We do everything from Blueprints all the way to the last finishing accessory.
My job is to create that space that they love. To me, everybody that I work with deserves great design. I don't care who they know. Sarah Davis is a luxury interior designer in the founder of Artful Conceptions Interior Design.
Drawing from over 20 years of experience, she designs homes that combine beauty, functionality, and well-being to create spaces that inspire, restore, and elevate every day living. So when we want this space to be absolutely perfect
or drawing or like plans or those kind of things, AI is not there. Please, don't build anything off the plans that were done off at AI. We can stage a place all day long,
but when we're really designing for people, we're designing around them and their lifestyle. How to find that great niche.
The number one thing that I have always found
is not chasing a dollar, but just-- I don't know where to go, but I don't know where to go. It spans the globe, like a super high school. Introduction to Elvis, ready? Hi, welcome here.
In today, Apple is going to reinvent from home. It's our over, I'll tell how we're-- The living your legacy podcast for those who live to leave a legacy. As I say, I'm an awesome artist.
Oh, that is sensational, too. Open. Chicago is the way you say, Paul, is the father's man on the planet. You can live your three.
Hey, welcome back everyone to another episode of Living Your Legacy podcast. Here we are at week number two or three. It's still so brand new of the new studios.
And yeah, it's going to little bit more
lived in, little bit more homie, right? But yeah, we got another special guest here. Tell us where you're from, what's your name? And what do you do? So I'm Sarah Davis.
I am the owner and founder of Artful Conceptions Interior Design. I'm coming here from Tampa, Florida. OK. I'm originally from Connecticut.
Hey, I'm from Connecticut, originally. Great area. Wearing Connecticut originally, are you from? Ah, outside hard for glass and berry. Glass and berry.
OK, I'm originally from the Fairfields area. OK, yeah, please play each other in soccer all the time. Yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely.
West Farms Mall? Yes.
“I'm just going to drop those old, oh, my lord, you know?”
All of that. Oh, OK.
Oh, it can now shout out to all the Connecticut people.
OK. So Artful Conceptions you're saying, right? Yeah. Interior Designs. Interior Designs.
Yeah, tell me you tell me about that. So we do everything from Blueprints all the way to the last finishing accessory. We work a lot with professional athletes. That's kind of my really main big niche.
OK, I was up because they don't have any kind of sense of design. And they got the money. It's a higher you. No, no, no, no. So it kind of became this great area that I love working in.
OK. So do you have like kids that have their whole room as sports stars? And I mean, I have kids that are very involved in athletics. OK. So we are the whole like travel sports, like families.
So when I'm not traveling to an athlete for one of their homes, I'm actually traveling with my kids, like all across the country. You're four sports. So it is such a great niche to be in. That my clients completely understand that sometimes they're calling me.
And I am literally on a court. And they get it and they like hear it in the background.
“And like completely asking, they're like, so how are they doing today?”
What's the score? How many games did we win today? Yeah. And it's awesome. And then they're like, do they want to come see a game?
Yeah. How many games? Hey, the riches are in the niches. And that's a great niche, right? Yeah.
Wow. And how do you get started in that? So originally started with a great referral from some contractors that I worked with that they were like, you're one of our favorite people working with. You get it.
You understand. Yeah. You're not going to have that like, oh, an ugly eye to who is this person that I'm working with. Because to me, everybody that I work with deserves great design, I don't care who they
are. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're the star of the show, right? Yeah. You look up to my world, interior design.
“You know, I'm just super star here and you're on the bench, okay?”
So come on. You know, the goal is that we're working in hand. You know, my job is to create that space, but they love and they can be in and grow from.
It just be like where it gives them a huge hug.
Yeah.
And I don't care who they are.
League. Are you allowed to name drop? I am really not allowed to name me. Maybe, maybe say some of the teams. I can see some team.
Yeah. So, you know, we have some, we have some players on like, you know, the Mariners, the Falcon, I've done some books, players, let's see Diamondbacks. So, all of a sudden, you just became the word amount of marketing. You just became the sports interior designer for a professional sports sports.
You know, I am, it's, you know, it started that way. And then I fell into this great group of agents that I absolutely love. A couple group of groups of agents that are phenomenal. I love the way that they treat their clients. They really take care of them.
