Sara Kate Studios

This is a brand new CLOTH & KIND column called Limelight. I'm kind of geekily (is that even a word?) excited about it because at its core this column just feels really good to me - and I hope you agree. It's all about shining a well-deserved spotlight on creative, hard-working, and just plain old good people who are busy doing what they love in life, and in the process making their corners of the world better and prettier places to be.

Limelight is about giving props and spreading the love.

And perhaps the best part about this new column is that at the end of each post, the interviewee will tell us who they would like to share the Limelight with. Welcome to the Limelight, and please meet Sara Kate. I'm the… Owner, Scout & Stylist.

This is what I do…. Travel the country trying to find unique vintage and modern day finds for clients, as well as helping style a plethora of projects...interiors, parties, photoshoots - you name it, and I'll style it.

Something you really need to know about me is…. I am a sucker for the details. I am a fiend for the unusual. I adore things that tell a story, and have character.

This is how Sara Kate Studios came to be… After years preparing to work at a commercial architecture firm I had a bit of a panic attack. The idea of working in a cubicle and not being able to focus on details just wrecked me. After a serious conversation with loved ones I decided to venture out on my own. People had always loved the vintage finds that I had collected, even going so far as to try and buy them out of my house... It seemed only natural to move in the direction of my passion. It happened organically and slowly, but looking back what I had been working towards had been there for quite some time... I just needed to put the pieces together and have the gumption to take the risk.

My absolute favorite thing that I sell right now is… I have had a serious hankering for botanical charts lately. My mother loved to garden growing up, so I have a certain fondness and nostalgia for flowers. I recently happened upon some Swedish botanical charts from the 1920's, and also some German botanical charts from the late 1800's. They are so lovely, and not something that you see every day.

I'm most proud of …. My amazing customers and the culture that we are creating together.

I really detest…. Nothing. My job is an adventure every day with new challenges and rewards popping up around every corner.

I could never have done it without… My mother. She definitely has an entreprenurial spirit, and has been so incredibly encouraging along the way. She encourages me to take risks, make wise choices, and that these things take time. She would often tell me that "people fail not because they have bad ideas, but because they give up too soon", and that's something I've embraced.

I consistently read these for inspiration…. I adore Matchbook magazine. Those girls have such a great aesthetic, and I can certainly relate to their idea of "classic with a twist". Also, I must admit that I still have all of my Domino magazines and will peruse them from time to time. That magazine really did wonders for me, and when I was 19 I put Domino magazine on my bucket list. The idea of being featured by them was something that I would daydream about.

I would like to share the limelight with… I definitely adore what I've lately begun to refer to a my kindred spirits. I am clinging to this idea that there are other women out there, my age, venturing off doing their own thing. One of these women in certainly Shannon Darrough. She's recently begun her own interiors business, Poplin & Queen, and I love that not only is she smart and talented, but she's also eager and willing to do whatever she needs to do. She's focused on her clients, and she's also focused on improving the way that she operates her business.

John Robshaw

what is your idea of perfect design happiness? LOOKING FOR VINTAGE TEXTILES.

what is your greatest fear in design? NO FEARS.

which historical design figure do you most identify with? ELLSWORTH KELLY, PAINTER.

which living designer do you most admire? BUNNY WILLIAMS, SHE RUNS A TIGHT SHIP.

what profession other than design would you like to attempt? PAINTER, PLEASE.

what is your greatest design extravagance? ANTIQUE TEXTILES.

when and where were you happiest with your design? IN INDIA AT THE WORKSHOPS.

what do you consider your greatest achievement in design? BRINGING A NEW TAKE ON BLOCK PRINTING TO A WIDER MARKET.

if you died and came back as another designer or design object, who or what do you think it would be? CAN I BE A FERRARI?

what specific design related talent are you lacking that you would you most like to have? PATIENCE.

what is your most treasured design related possession? MY COUNTRY HOUSE.

what do you regard as the lowest depths of misery in design? TRADE SHOWS.

what curse word do you most frequently use? SHIT, MAN.

what is your favorite design related word? COOL.

what is your least favorite design related word? INTERESTING.

what turns you on in design? NEW IDEAS, NEW TECHNIQUES.

what turns you off in design? PRINTS I’VE SEEN BEFORE.

what is your motto in design? KEEP ON TRUCKING.

IMAGE CREDITS | Bunny Williams' image via bunnywilliams.com, John Robshaw fabrics included are Lanka Oyster, Tumeric Light Indigo and Hedge bedding, All other images courtesy of John Robshaw.

PROUST ON DESIGN | Answered by my design icons, these must-ask questions come from a 19th century parlor game made popular by Marcel Proust, the French novelist, essayist & critic. This interview technique has been used by many journalists throughout the years but my column was primarily inspired by The Proust Questionnaire, which appears monthly on the back page of Vanity Fair(my alma mater). The twist here on CLOTH & KIND is that I've repurposed each question to relate to interior design. To read all of my Proust on Design interviews, please click here. Enjoy!

