Sarah Bartholomew came onto our radar in 2016 when House Beautiful named her one of their Next Wave Designers. Prior to 2016, the Nashville-based designer built a career for herself creating interiors with a fresh takes on classic sensibility. Sarah’s ability to balance beauty and function, layer color and pattern and embrace tradition earned her a loyal client base that has her doing projects from coast to coast.
With such a pedigree, it should not surprise you that Pottery Barn challenged Sarah to re-imagine the first room you encounter in any home – the entryway! Whether it be the foyer, mud room or a simple hallway, a home’s entryway sets the tone. However, it’s easy for entries to become catch-all for the countless things we need in any given day from keys to shoes to children’s backpacks. The Sarah Bartholomew for Pottery Barn collection is designed to address all the needs of a hardworking entry but with beautiful details and craftsmanship – it’s where form and function meet!
We sat down with Sarah when she was on set with us to discuss the new collection, her favorite pieces and why the entry is like the opening chapter of a book.
How do you typically approach designing an entryway?
“Your entry is the first impression and opening moment. It’s important to be functional but also,inviting and decorated,” she states. “I like, when possible, to incorporate color into the entry to set the theme for the home.” Sarah notes that “one thing that is really hard in an entry is to create layers and interest since you have less opportunity to do so. Each piece has to be thought out and well curated.”
What is your favorite piece in the collection?
The Oakes Entry Bench is one of her favorites as well as the Huges Pet Bed. The bench is based on an Anglo-Indian antique Sarah found. “I love Anglo-Indian furniture – it tends to have a very classical feel to it, but I love that we did it in a black and blue color combo.” says Sarah. “I love the bench’s lines and details. I think it is quite versatile due to the scale. I made sure that it was high enough to have storage underneath — the Savannah baskets (a personal favorite) fit right under it”. Rounding out Sarah’s favorites is her rug, “I am in love with the Wesley Striped Rug – stripes are a classic but the natural texture and border pattern make it fresh.”
What do you love about wicker?
“There is no fuss to wicker and the natural texture adds warmth but not at the expense of formality,” says Sarah. “Wicker brings a dose of casual elegance to a space.” Sarah’s Octagonal Rattan Mirror is the perfect example of this ethos.
Talk about the palette you chose for the collection.
For Sarah the color palette had to stay crips and clean. “I wanted blue and white, camel and cream – all very classic and crisp colors. Nothing is muddy and definitely not griege!”
To see all of Sarah Barthlomew’s Collection and hear her tips on creating a stylish and functional entry, visit PotteryBarn.com.