And so, when they call me. And these are real estate agents or sports agents. Sports agents. Gotcha. Yeah.
Because I, okay, because we, we said a new show of America's top agents, right? Yes. And I was like, okay, it could be all kinds of agents. You know, I'm like, and to tame an agents, you know, but it was real estate agents.
“So, that's why I had to ask you, you know?”
No, absolutely. But you know, and it's really great because it's become this like fantastic group of us. So, it is you have their sports agents. And then that their sports agents also, it's encompassed this group. So it tends to be, you know, there tends to be one real estate agent that we work with
on a whole. Yeah.
And then, you know, the finance year tends to be almost always the one or two people
that we're working with on a whole within these agents. And so this network kind of found you and then once it kind of, you kind of grew into it, then you kind of started branching out and finding others. Yeah. There's some others that, you know, there's a couple, so there's a couple of other, you
know, agent groups that work with that are kind of similar in that aspect. And so it's been really great. And then we just have like our trusted people that we work with. Gotcha. Gotcha.
I'm just interested to give our listeners kind of a tip of how to find that great niche and, and that kind of people, right?
“So I think the first thing number one is being really true to who you are.”
And like doing what you do really well. Like, I think the number one thing that I have always found is not chasing a dollar, but just being the absolute best at what I do, making sure that my client is always 100% happy with the job that they're doing, that they're, that they're getting and what I'm doing for them, because to me, that referral that they give me is 100 times more important than
anything else. Of course. Yeah. Word of mouth marketing is massive. Absolutely.
Especially when you're doing, you know, interior design on mansions, right? Yeah. The luxury apartment, whatever it is, right? Yeah. So did it hire you for a particular theme room or the whole house in general, what are you
doing? That's, you know, why are these sports guys giving you Word of mouth? Like, are you doing the whole house? So usually the whole house, and usually we start.
So like the first couple ones that we started with and how this became such a niche of mine
with them is that we would get a house done for them in like four to six weeks, because they would be coming in and just need to be there, like immediately. So I had one client who at the time was coming in to play for the race. He had just purchased a house, but it was like, I have to be there and be ready within six weeks.
Yeah. To be ready to play. Yeah. I just got a new sports team. I'm moving in.
“I'm throwing you some cash, but get me livable and artful, right?”
Yes. And kind of I need my space to come home and kind of relax, because it's my safe spot and I got four to six weeks, right? Right. Exactly.
Because it can be hectic. Right. They don't want the wife taken a year, right? They want to move in there because next year, who knows what happens? Right.
Because they don't know where they're going to be. Like, they may be there. And the nice thing about the Tampa area is that so many athletes come and train there. So whether they live there, whether they play there, a lot of them come and keep their property there, no matter what, even if they stay there don't stay there, because they're
going to train there in the offseason. So, we do get the opportunity to do a really fantastic home for them, that they're going to keep using even in the offseason, even if they're not living there during that season time period. But yeah, so it becomes that, like, how quickly can you make this a beautiful home?
And we're not talking just-- And that's from Blu-Prin?
That's usually from once it's built.
Like, from built, like--
And you've got a blank canvas of a new home.
“And so nowadays, you must be using a lot of AI, then, with that blank canvas.”
So, I use some AI, but I have to tell you, like, there's still a lot of, you need to come in and do actual measures. You need to come in and do actual, like, work with it. Like, to me, AI is another, like, tool in the toolbox, like, it can give us help to show a client, like, some other different angles or so, just to do a quick rendering, to show
them what all the parts and pieces are going to look like in the space, quickly. Yeah. But it's not perfect. And it doesn't give, like, the exact everything. So when we want this space to be absolutely perfect or drawing or, like, plans or those kind
of things, AI is not there yet. Yeah. It's like the employee that's good, but it's not quite there yet. It's almost. It's almost.
It's almost. It's like, wow. You're great. You kind of suck, too. Yeah.
Don't build anything off of that. Please, please.
“Don't build anything off the plans that were done off of AI, okay?”
Okay. So in that short time span, do you have, like, a warehouse of stuff, or you've got all the people that you, like, all the people that you go to for certain stuff? Yes. So, like, all of the above.
