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Colour Palettes Made Easy
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She’s savvy sophisticated with an ever-present twinkle of sassy charm in her smile. If you tell her “it can’t be done,” you’ll be wrong – guaranteed. High-energy and vibrant, when it comes to design, there’s nothing Sarah Richardson won’t tackle. So when Sarah discovered she and her design team had only three weeks to convert this year’s 6,500 square foot Millionaire Lottery Home in White Rock from empty to extraordinary, the popular television host didn’t have to think twice. She was booking plane tickets almost as fast as she said yes.
As with all her projects, Sarah says she looked first to the house itself for inspiration. “This home is loosely based on Georgian styling, so it needed some traditional references with a fun, contemporary edge to it – a sense of richness and formality that still reflects the casual oceanside location.” The starting point that emerged was the formal dining room where Sarah chose a dynamic, lushly textured turquoise wallpaper. “Once you decide on one thing, everything else tends to fall into place,” she explains. “So when you’re making that initial decision, consider the intangibles of how you want that room to feel and never start with a paint colour. Start with a fabric or a wallpaper, because you can always match your paint colours.” A fan of layering colour, Sarah shares one of her favourite design tricks. “If you’re having trouble deciding how to build your colour palette, put a paint fan-deck next to a swatch of your fabric or wallpaper. Now match every single shade you see on the swatch – and there will be plenty. For example, a leaf will probably have at least four different shades of green. When you’re done, you’ll have a harmonious blend of colours that are guaranteed to work with your pattern because they are already part of it.” “Stick to simple lines and neutral tones for anything that’s fixed or installed." As Sarah and her team worked outward from the dining room, they chose a softer shade of turquoise for the kitchen and a muted palette of earth tones throughout the formal areas. The result is a sense of effortless flow between spaces, a fluid interconnectivity that seems as natural as the ocean that forms this home’s backdrop. Principles of good design, Sarah notes, are the same no matter what the size of the renovation – as are the potential pitfalls. “Most people spend about a tenth of what they should on lighting,” she says. “You’d be amazed how many times I’ll see people budget hundreds of thousands of dollars renovating and then go to a big box retailer for lighting fixtures.” Another area that’s classically under-estimated is furniture and draperies. “Why spend the money to renovate and then drag back the ratty old sofa you’ve had from the first house you ever owned? You’re much better to approach your entire renovation from a moderate or conservative price point than extremes of high and low,” Sarah says. “If your budget is IKEA, then do the whole house – furniture, cabinetry, accessories – to that level. It will look and feel terrific because it is consistent.” She’s also adamant about consumers who need to be savvy when it comes to options. “If you see a sink you love for $400, do your research to see what you can get for $200 or even $100 – you might be surprised.” Her number one piece of advice for anyone renovating: “Stick to simple lines and neutral tones for anything that’s fixed or installed – cabinets, counters, flooring. If you have a wild, crazy pattern on your countertops and then change your mind, it will be very expensive to replace. Simple and neutral are not only timeless, but they are usually the least expensive as well. You can use the money you’ve saved for accessories and other Wow Factors. Without them, it would be like wearing a spectacular evening gown without jewelry.” Sarah can be seen on HGTV or found on the web. |
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