So September Happened...

"Where does the time go?"

As I age (gracefully, of course), I find myself uttering that phrase more and more. Where has the past month gone? I was sure that after Labour Day I would get back to blogging on a regular basis, and yet here it is October 6th and I'm still lacking posts. I don't pressure myself to create "scheduled posts" or have an "editorial calendar" like some bloggers do, but I do want to keep in touch with everyone who still pops in here looking for an update. Hopefully things will get rolling again now that I have a few fun projects on the horizon!

No excuses, but... September was a busy month. I spent several weekend shifts at work, packing and preparing to move our office & warehouse to a new location. In between all the work I managed to squeeze in some fun stuff. According to my Instagram feed, here is what I did in September:

Enjoyed the TIFF screening of Violette at The Elgin Theatre on Yonge Street.

Celebrated my 43rd birthday with family at El Catrin in The Distillery District.

Toured the Princess Margaret Showhome in Oakville with interior design by Brian Gluckstein. It's so gorgeous!! Have you bought your ticket yet?

Hung out on the set of Canada's Handyman Challenge with Bryan Baeumler, Mike Holmes, Scott McGillivray, Paul Lafrance & Jenn Robertson. Season 3 is coming to HGTV Canada early in 2014.

Attended Blogpodium, a fun and super inspirational conference for bloggers. I had such an amazing time catching up with old friends and meeting new people:

Purchased this stunning wool & silk Ardabil rug at auction. I was so tempted to keep it, but it's for the new office.

Discovered that Ritchies is another great resource for antique rugs. This hand knotted 11' wool runner was an absolute bargain that I couldn't pass up.

Whipped up these sweet little baskets to hold markers and notebooks using fabrics from Tonic Living. I love the fun colour combos! 

So...what have you been up to?

Sarah's Back!!

Hello all,

I just wanted to pop in to let you all know (if you haven't already heard) that Sarah Richardson's new series, "Real Potential" premiers on HGTV Canada this Thursday, September 19th at 9 pm. In this series "Sarah's real estate know-how, expert advice and innovative thinking help buyers see past the one disaster room preventing an offer."

I'll be watching, will you?

Just Launched: Jeff Lewis Colour/Color

Designer and star of the HGTV series Flipping Out, Jeff Lewis has just launched his own palette of 32 paint colours. The spectrum is comprised of neutrals, touching on greens, greys, blues, beiges and browns. Currently available in a limited release to stores in the southwestern United States, I have a feeling this is the beginning of something big. It's so hard to get just the right shade of a neutral and Jeff's palette consists of so many good looking choices!!

Here are some of my personal faves from the online gallery:

Carbon

Dirty Martini

Inkblot

Clay

All photos via www.JeffLewisColor.com, and visit the website for more information.

Last Chance for Sarah 101

*Alert* *Alert* *Alert* *Alert*

The word is out!! Sarah 101 is looking for someone in the City of TORONTO with a room in need of a decorating makeover. There is room in the production schedule for one more episode of the show, so if you have a single room in need of serious design help, apply ASAP!!

Requirements:

• This is a decor makeover only, there will be no renovation.
• Single rooms only, not combined (such as living room/dining room).
• Must be within the City of Toronto (due to time constraints).

How to apply:

• Email room photos, budget and wish list to: info@designinc.ca

Good Luck!!!

Photos via HGTV Canada.

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

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!!!!!