Talk Shop: Hema Persad // Sagrada Studio
ABOUT HEMA
A native of Toronto, Canada, Hema was a practicing attorney for several years before following her heart and pursuing a career in fashion. In 2014, she moved to Los Angeles to chase her goal and spent the following 7 years dressing A-list celebrities, styling ad campaigns and editorials, and working with some of the top fashion talent in the world, including Edward Enninful, Sophie Lopez, Monica Rose and Tara Swennen to name a few.
Hema's interior design career began in 2021 when one of her styling clients asked for help decorating their home. Because of her eye for design and ability to execute her creative vision, that first project snowballed into several more. Hema founded Sagrada Studio and designs and decorates residential and commercial spaces around the country. Her years in the fashion industry have given her the ability to distill wildly artistic references down to their applicability to modern living, always with a touch of culture, warmth, and individuality.
When she’s not working, Hema loves traveling and discovering L.A. with her husband and three daughters. Enjoy the latest installment of our Talk Shop series with Hema!
Describe your style in three words or less:
Eclectic, Global, and warm/cozy.
What have been the three biggest influences on your aesthetic in your life:
My culture (I’m of Indian descent), traveling to new places, I think I’ve been to at least 20 different countries, and fashion - I was a celebrity stylist before I became an interior designer and I’ve always loved fashion. I tend to prefer what people are wearing on the streets over runway fashion and so I’ve always followed blogs like Stockholm Street Style, etc. for inspiration.
How did you start your company, and/or what is your favorite thing about what you do:
I became an interior designer by accident - one of my styling clients asked for help decorating her new place during the pandemic. I had never done it before but I said okay - because I had just read this book called “The Surrender Experiment” by Michael Singer and the whole premise is about saying yes to opportunities. Once that project was complete, we had it photographed and more people started asking me for help with their homes. All of a sudden I had multiple design projects going all via word of mouth and I had to make a choice between styling or interior design so I chose interior design.
We just launched our studio, Sagrada Studio, because I’m no longer a one-woman show - interior design requires a team to execute, and as our projects have gotten larger I wanted to make it more about the business and the team than me, because I really could not do this without them.
Do you have a mentor in your career, and if so, how have they helped to shape your trajectory:
I’ve had a few mentors along the way but none specifically for interior design. Every mentor I’ve had has just encouraged me to chase happiness and purpose and then the money will follow. At the moment I just go with my gut and use my experience from my previous careers (I was an attorney for 7 years before I left that and went into styling for another 7 years) to guide me in decision-making.
What does your home say about you:
It says I like comfort and color. I wanted it to feel really warm, inviting, and eclectic. My husband and I love to entertain so we opted to close in some walls and make a formal dining room which I know is controversial because everyone wants an open plan. I prefer defined but connected spaces and a house that reveals itself as you walk through it. All of our furniture is soft and comfortable - we have 3 kids - and I hope when people come they feel like they can really put their feet up and have a drink.
Where do you find inspiration:
Other countries. Hotels, restaurants, boutiques—I notice designers and owners take a lot more chances with design in places like this so I love to take inspiration from places that are a little bit more out there and figure out how to give people that same special experience at home. I also read a lot of design books - I don’t just use them as coffee table decoration :)
Who are your style icons:
I have so many but some I really look to for day-to-day dressing inspiration are Stella Simona (who is also a dear friend), Oumayma Elboumeshouly, Kahlana Barfield Brown, and Princess Diana because she really did get that casual elegance thing right every single time.
What are your key ingredients for entertaining:
Good food, good drinks, and ambiance…aka decor and candlelight. My husband handles the drinks and he also loves to cook, and I make sure everything is decorated, plated, and set out in a way that looks beautiful. Also music - there has to be something playing and if our living room turns into a dance floor then that’s just a bonus.
Do you collect anything:
Books and artwork! I try to visit a flea market once a month because here in L.A. we have some really good ones. You can always find some unique piece of artwork or a cool lamp to bring home.
Favorite Instagram accounts to follow for inspiration:
@ruba, @archdigestindia, @admexico, @elfennmarrakech, @sabi.stays, @reno.notebook, @stellasimona, @oumaymaboumeshouli, @thestreetpie.
What design “rule” do you always follow, and which is made to be broken:
The only rules I follow are spacing rules, i.e. leave a 3ft minimum between countertops and appliances, pendant lights should be 32 inches minimum above dining tables, and things like that. Otherwise, I am not formally trained in design so I follow absolutely no rules when it comes to anything else.
What are you working on right now:
Right now we have several projects around the country ranging from bathroom renos to full home interior designs. We have several kitchen projects and we are about to start a complete overhaul of a med spa in Venice which I’m really excited about. I also have a couple of brand partnerships that I am working on with brands that I genuinely love and use so that has been a great experience and more will be coming out soon!
Wardrobe staples:
High waisted wide leg jeans, oversized blazers, cropped t-shirts and tanks, white button-down shirts, Nike sneakers, black slip-on mules, my Balenciaga camera bag, large dark sunglasses, stacked rings in gold and silver from Bagatiba and Jenny Bird.
Favorite fabric/wallpaper:
Kelly Wearstler “graffito” on anything. It’s really such a good print and is kind of tribal feeling. I love it.
Best interior advice you ever received:
Design around the light in the space.
Best career advice you ever received:
Always be responsive. If someone has to follow up with you, it means you’re late. And to be prepared for an opportunity so you can say yes when it arrives.
Types of home purchases you invest in, and save on:
Invest in a sofa, dining table, and coffee table. The big pieces.
Save on curtains, pillows, blankets, and lighting.
Your greatest extravagance:
Honestly expensive perfume, candles, and essential oils. I have a few that I love that are expensive but worth it. I really need my surroundings to smell good. Some faves are Le Labo - Santal, Matcha, and Rose. I love Chloe “cedrus” perfume. I splurge on Diptyque cleaning products and candles. And Byredo “Bibliotheque.”
Favorite places to shop for home:
Rose Bowl flea market.
Most prized possession and why:
I’m not too attached to things - they come and they go. But I still, 18 years later, really love my wedding rings. Also all my family photos. I have boxes of photos printed out from my childhood onwards. Losing those would devastate me.
Your interiors motto:
Never buy a thing until you have a reference image to start with. You need that north star.
Your life motto:
Stay prepared for opportunity.
Advice for someone looking to define their own interior style:
Make moodboards of pictures you like - you’ll see patterns start to emerge!
Take Ten: My Favorite…
Food: Sushi
Drink: Tequila on ice with a squeeze of lime
Film: Devil Wears Prada
Hotel: Zadun a Ritz Carlton Reserve, Cabo San Lucas
City: Los Angeles!
Bedding: Bed Threads
Tea or Coffee (and how do you take it): Coffee - with a splash of almond milk and a dash of cinnamon.
Playlist: 90s hip hop
Weekend Activity: Hanging out with the kids!
Design Book: 8 Homes by Clements Design