Designer Sarah McFadden
Transforming spaces has been a part of my life from a very early age. As a child I would constantly rearrange my parent’s living room until I felt it was ‘just right’. Even down to the smallest detail, I knew how a room made me feel when I entered it. My spatial and visual persistence eventually manifested itself into a career in design.
I began working in the art department of a Los Angeles production company where I designed and created sets, stages and vignettes for commercials, film and television. The demands of production meant quick turnarounds, strict budgets and client collaborations; all invaluable experiences I apply to my business today.
I later worked as a freelance stylist for a global retailer on their catalogs, books and magazines. This allowed me to travel to unique locations absorbing the different cultures where I learned to be creative with limited resources while creating settings layered with texture, history and locally sourced products.
Shortly after our first child was born, my husband and I returned to our hometown of Santa Barbara, CA where I launched McFadden Design Group. Here I have been fortunate to create a successful design/build business in both the residential and commercial fields.
Designing for restaurants and nightclubs provides me the freedom to push the boundaries of public spaces and draw from my experience with set design. Designing homes allows me to intimately collaborate with my client to create an atmosphere that reflects our combined vision.
I am currently in the pre-production stages of an eponymous textile line with plans to expand into home décor and a private label furniture line. Many of my clients have bespoke furniture designed by MDG studio.
When I am not working in design, you will find me working with my family’s foundation, DJEMF and our herd of rescued and retired Thoroughbred racehorses. djemf.com
