Her own living room boasts added architectural details that had been lost over time; a thrift store mirror is flanked by Stilnovo sconces and printed-paper art by Scott Runkel hangs behind an RH sofa.
Sara Swabb, who hails from Ohio, had a high-level marketing and sales career when she moved to DC to be with her husband. Several years and two daughters later, she was ready for a more creative chapter and went to work for a local interior designer. “I’d always held an interest in interiors, but put it on the back burner,” she explains.
When covid hit, Swabb’s marketing acumen came into play again. “I decided to start a virtual design business where I’d put together the concept and design and give it to the homeowner to implement,” she recounts. Her enterprise was a hit, but clients soon began asking for more. Swabb eventually adopted “a tailored, luxury service where I do the whole project,” she says.
Today her firm, Storie Collective, employs a staff of four specializing in whole-house construction and renovations. Swabb has partnered with Unique Kitchens & Baths on a cabinetry line and they share a Georgetown shop. “I love running a business and creating a community,” she declares. “And I love how we impact lives.”
Renovation Architecture: District Architecture Studio, Washington, DC. Interior Design: Sara Swabb, Storie Collective, Washington, DC. Renovation Contractor: CMX Construction Group, Washington, DC.