We had the good fortune of connecting with Sarah Barnard and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sarah, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Creating holistic and restorative environments that connect with and support people’s physical, mental, and emotional life.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I founded my environmentally-focused design studio 17 years ago. Since then, design for well-being has gone from a little-known concept to a “hot button” topic. Historically, a commitment to sustainable design suggested limited aesthetic options. Vegan clients committed to compassion and wellness have struggled with commercially manufactured home products, like faux leather, as it is often made of synthetic materials with harmful off-gassing chemicals. Our studio is devoted to our client’s health and happiness, working closely with artisans to create one of a kind natural, sustainable, and vegan materials that are beautiful, comfortable, and personalized.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Some of L.A.’s best hotels are also amazing perches for epic birding and tree bathing. I’d start at the Hotel Bel-Air, where the extensive gardens and lake are home to a host of songbirds, hummingbirds, and resident swans. Legend has it that the hotel’s silk floss tree may be the single largest specimen in the United States, or maybe the world. The Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica is a great place to watch gulls, pelicans, and other seabirds, and in Pasadena, the Langham has a fascinating population of woodpeckers. From the seventh floor of the main building, you can watch them at eye level as they peck about the palm treetops.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Lesley Roberts is the principal of Ocean Park Studio and co-founder of Textile Arts LA. Lesley is a vibrant force within the Los Angeles architecture and design community, and I am honored to call her a colleague and friend. Lesley and I first met in 2018 when Lesley invited me to present at Textile Arts inaugural summit exploring “mindful materials, and the concept of sustainability, the power of innovation, the role of technology, and how collaboration rather than competition can be a path forward.” In 2019, Lesley and I had the opportunity to work together again when I led the special presentation, Mindful and Meaningful: Exploring the Synergetic Relationship of Textile Waste and Fine Art Practice. Most recently, Lesley organized an inspiring panel of Los Angeles based wellness design leaders, inviting me to present with architects Julie Smith-Clementi and Adaeze Cadet at the Helms Bakery Design District. Because of Lesley’s introduction, Julie, Adaeze, and I have had the opportunity to continue collaborating in 2020, highlighting the importance of empathetic design as the foundation of healing interventions at the United States Green Building Councils, Municipal Green Conference.

Website: www.sarahbarnard.com
Instagram: @kaletreeshop
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahbarnarddesign/

Image Credits
Photos by: Ace Misunias Brad Nicol Steven Dewall

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