Sara Story: a design powerhouse creating crisp and elegant spaces

Enjoy an exclusive interview with renowned NYC-based designer Sara Story - a tale of how art and fashion play into design.

At the junction of design, art, fashion, and travel lies Sara Story, a renowned New York City-based designer and founder of the eponymous design firm, Sara Story Design. Her style is unmistakable and her aesthetic one-of-a-kind: crisp and elegant.

Sara’s dynamic design firm is a true reflection of her: unique and forward-thinking. Her passion for travel and artwork is infused in her work, which embodies her adventurous spirit. Those two things are what most inspire her - both in life and design. “Traveling and going to museums, looking at contemporary artwork, paintings, and sculptures inspire me tremendously,” she shared “That coincides with traveling and being immersed in a culture, their food and art - it fills me up.” She even revealed she would be a gallerist in another life.

She cites Copenhagen, Denmark as one of her favorite cities. “Everywhere I went the designs were so holistic,” she shared, “a restaurant would incorporate ceramic, silverware, pelts on old Danish chairs, placemats, and crystal light fixtures so beautifully...it was truly inspiring.” Speaking of travels, Sara recently attended Paris fashion week, where she got to experience all the new designs, color palettes, and fabrics, which are stirring up new ideas and combinations in her creative brain. “Looking at compositions, scales, and colors - it gets into your psyche and translates into design,” she said. 

Her appreciation for travel and culture allows Sara to approach each project with a unique lens, guided by its location. “The setting and the landscape set the tone for each project,” Story told Cosentino. “A Colorado home will be very different from one in Cape Cod inspired by dunes and sea or a city apartment drawing energy from its bustling surroundings.” And surfaces play a key role in bringing these unique design visions to life. “Surfaces are intrical to interior architecture,” Story stated, “and now, we have access to surfacing material that is durable, chic, timeless, and elegant, such as Silestone by Cosentino which I am using as the vanities in a new project in Boulder.”

A renowned designer with jaw-dropping projects around the world, Sara gave us some special insight into one particular project she holds near and dear to her heart. She designed her own home in Hill Country, Texas, a place she has been going to since she was a little girl. “Being able to build a home with natural materials from Texas, such as limestone and oak, was incredibly special,” she revealed, “it is a contemporary dwelling that is very warm and inviting where I get to spend time with my loved ones. My heart is there” she smiled. 

When looking at the future of the industry, Sara is excited to see people being more open and playing by their own rules. “I love seeing free-flowing and organic designs and not following a certain predetermined ‘look’ - people are open to breaking rules, and that inspires and excites me” she concluded.

In addition to stunning residential and commercial projects, she maintains successful product collaboration, such as her “Center Point” collection with SA Baxter Hardware. She also has two wallpaper collections, the first launched in 2012 inspired by traditional Asian motifs for a contemporary yet edgy audience and the second in 2015 inspired by her passion for travel.

Learn more about Sara Story Design here and keep up with Sara’s work on social media at @sarastorydesign