How to Curate Meaningful Artwork for Your Interior Design Projects

Design Curious · Podcast Feature · July 2026

Sarah Hurt, founder of Seattle Art Source, joins Design Curious to talk about integrating art into interior design projects from the very start. She explains why you shouldn’t scramble to add it at the end.

Design Curious is a podcast for interior designers building their careers and businesses. It covers everything from finding your niche to running client-ready projects with confidence.

The episode opens with a familiar scenario: a beautifully finished project that still feels unresolved because the art was never really decided. Instead, it was just left for later, or left to the client. Furniture, finishes, and textiles tend to get the bulk of a designer’s attention. Meanwhile, art quietly becomes an afterthought. Sarah and the host make the case for flipping that order. They recommend treating art as part of the initial design package rather than a last-minute addition.

Sarah shares how Seattle Art Source works, from her own path into the art world as a second career to how she partners with designers on both residential and commercial projects. She discusses sourcing, commissioning, installing, and advising along the way. Additionally, the conversation covers how to confidently curate art selections and how to collaborate with local artists. They also talk about managing the moment when a client has strong (or scattered) opinions about what should go on their walls. Furthermore, there’s a practical detour into renting art for photography, a detail that comes up more than designers expect once a project is ready to shoot.

Throughout, the thread is building real relationships — with artists, with clients, and between designers and the art advisors who can help round out their expertise. This serves as a way to create more meaningful, more finished spaces.

Listen on Apple Podcasts.

Website: rwarddesign.com

Instagram: @rwarddesign

Seattle Art Source works with interior designers nationwide to source, commission, and install original art for residential and commercial projects. Get in touch to learn how art can become part of your design process from day one.