Canada-based interior designer and TV personality Sarah Richardson has been a favorite creative dynamo of Hello Lovely’s audience for many years for good reason. Today we’ll explore 12 Brilliant Interior Design Ideas from Sarah Richardson.
Yes, she seems Canada nice. But more importantly, she designs intelligently. Though she mixes in vintage and flea market finds, her classic interiors don’t ever feel less than elegant. I have been taking notes for many years now…who remembers a very young and single Sarah decorating apartments on a shoestring on TV? Just listening to her calm voice demystifying interiors was a comfort.
On a personal note, I am feeling very grateful for the American men and women who serve our country and for those who lost their lives while serving. My heart aches for the families who are missing sons, daughters, fathers, and grandfathers around the table. How I wish we didn’t need them to be so brave. I wish they didn’t need to be so strong and so willing to sacrifice. I wish we could all grow in wisdom and evolve in our consciousness faster. This speech has some meaningful thoughts if you have a moment to listen:
<
THANK YOU, AMERICAN MILITARY FOR ALL OF YOUR TIME, TALENTS, AND BRAVERY.
Brilliant Interior Design Ideas from Sarah Richardson
1. Old World Lighting.
![The hallway in the farmhouse addition, from Sarah's House 3. #sarahrichardson #interiordesign #hall #moravianstar](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/78/e4/d7/78e4d7e5fe9152c3e360b10479695449.jpg)
Sarah Richardson loves using these Moravian star pendant lights as evidenced above and below. (And isn’t this bold blue vintage sliding door to the laundry room in Sarah Richardson’s off-the-grid Ontario home charming? Photos: Stacey Brandford. The dramatic French inspired chandelier in her off the grid house adds a beautiful sculptural silhouette to be enjoyed on the first and second floors.
![Turquoise blue vintage sliding barn door in Sarah Richardson gorgeous farmhouse style laundry room. #laundryroom #barndoor #farmhousestyle #blue](https://www.sarahrichardsondesign.com/sites/default/files/styles/node_image_1400px_width/public/2017-11/2017-0524-sr-0484.jpg?itok=Fr8MoQC6)
Here’s the exact French Country chandelier, and below it is a much more friendly priced beauty.
2. Layer shades of red.
![Sarah Richardson living room with classic decor and traditional style. Red accents. 12 Brilliant Interior Design Ideas from Sarah Richardson. #livingroom #traditional #classic #sarahrichardson](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/20/f0/86/20f0866c13b5f6c5a305e1dda4c4d1d4.jpg)
I personally have a difficult time living with red, but Sarah is masterful with it. She doesn’t just incorporate pops of a single shade, she mixes burnt orange, pumpkin spice, crimson, garnet, etc. In this farmhouse living room, you can see what I mean with all the delicious reds living harmoniously together.
![Warm reds and oranges in Sarah Richardson's farmhouse living room with wood on pitched ceiling. #livingroom #farmhouse #sarahrichardson #red](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/c1/79/ec/c179ece75cde600d804d49c7d1d10904.jpg)
You might think a white linen sofa would be easy to find in the marketplace, but I have never found that to be the case!! Here’s a pretty one.
3. Whispery Color.
![HGTV's Sarah Richardson designed this classic bedroom with soft tranquil colors. 12 Brilliant Interior Design Ideas from Sarah Richardson. #bedroom #tranquil #timeless #classic](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/57/dd/46/57dd46d10ae277764a406621eecc86f3.jpg)
Sarah Richardson’s tranquil farmhouse living room features a cozy area with subdued wingback chairs, a rattan side table, and a contemporary leather ottoman. The palette is hushed appropriately for this intimate conversational area. While the architecture and lines lean toward traditional style, modern details like nailhead trim and the patchwork construction feel fresh.
![Sarah Richardson's Ontario Living Room with wingback chairs and ottoman. #livingroom #wingchairs #leatherpouf](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/40/3f/e0/403fe0e0fe437b883507519394a28ede.jpg)
Check out the EXACT leather ottoman!
