Podcast Summary: How to Decorate, Ep. 442

Transitional Style & Holiday Decorating with Sara Hillery
Released: December 2, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode features acclaimed Richmond, VA-based interior designer Sara Hillery, known for blending antiques and functional, story-driven design. Sara joins hosts Caroline, Taryn (absent this episode), and Liz from Ballard Designs to dive deep into transitional style, mixing old and new, color choices, and signature approaches to holiday decorating. Sara’s design philosophy, practical tips, and infectious creativity make this a must-listen for anyone interested in developing a timeless, personal home—especially during the holidays.

Key Topics & Insights

1. Defining Transitional Style

[02:32–04:16]

• Transitional design is the balance between traditional and modern, mixing antiques, clean lines, and unique pieces in a harmonious, edited way.
• Sara views every room as telling a “story”—connecting the homeowner’s past and present without getting stuck in a single era.
• Her approach results in uniquely layered but not visually chaotic rooms.

“It’s peeling back the layers of the onion and leaving your favorite pieces so that there’s room for life to happen.”
— Sara Hillery [03:23]

Memorable Moment:
Sara jokes about someone saying all her projects look alike, but explains that a consistent thread is this “edited sort of balance between old and new.” [01:40]

2. The Art of Mix: Clean Lines & Antiques

[04:16–06:12]

• Sara often uses clean-line upholstery—tapered or track arms—as a counterpoint to ornate antiques.
• The tension (“chiaroscuro”—the contrast of positive/negative space from her art background) lets each item breathe and be appreciated.

“If you have an overabundance of details, then nothing feels special… a simple track arm can feel very at ease when paired with something super organic next to it.”
— Sara Hillery [04:46]

3. Choosing Timeless Colors

[06:12–08:44]

• Sara resists associating colors with trends or decades, claiming the real issue is overuse rather than the color itself.
• Her palette is client-centric, driven by the space’s mood and purpose, not outside trends.

“If you are creating a space that’s true to your client, it shouldn’t look like their neighbor’s house at all.”
— Sara Hillery [07:22]

4. Finding Your Style & Editing

[08:48–12:27]

• Sara recommends visual pin-up boards (like design “moodboards”)—collecting inspiration, samples, and actual materials, then editing ruthlessly.
• Start monochromatic for beginners—it's easier to layer textures and patterns, keeps things harmonious, and can serve as a great launching point for adding accent colors later.
• Live with ideas (on a board or digitally) before committing in real life to avoid impulsive buys.

“Live with it for a little while... and make sure when you wake up tomorrow, you still like it.”
— Sara Hillery [09:57]

5. Connecting Rooms: Monochromatic & Open Plans

[13:05–18:36]

• Monochromatic rooms allow for adventurous pattern mixing and let texture and scale shine.
• Adjacent rooms don’t have to match in color—what matters is “tonal weight.” Use small repeating threads (fabrics, details) for cohesion.
• Open-concept homes often push people to match everything; Sara champions defining spaces through subtle shifts—try painting ceilings, using distinct lighting, or colored cabinetry.

“If it was all one color… at some point you stop looking and it stops getting interesting, and then you get bored, and then it’s not timeless anymore.”
— Sara Hillery [16:32]

Notable Project Example:
Dining room with traditional furniture, hot pink painted chairs, lacquered teal ceiling, and mirrored wall—color and vintage elements reappear in different ways through adjacent spaces for cohesion without sameness. [18:36–22:30]

“Those pink chairs are still so popular… if it’s going to be Goodwilled, and it felt very stylized and ornate, why not paint them?”
— Sara Hillery [20:05]

6. Holiday Decorating: Creative Annual Themes

[22:56–35:33]

• Sara does not typically decorate clients’ homes for holidays, but goes all out in her own home—a new theme every year (e.g., pink, blue, nutcrackers, pineapples).
• She reuses foundational elements (stockings, greenery, ribbon, ornaments), but rotates or repurposes accents.
• Key to her process: start planning in summer! Even if you’re not buying items, having a plan makes execution easier and more joyful.

“I reinvent the wheel every year, so to speak, on what the theme is… One day my attic really is going to fall in onto the bedrooms below.”
— Sara Hillery [23:43]

• Traditions such as stringing Christmas cards across the mantel come from family memories and are repeated every year, while kids get their own themed trees.
• The theme is subtle (“hints of it throughout”)—not a total visual takeover.

