Monday Meandering

I hope everyone is enjoying this last long weekend of the summer (here in Canada and in the US it's a holiday today).   Most summers seem endless but this summer for some reason flew by in a heartbeat.  I can’t believe it’s over.

The upside is that Fall is my favourite time of year and like the beginning of a school year, it’s a time for a fresh new start, a time to set new goals and make some changes.  (I’ll get right on that!)

So, here’s some holiday reading from around the web:

1)  Canadian House and Home staff picked their favourite paint colours for the Fall.



2)  Speaking of paint colours, if you are thinking of painting your front door, Fall provides the perfect weather for tackling this project.  To give you some inspiration, here are some images from my Pinterest account. I’m currently mad about yellow as a front door colour although it’s not that common in my suburban neighbourhood.















3) If you follow Michael Penney’s blog or you read the House and Home article on paint colours which said “former Style Editor Michael Penney,” you know that Michael left H&H.  Tomorrow he will be starting a new position working with none other than Sarah Richardson.  He will be working on season two of Sarah 101 with Sarah, Tommy Smythe and the rest of the team.  Sounds like a match made in heaven!

Sarah 101 is looking for homeowners who want to “redecorate or lightly renovate” their home - if interested read here.  (If you aren't chosen, then call me :) )

4) Hope all of the kiddies out there have a fun week back at school (I know my girl is not looking forward to it!) We head back on Wednesday.  Canadian Family has a Back to School Guide filled with tips to ensure a smooth transition. I’m looking forward to trying some of the breakfast ideas.

 
(PS See that cute little redhead on the cover, that’s Christine’s daughter.)

5) The wonderful, unexpected part of blogging is the friendships you make. Tim had a few of us over to his beautiful condo for dessert last week. Had so much fun chatting about blogging, design and what’s new with everyone.  Read his post here. (Note to self: don’t stand beside the oh-so-trim Tim in a photo. I look like twice his size – must be my top or the fact that I only went to the gym twice this summer!)

6) Don’t forget about the Geovin sale which ends on September 15th.



Have a happy week!



If you need decorating advice, please contact me at vanessa(at)vanessafrancis(dot)com.

Sarah 101: Boho Chic Girls’ Rooms

Did you catch episode 6 of Sarah 101 that aired tonight on HGTV?  She took two lacklustre, small rooms and turned them into fun, playful spaces for three lucky sisters. A coral and mustard nursery and a blue, yellow and green bedroom for the two older girls.



 
Here’s what I loved about this episode and what we learned:

• tea towels from Anthropologie were used as the jumping off point for the colour scheme for both bedrooms. You can see this one made into a pillow on the bed above. Some tea towels even have a pom pom detail which would add to the cuteness factor if used for pillows.
• the mix of fabrics and pattern – I’m guessing that there are a dozen fabrics used in each room. Don’t be afraid to mix florals, geometrics and large and small prints – they don’t have to match exactly.
• the 100% wool striped broadloom which has all the colours used in both rooms
• placing the beds end to end and building the platform for under $200 was genius
• the vintage side tables,a steal at $65 for the pair, painted a robin’s egg blue with gorgeous handles from Anthropologie
• the scroll ceiling fixture (in the blue and green room) was beautiful and unique

And here’s what I wondered about:

the vintage dresser in the nursery could have used a coat of paint and new knobs.  I thought it stood out like a sore thumb in a room full of fresh colour. (I’m probably biased because I had a very similar dresser growing up and I’m guessing I didn’t like it!)

I also wondered if the paint that was sprayed on the crib was no VOC and safe for a baby.
At the end of the show, Tommy mentioned that he had an antler chandelier and herringbone wallpaper in his childhood bedroom; Sarah had a flokati rug and crochet details stapled to her bed.  It’s no wonder that they both have great style and taste.

I think this was my favourite episode yet with useful advice for homeowners on how paint and fabric can transform a room.  You can watch the video here and see the shopping guide here.

