When embarking upon a new project, designer Sarah Fultz aims to craft a space that will simply bring her clients joy. Her desire is to make each space relaxing and inviting through natural touches and a focus on how their family lives. Please enjoy a tour of her wonderful work, thoughtfully photographed by Matti Gresham.

Can you share a bit about what drew you to a career in interior design?

My career in interior design was birthed out of passion and personal experience. My husband and I renovated our first two homes, and the process was so life-giving to me. Then friends would ask me to help with their homes, and soon I was getting emails from total strangers asking if I’d consider being paid to design their homes. This career has been one of the biggest surprises – and joys – of my life thus far!

As a designer who is mindful of how our homes impact our wellbeing, what tips can you share to create a more healthful home environment?

First of all, I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you’ve identified that specific passion of mine. It’s truly a big piece of my “why” as a designer. I could honestly go on for many pages about this, but three quick tips would be:

• Resolve conflict and pursue wholeness in your relationships (no amount of “stuff” will ever be able to do that for you),
• Declutter and rid your home of excess (chaotic environments lead to stress and anxiety).
• Layer your lighting (a combination of overhead, sconce, and lamp lighting will do wonders for your home as a place of rest and refuge).

If we could view all of your work in a single snapshot, what common idea would unite them?

The idea of home being a refuge, I think, unites all of my designs. Whether it’s a moody library or airy kitchen, it’s my hope that my work beckons people to enjoy, rest, and invite others into these spaces.

This kitchen features beautifully styled shelves. Will you share a few tips and tricks for #shelfiesuccess?

I need to go back through my notes and see if I can figure out how many linear feet of open shelving this home has – it was a LOT to style! Successful shelf styling is all about layering. Don’t simply stack things or place them side by side; place a larger object (a piece of art or large cutting board) in the back, and smaller accent pieces in front. Layer finishes, too; place your brass pieces in the same “moment” as your clay vessels.

I am dying to hear about the moody brick wall in our featured image. Can you tell us a bit about how this design came together?

This room has my whole heart. I remember walking into it for the first time with my clients, and almost instantly knowing that we needed to bring in this really saturated green. The room was covered in a darkish wood paneling and the room felt, well, oppressive. So while it took a minute for my clients to get on board (naturally their first instinct was to lighten things up), they were ultimately able to catch my vision. Trusting clients are really just the biggest gift!

What aspect of interior design makes you jump out of bed in the morning?

Because my career in interior design came from my own personal experience in seeing the dramatic boost in one’s quality of life that can come from a well-designed space, knowing that I’m working to give others that same gift is wildly invigorating! Comments from clients like, “We can’t wait to have our first party here!” or, “This room just makes me so happy!” does for my energy what no amount of caffeine could do!

What personal joys inspire your work?

My faith is hugely inspirational for my work. God is the ultimate source of creativity, I believe He cares deeply about beauty, and I know it honors Him when I serve my clients with care and compassion. My family is also one of my deepest joys, and our life together – how we live in our home, what excites us, what gets my boys’ attention – is extremely inspirational when helping my clients design their homes.

With three kiddos at home your days must be filled to the brim. How do you get your days started off on the right foot?

Filled to the brim is right! But filled with all the best things. Mornings are a very sacred time for me. It’s very important that I wake before my kids, otherwise, it’s highly unlikely a lot of the things I hope to achieve that day (exercise, prayer, studying the Bible, getting that first batch of emails out) will ever get done, let alone be done well.

We’ve all heard the old adage ‘Everything’s bigger in Texas’. Has your design aesthetic been influenced by your ‘larger than life’ home state?

We Texans love history (especially our own, ha!), nature, and family – three of my biggest sources of design inspiration. My clients want homes that can host their extended family and friends, can withstand the energy of little kids and big dogs, and are aesthetically striking while avoiding trends. I love designing for my fellow Texans!

This living room has several incredible pieces that play well together. Tell us a bit about how you brought all of these elements together in a cohesive way.

This is our family room, and I’m so so pleased with the way it came out! As with a lot of rooms, it all started with a rug. I found this incredible vintage rug on eBay right before we moved in that I knew I wanted to use in this room. I layered a soft jute rug underneath that added texture, as well as fit the space more appropriately. We went with a leather sofa because I truly believe it’s the most kid-friendly material. The other pieces were collected slowly over time as we got used to the space and really knew what we were looking for. I love how we painted the whole house white (Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore), but it allows us to bring in so much color with our furniture and textiles.

Many of us have spent the past year discovering the true needs and desires we value in our homes. What does a well-lived home mean to you?

You’re so right – this is something we are all exploring lately! To me, it’s all about intention. If we purchase things conscientiously, if we have organizational systems in place, if we’ve taken the time to donate or dispose of pieces that are no longer serving a need or exciting us aesthetically, we’re on the right track for creating homes we love in which we want to spend much of our time.

Love what you see? Take a peek at the talent behind the story… Interior Design: Sarah Fultz Interiors · Photography: Matti Gresham · Feature Image Built By: Chatham Collective · White Family Room Built By: Axiom Builders