How to build a cozy home with Michelle Sapp

Welcome to the Cozy Times where we interview designers & decorators about their home decor tips!

Today we’ve got Michelle Sapp, 20+ year veteran of the interior design industry and currently an interior designer at Arhaus.

From designing the homes of diplomats in Washington DC to now serving families all across the US, she gives us all the secrets to building the home of your dreams.

You can find Michelle at @michellesfabdesigns on Instagram. Go show her some love on there!

Q: How did you get into interior design? 

So I actually entered this field after I graduated from college with a degree in American studies and a concentration in art history. 

So I didn't have a straight up design degree, but I always had an affinity for design, architecture, interior design, landscape design, all of that good stuff. 

I also loved the decorative arts, and that's one of the reasons why I had this concentration in art history as well. 

So I moved to DC after school and interviewed with a home furnishings and design firm, I loved the person who interviewed me. 

So I became one of their in house designers, and it was a great place to land because, as you know, DC is a very international market, and most of our clients came from the diplomatic community. 

So it was lovely and a great place to cut my teeth in a very affluent market with clients who had a real appreciation for design and furnishings. 

Q: What are some budget friendly tips for Moms or Families that want to refresh their existing homes or create a cozy atmosphere in the new homes they're moving into?

Well, I would say, first figure out what your own style story is, and you can look to shelter magazines for inspiration. You could also go to a site like Pinterest. You could also come see me at Arhaus. You could look at our website, our catalogs are beautifully done. 

Instagram is a great source as well. There are so many sites, so many instagrams now that feature a particular style or, you know, somebody might specialize in old house architecture or someone else might feature, you know, modern design. 

So whatever your own personal style story is, whatever informs your taste, determine that first, and then in terms of, and then go for it. You can certainly consult a professional like myself to help you get there. 

If you're on a budget, I would say look at those things that inspire you from, you know, maybe a higher end place. But if you're not on a budget for that, you can certainly replicate. 

So if you're looking at something, maybe the sofa that you, that really does it for you is like, you know, an $8,000 sofa, but your budget is $1,200. You could get a similar look by locating it from somewhere like wayfair.

For instance, maybe you go there for a look that you see in traditional home magazine, but you're not quite at that level oftentimes in a spread in a magazine like Traditional Home, they'll feature high and low design, and they'll show you the price points of each and the similarities. 

It's very similar to fashion, you know, and I like to mix it in. So I might do a room filled with more high end pieces, but I'll mix a target piece in, or I'll mix something in from home goods. Throw pillows, for instance. If somebody doesn't want to spend $200 on a throw pillow, they could get a great throw pillow at home goods for $29.99. 

Q: How does one go about finding the right designer to work with for their home? 

First thing would be to go on instagram and take a look at the portfolios of different designers. Most designers, including myself,  have some pictures of myself with family and friends traveling, but interspersed in there are my designs. 

You can find Michelle at @michellesfabdesigns on Instagram. 

Then it's absolutely appropriate to have an initial meeting with the designer to see if you connect on a more personal level, because we are going to be working with you for months, sometimes years. 

I have clients who've done multiple houses with me because we've connected, and in some cases we've even become friends and so, you know, I start out with the primary residence, and then maybe they call me in to do the vacation home, then they sell that home, and then they relocate to Florida, and now they want me to help them with that house. 

But absolutely talk to the person that you're considering, the designer that you're considering first. Sort of interview them and see if it's right. You can also always ask to see a portfolio. You can look at work that they've done, like I said on Instagram. 

Q: What are some common mistakes you see people make when decorating & designing their homes? 

1. Make sure everything fits in the space. 

So one of the most common mistakes that I've seen is, you know, someone who tried to do it, him or herself, and bought a sofa that was too big or that was too overwhelming or overpowering for the space.

2. Hanging decor too high like hanging a painting too high or hanging a chandelier too high. 

3. Not sizing an area rug properly for a room

4. Costlier mistakes certainly are making an investment in furniture that's expensive but not getting the right fit or the right proportion. 

5. Not buying quality furniture because if you do buy quality at the outset, it is going to outlast rather something of lesser quality. 

You know, it'll typically withstand the test of time upholstery. I love to see upholstery coming out of North Carolina, for instance, because I know that the craftspeople in North Carolina have been making that type of furniture for. Generations and those plants have been there for decades and decades. 

So you're going to get a decent quality piece of furniture that you might pay a little more for up front, but it's going to last you for 10 years, 15 years, 20 years.

If you're investing in your home, you want to make sure you're willing to spend a little bit more so you can get something that's built to last.