Role Models: London Street Style

Fashion: London Street Style via Vogue // Fabric: Big Toupe Butter Floral via Kerry Cassill

Hue: Swedish Blue

Plumwich's Chloe in Swedish Blue was my inspiration for this mood board. I've long been drawn to the cool blues and grays often used in Swedish design. Maybe because my ancestors are Scandinavian (Swedish & Norwegian, with a tad of French in there somewhere) so it's just in my blood?...but most likely because it's well-worn vibe is relaxed and inviting. How do you feel about Swedish style? Cold and sparse, or bright and inviting?

Top: Chloe in Swedish Blue from Plumwich. Clockwise: 18th Century Swedish Baroque Cabinet from 1st Dibs, Agra Rug from Mansour, Swedish Mora Clock in a Lars Bolander Design, La Plata Fabric by Josef Frank from Svenskt Tenn.

Hue: Dans Le Noir

Clockwise: Marseille // Moderne // Drago // Hickory Chair // Etoile // Peacock Feathers

Last night I had the most interesting experience. I dined in the dark at Dans Le Noir in NY... in a pitch black dining room. I mean, not a shred of light. I was with a group of friends, which made the whole thing fun but I would be lying if I told you that I wasn't very uncomfortable. At least in the beginning.

As the meal went on I became more settled, relaxing into the experience. I allowed myself to close my eyes, because frankly keeping them open and straining to see in vain was almost painful. My friends and I talked about how our other senses were incredibly heightened to compensate for our lack of sight. I've never been so acutely aware of my sense of smell and touch. It was also so interesting to try to hold a conversation without the ability to take visual cues from eye contact and body language, and feeling unsure about when you can interject or who at the table is not otherwise engaged in a conversation.

Our servers were all blind, and they acted as our guides - leading us in to our seats and telling us where the bottles of wine (very important) and water were on the table then allowing us the highly entertaining experience of pouring for ourselves. Eating our meals became a sensory endeavor as well. We laughed, admitting that there was lots of using our fingers and general messiness happening as we attempted to eat. It was truly freeing knowing that no one could see me, which allowed me to eat at my own pace and enjoy my food in an unexpectedly enjoyable, and very personal way.

At the end of the evening when we finally emerged into the light I can say that I was honestly quite effected by this experience. It isn't something I will soon forget and it most definitely falls into the category of going outside of my comfort zone and finding new ways to experience this world that we live in. I am grateful for last night and even more grateful than ever for my sense of sight which is so tightly linked to my passion for interior design and the beauty of textiles.

So of course this whole process led me to start thinking about my design sensibility. And while I wouldn't normally consider a post on pitch black textiles, today I am doing so in honor of my dining in the dark experience and the recognition that it has led me to have a new appreciation for the dark.

These shadowy fabrics make you search a little bit harder to see their nuanced beauty, don't they?

Fab Five: Oh, Suzani!

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 & 5 ... for even more suzani inspiration, check out this Pinterest board.

Exquisite, Indeed

What do you think of this combo? It's for a client who wants to freshen up their kitchen. I'm recommending Katie Leede's Shade of Sycamore fabric for the roman shade on the window above the sink, with a new backsplash in one of these truly beautiful hand painted tile designs from Exquisite Surfaces' La Terre collection. These two small changes are going to totally transform the space.

Role Models: Iris van Herpen

Fashion: Iris van Herpen // Fabric: Kelly Wearstler for Lee Jofa Groundworks

Bookshelf Nirvana

I took the lunch hour today to finish organizing my home office, complete with my first ever color-coded bookshelves. I hadn't planned on doing this, but it's always something that I've thought is incredibly aesthetically pleasing. When I stopped to think about it, I realized that having the luxury of my own little office tucked away on the 3rd floor of our new/old home means that I am able to fill these shelves with just my design-related books. All of our other books have a different home (definitely no color coding there, I might add). Since all of these titles are in the same genre I decided to give it a whirl and organize solely based on hue. I must say, it's kind of like design nirvana for me. What do you think? Am I officially off my rocker or would you ever consider color-coding your bookshelves too?

Nympheus & Song

I've been somewhat obsessed with this Nympheus fabric from Lee Jofa ever since I first laid eyes on it at BlogFest. In fact, I have already written about it once before. It's a very old pattern dating back to 1915 Thailand that came from Lee Jofa's archives. Thomas O'Brien has recently reimagined it in two new colorways - Aubergine (above) & Teal. Since it's been so on my mind, I absolutely had to integrate it into our new/old house reno somewhere and the little back hallway/mudroom ended up being the perfect place for it. With just one window, this was the most amazing fabric choice to add a powerful punch of interest to a space that is often neglected from a design standpoint in many homes. It was also a good choice budget-wise because the window is small and this fabric is - ahem, not inexpensive, shall we say. Then when I found Madeline Weinrib's Song runner in Pumpernickel the deal was sealed. These two textiles were meant to be together and they make me very, very happy every time I come and go out the back door of our new/old home.

Do you have a fabric that you've always dreamed of using in your home or am I the only one who fantasizes about textiles? Please tell me I'm not alone.