What did you think of the show?

Sarah 101: Premiere Episode

I’m sure by now you have seen or heard about the highly anticipated (especially by me) Sarah 101 which aired last night on HGTV Canada.  If you haven’t watched it or don’t have access to it on the tele, you can watch it here.

There was so much information and inspiration packed into the 1/2 hour show - it could easily be an hour.  As is Sarah Richardson’s usual practice, a fabric  was her jumping off point for the colours and design direction for the room.  In this case, it was the bold, multi-coloured floral used on the two chairs.

Some highlights/design advice from the show:

• it’s important to address the structural issues like the stucco ceiling and wood floors in disrepair before you work on the pretty
• when upholstering a sofa, use an inexpensive cotton on the body and a more luxe fabric like velvet on the seating
• loved the bold fabric on the shapely chairs and the rug covered ottoman
• a plate wall as art can be inexpensive but have maximum impact
• use of pink (pantone’s colour of the year), gold/brass (mirrors, chandelier) and medium tone wood floors are trends that we are seeing a lot of
• the fully upholstered chairs in the dining room are lovely but not practical if you have kids, unless this room isn’t used every day (the seat covers were washable though so that’s a good thing)
• the tile detail in the entry is classic Sarah – small investment/big impact

You can see more photos here and the Shopping Guide here.  Sarah always shares her resources – love that about her!

In the show credits,  Tommy’s role is given as “Design Sidekick.”  It would be so much fun to have a Tommy to work with!  You can read more about Tommy and Sarah from my meeting with them here.

Have you seen the show? What were the highlights for you?

Catching up with…Sarah Richardson and Tommy Smythe

How do you spell talented, charming and fun?  Why Sarah Richardson and Tommy Smythe, of course.

I had the opportunity to meet them at their design offices in Toronto with a few other design bloggers.  The purpose was to chat about their new show on HGTV, Sarah 101 and ask questions.

This is what greets you as you walk into the Sarah Richardson Design offices.  Would you expect anything less?  The upholstered pieces throughout the space are from Sarah’s furniture line.  As one of you asked in my last post – yes, you can order her furniture if you live in the US. I didn’t have an opportunity to ask that question but researched it online.  Call her office for details.



 

Look who is here? (Funny how we all hunch over in photos when there’s really no need to!)  Yes, Tommy is as witty as he is on TV and no, they don’t have a writer – that’s all 100% Tommy!



Sarah and Lindsay working before our informal chat begins.  You may remember that the office was designed on an episode of Design Inc.  The desks were found at a hotel and office liquidator and she had them spray painted.  One thing I love about Sarah is that she shares all her sources on her site. Because of her, I found out about the liquidator and her spray painter which I have used on projects.  Sarah’s office is right behind Lindsay’s – love the windows which are from a salvage shop.



When we arrived, Sarah and Tommy were filming for HGTV, hence the lights and sound equipment, although it may be there permanently for filming.



Their inspiration board.   Get closer and you can see: fabric samples with small print; floral wallpaper; tear sheets from Canadian House and Home; painted stairs from her farm house; and a tear sheet on Modern Africa.  A real mix of inspiration and ideas– not one style, bold and quiet, colour and neutrals.

 

They had some snacks for us and Sarah even made tea! The cupboards were filled with all kinds of nuts and healthy snacks.  I didn’t peek – they were open, really!

 

I was sitting right beside Tommy for our chat, hence the close up.  They spoke about Sarah 101, launching January 4th on HGTV as well as the evolution of the brand.  The hour flew by and there wasn’t enough time to ask all of your questions that you had so kindly written in my last post.   Below are some notes and interesting facts from our conversation and then after when I had Tommy all to myself.  (I had taken some video but shot it in portrait mode and can’t for the life of me figure out how to rotate it!)

