As we begin to usher in the Summer season, we wanted to take time to reflect on some of the events and fundraisers we were fortunate to take part in this spring.

First up was a Virginia Garden Week luncheon. Our friend and PR expert Austin Mill assembled a “Romp Around the Old Dominion” tour of houses, bringing together architects and designers. Following a tour of the historic abode, which was shipped over from England and reassembled in Richmond, we hosted a delicious and scenic get together on the terrace overlooking the gardens. With a spring palette of citrusy yellows and oranges and pinks and beautiful blooms, our tablescapes also included a floral Christopher Farr Cloth Richmond print that had been pulled from the archives and was originally used for the royal family’s home.

Next, we were thrilled to participate in the annual Little Hands fundraiser, held at Tredegar Iron Works. With a children’s storybook theme as inspiration, we selected perennial favorite “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein, a fitting choice since Little Hands shines a light on the importance of giving. The book also provides a natural match for Sara’s love of nature, which was abundantly on display: a batik green printed tablecloth, bamboo cutlery, woven baskets of apples in each guest’s seat, and Mottahedeh Apple Lace dinnerware featuring butterflies all added to the sensation of bringing the outdoors inside. At the table’s center, was an apple tree in a white planter, loaned by Capital Garden Products. China loaned by Fraiche.

And just a few weeks ago, we participated in a Design Leadership Network panel celebrating the Network’s impressive and wide-traveling first book, The Living Room.

Moderated by DLN Director of Editorial and Community Engagement Hadley Keller, the panel covered the evolution of living room design, touching on the influence of Nancy Lancaster as well as Richmond’s own Wilton House among other trends throughout time.

After the panel, which featured Sara, architect Dan Ensminger, and Bond Millen Gallery Director Ashley Millen, participants enjoyed a guided tour of Maymont’s Japanese and Italian gardens.

More behind the scenes

We have been hard at work over the past few months totally overhauling our website, adding more to the services we offer, introducing our online store, and even launching a brand new design platform.

The new and imporoved sarahillery.com

We are so excited to officially debut our new and improved website. We have been working hard upgrading not only the look of our website, but the services we offer. Now you can fill out a design request online, allowing us to get right to work making your house the home you always dreamed of. We have expanded our portfolio with some of our most recent projects. And you can pick from three design services that will suit your unique needs!

Sara Hillery Curated Collection

The Curated Collection is a carefully selected grouping of furniture, case goods, art, accessories, and lighting for sale online as well as the full line of Sara Hillery Home textiles. Our working relationships with vendors across the US and abroad ensures our customers have access to an extensive variety of new, antique and one-of-a-kind products.

Design Delivered by SH

We have launched an innovative design platform called Design Delivered by SH which brings the design process directly to homeowners who want to work at their own speed. The launch of this platform represents a new approach to home design projects and comes during a shift in the design industry as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Completely contactless, Design Delivered is a web-based platform that gathers an individual’s home project information and design needs and produces a new design all within six weeks. Whether it’s a complete room re-design or a simple space refresh, Design Delivered produces a comprehensive package put together by Sara Hillery and her team of designers. The package comes with various pricing options, based on the size and scope of the project, and includes a floor plan, a color storyboard and proposals for window treatments, art work, lighting, fabrics, upholstery and paint plans. After a Zoom consultation and accessing a private design portal to upload inspiration images, a questionnaire and how-to measuring guides, the client then receives in the mail a final design box with a plan of paint colors, fabrics, wallpaper, draperies, furniture, accessories and of course a floorplan - all within six weeks.

While you’re here, you might be interested in Five Reasons to Hire an Interior Designer