Happy Monday! A big hello and welcome to all new and returning readers!

I’m quite picky about the design shows I watch. In my opinion, most give LOTS of eye candy but don’t give an accurate view of the actual design process. I also feel like decisions about your living space shouldn’t be made in 10 minutes and shouldn’t be executed in 2 days. Designers plan and scheme and that takes time. Choices for colors and materials and successful floor plans do not just happen like on TV.

But  I do love watching Sarah’s House on Fine Living. If you have not seen it, the show documents interior  designer Sarah Richardson’s renovation and redesign of a 1913 home as well as the good, the bad and  the frustrations that come with the process. In this case, she is both designer and client and the end result is quite lovely.

Often using neutral palettes in her designs, this office gets an optimistic pop from the saffron drapes.

By changing the interior architecture (she took down a wall and changed the stairs), Sarah created a more open floor plan to connect the entry way to the living room. In the entry the floor tile has the colors that make up the living room palette. She used a ceramic tile in the entry in lieu of using hardwood floor throughout and means to protect the wood floors from dirt and further damage.

This living room is so elegant. There is a mix of patterns all kept in  black and cream so it does not seem to busy. And that wallpaper makes me swoon.

You have to watch the show for the before pics and believe me it’s worth it. If you seen Sarah’s other shows, you know that she specializes in homes that are both casual and luxurious. Sarah’s House is no different and I’ll be tuning in obsessively to watch just as I do her other show Design Inc.

Sarah has since moved on to tackle Sarah’s Cottage, an adventure in renovation and off the grid living of her weekend home. I can’t wait to see that show!

{all images via sarah richardson design}