We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Erica Sargent . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Erica below.
Alright, Erica thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?
The legacy that I want to leave through my work is the importance of home. It is so often overlooked when we think of self-care, mental health and well-being, family stability and interpersonal relationship success, yet it so majorly impacts these things. And sometimes the idea of interior design can be overwhelming for people because it can seem expensive or unnecessary or even like it is to limiting to fit oneself and preferences into a small style category. But I want my legacy to be that your home should have just as much value in your life as your health and family and that although at times it can be expensive. It’s not a luxury about a necessity, and it is accessible and doesn’t have to be limiting.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Erica LeMaster Sargent, I am the owner, principal designer, and creative director of Eclectic Design Co. My hubby Cade is my right hand man, contractor, financial advisor, and “design assistant”. We are an interior and exterior home full service design company based in Utah. We specialize in design for new construction and remodels but design and decorating have no bounds!
I believe Design is about the person living in the space above all else. It’s about your health, your needs, and what is going to be right for you. They will design space does not mean exactly one style and it does not mean it needs to be perfectly manicured. What it means is that it works for the inhabitants of the space is functional for them and promotes overall well-being for them as well.
I have never met a person that only appreciates one singular design style. So through my 13 years of experience in the industry I have found a love for blending styles. Design is not a one size fits all solution. Each and every home should be as unique as the people living there. It brings me sincere joy to help a client feel represented in their design – to feel truly at home in their space because I have helped them create something nuanced and unique to them.
My favorite quote a professor in design school once shared is that “We learn about the rules and history of certain styles so that we can know how to break them effectively.” There are definitely some rules that I stick to (the elements and principles of design are incredibly important!), but some stylistic rules are meant to be broken if it’s a better fit for the client, and oftentimes it creates a more interesting aesthetic in the end.
Let’s embrace the blend, dust off the heirlooms, install that ultra-modern pendant you’re obsessed with and make your space YOU.
Our name is eclectic design co because
Eclectic is defined as:
Gathering & selecting a mixture of the best elements, ideas, methods, styles and tastes from a broad and diverse range of sources.
Humans are eclectic. And we design for human beings.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Design was not always my original path. I originally went to school for a bachelors in communications with an emphasis public relations and thought that I wanted to be an event planner. But while I put myself through school, I worked as a receptionist at a home design center where I quickly fell in love with the craft. After I graduated, I realized where my true passion was, and about a year later return to school for design.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I had to unlearn the idea that it’s OK to change your path. Growing up I never thought I could be successful in a creative career and so I forced other experiences like ROTC, student council, etc. and never even allowed myself to take an art class because I was raised to be practical and thought that it was sent me back in my goals. Boy was I wrong.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://eclecticdesign.co/
- Instagram: @eclecticdesign.co
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eclecticdesign.co.llc.interiors?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-lemaster-sargent-9b077043
- Youtube: Eclectic Design Co – YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeJAyjtZLObkoWvkKWftXlw
- Yelp: Eclectic Design Co. LLC.
- Other: Houzz: https://www.houzz.com/pro/ericalemastersargent/eclectic-design-co
Image Credits
Rebekah Westover Photography, Photo umbra studios, and Myself