Denise Eckert
Co-Owner/Principal Designer
Denise Eckert is celebrated for her artful blend of vintage elegance and modern design, creating interiors that are as richly storied as they are livable. She partners closely with clients, helping them express their personal narratives through their homes. Drawing on a passion for art, travel, and history, she layers influences that add depth, character, and meaning. Denise’s background as a mural artist, combined with her discerning eye for antiques and a trusted network of artisans, ensures each project is tailored, sophisticated, and deeply personal. With each design, Denise transforms everyday spaces into meaningful environments that reflect her clients’ unique stories and aspirations.
Denise and Stephanie united by a passion for art, history, and antiques, began curating vintage finds over 15 years ago. Their love for timeless pieces led them to showcase at the Antique & Design Center in High Point, NC, offering unique selections to the trade. Today, through Sweetwood Collective and Pear Tree Cottage in Vienna, Virginia, they help clients tell their story through their homes and furnishings. By blending modern design with curated, character-rich pieces, they shape environments with soul—whether residential or commercial.
Our Story
Collected homes designed with intention.
Sweetwood Collective Interiors creates timeless, layered spaces that blend personal history with modern comfort. We partner with clients on both residential and select commercial projects, guiding them through a thoughtful, clear design process. Our signature approach blends vintage charm with contemporary livability, ensuring each space feels curated, functional, and truly personal.
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Curated homes designed with intention.
Curated homes designed with intention.
Stephanie Freitas
Co-Owner/Principal Designer
With a career that has evolved from fashion to home, Stephanie Freitas, brings a refined understanding of lifestyle and luxury to every interior she creates. Her background as a top-selling regional sales director for a prestigious fashion house led to a nationally recognized career in antiques and interior design, where her eye for quality, detail, and timeless style defines her work.
Stephanie became passionate about interior design at a young age while learning alongside her mother and her mother’s interior designers. From selecting wallpapers to custom furnishings for their family’s’ homes, she developed an early appreciation for thoughtfully curated spaces, an influence that continues to shape her design philosophy today.
Committed to both beauty and function, Stephanie integrates new pieces with treasures originals to create homes that are as livable as they are elegant; ensuring each space reflects her clients’ personal style while enhancing the way they live every day.
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VIRGINIA | WASHINGTON, D.C. | MARYLAND