Raised in New York City and London, Sarah Jeffreys founded the eponymous firm Sarah Jeffreys Architecture + Interiors in 2001. After a Bachelor’s in Architectural Studies and History of Art, a Master’s in Architecture, and working with renowned architectural firms around the world; the designer-architect decided to run her brand and weave sustainability and modern minimalism into every project.
We recently caught up with Sarah to learn more about her person and journey in this vivacious world. In this interview, she talks about her sustainable approach to her projects, her love for biophilic design, and how passive house design inspires her work. Read on to know more.
Homecrux (HC): Can you tell us about your architecture and interior journey? What led you to the field?
Sarah Jeffreys (SJ): I grew up between Europe and the United States, and have been fortunate enough to regularly travel elsewhere, and experience new cultures and landscapes. I’ve always been incredibly inspired by the design and infrastructure of different countries and cities, especially India. It is the most incredible country, filled with gorgeous architecture, bright colors, extreme heat, enticing smells, and warm people – a stimulation of all the senses. Inspired by these trips, my designs seek to engage all the senses through the use of natural light, connection to nature, use of rich materials, and bright warm colors.
I have a background in psychology as well, and love that this line of work allows me to work closely with people to revel in the process of pinpointing their particular needs and desires. I always joke that I have two professions, a designer and a relationship counselor!
HC: What is your design style?
SJ: We design modern, sleek, unique architecture and interiors with open plans so people can freely move through and inhabit their spaces. Each project is drenched in natural light from oversized windows and sliding doors so you can feel the warmth of the sun and fresh air, regardless of the location of the home. We utilize contrasting materials, mixing warm and cool elements, always with a pop of color. Our projects have a finely tuned eye for detail with each element of the project designed and perfectly coordinated.
Above all, we design to stimulate all the senses. Knowing our surrounding environment directly affects our psychological well-being, we design spaces to be a series of experiences that transform how its inhabitants feel to stimulate good health, joy, calm, inspiration, and creativity.
HC: What would you say is that key element(s) in your work that you don’t compromise with at any cost?
SJ: Our projects are all about connecting living spaces with the world beyond through large glass windows and oversized glass sliding doors that open the interior space to the exterior, blurring the boundary between indoor and outdoor. People are simply happier when they’re surrounded by natural sunlight, sky views, trees, and the breeze, and this applies to city living as well as in the country. It boosts their mood, energy, creativity, and overall psychological well-being. After people were on lockdown at the height of the pandemic, biophilia in design became even more important. We need to embrace the connection to nature and the environment in our interiors, and that’s even more relevant now than ever.
We also create outdoor rooms, where people can enjoy the outdoors, cityscape, or natural world all around them while being cocooned in an outdoor living room, whether that means an exterior covered deck, screened-in porch, or framed exterior terrace. Connecting to natural light and nature improves mental health, reducing stress and anxiety with an increased feeling of calm and happiness, which is why we find these connections so important in our designs.
HC: How important is it to keep your projects aligned with the ever-evolving interior design styles and architectural trends?
SJ: You might be surprised to learn that as designers, we seldom rely on trends in our work. That doesn’t mean we’re not inspired by contemporary styles, however. While we may reference trending ideas during the initial design phase, our primary goal is to create timeless spaces that our clients will feel comfortable and happy in for years to come. We always stay current with the latest colors and materials and are constantly incorporating them into our projects. While more fleeting trends don’t find their way into our concept decks often.
HC: What according to you is the biggest interior design trend of 2024?
SJ: I am thrilled to see that passive house design, which is a means to make a home highly sustainable and energy efficient, is in higher demand. In the past passive houses had darker interiors with small punched openings for windows. Now passive houses can be light, infused, vibrant interior spaces. When designing a gut renovation or new build, passive house design is a no-brainer! The principles are very basic: high levels of insulation, airtight construction, no thermal bridging, high-performance triple pane windows and doors, and a fresh air exchange system. Passive homes are quieter, healthier spaces with cleaner air that require approximately 70% less energy. I am excited to see that more people are turning to passive home design.
HC: Is there a trend that you wish to see more of in the next year?
SJ: On the coattails of passive design, I hope building trends will eventually lead to net-zero construction becoming the norm. Sustainable materials and methods are becoming more accessible as technology advances, so we can expect to see net-zero construction more often.
HC: How do you align your vision for a project with that of your clients? Does it require a lot of compromise?
SJ: We are fortunate to have such wonderful clients who are receptive to our design concepts and direction! Clients typically seek us out as they appreciate our design aesthetics and share our passion for sustainable design. With that said, there’s still a lot that goes into creating unique, custom dream spaces for others.
We always start our projects by asking the client to come up with their wish list for the project. Then, we work together to create an order of priority. We create mood boards early in the process to fine-tune the design direction, which is incredibly helpful in the process to refer back to and remind the clients of what appeals to them. They may say they like classic aesthetics, while they actually lean toward more modern, clean styles in the mood boards.
HC: What has been your favorite project so far?
SJ: It will always be difficult to name a favorite because each project has been uniquely rewarding, but I will say designing your own home is incredibly special. I especially love to design kitchens, and mine has truly become the center of our household and life. I love to cook for people, whether for my three boys and their friends or our family friends; a typical dinner in our house is for 10-16 people! A kitchen like this needs to be designed with flow, allowing for many people to gather and cook.
Our kitchen is a heavenly space with a full wall of windows, and views on all four sides in every direction. It’s light-infused, open and airy, cheerful with pops of all my favorite colors: orange, red, and yellow. It’s an inspiring, joyous place to gather, eat, and even work.
HC: How important are energy efficiency and sustainability in your work? How do you persuade clients to choose eco-conscious when designing/remodeling a home?
SJ: Investing in sustainable measures can feel daunting and confusing for homeowners, but it is a key pillar in our design practice. As such, we are dedicated to educating our clients on the many benefits of energy-efficient design and passive house standards. We guide our clients on ways to make their homes more efficient with increased insulation, air-tight construction, and green HVAC systems to reduce the need for heating and cooling outputs, reducing the carbon footprint of the home. To design and build more energy-efficient – or ideally, passive – houses can reduce utility expenses by 70% and create healthier environments directly affecting our psychological well-being.
HC: Tell us your favorite design thing and one that you do not like.
SJ: We love to incorporate bright pops of color. Orange has become a signature of ours; we try to work it into each of my projects. Orange is cheerful, bright, playful, and happy. Even if it is the smallest of details, it brings a fun, cheery pop.
One of my design pet peeves, on the other hand, is too many competing materials in one space. We have a rule of three materials maximum in one space to keep it clean, sleek, and elegant. Too many materials tend to make spaces feel cramped, busy, and hectic.
HC: A word for the budding designers and creators? How should one remain creative with Artificial Intelligence (AI) penetrating our lives more than ever?
SJ: Travel often. So much of my design inspiration comes from experiencing new cultures and places. As mentioned, I have a special place in my heart for India. I never tire of visiting.
Do not fear AI! There are so many AI programs that are amazing resources for designers to explore their design ideas in a fraction amount of time that typical rendering programs take. AI provides incredibly helpful tools we encourage designers to embrace.
We thank Sarah Jeffreys for taking time out for this insightful engagement!
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