You know how sometimes you can just tell, from a photo of a house that it’s a happy home? That’s how we feel when we scroll through Sara Chatsworth’s Instagram @chalkwhitearrow. From her painted checkerboard floors in the kitchen to her wallpapered hallway, there are little moments of joy in each space. Sara’s Salt Lake City home seamlessly blends traditional and modern elements for a space that’s nostalgic and surprising all at once. “I knew I wanted our home to be timeless and cozy but also pack a big punch of fun and playful patterns,” Sara says. Her corner of the Internet is majorly inspiring us as we look to refresh our own homes in the new year.  


You started designing as a creative outlet, right? Was there a specific moment that clarified to you interior design was something you wanted to pursue professionally?

In my mind I’ve always known that I wanted to pursue it professionally in one way or another, but wasn’t always sure what that would look like or where to begin. I started out just sharing snippets of our life that included some home decor but didn’t have a clear idea of exactly how I wanted to turn it into something more . One thing that was always clear to me was the passion I had for making home a special place. I think it was once we purchased this home that something started to click for me. I started to have clarity in my own personal design style and a clearer sense in what I wanted to achieve professionally.

What was your creative process like for this reconstruction? What was the inspiration for your space?

I spent hours and hours finding inspiration in any place I could find it. Pinterest, IG, home design shows …. I saved all the photos that inspired me in one place on my phone, and once I did that, the style and design direction for our home became really clear. I knew I wanted our home to be timeless and cozy but also pack a big punch of fun and playful patterns.

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Tell us about your creative process putting these pieces together throughout your home. What drew you to these Lulu and Georgia pieces?

Since discovering Lulu and Georgia many years ago, I have always been drawn to pieces there. For one, the quality is always amazing, I also love the mix of styles … You can purchase multiple pieces and it still feels really collected and not uniform in the best possible way. I love that some pieces have a more vintage feel about them … and I love the playful patterns and really unique vibe.

We love how you purposely blend neutrals and minimalism with pops of abstract statements and patterns- how did you strike a balance between the two in your home?

I really just pick what I love and make sure the pieces work together in a way that is interesting. I also love this idea that two things that shouldn’t necessarily work together can be absolutely perfect together. I think it’s really just playing around with the design and in doing so, it just becomes clear when it feels “right”.


Personal trinkets and touches make a room—tell us about your favorite pieces in your living room?

I love the little handmade pottery pieces that feel really organic and imperfect. I love the velvet clover stool by the fireplace because it is so beautifully made and has this vintage quality about it. I also love the blue velvet disc pillows on the couch for bringing in that touch of blue that you see continually throughout the rest of the house. I also love the Zora floor lamp … it feels really special and is such a beautiful statement piece. 

Any tips for homeowners to keep in mind for styling patterned wallpaper into their homes? Including any advice for people hoping to recreate your hallway/bathroom/closet?

I love the idea of having a really beautiful wallpaper in any room but love the idea of putting it up as a statement in the hallway or entryway. I think what makes it work is making sure that the pattern and colors work with the other surrounding rooms. If your hallway looks into the rooms it leads to, you want it to make sense and feel like it belongs with those rooms.  

If you had to pick, what is your favorite space in the home?

That is really hard because I feel like it’s always changing. But truly I don’t know if I could pick! The rooms I’m still working on the most and want to tweak a bit more are the kids room and the mudroom … We just finished the entryway and I really love how that came out!

What’s next for you and Chalk White Arrow?

Continuing to share design and our home … I’m so grateful for this little business and hopefully soon will begin growing that into designing homes for others.

Photos provided by Sara Chatsworth