4. Reflective Gold Hardware.
![Elegant bathroom with round glass bar cart and freestanding tub. Design by Sarah Richardson. #bathroom #elegant #classic #barcart](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/87/90/f2/8790f2310efded0f9b3a280f63cd20b9.jpg)
In this Victorian-era bathroom below, beadboard on the walls, classic millwork, and vintage-style brass bathroom fixtures combine with brilliant design from Sarah for the tile. A mosaic above the chair rail looks classic yet a bit unexpected, and the marble shelf is both functional and beautiful for holding luxurious bath items and decor.
![Classic, contemporary bathroom with brass hardware by Sarah Richardson in a Victorian style home. #bathroom #classic #brass #hardware](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/46/21/b0/4621b0cbaee3cb8a0825ded086cee3a2.jpg)
5. Not Your Granny’s Country Style.
![Kitchen with light grey cabinets and brass hardware by Sarah Richardson for her off the gird modern farmhouse in Ontario. #kitchen #modernfarmhouse #lightgrey #SarahRichardson](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/7a/73/be/7a73be34eaf0642e8bcf6fa0b83c3759.jpg)
Sarah Richardson’s own kitchen in her off-the-grid house is brimming with fresh ideas on her vision of modern country style. Most of us imagining a country kitchen with a wood stove would not envision the elegant decor and finishes we see here. There’s no giant harvest table, no rustic farmhouse signs, no vintage corbels or antique plates on the wall. Instead, she has surprised us with sleek custom brass accent panels, a refined breakfast dining area with modern upholstered dining chairs. Even the color palette feels more cool and Paris chic than say bluegrass lovely (there isn’t even a rug in the space…though there is a “stone rug” between the island and range wall).
![Gorgeous modern farmhouse kitchen with beadboard ceiling and grey Shaker style cabinets. #SarahRichardson #modernfarmhouse #farmhousekitchen #brasshardware](https://media.hgtv.ca/wp-content/hgtv-wp/2017/10/16082405/SOTG_Kitchen_3.jpg)
6. Allow Vintage Doors to Steal the Show.
![Sarah Richardson's Ontario holiday house mudroom- door color tidewater sherwin williams. #mudroom #vintagestyle #farmhousestyle](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/e8/49/30/e84930892d889fc294b23a93478d1ff6.jpg)
For long-time Sarah Richardson fans like me, we recall vividly watching Sarah design this farmhouse with its charming entry/mudroom on her HGTV show. On the show, we were taken along on her flea market jaunts to source the home decor and furniture, and it was such a learning experience, wasn’t it? The rosy red of these doors on twin closets, the nook for the cupboard, and that vivid striped rug surely make this one of the most re-pinned Sarah Richardson design moments in history. What a welcoming entry! The alder doors in my own home aren’t vintage but are suggestive of age.
![Stunning red doors and vintage chandelier in Sarah Richardson's modern farmhouse mud room. #vintagestyle #mudroom #farmhouse #Sarahrichardson](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/ce/b8/34/ceb83406d5a51adb8d3171109b0ff6cc.jpg)
7. Rugged Tables + Airy Chairs.
![Full-height windows give this cottage dining room an abundance of natural light. Photographer: Stacey Brandford | Designer: Sarah Richardson. #diningroom #modernfarmhouse #cottage #sarahrichardson](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/1e/d1/3e/1ed13ec3fa8bf659598dc3774f2c53e4.jpg)
These airy open weave rattan high back dining chairs(below) in Sarah Richardson’s own dining room, adjacent to the living room add a a rustic yet light layer of casual comfort to this room’s design in her off-the-grid Ontario home. Pssst. Find the exact light fixture in that post too! Where you might expect to see Windsor style dining chairs or even upholstered Parsons chairs for softness, Sarah has chosen a handsome natural option which you might expect to see on a covered porch or in a beach house. For me, they say “vacation!” which is a lovely invitation to elevate both the everyday and special dinners shared with family and friends.
![Sarah Richardson designed dining room with modern farmhouse decor in her own home. #diningroom #modernfarmhouse #sputnik #sarahrichardson](https://media.hgtv.ca/wp-content/hgtv-wp/2017/10/16082351/SOTG_Dining-Room_3.jpg)
8. Sarah’s Favorite Tranquil Hues.
You’ll notice Sarah Richardson loves incorporating her favorite blues and greens into her projects, sometimes boldly like in her modern farmhouse’s mud room…
![Bold blues distinguish this mud room with its elongated bench and easily washed tiles. #mudroom #blueandwhite #beadboardceiling #SarahRichardson #modernfarmhouse](https://media.hgtv.ca/wp-content/hgtv-wp/2017/09/09082036/SOTG_Mudroom_1.jpg)
…and other times quietly like in this cottage style bathroom with gorgeous mosaic tile.
