Sarita Simpson and Jason Claire pose in Thos. Moser's Georgetown showroom. © Michael Ventura.
Sarita Simpson first met Jason Claire when she landed a job at Vastu, then a popular furniture showroom on DC’s 14th Street. One of its founders, Claire worked with Simpson for the next eight years before shuttering the store in 2014 to move to Switzerland. Back in the U.S. five years later, Claire reconnected with his former colleague, who had her own interior-design business by then—and the two decided to merge their talents. “It was clear we had a yin-yang, strengths-and-weaknesses paradigm,” Claire observes.
Interior Matter, the partners’ commercial- and residential-design firm, is on track to complete 10 projects during its first year. While Claire handles business development, Simpson focuses on clients. However, they collaborate on design work, sharing an aesthetic they cultivated at Vastu. “We have an affinity for modern,” Simpson says. “But what we look for is warmth and a sense of timelessness.”
Adds Claire, “We want to understand what people enjoy in their homes, what makes them comfortable. We don’t want to just create pretty spaces.”
Interior Design: Sarita Simpson and Jason Claire, Interior Matter, Washington, DC. Contractor: Centerline Design Build Inc., Rockville, Maryland. Styling & Photography: Stylish Productions.