara Hillery to the show! Based in Richmond, Virginia, Sara’s firm blends function with one-of-a-kind decorative pieces to create story-driven rooms. Named a “Next Wave Designer” by House Beautiful and featured in Veranda and The Wall Street Journal, Sara joins Caroline and Liz to demystify “transitional” design and share her spirited approach to holiday decorating.
Sara explains how she balances antiques with clean lines to create timeless spaces, her method for editing a room like an onion, and how she reinvents her holiday decorating theme every single year. She also shares her secret for keeping Christmas trees alive and her favorite way to spark conversation at dinner parties.
What You’ll Hear This Episode:
- 00:00 Introduction to the How to Decorate Podcast
- 01:00 Sara’s background and defining “Transitional Design”
- 04:00 The art of mixing clean upholstery lines with antiques
- 07:00 The “Onion” method: How to edit a room and find your style
- 11:00 Using monochromatic palettes to play with texture and scale
- 14:00 Connecting open floor plans without matching every room
- 19:00 The story behind the “Hot Pink Chairs” and lacquered ceiling
- 22:00 Holiday Decorating: Why Sara changes her theme every year
- 27:00 Using ribbon and Christmas cards on the mantle
- 30:00 This year’s theme: Pineapples and a nod to Bermuda
- 36:00 Hosting tips: Pre-planned questions and dinner party quizzes
- 44:00 Tips for fresh greenery and using Miracle-Gro on the tree
- 49:00 Closing notes & where to find Sara
IMAGE CREDITS: sarahillery.com/portfolio
Also Mentioned in This Episode
- Sara Hillery Interior Design | Website
- Follow Sara on Instagram: @sarahilleryinteriordesign
- Maymont House (Victorian Christmas Inspiration)
- Shop Ballard Designs
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Happy Decorating!
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