![Repurposed antique dresser as vanity in Sarah Richardson classic vintage style bathroom in London Flat. #bathroom #mosaictile #aqua #cottagestyle](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/af/da/3a/afda3a60beee91637ec1ae10de3d1fe6.jpg)
9. Tranquil Bedrooms.
![Beautiful Sarah Richardson boys bedroom! #bedroom #classical #traditional #Sarahrichardson](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/ba/b2/7e/bab27e260a35875979a8e5fb42dc153f.jpg)
Sarah Richardson knows her way around fabric prints, and she mixes them with bold genius. While we often see other designers do this adeptly with bold color, you don’t often see quieter, subdued, and more neutral shades mixed as we see here in Sarah’s serene blue-grey master bedroom with European inspired furnishings and home decor. Quiet color need not be bland and snoozy (although what’s so wrong with snoozy in a bedroom!?!) if your personal style is on the more dynamic end of the spectrum.
![Soft, simple and serene palette of neutrals and aquas in Sarah Richardson master bedroom with linen and blue grey walls. #bedroom #bluegrey #tranquil #timeless](https://media.hgtv.ca/wp-content/hgtv-wp/2017/09/02081919/SOTG_MasterSuite_Chair1.jpg)
10. Play Up Texture on Walls.
![Sarah Richardson. Laundry/Mudroom/Hallway with shiplap walls, black trim, and built-in bench. #mudroom #laundryroom #modernfarmhouse #shiplap](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/76/6f/d9/766fd966a023fda4100ca76c7eb6da91.jpg)
Whether it’s adding shiplap to a hardworking laundry/mudroom or wallpapering a public space like this entry in Sarah’s own family home, she repeatedly demonstrates how to create interest where there was none. The subtle wallcovering below adds an ethereal elegance that feels modern with the more traditional wood flooring and shiplap walls. Sarah Richardson has also not played it safe in her mixing of blues as you’ll spy navy, slate, and turquoise in close proximity to one another. In most cases, homeowners do not seem to feel that same freedom to mix rather than match, and yet for an evolved over time look, it’s exercising such freedom to get a winning look.
![Sarah Richardson designed hall with bold blue accents and Moravian star pendants. #modernfarmhouse #entry #moravianstar](https://www.sarahrichardsondesign.com/sites/default/files/styles/node_image_1400px_width/public/2017-11/2017-0524-sr-0472.jpg?itok=mWCQijV5)
11. Beachy Can Be Peachy.
![Sarah Richardson Cottage with cheerful green club chairs, hats hung on wall, and whitewashed paneling. #cottage #sarahrichardson #beachhouse](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/83/0b/d7/830bd7c3b769a0b6f6ca83dc77ed1a62.jpg)
Hello Lovely readers went nuts and Pin-crazy back in 2010 when I shared Sarah Richardson’s cottage with this little kitchen done in Sarah’s favorite blue-green palette. The waterfront property surely inspired all the watery colors and aqua accents like the marble mosaic backsplash. You may remember Sarah whitewashed all the knotty paneling which she inherited with the property. The pastels in this cottage style kitchen, dining area, and living room made a huge splash with lovers of vintage style and shabby chic!
![Cozy cottage kitchen by Sarah Richardson with vintage style cabinets, tile backsplash, and lanterns #kitchen #cottagestyle #aqua #mosaictile #backsplash](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/71/cc/80/71cc805f0c044f5fb4e9e4b22478c36e.jpg)
12. Encourage Intimacy.
![Modern country kitchen with black,white, and grey. Industrial style ceiling lights and reclaimed wood accent on island. #moderncountry #kitchen #blackandwhite](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/04/1e/b5/041eb55884e9b3a78a749c1528e5ffb4.jpg)
Sarah Richardson consistently places comfy armchairs in pairs, at the ready for face to face conversations. This creates an altogether different effect than tucking a single upholstered chair in a nook with a task lamp for reading. In the kitchen above, there are two little stools rather than just one…a small detail perhaps, but it suggests togetherness. Maybe you see a simple conversational area with a killer view through the window in the image below. What I see in this furniture arrangement is intentional space made for relationship, intimacy, and lovely discussions. Designer Pam Pierce masterfully creates such arrangements .
