Do you know Sarah Richardson?
I’ve admired her interior design work for some time, but I’ve only recently seen one (yes, she has more than one!) of her television series – Sarah’s House, which is now airing in the US.
Have you had a chance to watch Sarah’s House on HGTV?
Truly, Sarah’s House is a show after my own heart – now in Season 2, the series follows the Canadian designer as she chooses a home and then flips it – complete with unbelievable staging. As a Realtor, fellow flipper and lover of design, I don’t think a TV show could get any better than that!! It’s really inspiring to follow Sarah through her thought process, from how to renovate each room to sourcing furniture and accessories to the big reveal. And I think you’ll find that the spaces Sarah designs are completely liveable and approachable while avoiding an overly “designed” look.
This is the Toronto home that Sarah chose to conquer in Season 2 – which she purchased for almost $700,000!
In the episodes that have aired thus far, Sarah and her design sidekick, Tommy, have completely swankified the second level:
The boring nursery . . .
. . . soon became this darling nursery (and I don’t use the word “darling” very often). Ikea drapes paired with a snuggly chair upholstered in cheerful polka dots provide a fun, gender-neutral color palette for this space.
I think it’s particularly smart that Sarah chose to install a picture rail in line with the top of the window frames (with sky blue paint above) to bring the vaulted ceiling down to a more kid-friendly and cozy height.
And, of course, the whimsical alphabet is an affordable and easily-replicated design element that adds tons of character (and an opportunity for learning) to the room.
The home office began just as bland as the nursery . . .
. . . but is now a modern, upbeat space with a hint of femininity brought in through the floral fabric on the bulletin board.
I find that the still shots of these rooms simply don’t do the spaces justice – you should check out these episodes to see the rooms in their full glory.
The master bedroom definitely benefited from Sarah’s decision to steal 27 inches of space (on the left-hand side) from the neighboring nursery.
And I bet you never saw this gorgeous space coming, did you? I certainly didn’t.
The entire color scheme for this master bedroom was pulled from those fabulous floral curtains in cream and gray. The headboard was positioned below the low point of the vaulted ceiling so that one would have a feeling of space and height while lying in bed.
While I don’t know that I could ever be disciplined enough to commit to such a tight and subdued palette, it really is divine, isn’t it?
I always love the look of chandeliers in bedrooms, particularly master bedrooms, but I just don’t think I could take the plunge and part with my ceiling fan – even so, I’m totally tempted to nix my fan after seeing this room!
I am curious, though – does Sarah sell her homes furnished? If not, it seems odd to devote such a large portion of the budget to furniture (some of it custom) and accessories that will, ultimately, need to find new homes. Does anybody know? Have you had a chance to check out the show and, if so, what do you think of it?
* There’s more to come for this series but, since most of the episodes haven’t aired in the US yet, I don’t want to spoil it for you!
Sarah’s House airs on HGTV at 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday nights. Images courtesy of HGTV Canada.


















































































