Sara Zigman is a St. Louis-based artist who enjoys reinvention, delving into new ventures inspired by her love of color, and using various media defined by a strong element of practicality. She is known for her large-scale murals and custom indoor and outdoor art installations, and via her website, sarabethdesigns.com, customers can purchase hand-made sculptures, pop cubes, candelabras, and more to, as she says, “bring a daily dose of happiness” to any home.
Her recently launched product line sarabeth bespoke takes a design scheme to a new level. Zigman works with clients to compose a design that can be transferred to a number of different mediums. Advances in digital printing technology, she says, allows the imprinting of the desired design on more than 115 different types of fabric, using either reactive, pigment, or sublimation printing. For hard surface products, such as bone china, digital printing is done by hand, one item at a time, using certified ECO-print technology that is odor-free and uses water-based inks and zero solvents, yet still results in a sharp, non-fade permanent finish.
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Zigman sees the greatest opportunity in helping engaged couples develop a personalized wedding pattern that can be used to customize invitations, linens, bone china, glassware, drapes, and even wallpaper. She believes that this process will resonate with those who make sustainability a top priority.
But it all starts with research. Zigman wants to know what her customer likes and dislikes. “The more input I get, the faster I can design a draft,” she says, adding that any information she gets helps her work within a client’s aesthetic. Pricing is based on time spent on drafts, and whether a set of five, six, or eight place settings is ordered; once approved, turnaround time is between 45 to 60 days for these family heirlooms.
Much like a monogram, the design is “owned” by the client, and can be used to enhance a maximalist or minimalist approach to their home decor. An added benefit is the ability to order extra pieces at any time, allowing couples to add place settings years after the wedding or when a replacement piece is needed.
Examples of Zigman’s products can be viewed on Instagram @sarabeth.designs. She expects to partner with wedding planners and event spaces, but also, eventually, with interior designers to broaden the appeal of her work.
