About

J114

Why Interior Matter

Like Leonardo, we believe that simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

Simplicity is also a lot of work — that we love doing. We wake up every morning with a passion not just for impeccable design, but with thoughts of what design means to you and how it makes your life more fulfilling and peaceful. Left to our own (de)vices, we go with clean, modern and timeless. Since this is about you, we focus on a few of your most important possessions, and on all of your goals. Is that enough to entrust us with the thousands of decisions that will soon form the backdrop of your life? (Yes, thousands: our process is thorough.) Perhaps. But, ultimately, you hire us because you like us, and we like you — chemistry is essential, so let’s pretend we’re flipping through a 90’s magazine and take a match test together.

Interior Matter Interior Doesn’t Matter
Me Someone’s version of me
Fun Strict
Timeless Trendy
Authentic Performative
Personalized Same same
Crafted Manufactured
Inviting Sterile
Modern Ornate
Balanced Heavy
Livable Perfect
Conscientious Fanciful
How many did you get?
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Services

We partner and collaborate with homeowners, architects, builders, developers, and real estate agents in personal, professional, and public spaces.
We listen. We understand. We carefully guide you through our design process calibrated to how much you want to be engaged. We can manage everything from design concepts to installation.
Service matters.

01

CONCEPTS + PLANNING
  • Full Service Decorating + Design
  • Space + Furniture Planning
  • Kitchen + Bath Design
  • Lighting Design
  • Cabinetry + Millwork Design

02

SELECTIONS + SOURCING
  • Finish Materials
  • Hardware + Plumbing Fixtures
  • Lighting
  • Floor + Wall Coverings
  • Furnishings
  • Artwork
  • Decor + Accessories

03

IMPLEMENTATION
  • Budgeting + Estimation
  • Kitchen + Bath Renovations
  • Coordination with Contractors + Installers
  • Purchasing + Logistics
  • Project Management
  • Interior Styling
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Instant Style Refresh Services

Decor Update

Revitalize your space with our Instant Style Refresh: Decor Update service. Perfect for those looking to enhance their room with the perfect finishing touches—such as decorative accents, objets, artwork, and accessories—hand-selected with a discerning eye. This half-day service includes:

  • Overall assessment and personalized recommendations
  • Room styling with existing furnishings and new accessories
  • Furniture layout improvements and recommendations for additional furnishings and lighting to complete the space
Room Makeover

Transform your room with our Instant Style Refresh: Room Makeover service. Designed for comprehensive makeovers, this full-day service includes:

  • Detailed assessment and tailored recommendations
  • Restyle with existing furnishings, artwork, and new accessories, pillows, decorative objects, plants, etc.
  • Furniture layout improvements and recommendations for additional furnishings and lighting to complete the space

Both services are limited to 2-4 appointments per month. Rates range from $1500-$2500. Service areas include locations within the Beltway or a 30-mile radius from our studio; additional travel rates apply for areas outside this range. Contact us to book your session.

Our Process

Injecting your space with interior matter isn’t a straight line. That is the challenge that gives meaning to our work.
We listen, question, design, plan, manage, and bring it all to life.
Our process is designed to meet your needs, reflect what you want, and respect how much you want to be engaged. The objective is for us to do the heavy lifting and for you to spend time on the parts that you enjoy.
STEP 1

INITIAL DESIGN CONSULTATION

(the $595 first date...)
STEP 2

FEES AND CONTRACT

(a prenup never hurts)
STEP 3

PROJECT KICKOFF + SITE SURVEY

(no need to do extra dusting before we visit)
STEP 4
DESIGN VISIONING
(this is how we make the sausage)
STEP 5

DESIGN PRESENTATION

(dog, pony, and all things that matter)
STEP 6

FINAL BUDGET APPROVAL

(like we said, you only live once)
STEP 7

FURNISHINGS + MATERIALS PURCHASING

(enjoy having a personal shopper?)
STEP 8

CONSTRUCTION / RENOVATION

(IF APPLICABLE)
(no dust no glory)
STEP 9

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

(home wasn't built in a day)
STEP 10

INSTALLATION

(fancy for “making it happen!”)
STEP 11

PUNCH LIST

(shortly followed by punch bowl)
STEP 12

PHOTOGRAPHY

(selfies not included)
Relationships matter, so whether we are working on your home, your getaway, or your professional or public space where you offer respite to hundreds, we will approach it with passion and integrity. We will make the experience easy on your time and mind.