So, like, I have a warehouse, or are you, like, you know, putting an investment of buying a ton of stuff, shipping it over from China, or, because they can't have stuff custom built, right, in that time frame. So it depends. So I have warehouses all over the country, so that helps.
And then I buy direct from the manufacturers. Yeah. So there's a lot of products still being made here in the US. And then I have really great relationships with furniture manufacturers here in the US to be able to get them here quickly.
Nice. So in that process, like, a lot of times I'll say to my clients, like, okay, here's my question. Is it time, or is it peace that matters more? So sometimes the client will say to me, no, I'm absolutely in love with that peace, and it's okay.
I'll wait the 12 weeks for that peace to be custom made to be here. Gotcha. And so it'll be, no, I love the look of it. It's fine. You can go ahead and swap it out with one that's available a media.
Gotcha. And so we kind of work in that options space where it's like, you tell me, what do you want done faster, and what are my options and availability to make switches and make that happen for you?
And I mean, that's amazing that you get a lot of stuff from American, you know, manufacturers,
“and do you still use a lot of China in these warehouses?”
I mean, I mean, there's some products that I've been to Guangzhou, right? And I did that whole furniture shopping there and they're going to have you been there? I have not been there. Oh, okay. It's insane.
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, going to like one of the biggest models you've ever seen, and it's only furniture, right? And it's just like, wow, it's like, you just want to, you know, get a 44 container, just
pack it in, you know, get as much stuff as you can and bring it on over, right? Because it's, like, it's hard, you can't get that experience here, right? No. Well, okay. So I think my favorite, my absolute favorite is high point market in North Carolina,
which I love, which is like, just like our tradition, like, you, and so you will still see all the old buildings that have been there for hundreds of years, and you can walk through, and they're still going to have, like, all, like, the traditional, you can go in, and they'll still have all the rug flippers, like flipping rug that, you know, and piles, and you can go and physically pick up, you know, pick pieces, and, and some of the furniture
manufacturers still have their showrooms open, all your rounds. So you can go to North Carolina and still pick up pieces at high point all your round, you know, but traditionally it's twice a year, they have their major markets. Yeah. So you still have, we, that's still one of my favorite places because that's where, for
us in the US, like, our capital is, everybody comes in and is there. You want that experience? It's nice to go into that furniture shop or whatever and dream. You know, all this pieces lovely, this is that, I can just envision this, and it's also
all about that, that, that, that gem, that find, you know, oh my god, I finally found
the piece, right? There's something special and unique about that. Well, and I think also for ISIS designers, it's that space where we're able to go for it's just us, like, where we can go and see and talk to, we're talking in the manufacturers,
We're doing the people that are, what can I do?
How can I adjust this, where, you know, why are we making this this way? What can I do to make some changes? Where I love the fact that things have become so accessible for clients to see and get in for a mission, but there's also things that as a designer, I need to know and be able to work out directly with the manufacturer, so being able to be in a space that is just
for designers, just for us to the trade, it's awesome to be able to be there and you can let your hair down and just be like, I'm not having to, like, it's just any question on the world I want to ask, you know, like, and I know that they're not holding back when they're giving me answers because they're not like, oh my god, is there a client? Is there a retail customer somewhere around here that I can't give you the exact answer
that I want to give you?
Yeah, it's great that China's not always the answer, right?
I mean, because honestly, there's nothing like, you know, you are, you know, creating furniture and putting furniture into people's homes.
“If something goes wrong with it, you need to call up the people and service it right”
away, right? Great. And look, don't get me wrong, there's some great pieces. I love some, like, some of the great fantastic, like, accessory pieces and unique pieces. And we can't make, we can't make bamboo, retain pieces, all of those kind of things.
We can't make them here in the US. They have to be bent, they have to be shaped where they're wet, so it's only going to come from overseas. We can't do that here. We can color them here, we can do some different things, we can add some cushions and that
kind of a thing here. We can't do that. We can't make them in the US.
So we're never going to get rid of that.
Do you know what I mean? Like, those are always going to happen. But it's great to be able to have access to all different options. And it's so hard to call up a company that you can't, you know, that is that you bought a million things on a container and be like, oh, I have an accessory that broke.