Room Service:
- Sarah’s first show showcased her DIY/craft skills - interesting point: more than half the homes featured on one of the five seasons sold within 6 months of their makeover. I suppose homeowners realized the cache of having a Sarah Richardson designed home.

Design Inc:
- came from their desire to show that it takes a whole team to design and renovate
-  anything can and will go wrong
- Sarah said they should have done a 5th season
- they never had a wrap up party for the show because they were filming Sarah’s House simultaneously with the same crew etc.

Sarah’s House:
- focus on how and where to spend your budget and prioritize
- wanted DIY’s in but they ended up on the cutting room floor
-  interesting point:  Sarah’s House 2 – buyer didn’t purchase much of the furniture and then tried to sell the house for  a lot more a few months later on kijiji. 
- Sarah’s House 4 is currently being filmed somewhere in the west suburbs to be aired this Fall.  New build from the ground up.  That’s all she was allowed to say.
- there may be a 5th season – unsure yet.
                                           
Sarah 101:
- provide building blocks so that viewers can create the same room in their own home
- case studies – breaks everything down into “To Do” lists
- $10,000 budget paid for by the production company.  Homeowners can add to this amount.
- 6 people worked for 5 1/2 months on 13 rooms – crazy!!
- “dense” show – people can watch it again and again and take something away each time
- the “cheapification of Tommy” – Tommy had to work within a budget and had a bit of trouble with that!
We received a DVD of the first episode and it is full of renovation and decor advice and results in an amazing transformation.  Tune in on January 4th, 2011 to watch.

Other interesting info:

- A few of you had asked in my last post if Sarah would be writing a book.  Good news!  A book  is in the beginning stages.  Sarah will be fully involved and it will be published in 2012, fingers crossed.  I asked Tommy this question after the “formal, informal” chat was over.
- Tommy is not living in his tiny apartment or the home with the bespoke kitchen.  He recently moved within walking distance of their office and has an apartment with a wood burning fireplace.  It will probably be in a magazine one day, right now, he doesn’t even have  a sofa.
- Lindsay is not living in the same tiny apartment that was featured on Design Inc and has moved a few times since then.  She was an intern (only student that had the courage to ask Sarah for a position at a trade/home show) and has been with them for 6 years now.  She is an integral part of their team, hence the position of her desk!
- When asked what designer would they want to design their homes, Tommy immediately said Thomas O’Brien who is a good friend.  I wanted to ask Tommy if he liked having “new fogey” describe his style aesthetic.
Tommy helped Sarah answer the question and came up with a mix of Victoria Hagan and Miles Redd.  Tommy said she would want a little bit of both and she loves everything – colour and neutrals,  traditional and modern etc.  This was a testament to how well they know each other.
- A few readers wanted to know how they met, so I asked the question.  Tommy and Sarah’s husband were friends in high school and Sarah “stole” Tommy away from L’atelier, a high end furniture and accessories retailer in Toronto. (Can’t believe they don’t have a website yet!)
- They try to never repeat a fabric from one home to the next which is difficult to do!
- Sarah’s 4 year old daughter told “Uncle” Tommy “I want colour in my bedroom.”  Their home has lots of colour thanks in part to Sarah’s paint line with Para.  Her daughter is following in her Mom’s footsteps!
Tommy is part of the family and sometimes picks up Sarah’s kids from school/daycare.
- Sarah has lived in her current home for 10 years and is always changing it up.



This photo and group shot taken by Jen – thanks!

Thank you Sarah and Tommy for a delightful afternoon!  Am I too old to say, “You guys rock!”?  You didn’t have to do this because your new show will be successful without any publicity or social media connections!  But, I’m glad you did because I am an even bigger fan now.

Vanessa

Meeting Up with Sarah Richardson and Tommy Smythe

Like most other design loving Canadians, I have been following Sarah Richardson’s career since her early days on Room Service.  I remember thinking “this girl is going places” and boy did she ever!  She went on to host and produce HGTV’s Design Inc, Sarah’s House, Sarah’s Cottage and is launching Sarah 101 in a few weeks, January 4th to be exact. 

