KEVIN SAWYERS, PRINCIPAL

Growing up in the foothills of North Carolina, Kevin Sawyers developed a passion for design which was evident at a remarkably early age. “My parents were not always amused when I routinely rearranged the living room furniture,” he recalls. Back then one could witness his emergent spatial sensibility as he played for hours on oversized farm equipment that he imagined to be ships, castles, fortresses, and skyscrapers against a backdrop of a Carolina pine forest.

Building on his innate abilities, Sawyers attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Interior Architecture. After graduating in 1997 and a brief stint at an Experiential Graphic Design firm in Atlanta, GA, Sawyers traded one coast for the other and made the move to San Francisco. There he joined the graphics and branding team at the globally recognized, design and consulting firm Gensler. Sawyers eventually longed to take his experience and design acumen back to his design roots focusing on residential interiors. In 2008 Sawyers made those longings a reality and founded Sawyers Design.

Work by Sawyers Design is highly evocative, marked by rich hues, a playful approach to proportions, and unexpected use of materials and finishes. Their projects have since garnered wide acclaim, landing features in Wallpaper*, The New York Times, California Home+Design, Aspire, and Livingetc.  

Collaboration also remains a central pillar of Sawyers Design’s work, resulting in spaces that tell the full story of who their clients are. Sawyers notes, “Our job is striking that balance between the architecture, the interiors, and how the inhabitants aspire to live their lives.” The dedication to this approach enables the firm to build long-lasting client relationships and authentically express their personalities through spaces.