They're going to be like, okay, so. You know, I can call up a company in Texas and be like, I can call up a company in Texas and be like a FedEx broke this piece when it was delivered and be like, okay, no problem. I get a new one on its way to you. Yes.
So what tips do you give for dealing with that kind of client that's like, okay, we got four weeks. We need to just do it, do it, do it, do it, do it. And then you're given that kind of plan of attack, like what's your plan of attack? So my number one plan of attack is always getting to know them, sitting down and we always
“talk about like, what is the most important thing to you in your home?”
Like, end of the day, like, close your eyes, what is it that you want to see feel in your
home? What's so important to you? Because there's a difference between comfort and design, I guess, right, aesthetics. Yes. So like, so often we walk into a space and like, like, if you ever walked into a space
and you're like, that's really pretty, but I just don't love it. Like it doesn't like, it's nice, it looks great, but I like don't want to live here. Yeah. You know what I mean? Like you're like, okay, it's it's nice looking.
Yeah. This wouldn't be home. It's a very big difference between staging and design. Gotcha. Like we can stage a place all day long, but when we're really designing for people, we're
designing around them and their lifestyle. So I want to get inside their head.
“I want to be able to know, I want to be able to, I tell people all the time, are my clients”
that I want to be able to make a decision as if I'm them. So like if they're, you know, if they're working, if they're traveling, if they're, you know, off doing if they're on a, in a boardroom, if they're on a, you know, on a field, I want to be able to make that decision for them as if I was them. As if you were a six foot 10 male football player, linebacker.
Right. Exactly. I'm like, okay. You know what? This counter is not high enough.
I'll pick up. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. As just standing on the chair.
Exactly. Yeah. Right on. I'm most excited about right now. Oh, I am most excited about some new growth.
I've got some new projects that we're starting. I'm really excited about a new build that's going on. Okay. Can't wait to get back to and get started. Hmm.
So that's going to be a lot of fun. Yeah. What gets you excited about a new build, like that special project, compared to just normal projects? So I love a project that like from that start.
I love a new build because it's like such a clean slate.
Yeah.
That it's drawing those plans.
I love drawing that plan.
“I love that process of meeting with the client and going back and forth.”
And okay. Why are we putting this in this? Yeah. It's like the blue sky ideation and then the mood boards. And then, you know, I'll start that creative space, which is so much fun.
Oh, and it's the back and forth on the budget. And they're like, okay, here's the pie in the sky. Yeah. And it's like, okay, now let's tailor it back and budget makes you more creative sometimes, right?
Absolutely. Forces you to think out of the box and be like, okay, how do we make this even better but add a cheaper budget, right?
And somehow, like in the reality is, is everybody has a budget.
Yes.
“No matter who you are, everybody has a budget and, you know, you could, you have to”
at times make a decision where is the best place to spend that money? Are we, you know, do we want to spend it on the sub zero? Or do we want to spend it on wiring that we're never going to see? Bend it on the capuccino machine. [laughter]
All right. Well, thank you so much. How do people find you?
You can find us at artfulconceptions.net.
My Instagram is Sarah Schrelli and that's CHI-A-R-I-L-L-I. Okay. Gotcha. And my TikTok is Artfulconcepts. All right.
Amazing.
“So, yeah, what do you think of the new studios real quick?”
I love the new studios. This is great. It's like, it's cozy. It's intimate. And it's just a little fun.
Yeah, yeah. We got, maybe I'll pick your brain about artful conceptions. What'd you do? All right. All right.
Well, thank you for joining us. It's been a pleasure to have you here. The show's "Mumprineras" and you're doing all this while being a soccer mom or a hockey volleyball mom, right? All right.
And that's, that's girls. I have two boys in a girl. All right. So, you're doing all this while being a volleyball mom and I'm sure pack it up the van. Having the sleepovers and just run it all.
All of it. All right. Yeah. If you're into the Mom Prineras shows, wondering how they, you know, where eight different hats and have tentacle arms servicing the cooking, cleaning, but being a business boss.
Mom, uh, then yeah, tune in because, uh, areful conceptions. It's, it sounds amazing. Uh, thank you for joining us. And yeah, have fun and, uh, sound beach. Thank you.
All right. Cheers, everyone. [MUSIC]
