At Sarah & Friends Interiors we believe a well-designed home delivers a certain quality of life. We love marrying form and function, as we believe interiors should be as accessible as they are beautiful. Our ultimate goal is to provide our clients with distinctive homes that can stand the test of time.

Q+A WITH SARAH

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE SARAH & FRIENDS INTERIORS' STYLE?

The Sarah and Friends’ aesthetic is a merge between our Scandinavian and Californian heritage. We blend the two styles to create timeless, practical spaces that honor our clients’ unique stories and lifestyles. Our designs are rooted in modern and clean lines, while inspired by organic elements and textures.

Scandinavian and Californian designs are nice, but I'm looking for something different. Will Sarah & Friends Interiors be a good fit for my project?

Absolutely! While Scandinavian and Californian aesthetics are popular choices for our clients, we truly love designing in a variety of styles to create a home that reflects you, not trends. We're currently working on a diverse range of homes, including a Wine Country farmhouse, a French Transitional, a Spanish revival, and a historic home originally designed by renowned architect Julia Morgan.

WHAT ARE SOME DESIGN TRENDS AND TENDENCIES YOU SEE MOST IN THE BAY AREA?

The pandemic has reshaped the way we work, live, exercise and entertain. As a result of that, we’ve seen an increased demand for homes that are adaptable to reconfiguration.

Since the pace of life is high in Silicon Valley, we’ve noticed a tendency that people are looking for their home to be a place where they can slow down and re-center themselves. The majority of our clients are drawn to functional and personal spaces, curated specifically for them and their way of living.

YOU’VE QUITE LITERALLY LIVED ALL OVER THE WORLD: EUROPE, AFRICA, ASIA AND NOW NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. HOW HAVE ALL OF THESE PLACES INFLUENCED YOUR DESIGNS?

Unquestionably, my biggest design takeaway from living in many different countries is understanding how an environment and its traditions can influence the look of a home; and how the design of our interiors can inspire certain behaviors. For example, in Sweden, it’s important for homes to provide comfort and warmth because the winters are so cold and dark. Here, using light wood, bringing in texture and keeping it minimal helps foster a sense of comfort and well-being.

Another takeaway is that different cultures tend to solve problems in different ways, and I’ve encountered solutions to problems that I had never previously known existed. This has helped me stay open-minded when faced with a challenge.

WITH UNLIMITED PRODUCT AND MATERIAL OPTIONS OUT THERE, WHERE DO YOU START SOURCING DESIGN PIECES?

We source from everywhere; trade-only vendors, retail stores, antique stores...you never know where you'll find the perfect item! That said, we love partnering with our curated team of carpenters and artisan partners to create bespoke pieces for our clients. We also have long time contacts in Sweden who are our go-to's for some of our favorite Scandinavian pieces.

WE KNOW THAT SWEDEN IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF SUSTAINABILITY. WHAT ARE SOME TIPS AND TRICKS ON HOW TO KEEP A SUSTAINABLE MINDSET WHEN DESIGNING?

We start every project by looking at our client's current pieces to see what we can keep or make updates to. We like to teach our clients about the importance of investing in well-built, timeless pieces that can be passed down to future generations. For new items, we'll always measure twice, cut once, making sure each piece is built and incorporated into the design with intention.

Sarah and Friends Interiors

Founder

Lead Designer and Founder, Sarah Littke, was born and raised in Sweden. She currently lives in Palo Alto with her husband, their three kids, and Harper — the family’s Golden Retriever rescue.

Sarah owned an interior design business in Sweden before relocating to the Bay Area. Prior to her design career, she worked as a project manager for non-profits in developing countries around Africa and Asia.

As a native Swede, she has a soft spot for Scandinavian design, and her interiors are typically clean, functional, and open. As a mom of young kids, Sarah knows first-hand the importance of balancing form with function. She loves to help her clients reduce stress by creating order and beauty in their homes.

On the weekend you can find her spending time with her family and friends, finding new ways to stay active, and drinking too much coffee.