Sarah's House 4: Basement Rec Room

They may have saved the best for last for this season of Sarah's House 4 - I think we can all agree that it certainly was the BIGGEST!! The best decision made in this rec room was to invest $15,000 from the upgrade budget to create a basement walkout. This not only allows for direct access to the backyard, but the opening floods the space with an abundance of natural light.

A Persian rug spotted in the window of Karakashian (on sale for just $1400), kick starts the colour scheme for the basement rec room. Sarah & Tommy pull paint colours from the carpet, as well as a plethora of coordinating fabrics in shades of red, grey and white.

End Walls: SR38, Barn, Para Paints
(Sarah's Hint: Use a neutral base instead of clear
with a strong colour for better coverage.)

Walls: Stainless, P4244-24 Para Paints

The custom William Birch style sofa and loveseat are both covered in a sturdy felted wool, while the drapes draw attention with a red and cream awning stripe. The cozy Henny blanket from Ikea adds another layer of texture to the sofa.

Felted Wool

By placing a deep table at the rear of the sofa, it creates another seating area - perhaps a spot to enjoy a board game or a card match. How about the side tables Sarah chose for this room? They're Russian Doll end tables, designed and built by her brother Theo's company, Rich, Brilliant, Willing.

The coffee table originally stood at full height, but since it was an inexpensive piece, there was no harm in shortening the legs to bring the table down to size. The original oil paintings in the window alcove are lively and relate back to the colours in the space.

Donna Andreychuk, The One & Only
via Canvas Gallery

Donna Andreychuk, The Only One
via Canvas Gallery

The games area of the room is perfect for an informal billiards match while catching a Sunday afternoon football game. Sarah & Tommy chose the mid range table from Brunswick Billiards and chose to cover it with a charcoal grey felt. The teak chairs in this area provide a spot to relax during a break in the action.

Fabric: Schumacher, Chenonceau, Charcoal

All room photos courtesy of HGTV.

What did you think of this large, bright, basement rec room? I think it would be a fabulous place to spend good times with friends and family.

Buy The Best and You'll Only Cry Once

While you're waiting for me to write this week's Sarah's House 4 recaps, check out these YouTube from HGTV, featuring Sarah Richardson and Tommy Smythe.

In Part One, Sarah & Tommy discuss the process of decorating, taking on new challenges, and what makes a house a home:



In Part Two, the design duo describe their style, how they decide on a colour palette, and why it's okay to go over budget:



Love the Miles Redd Quote!!

**Please note that if you receive this post via an email subscription, these videos won't function automatically. Please follow this link to view the videos: Cherish Toronto.

Sarah's House 4: Master Ensuite

Tonight's back to back episodes of Sarah's House 4 were the final episodes featuring the interior rooms of the newly built home. Next week HGTV will air the final episode: Curb Appeal. The jumping off point for the master ensuite bath was the master bedroom itself. With a pair of double doors leading directly from the bedroom to the bath, the colour scheme needed to be consistent between the two rooms.

Job one was to choose tiles for the floors and walls. Sarah chose natural stone for the floors, selecting a watery Ming green 12x12 marble tile, with an inset band of tumbled mini brick mosaics. A short supply of mosaic tile meant that a third tile had to be chosen for the shower stall floor.

Ming Green 12x12 Tile

In the large shower enclosure, a double chair rail band and a single band of ceramic accent tiles (installed at a height of 60") add interest to the glossy white wall tile. Sarah and Tommy were both drawn to the faceted design of Rubinet's Hexis fixtures.

After considering an expensive upgrade, Sarah and Tommy opt for a built in vanity along the eight foot rear wall. By building the cabinet a few inches in from each side and adding carved legs, they achieve the look of a freestanding piece of furniture. The cabinet is then topped off with a quartz composite countertop and custom cut antique mirror inserts are set into the recessed door panels.

Wall Colour: SR33, Eyelet, Para Paints

Sarah crosses her fingers, and is allowed by her builder to install a freestanding tub in the master ensuite. The "sculptural beauty" of the Maax Jazz tub softens the otherwise hard lines of the vanity and shower enclosure. Pretty eyelet curtains and a pair of chairs from Elegant Garage Sale also provide some softness in the space - reupholstered in a shimmery silk with white piping detail.

