Hattie Sparks Collins on Trusting Your Design Instincts

Hattie Sparks Collins’s background in art history and fashion have informed her approach to interior design with a refined understanding of color and space. And having lived around the country—Texas, Colorado, and now New Orleans, for over a decade—she can access a rich set of aesthetic influences that guide her vibrant, richly detailed work.

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What made you passionate about interior design? How’d you get your start in the field? 

I got my Master’s in art history and studied a good bit of architectural history, as well as the history of decorative arts, which I always found so interesting. I owned retail shops for years where we carried home decor and art, and I began helping clients style pieces they’d buy with me in their homes. Smaller projects kept popping up, and when I sold my retail businesses, it felt like a very natural next step to pivot into interior decorating. 

What do you find most compelling about Chairish? 

The curated collections that make it very easy to shop a specific style or look, and the variety! I can find just about anything from smaller decorative objects to large statement furniture pieces. 

How does sustainability factor into your design choices and love of vintage? 

I love utilizing vintage in projects to give a space personality and patina, and I’m always happy to give a fantastic piece a second life. Shopping vintage is such an easy way to practice sustainability!

What are three of your favorite pieces on Chairish now?

I love this pair of 1879 Louis XV table lamps from Royal Delft; this Thibaut grasscloth-wrapped coffee table; and this geometric marquetry secretary.

Favorite way to create a statement-making moment in a room? 

Wallpaper! 

Do you have any go-to color palettes and color combos? 

Lots of blues—I especially love light blue with a dark evergreen, and blue paired with yellow. Green is my favorite color to design with, and I think it can act as a neutral in many situations. I love it paired with rust, terracotta, pink, yellow, and blue. 

What advice do you have for first-time clients about making their spaces truly personal? 

Take your time and trust your instincts. Great houses do not come together overnight—the interesting layers take time to accumulate. 

Lead image: Design: Hattie Sparks Collins. Photo: Jacqueline Marque.