Stacey Brandford
To say that interior design guru Sarah Richardson leads a hectic life is an understatement. In addition to her jobs as decorator, TV host, newspaper columnist and product designer, she is the mother of two young daughters. When she needs to get away from it all, she retreats with her family to their farmhouse near Ontario's Georgian Bay, where they kick back in the much-used living room to enjoy roaring fires, bucolic views and favourite board games. After the kids are asleep, the room also serves as an entertaining hub. "Inside the buffet," says Richardson, "is a killer stereo system and the bar offerings, so it's a pretty important anchor for good times in the country."
1. The wallcovering: The walls in the living room are swathed in grasscloth, Richardson's favourite wallcovering. She chose it for the farmhouse because "it's a fairly refined grasscloth that combines fibres having a silky sheen with rougher strands that look as though they might have come from the fields" outside.
2. The wall sconces: The handsome vintage sconces flanking a rustic mirror were purchased at Residential Lighting Studio in midtown Toronto. "Owner Tony DeBortoli has a treasure trove of every type of vintage and antique lighting you could want," Richardson says. "He's my first stop when I want something different."
3. The buffet: The buffet is an American antique that Richardson bought from Ritchie's auction house just before it went out of business last year. "Its absence in the market has left a hole," she says. "I miss all of the wonderful sales they used to have, from the crazy general estate offerings to the decorative and fine art sales."
4. Fun and games: In the country, board games have become a favourite pastime. "The puzzle/game on the lower shelf of the faux-bamboo table is an antique family game," Richardson says. "The letters travel around the outside so you can slide them into the middle and spell words. I remember playing it as a child and enjoy the sentimental feeling of watching my own kids play with it."
5. The vintage rug: Purchased for clients whose space couldn't accommodate it - "It cost me over $4,000 and didn't fit their room!" - the vibrant vintage rug eventually made its way to the farmhouse. "The colours, an amazing mix of pinks and oranges and ochres, were the jumping off point for the room. I can't live without great old rugs."