![Beautiful seating area with armchairs in front of window in blue master bedroom designed by Sarah Richardson. #bluegrey #bedroom #seatingarea #clubchairs](https://media.hgtv.ca/wp-content/hgtv-wp/2017/09/02081946/SOTG_Master-Bedroom_2.jpg)
Here’s another example of creating intimacy…
![Blue and white cottage style living room with coastal classic decor by #SarahRichardson #cottagestyle #beachhouse](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/16/42/10/1642108139fa3c095310f03883e6b238.jpg)
Enjoy a few more Sarah Richardson designs, and meet me at the finish line.
![Grey and white modern farmhouse kitchen with built-in cabinets and beadboard ceiling. #SarahRichardson #modernfarmhouse #farmhousekitchen #moderncountry](https://media.hgtv.ca/wp-content/hgtv-wp/2017/10/16082357/SOTG_Kitchen_1.jpg)
![Modern farmhouse dining room with rustic farm table and statement medallion at ceiling. #SarahRichardson #farmhousediningroom](https://media.hgtv.ca/wp-content/hgtv-wp/2017/10/16082348/SOTG_Dining-Room_1.jpg)
![Turquoise and bold blue in a modern farmhouse laundry room by Sarah Richardson. #laundryroom #blue #arearug](https://www.sarahrichardsondesign.com/sites/default/files/styles/node_image_1400px_width/public/2017-10/2017-0524-sr-0308_0.jpg?itok=hxxCNA9o)
![Classic vintage style bathroom design with hex tile floor and clawfoot tub by Sarah Richardson. #bathroom #classic #marble #whitebathroom](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/bb/e9/90/bbe990c1719d161af6cec97b2c947c18.jpg)
Hope you are enjoying the holiday weekend and finding plenty of time to slow down and recharge the batteries. I have been a busy bee in the kitchen today, preparing lots of yummy snacks for a party tomorrow night. I hope to share pictures of the shindig with you if I have a chance to snap any! How are you spending the weekend?
I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.
Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
Shop for items you already intended to buy on Amazon RIGHT HERE, and also find home decor here to keep decor inspiration flowing on Hello Lovely!
Hello Lovely is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Your post never disappoint -I can linger and learn . Since you are soooooo good at spotting and identifying detail can you tell what the labels on the tops of those lovely Tidewater blue doors are ( they look like those brass label holders you would find on an old desk ) …. I’m intrigued .
Author
I love it when you linger here!! Yours is a keen eye for lovely detail! I too wonder about those labels. I am guessing you are right. That they are vintage finds Sarah collected and used to label each daughter’s closet/cubby door. 🙂
Oh and thank you for sharing that wonderful speech by Reagan . We need to hear more of this .
Author
I am so happy you enjoyed it and took the time to visit! You are right, we cannot have too many reminders. xox
Thank you for the moving video by President Reagan. How soon we forget those gone much to soon fighting for our freedom. Indeed they were boys who gave their life so that we could have the many privileges we share today. May God forgive us for failing them.
Author
Thank you for reading and for the reminder. When we reflect on the reality of WHO the brave are, there is a shift, yes? These are our dear boys and girls we ask to be courageous. As a mother of two sons, it pulls at my heart. xox
Great work! These are the awesome interior design ideas. I am so inspired and got some great ideas. Thanks a lot for sharing.
Author
Yay! Thanks for reading.:)
Where can I purchase the Eagan dinning chairs that sara h had in her own cottage
Author
Hello! I am updating the links in that dining room post and will re-post it soon – in the mean time, here are the chairs: http://shrsl.com/12h1q Hope this helps!
Thanks for all the info! I was hoping to find info on the recessed lighting above Sarah’s desk in the laundry area?
They are much smaller than the usual and I love the cleaner look!
Author
I wonder if those lights are little halogen lights – I also love the smaller size and have installed these. They get very hot though, and here’s an article that may help: https://www.doityourself.com/stry/4-potential-dangers-to-consider-when-using-halogen-light-bulbs.