Examples of Simple, Flexible Holiday Magic:

• Mix traditional decor (like silver vases) with colorful, contemporary touches (oddball ribbons, novelty ornaments from Trader Joe’s flowers).
• Use unusual color combos (e.g., pink with greenery, or offbeat fruits/ribbons for table settings).
• For themed dinners, even coordinate costumes: “Everyone had to come in their best Dickens costume…” [34:19]

“The theme doesn’t have to be all in your house. It can be in the crowd that’s there.”
— Sara Hillery [35:03]

7. Entertaining Tips for the Holidays & Thanksgiving

[36:50–42:46]

• Keep Thanksgiving simple; the table is informal, patterns and china are mixed.
• Use pre-planned questions as conversation starters for dinner parties: have guests email answers beforehand, print them onto place cards, or turn into a quiz game at the table.

“I’ll do quizzes and you have to guess who said what...then the winner gets the honor—or a prize!”
— Sara Hillery [39:01]

Kids and Family:

• Kids get involved in holiday decorating (themes, dressing up, decorating their own trees) and are always eager to help.

8. Practical Holiday Décor Techniques

[43:49–47:45]

• Holiday decorating is a multi-day, family event.
• Traditions include hot cocoa, music, costumes, and movies.
• Sara uses live greenery—soaks garland overnight and sprays with Endura Spray to keep it fresh.
• Adds Miracle Gro to water for the real tree: “Man, it keeps it alive, smelling good. You don’t have to deal with all the needles dropping.” [46:06]
• Ornament selection is based on the year’s theme, but from a core personal collection (family glass balls, Saints memorabilia, silver bells).

9. Sourcing Ribbon & Special Materials

[47:57–49:45]

• Start early to find the right ribbons (Etsy favored for unique, hand-dipped silks and velvet; also Amazon, Ballard, and local stores).
• Buy in bulk for cohesive themes—Sara might use up to 30 yards per season over two staircases, tree, and wreaths.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Transitional Philosophy:
  “If the client loves it, then it’s always enduring.”
  — Sara Hillery [04:02]

• On Monochrome:
  “If it’s all monochromatic and you’ve got all these parts and pieces, it still somehow feels harmonious and relaxing.”
  — Sara Hillery [12:10]

• Open-Concept Color:
  “Start putting color on the ceiling and defining space that way… Or paint the cabinetry a different color, or make the light—lights don’t have to be brass, silver, and gold!”
  — Sara Hillery [16:32]

• Holiday Energy:
  “I do a different theme every year… This year it’s pineapples.”
  — Sara Hillery [23:43, 30:42]

• Family Traditions:
  “My kids, absolutely. All I have to do is talk about ‘let’s decorate for something’ and they’re like, ‘I’ll drop everything!’”
  — Sara Hillery [43:05]

Timestamps Index of Important Segments

| Segment | Description | Timestamp | |------------------------------- |----------------------------------------------------------------|-------------| | Bio & Introduction | Sara’s approach, accolades | 00:33–01:40 | | Defining Transitional Style | Old/new mix, story-driven design | 02:32–04:16 | | Clean Lines vs. Antiques | Balancing shapes, art principles | 04:16–06:12 | | Color Strategy | Timelessness, against trends | 06:12–08:44 | | How to Find Your Style | Pinboards, editing, monochrome advice | 08:48–12:27 | | Monochrome & Flow | Room-to-room connection tips | 13:05–18:36 | | Bold Color Example | Hot pink dining chairs project | 18:36–22:30 | | Holiday Decor Philosophy | Annual themes, flexibility, family rituals | 22:56–35:33 | | Thanksgiving & Entertaining | Relaxed tables, fun conversation games | 36:50–42:46 | | Holiday Decorating Rituals | Family process, live greens, Miracle Gro, ornaments | 43:49–47:45 | | Sourcing Ribbon | Where to find, quantities, types | 47:57–49:45 | | Social & Contact Info | Sara’s website/Instagram | 50:11–50:36 |

Conclusion & Where to Find More

• Sara Hillery’s portfolio: sarahhillery.com
• Instagram: @sarahhilleryinteriordesign
• See the episode show notes: howtodecorate.com

Bringing together timeless design, clever editing, and a spirit of joy and creativity, Sara’s advice is both inspiring and actionable, whether you’re thinking about your everyday aesthetic or preparing your next holiday celebration.