Meet Sarah Hargrave
Sarah Hargrave is the founder and creative mind behind The Collective, a multifaceted design business in Dallas, Texas. After honing her skills in real estate finance and construction for over a decade, Sarah established her own design and build firm in 2013 and in 2017, The Collective was born. Armed with experience, a faithful client roster, and an eye for aesthetics, Sarah has built a team of experts who focus on process, service, and a unique approach to interiors. The Collective includes a retail showroom housed in a 100-year-old home featuring original artwork from female artists around the country and The Collective Collection, the custom furniture line that is sold to designers and designers across the country. The full service interiors team specializes in high-end new construction homes, large scale renovations, and luxury furnishing projects. Sarah’s signature eclectic southern style is immediately recognized by the mix of antiques with modern design elements, bright, happy colors, and layers of pattern and texture.
What is your favorite EH pattern and why?
"Vera Vine, hands down. I remember when I saw it for the first time I squealed
because I was so happy to see something new and fresh. The girls were kind enough to send me some coasters made of Vera Vine so I get to see it every
morning when I sit my coffee on my desk!"
What is your favorite room to design?
"A dining room is most certainly my favorite space to transform! Dining rooms
don’t have the constraints that most other rooms have because they don’t have
to be terribly practical. You probably wouldn’t put an antique Murano glass
chandelier in your family room or wild wallcovering in your primary bedroom, but
you can absolutely take those chances in a dining room."
How do you feel about mixing color and pattern?
"The more the merrier! I love mixing pattern and color but the key is to
understand the scale. If using multiple prints, it’s important that they vary in
scale."
How did you get started in Interior Design?
"I didn’t go to design school so my introduction to interiors was completely self-
manifested. I purchased my first home, a 1950’s ranch that hadn’t been touched
in 55 years, when I was quite young. I slowly and meticulously remodeled and
designed it alongside a wonderful contractor who taught me everything about the
construction process. I soaked it all in and after my husband and I had been
together for a few months, he suggested I change career paths and devote my
time to construction design. After remodeling 30 or so homes, including our
current home, I gained knowledge and interest in the furnishings portion of a
project. A good friend of mine, and a fellow designer, moved out of state and
asked me to take over one of her projects. She had so much trust in me and
gave me the confidence to turn The Collective into what it is today."
Do you see any advantages of working with smaller textile lines?
"Working with smaller textile lines and artisans gives you the opportunity to create
designs for our clients that are unique and special. The larger fabric houses have
wonderful products, but it’s nice to have patterns created by individuals that
aren’t mass produced or widely known. Small batch textiles are our secret
weapon and allow us to design truly individual spaces for our clients that are
uniquely theirs."