I sort of have an obsession with HGTV's Sarah Richardson, and for a good reason too. No, this is not a girl crush. This is a full-on designing, house-flipping crush.
For those that have no idea what I'm talking about, Sarah has a show on HGTV called "Sarah's House." She, and her sidekick designer Tommy, search for the perfect house to buy that needs help and that can be flipped. (flipped = house with beautiful structure containing old blue chipped tile, tiny rooms and nasty outdated cabinets is taken on by a designer. Walls are torn down, rooms expanded, house beautified and designed.)
So why Sarah as opposed to Candice Olson or Genevive Gorder?
She uses antiques. For something to be beautiful and trendy, it doesn't have to be bought from Ethan Allen or Z Gallerie. Although those things are beautiful, of course. Antiques are sturdy and are built more structurally sound, in my opinion. Decades ago, things were hand crafted and weren't sent through a machine assembly line. Also, antiques have a story to tell. The coffee table in my living room is an antique I bought for $75 (yes, a dang steal considering the Carrera marble!) from someone who bought it at an estate sale. Prior to that estate sale, it belonged to someone's great grandmother. So neat. I could go on about why antiques are fantastic for days, so I'll cut myself off here.
Her shopping style. We get to see Sarah and Tommy rummage through estate sales and stores that sell old fashioned lighting, fireplace hearths and doors. Sometimes she really doesn't know what she's looking for. She roams the aisles (or sometimes sporadically placed piles of things) and pulls out a seemingly hideous light fixture out of the rubble. What's that? She plans on spraying it bright red to accent the room? Brilliant. We also see Sarah visit her storage facility full of her "finds." Sometimes while shopping, she finds something amazing but it doesn't work for the space she's working on. In to storage it goes!
All her designs are original and different. I hate to say this, but at lot of designers are one trick ponies. Some can only design traditional. Some only modern. Sarah's designs are all different, yet they all have her touch that makes the room decidedly Sarah Richardson.
She doesn't over accessorize. Pet peeve coming on. Sorry Candice Olson, your rooms are fab but they are so accessorized that I think they're practically impossible to live in. Wouldn't want to have friends over tea; I'd have to move all the vases and books you put on my coffee table! I feel Sarah knows where a shelf needs books and art pieces and where there should be space left open. A lamp and a casual, meaningful decor object are all an end table needs.
How she talks to her viewers. When Sarah is filming her show, she talks her viewers through every step of the process. Yes, she's keeping the original molding in the old house. But why? She's tells us. Because it keeps the charm of the house in tact. It's a small little thing. She's educating her viewers. She doesn't treat us like dummies. She doesn't act like some high and mighty designer (although she has earned that); she just talks to us like we're friends and like we want to learn something from her. Which we do!
Her overall design. Duh. It has that lived-in, homey vibe. Always. Even if the look has a high fashion design, something is always left a little disheveled just so that it looks inviting, and you know won't be shot for sitting on the sofa. That's because there's a casual throw blanket that isn't perfectly folded. It's simply cast over the side. That's inviting. She also knows how to use color. Not too much ever. She can do a neutral room, all grays, and it still looks colorful because of the variation of grays she used. She can do a vibrant room. Usually one or two colors stand out like a yellow or a blue or red. And usually those colors are incorporated through gorgeous patterned fabrics. Don't worry, David Bromstad, I'm not hating on you and your color splash-ness. I LOVE YOU TOO.
So, yes, Sarah is design perfection in my eyes. If you don't believe me, judge these for yourself. (Note: these are all in different homes.)
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