Sarah and Caroline Stemp launched their interior design business in 2020. Then the pandemic hit. Here, the sisters reflect on their pivot to furniture.
London-based interior design studio and homeware shop Sascal Studio, co-founded by two KLC Design School trained sisters Sarah and Caroline Stemp, has garnered something of a cult following from Instagram’s circle of aesthetes. Their signature whimsical style includes a hearty selection of bobbin occasional tables, marbled Romanian ceramics, mid-century rattan and scalloped edge sideboards. A studio launch that coincided with the pandemic in early 2020 meant the duo had to think on their feet to recalibrate their business strategy.
As a result, their online furniture store leapfrogged their interior design business, launching before the latter had really taken flight. “Our first major project was put on hold due to the pandemic, so we quickly had to pivot. We were always going to expand into retail, but when lockdown hit we had to adapt quickly and launch the online shop first,” Sarah explains. For Sascal Studio, a shop also makes good business sense. “We’re sourcing for client projects all the time and when we see a piece which we absolutely love, but it isn’t needed in any of our current projects, we buy it for our shop.”
London-based interior design studio and homeware shop Sascal Studio, co-founded by two KLC Design School trained sisters Sarah and Caroline Stemp, has garnered something of a cult following from Instagram’s circle of aesthetes. Their signature whimsical style includes a hearty selection of bobbin occasional tables, marbled Romanian ceramics, mid-century rattan and scalloped edge sideboards. A studio launch that coincided with the pandemic in early 2020 meant the duo had to think on their feet to recalibrate their business strategy.
As a result, their online furniture store leapfrogged their interior design business, launching before the latter had really taken flight. “Our first major project was put on hold due to the pandemic, so we quickly had to pivot. We were always going to expand into retail, but when lockdown hit we had to adapt quickly and launch the online shop first,” Sarah explains. For Sascal Studio, a shop also makes good business sense. “We’re sourcing for client projects all the time and when we see a piece which we absolutely love, but it isn’t needed in any of our current projects, we buy it for our shop.”
The pair’s shared flat doubles up as a studio as well as a stage for showcasing their latest crop of pieces, and they take a lot of their design cues directly from client demand. “When we started thinking about our homeware shop, we were also putting small snippets of our flat online and similar pieces in our shop where possible,” says Caroline.
Instagram has not only propelled the brand into the public’s consciousness and provided a direct sales channel for them, it’s also a tool they use themselves to scope out mood boards, new ideas and craftspeople. “Even when we’re at the early concept stages we’ll immediately start a board via Instagram for that project and save all sorts of images from different sources – from a joiner whose work we absolutely love, to a new lampshade designer, to an up-and-coming artist who we feel will be perfect for the project. It’s amazing to be able to find so many new suppliers all in one place,” she adds.
More recently, Sascal Studio has extended its offering to include bespoke pieces of furniture – another strand of the business that came to fruition ahead of schedule. “We had sourced a set of antique wavy chairs from a vintage shop. The response on Instagram was so overwhelming we tried desperately to source additional sets. After months of searching with no luck, we decided to create our own version. Funnily enough, The Odd Chair Company emailed us on the day we decided to make our own version of the Wave Ladderback,” explains Sarah.
Our first major project was put on hold due to the pandemic, so we quickly had to pivot. We were always going to expand into retail, but when lockdown hit we had to adapt quickly and launch the online shop first.
- Sarah Stemp
This Wave Ladderback Chair – a collaboration with The Odd Chair Company – is loosely based on an original 19th-century design and is handmade in the UK with a rush seat and a choice of six finishes ranging from fumed or limed oak to walnut and beech. It’s been designed with comfort in mind, with a slightly larger frame, a gently reclined back and tapered legs. “We knew we wanted to streamline the design and make our version slightly more contemporary (whilst still using traditional rush seating) with straighter lines and a cleaner oak finish. It was important that the chair could adapt to any interior.”
Adaptability is important to the Stemp sisters, who baulk at anything that could be described as an ‘overly designed interior’, instead favouring a layered look that gives the impression the scheme has come together over the course of time. “By combining antiques with bespoke pieces of furniture you’re creating a space which is totally unique and harmonious,” says Sarah. “What’s so important in interiors is layering the space – although that doesn’t mean everything has to be bespoke. Bespoke items are pieces you will have for life. Anchoring a scheme with a bespoke ottoman for example, buying your sofa from a retail shop, and then having antique side tables creates a very timeless and personal feel.”
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