Testimonials

I’ve worked with Sarita twice, most recently when I needed to furnish an apartment very quickly from scratch. I’m relatively stubborn but also indecisive when it comes to design. Sarita worked with me patiently, within my constraints, and helped me design a comfortable, modern space that perfectly suits my needs. I recommend her highly.

Jessica T.

We hired Jason to design the interior amenity spaces for our first large, luxury apartment building. Jason spent time with us, understood our vision, and executed beautifully on a very compressed schedule. The design was fresh and bold while still being comfortable and functional.

Jeff B.

I have worked with Sarita several times over the past four years. She helped design two bedrooms, a family room and most recently a home office. I have always been delighted with the results. She's creative and responsive. I highly recommend Sarita.

Stephen S.

When Jason lived in Switzerland, he helped me execute a space plan for my [Geneva] penthouse. I like to entertain, my teenage son likes to entertain, and the floorplan has angles, spaces that can be closed off, and outdoor space. Jason analyzed my needs and proposed a floorplan that satisfied all of my goals. He also helped me source in the Geneva area which is crazy expensive so we were working within a reasonable budget. Jason has the ability to see the space in 3 dimensions.

Dr L.D.

I highly recommend Sarita for your interior decorating needs! Sarita helped us transform our small space into a modern, beautiful, functional home. She is a great person and really fun to work with!

Mike L.

Jason worked with us on several design projects. His ideas are creative and stylish as well as practical and comfortable. He also keeps his eye on the budget so everyone is happy. We had a lot of fun working with him and continue to enjoy the results.

Satisfied Client in DC

Sarita was a great help in designing a midcentury modern home that I had recently purchased. She was very good at incorporating my existing furniture with new furniture and was always very conscious of the budget. She assisted with everything from lighting, drapes, floor coverings, and paint color. The house looks great and I’m always complimented on the house. I would certainly use her again for any design project big or small.

Tom H.

Sarita is a top notch designer. Her ideas, expert insight, and close attention to detail surpassed my expectations. Highly, highly recommend.

Daniel S.

Shortly after submitting a makeover request to The Washington Post’s Local Living “House Calls” section, I received an email message from Sarita. Sarita was the “lucky” designer who was enlisted to help my husband and I with our family room. Sarita’s design was spot on. Every time I look at the design that Sarita created for us, I love it that much more. I would highly recommend Sarita to anyone looking to makeover their living room/family room. A talented and thoughtful designer.

Janet K.

I challenged Jason with incorporating antiques along with new modern furniture in a new glass and steel condo with 20' ceilings. I also wanted a ventless fireplace and a sense of privacy on a busy street. Jason asked how I entertained, how I imagined living in the new space, and how I would achieve joy in the new space. He edited my antique collection, integrated an ethanol fireplace, and created a private look in a modern glass box. The result was exactly what I was hoping for - modern and antique with my personality in every corner.

Logan Circle Resident

Interior Matter is a fantastic firm, and a pleasure to work with! Every room becomes exceptional thanks to an innovative, yet elegant, approach to form & function. Collaboration was easy, would highly recommend!

David Procelli
Studio Z Design Concepts

We didn’t realize what our space was capable of until we partnered with Interior Matter. 

We challenged the team to design a custom, family-friendly, suburban home that blended several of our favorite styles, including modern farmhouse, Japandi, Scandinavian, and industrial.  The design team took this inspiration and created a space that has transcended our initial vision.

