SARA STORY- by Susanna Salk for 1stdibs
“I used drive my mother crazy with design ideas as a child,” remembers Sara Story, who thought nothing of ripping up the carpet in her room to expose a little concrete floor. And when this budding designer needed further inspiration, she and her best friend would simply knock on the door of a particularly beautiful house in their Houston, Texas neighborhood and ask for a tour.

Having traveled all over the world growing up, (with long stints in Japan and Singapore when her father worked in the oil business), this seasoned traveler already knew that great design and architecture can be found both in exotic and local destinations. “I love looking at a picture of my sisters and me crawling over Greek ruins when I was around five, “ says Story, “and I believe that my love for different cultures and design were instilled in me at a very young age.”

After her family returned home from the Far East, Story remained in Texas until college and then, after nabbing a degree in psychology, moved to San Francisco. Stints at an architectural software company and a toy manufacture were long on spreadsheets and short on imagination and soon prompted her to return to school to secure a degree in Interior Architecture. (It proved to be serendipitous timing on a personal front: after a whirlwind courtship she married and flew to Bali to honeymoon.)

“My first meaningful job once I got my degree was working for Victoria Hagan,” says Story. “She is a true master and I learned so much at so many amazing jobs.” But life would take another turn when she became pregnant with her son Duke and did not want to leave him for an office each day. “I knew then I had to dictate my own schedule, my own path,” says Story and consequently, Sara Story Design was born. The fledgling firm was christened when an acquaintance of Story’s commissioned her to handle  a complete gut renovation and mergence of two apartments on Fifth Avenue. “I knew that would be a great launching pad,” says Story. Once completed, Story submitted the project to one of her favorite shelter magazines, Interior Design. When they published it, she knew she would never look back.

Since then, a flurry of residential jobs in Manhattan has ensued, many for families with young children like herself. (“Stain proofing is a big topic of conversation,”says Story).  But finance companies have come calling as well. “Commercial is such an interesting and challenging thought process.”  Along the way she had another son, Edward and is filling his passport as avidly as his older brother’s. Says Story proudly: “I am determined for him to have the love of travel as well.” And of machinery. Story doesn’t want her boys to forget their roots, so frequent trips to her father’s San Antonio ranch to get their boots dirty are a prerequisite. “A little bit of zest is essential for dealing with life,” says Story.

She is no short of it herself: having just returned from Istanbul, she accepted the prestigious invitation to the current Kips Bay Showhouse where she parlayed the level of color and detail she saw abroad into “every aspect of my anointed space, from using gold wallpaper on the door to a canvas-covered ceiling painted with designs that gleemed in Instanbul palaces.” The glamorous result, aptly named “Harem’s Den,” is intended to be a sophisticated sanctuary where a woman is meant to enjoy time to herself or with her girlfriends.

This independent woman can’t wait to be reunited with her family at the end of a busy day, however. And her continued passion for exposing them to global design, be it Berlin or St. Barts, might someday result in her brood shopping and sleeping in spaces designed by their own mother. “My dream job would be designing boutique shops and hotels,” says Story.
With her infectious energy and scope, a plane ticket is all she’ll need.

What direction is your Style Compass pointed to?

FASHION
For fancy party dresses, Lanvin; for everyday basics, Prada.

FABRICS
For me, texture is everything . . . I love velvets, mohair, cashmere and linen.   I find a lot of exquisite fabrics at Holland & Sherry. 

ENTERTAINING
Dining al fresco in St. Barts with a small group of close friends and family . . . there is nothing more relaxing than sharing fantastic French wine and a home-cooked meal surrounded by natural beauty and those you love.

COLOR
I believe color should highlight, not dominate.  I prefer working with a neutral palette (currently I am loving grey) and using bold colors that emphasize attention grabbing design elements.

TRAVEL
Berlin fascinates me because, after the wall came down, it has become a microcosm of contemporary architecture.  My recent trip to Istanbul has very much influenced the use of decorative finishes and color in my work.  Visiting Tokyo, where designers are able to create the starkest minimalism using the most exquisite materials, is always mesmerizing.

GARDENING or FLORAL
I love vases of flowers that appear as if they were just cut from the garden, and not just delivered by a florist.

ART or DESIGN
Art is essential to all design, and it is difficult for me to draw a distinction between the two.  I am big fan of portraiture, and two of my favorite painters are Elizabeth Peyton and Francesco Clemente.

The next section is even shorter; if you prefer even one word or a list that works for your favorite or most recent…BOOK – The Sun Also Rises by Hemingway
MUSEUM - Neue Galerie in New York . . . the architecture, the art and the café are so beautiful and make you feel like you are in Vienna at the turn of the century.
RESTAURANT - Freeman’s in New York . . . it’s a hidden gem down a gritty little alley with wonderful wine and comfort food.
HOTEL - Plaza-Athenee in Paris . . . chic and fabulous.
MUSIC CD- Madonna
GIFT - Anything in an orange box
SHOPPE - Holly Golightly had Tiffany’s, I have Barneys . . . the store makes me very happy!