Her designs are liveable and stylish, a mix of new and vintage and almost always feature beautiful fabrics as a jumping off point.  I love that she shares her sources – retailers, antique stores, fabric houses etc.

She also runs a successful interior design business, has her own paint and furniture lines and writes for the Globe and Mail.  One busy, smart and talented lady!

The witty and stylish Tommy Smythe has been an integral part of her team since the Design Inc. days.  He is a great sounding board, has impeccable taste and their on screen chemistry is brilliant.  (I still smile when I think of the Sarah’s House episode with the snake. So funny!)



A few days ago I received an email from Sarah’s publicist inviting me (as well as other design bloggers) to interview Sarah and Tommy.    Are there any burning questions you would like me to ask this talented and stylish duo?

Sarah Richardson's Finds: Christie Antiques Show

Season 3 of Sarah’s House wrapped up last night. She bought a 100 year old farm, one hour north of Toronto, on 50 acres for $500,000. Over a period of 5 months, she and her team renovated and built a 1500 sq’ addition costing $739,000. At the end of each season of the show, we learn if the value she added exceeded her costs. Realtors toured the home noting its shortcomings (lack of closets, only one bathroom in the addition) and then said they would list it at $1,550,000. So she did OK!

The outdoor antique show where she found many of the antiques is Christie’s Antique Show which has about 300 vendors and runs twice a year. The Spring show is on Saturday, May 29th, so mark your calendars. Maybe, we’ll even run into Sarah! I took these photos at the Fall show last year.

The Sarah’s House website includes a detailed Shopping Guide for each of the episodes. Love that Ms. Richardson is generous and shares her resources. I thought it would be fun to highlight the rooms showcasing the pieces that were found at Christie’s. Not all of the items found are shown in the photos. The kitchen, although filled with antique finds from other sources, didn’t contain any Christie items. I showcased the kitchen in an earlier post I wrote on Ikea kitchens.

This is the mudroom and entry which lets you know that this home is full of colour. Christie’s: bench, antique pine cupboard (she found out later that the cupboard wasn’t really an antique but it still adds loads of character.)

The above two bedrooms are in the original 2nd story of the house. Christie’s: antique brass bed, quilt

This is the main bath and although the painted tub is vintage, it wasn’t found at Christie’s. Christie’s: vanity, decorative shelf, yellow chicks

This dining table is 11’ long with the two extensions! They sourced a company in New Jersey which added the paper back to the Schumacher fabric on the walls. Christie’s: dining table

This expansive living room is in the new addition and here she veered away from the fresh, country palette to more soothing jewel tones. Christie’s: curved back sofa, iron chandelier, kids chair, carved wooden side table (they must mean coffee table), pair of bridge lamps

I love the gorgeous headboard fabric in the girl’s bedroom. The previous homeowners of the farm had left their chenille bedspreads which were made into pillows and a bed skirt. How charming and sentimental! Christie’s: marble lamp, quilt and hook rug

The family bath has a luxe tub ($4K) aside her antique finds. Christie’s: glass front cabinet, bird cage

The quilt was the jumping off point for the colourful master bedroom. I love the fabric on the two chairs and large bed cushion. Christie’s: four poster bed, quilt

Hope you enjoyed the tour and are feeling inspired to find some antique and vintage pieces at antique shows and flea markets. It’s definitely the way to add charm and character to your home, so get hunting!

Sarah's House....For Sale

If you loved the home that designer Sarah Richardson bought and renovated in Season 1 of Sarah's House, it can be yours for $1.269 million. It's for sale again and is located in the Rosedale area of Toronto. The new homeowners can purchase all of the furniture and accessories for an additional price. Below are some photos from her website and the listing. (I removed the link to the listing as the house is now sold.)