SARAH SCALES

INTERIOR DESIGN STUDIO | BOSTON & BEYOND

SARAH SCALES

INTERIOR DESIGN STUDIO  |  BOSTON & BEYOND 

Journal

design narratives

Discover rooms we love, materials that
inspire, and stories from our projects; giving you an inside look at our studio and work.

Recent Posts

August 29, 2025

Boston interior designer creates a modern kitchen in a historic home with marble surfaces, sleek colors, and Allied Maker pendants

Not every project needs dust, debris, and months of chaos. An easy kitchen makeover can transform a home with smart choices and a fresh eye. Skip the sledgehammer—focus on finishes, fixtures, and details that make the difference. We renovate kitchens and baths all the time, and experience has shown us that a few minor updates can be the perfect solution.

May 30, 2025

Open floor plan problems solved with scaled furniture, drapery, and rugs in a taupe bedroom within a historic home.

Open floor plans once ruled the real estate market—but today, they feel loud, inefficient, and out of touch with how we actually live. Developers cling to them, as they lag behind real design trends, overusing high ceilings, black windows, and copy-paste layouts from proverbial ‘catalogs’. Gross. Open floor plan problems show up fast: sterile, echoey, and dated. Read on to see why we prefer smaller, enclosed spaces.

April 25, 2025

Tariff talk is exhausting. With imports from Asia getting more expensive and shipping no longer cheap, more people may start avoiding fast fashion—and it’s about time; I’ve been doing that for years (long live Poshmark and The Real Real). It’s a good time to turn toward secondhand everything beyond clothing, including home decor and furniture. We’re not the first to catch on to secondhand goods—just pointing out the growth!

April 11, 2025

Mid century modern furniture in use: the iconic Womb Chair styled in a historic home interior with traditional architectural details

Florence Knoll didn’t just shape the look of mid-century modern furniture—she hired the people who defined it. Her collaborations with Eero Saarinen led to some of the most enduring furniture designs of the 20th century, and they still show up in our projects today. Mid-century pieces like the Womb Chair, Tulip Chair, and Tulip Table—designed by Saarinen for Knoll—pairs with the Executive Chair, designed by Knoll herself.

March 14, 2025

Media room painted Hale Navy with Lee Jofa wallpaper and mid-century furnishings from Room and Board, designing for a historic home.

Room & Board recently featured our work on their blog, and we’re super happy with the write-up and the recognition. Their products blend quality craftsmanship with timeless design, making them a natural fit for our projects. Based in Minnesota, they source from skilled artisans across the country—including some right here in New England.

January 17, 2025

A warm corridor in a new construction home, painted Benjamin Moore White Dove (OC-17), a top choice for the best white paint colors.

There’s a reason Benjamin Moore has an entire collection dedicated to white—it’s anything but simple. In fact, their Off-White Collection includes 152 different whites. That’s right….152 options. No wonder finding the best white paint colors can feel overwhelming. Cool white, warm white, off-white, pure white. it’s a lot to process. Here are three of our favorite whites and some foolproof tips for finding your own “perfect” paint.

January 3, 2025

Historic Home Interior Design featuring a grand black-painted staircase with neutral wallcovering, freshly painted millwork, and a new stair runner in a historic Concord home foyer.

When tackling a 10,000-square-foot historic estate, you need more than just good taste—you need a plan, a ladder, and maybe a little caffeine. This Concord home, originally built in 1903, challenged us to create spaces that honored its history while inviting a fresh perspective. With a cohesive palette, modern touches, and a focus on historic home interior design, we brought new life to its iconic bones.

December 6, 2024

A casual dining space designed through Full-Service Design Boston, part of a fully renovated historic Hingham home with warm, livable interiors.

Welcome to the land of well-planned spaces and perfectly fluffed pillows. We’re a full-service design firm based in Boston, and we love structure. No, really—We. Love. Structure. With 20 years of experience (including 15 years in commercial interiors), Sarah brings pro processes from Boston’s top firms straight to your home. Learn more about what we do.

November 29, 2024

Navy blue media room design in a historic Brookline home with dark walls and a matching coffered ceiling. A modern sectional blends with navy walls, reupholstered swivel chairs, and personal art.

Navy is becoming a go-to choice in media room design for its deep and timeless appeal – especially in New England. This versatile color blends with both historic architecture and modern design, creating dramatic yet cohesive spaces – a quintessential coastal and classic hue. From a renovated Brookline home to a transformed Hingham basement to a Concord estate, see how navy lends depth, warmth, and sophistication.

November 22, 2024

A classic Boston kitchen design in a Winchester home with light green cabinets, reclaimed oak shelving, and a locally made wood and metal island.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, let’s talk kitchens—the heart of the home. As a Boston kitchen designer, I’ve tackled some pretty unforgettable projects. Some are fresh, others historic, and a few date back to my earliest work. While some of these projects no longer grace my portfolio, they hold a special place in my design journey. Let’s dive into some standout spaces from a collection of our work.

September 6, 2024

A vintage desk with modern chairs beneath contemporary art in a historic Concord home, designed by a Boston interior decorator.

Our design studio does so much more than manage construction projects — we love decorating. From space planning for furniture to sourcing real-world items that make your home functional and beautiful, our approach to interior decorating is deeply personal. Decorating isn’t just about creating a Pinterest-worthy space; it’s about designing for you.

August 2, 2024

A sleek Boston kitchen design with white slab cabinets, a black island, Carrera marble counters, and Allied Maker pendant lighting.

Designing kitchens and baths is about more than just creating beautiful spaces. It’s about crafting rooms that are functional, ergonomic, and tailored to your specific needs. At Sarah Scales Interior Design, we specialize in kitchen and bath design in Boston and beyond, delivering exceptional results that blend luxury with practicality.