Starting the consultation early in the architectural phase enabled the design team to concurrently influence the house design and create the interior furnishings plan.  This has led to many benefits, including: several recurring architectural themes, an integrated floor and lighting/electrical plan, optimized wall and door placements, a dropped basement ceiling to conceal ductwork, and coordinated bathroom and kitchen designs.  The result is a cohesive space that seamlessly blends architectural and interior design elements.  It has also likely saved us from making costly changes down the road.  

The team is a group of passionate, life-long students of interior design with distinguished tastes.   They are thorough with a careful attention to detail.  Nothing is overlooked.  They are easy to talk to and strike a healthy balance of listening to our ideas, sharing their own opinions, and providing guidance. All of this helps instill a high level of confidence in the decision-making process. 

We recommend Interior Matter to anyone who is serious about creating a thoughtful, well-designed home.

Bethesda residents and new home builders

I had the great good fortune to hire Interior Matter for a complete overhaul of my bedroom -- including all furniture, light fixtures, carpet, painting, hardware on doors, window treatments and new tv installation. In addition to the impeccable taste of the principals, Jason and Sarita, I was most impressed with the design process. First, there was an overall plan provided -- complete with a range of possible color swatches for furniture, carpet samples, paint colors, and possible window treatments. So I was able to have an overview of the gestalt of the room, the feeling of it. I was after a sanctuary feeling, which I shared with them. From there we jumped into the individual choices. For each item (chair and ottoman, bed, vanity, carpet, dresser, lamps etc.), I was presented with several choices in a range of prices. I could balance how much I liked the item with the price, knowing that I could not go wrong since each of them would contribute to my vision. Jason and Sarita also encouraged me to do my own investigations, by going to stores (such as Room and Board and Roche Bobois) to check out some possibilities. Occasionally I found a piece which they also liked. It was the partnership of the design process that was particularly appealing to me. Sarita thought of details, such as painting the crown molding the same color as the walls in order to enhance the height of the room, which I never would have thought of. Her experience and expertise were evident. In the end I was, and remain, very pleased with my sanctuary bedroom. Jason and Sarita are a delight to work with. I highly recommend IM.

Jane W.
Designation

Sarita and her team at Interior Matter saved our renovation. We were working with a well known design/build firm to transform the first floor of our historic Alexandria town home to a modern open plan design as well as updating our master bath. Our design/build firm turned out not to have all of the design services they promised so we turned to Interior Matter for help.

Interior Matter’s design services for the renovation included:
- Design and specification of the finishes for all surfaces including paint, wallpaper, tile, and countertops,
- Specification for the color, finish, and hardware on all built-in cabinetry,
- Design of clever new site-specific cabinetry that added significant functionality to our space,
- Design and specification of wall and ceiling mounted lighting fixtures as well as other built-in features,
- Close coordination with the project manager for the renovation to ensure all work was completed according to the design.

Interior Matter also did the design and specification for our furniture including
- Visits to the Washington Design Center to review options
- Collaborative specification of all finish options
- Specification of rugs, mirrors etc.
- Plan for and hanging of our preexisting art in the new space

The Interior Matter team helped us create an exceptional living space we enjoy every day. It it both functional and beautiful, reflecting our personal design aesthetic translated through the eyes of exceptional designers. They curated a reasonable number of options and variations so we could confidently make choices without feeling overwhelmed. Sarita and the members of her team were highly capable and communicative. We received bi-weekly progress updates clearly stating any action items for us as well as the team. We always knew the status of our project and what was next on the plan.

Based on the scope of the project and the caliber of Interior Matter’s services, this project represented a significant investment, and it was money well spent to obtain a fantastic outcome.

In working with architects and designers, there is always an intangible element beyond competence. Sarita and her team were wonderful to work with, taking our direction but often providing options more functional and beautiful than our original vision. Over the course of our project, we developed incredible trust in Sarita’s design instincts and the result was a home we love.

Bill P.