Fabric: Matka Noil

All room photos provided by HGTV Canada.

What did you think about the watery green scheme in this room? Do you think it will stand the test of time? Did you know Sarah's middle name is Dorothy?

Sarah's House 4: Weekly Preview

**Spoiler Alert**

Tonight on Sarah's House 4, our favourite design duo will finish up the suburban home interior. We'll see the master bedroom ensuite bath and the basement rec room. Prepare to be wowed!!

Master Ensuite


Rec Room

Tech Style

Yesterday I picked up the new iPhone 4S, and as exciting as it is to have a new phone, it's just as exciting to pick out a cool new case for it. Being part of the tech world doesn't mean a girl has to sacrifice her personal style. In fact, the hardest part will be trying to narrow it down to just one case (okay, maybe two).

Orla Kiely case via Caseholics on Etsy:

Yellow Chevron via Pencil Shavings Studio on Etsy:

Striped Hard Case via Tory Burch


Vintage Indian Floral via Decorative Design Works, Etsy

Hare by Marco Cibola via Uncommon

Floral Mosaic Roses by Scott Wilson via Uncommon


New York by David Bushell via Uncommon


Multi Coloured Hex by Get Uncommon


Quilt by Get Uncommon


Argyle by Gabriella Davi-Khorasanee via Uncommon

Meeting Jeff & Jenni

I don't normally post photos of myself on the blog, but for this I'm making an exception. Elte was the place to be tonight, with a special appearance by Jeff Lewis and Jenni Pulos of Flipping Out. The two were interviewed by Cityline's Tracy Moore, and it was great to see that in real life, Jenni and Jeff are exactly as they appear on the show. Watch for their new show, Interior Therapy, which will air next year on the Bravo network.


Although Jeff Lewis began his career as a house flipper, the US economic crisis forced his business to evolve, and now Jeff and Jenni spends their days consulting with clients on renovation and design projects. For those of you who aren't familiar with the Jeff Lewis Design aesthetic, here is a taste of his work:

Photos courtesy: Jeff Lewis Design

Thanks for visiting Toronto, Jeff & Jenni!!!!!

Today I'm Looking Forward To...

...Jeff Lewis at Elte!! Woo Hoo!!

Photo credit: Lou Mora, Courtesy Elte

If you've ever watched Flipping Out on HGTV, then you know all about the obsessive compulsive Mr. Jeff Lewis and his dedicated team. Jeff's right hand woman, Jenni Pulos, will also be at Thursday evening's event. So excited to meet them both!!

Sarah's House 4: Master Bedroom

The jumping off point for the Master Bedroom in Sarah's House 4 comes from a set of vintage botanical prints spied by Sarah & Tommy during a shopping trip to Of Things Past. These prints tie in with the room's relaxing ravine views and provide inspiration for the room's colour scheme: soft greens, pale apricots and mellow creams.

Sarah chooses a very traditional floral fabric which she
used for drapery and as accent pillows on the bed.

Fabric: Waverly, Garden Images II, Glacier

The writing desk is a gem from Of Things Past.
Sarah has a sturdy new base made and
adds pretty crystal hardware.

Wall Colour: SR4, Vintage, Para Paints

The curvaceous custom Jasmine headboard is
upholstered in a soft green and cream poplin stripe.

Fabric: Schumacher, Betwixt, Water/Ivory

Fabric: Villa Nova, Tatami, Jasmine

Sarah & Tommy discover a pair of columns at
The Door Store which add an element of
architecture that is otherwise missing from the room.

Sarah creates a large framed panel behind
the headboard using trim molding.
The panel is filled with a shimmer wallpaper.

Wallpaper: Schumacher, Mosaic, Silver

This master bedroom combines the perfect blend of restful colours with comfortable, plush fabrics. What an amazing place to relax and unwind at the end of a busy day. Aaaahhh...

All room photos courtesy of HGTV Canada.