If you’ve been following along over the years, you’ve heard me tout professional designers like Jessica Helgerson, Emma Reddington and Amber Lewis. They are some of my favorite women to turn to when I’m looking for decorating inspiration or in need of interior eye candy. I study their work and take mental notes on everything from paint colors and furniture placement to artwork and textile mixes. Even though they’re usually working with a bigger budget, their designs can be a sounding board when I’m making selections for my home or a client’s.
I’m always looking for other designers to follow and in 2015 (I wrote 2016 when signing off on the kids’ homework yesterday and it felt so strange!), I fell in love with Samantha Sacks.
This modern-meets-vintage kitchen is what did me in but, really, I’ve been admiring Sacks’s work for years and just now put two and two together that the same person is behind many of my favorite spaces.
When I think of Sacks’s designs, the words modern, mixed, natural, global, unique and livable come to mind – with emphasis on livable. Being a mom of three with a fourth furry “kid” underfoot, Sacks has a knack for creating family-friendly interiors. Busy kids, big dogs, muddy boots, backpacks, homework, toys and even snack time are all taken into consideration.
Hard-wearing materials like oiled wood, natural stone and durable upholstery are utilized often. IKEA products reside amongst splurges like statement lighting. Architectural elements are balanced yet rarely exactly symmetrical to keep things from feeling too perfect. Accessories and artwork are brought in in carefully considered quantities to achieve a personal yet uncluttered vibe. Mixing new and modern with vintage and global keeps everything feeling warm and interesting. (Sacks is particularly fond of upcycling old doors.) All these elements work together to create interiors that really speak to me and my love for all things casual and cozy.
Sacks’s work has been featured in past issues of House & Home and Style at Home but I especially love touring her rooms in video form. The video tours give a better sense of floor plans and scale, and I almost always notice a thing or two not evident in still photos. Here are some virtual room tours from Samantha Sacks for more inspiration. They include client spaces along with Sacks’s current and previous homes. It’s fun to see the pieces that made the move from her previous home to her current one. Proof that truly great pieces are extremely versatile!
A Modern-Meets-Vintage Kitchen
An Elegant Midcentury Modern Mix
Sacks’s Previous Rowhouse Home
Sacks’s Previous Family Kitchen
Is there a designer you find yourself turning to time and again for ideas and inspiration? I’d love to hear your favorites.
P.S. – See my roundup of favorite real home tours from last year. I still ogle them.
images: 1) Donna Griffith 2) Michael Graydon, Samantha Sacks
budget decor, inspiration, interior design, kid-friendly