Sarah Patrick turns her zest for design into an award-winning firm.
Sarah Patrick is a woman in a man’s world. Even though she’s been a top-producing realtor in the luxury home and new construction markets for the past 17 years and has formed her own design-build consulting company, her male counterparts are still often surprised when they first meet her – and realize her knowledge of the industry.
“It’s still an industry that is overwhelmingly dominated by men,” she admits. “However, I grew up in a home full of contractors so I know how to deal with men in this business.” That appears to ring true. As the owner and president of Sarah Patrick Fine Homes, this sassy lady has earned her chops in the luxury home market in central Massachusetts.
Her company (a real estate sales firm that also offers a full-service design division) specializes in buying, selling, building and renovating homes – and it’s been prosperous. “I’m very passionate about what I do,” she says. “And I love being a woman in this industry. I think it allows me to have a better connection with clients, and maybe a slight edge, especially when designing the home’s footprint as well as its overall functionality and finish.”
Patrick’s passion helped earn the company three PRISM Awards from the Builders and Remodelers Association of Greater Boston in October. The awards recognize the finest projects and outstanding achievements of builders, developers, project owners, architects, land planners, marketing/?advertising firms, interior designers, remodelers and other professionals in the home building industry. “I am thrilled,” Patrick says. “Winning a coveted PRISM Award is a sign of excellence in your field and recognition of superior achievement.”
Budget Flexibility
A passion for architecture and interior design coupled with a keen eye for detail, Sarah Patrick founded Cavalier Design Group, which falls under the umbrella of Sarah Patrick Fine Homes.
At Cavalier, a luxury design-build consulting firm, Patrick collaborated with highly respected builders and garnered a reputation for her timeless designs in some of her market’s finest multi-million dollar homes. “Because of our extensive background and experience in the luxury home market, naturally we tend to attract a higher end client,” she says. “However, our overall vision is to provide a luxury feel and experience at every price point. I feel that this truly sets us apart as we are able to adapt and work within any budget.”
Sarah Patrick Fine Homes has clients in central Massachusetts and within the suburbs of Boston. Plus, it just completed a project in New Seabury, Cape Cod. The company’s average project falls into the $2 million to $4 million price range. However, with the company’s shift into central Massachusetts, it is tackling projects that start around $800,000.
“I am fortunate to have an eye that allows me to be creative with price while maintaining a rich feel and look for the client if the budget calls for it,” she says. “I am also able to visualize a finished space while the client describes their goals during our walkthrough meetings which I feel is unique.”
Pride And Joy
Although Patrick says that she pours her heart and soul into every project, there’s one that stands out. She purchased a home in Shrewsbury, Mass., with the intention of remodeling and selling it. “It had been sitting on the market for a while because it was unique,” she says. “It was a relatively new home but it had two separate living quarters. It was set up as a two-family home. It was odd.”
Inside the home, the two living quarters had entirely different designs. “One side was very modern and the other was very traditional,” she says. “Most people wouldn’t have taken on the project. It was a lot of work. We had to completely gut the first floor and open up the walls.” Patrick worked closely with the architect, engineer and builder. Over a course of eight months, the home underwent a complete transformation.
It now has an open floor plan and features re-claimed barnwood floors. One of the two old kitchens is now a spacious family room with French doors that lead to the outside. “We also have a lot of staircases in this home,” Patrick adds. “There are two on the main floor and two lead into the basement and one onto the third floor.”
She also converted one of the seven existing bedrooms into a walk-in closet for the mater bedroom. When completed, this 5,000-square-foot Colonial style home was hard to let go. “I fell in love with it,” she says. She didn’t let it go. Patrick has kept the home. It is a daily reminder of seeing potential in something that others would have ignored. “I’m a design geek,” she says. “I can look through photos of homes, interior finishes and lighting fixtures for hours. This business is truly my passion.”
