The Source

Sourcing art locally isn't just a nice-to-have — it brings a uniqueness, story, and connection to place that generic sourcing can't match. Here's why it's worth thinking about, whether you're designing for yourself or a client.

When budgets get tight, art is often the first thing clients want to cut. Here's how to explain what original art actually offers — and why it's more attainable than most clients think.

You don't have to be the one sourcing the art to offer it as part of your service. Here's how to position it with clients — plus ready-to-use language for when the topic comes up.

Sarah Hurt joins Kimberley Seldon to make the case that art selection is a designer's call to make, not the client's to figure out alone. The conversation covers why deferring art decisions weakens a designer's authority, and how to guide clients toward pieces that complete a project instead of stalling it.

Sarah Hurt talks with Douglas Robb about why smart designers delegate art sourcing to a specialist — and how that delegation protects their time, their profit, and their client relationships. They dig into designer discounts, in-home previews, and how art creates natural touchpoints to reconnect with past clients.

Sarah Hurt joins Michelle Dellino and Amy Alpeza to talk about designing a "first me home" after divorce, and how art becomes a tool for identity and control during a major life transition. It's a conversation about how a home shapes healing, not just how it looks.

Sarah Hurt explains why art belongs in the initial design package instead of being an afterthought designers scramble to add at the end. She and the host cover curating with confidence, working with local artists, and managing client art preferences.

Not every project needs outside help with art — but certain signs suggest that bringing in a specialist would make things easier, not harder. Here are five moments when an art consultant adds the most value to an interior design project.

How we built a five-artist collection for Zymeworks' Seattle office — where fabric collages, cellular abstractions, and Pacific Northwest photography meet the science of developing cancer medicines.

How we built a collection of sculpture, photography, and mixed media for Stellar Apartments — a dramatic South Lake Union residential development by Pastakia + Associates.

When Perkins&Will asked us to honor the equestrian history of the Longacres site without being literal about it, we commissioned artist Jean Richardson to create a three-panel triptych that captures the spirit of the land in motion.

How we built a diverse art program — spanning painting, sculpture, fiber art, and mixed media — for HUE Apartments, a new residential community in Redmond, Washington.