Designer, TV host, producer, four-time best-selling author, entrepreneur, and product designer – Sarah Richardson has done it all and now has a collaboration with Allstyle Retrofit. One of Canada’s most treasured designers, she has spent more than 25 years in front of (and behind) the camera. She has built a dynamic business that includes furniture, textiles, fabric, and wallpaper collections, and now cabinetry with the Sarah Richardson for Allstyle Retrofit Collection.
The Sarah Richardson for Allstyle Retrofit Collection is a unique series of custom lacquered doors designed and engineered to fit onto IKEA’s affordable modular cabinetry systems.
She said about the collection, “I’m known for taking IKEA kitchen components and elevating them with custom elements to create something new and different. I’ve customized, repainted and reimagined just about everything imaginable when starting with a big box kitchen – and now I’m sharing that wisdom and experience. My new collection for Allstyle Retrofit takes the guesswork out of achieving beautiful results and empowers homeowners to create amazing spaces.”
Now, let’s learn more about the inspiration behind Sarah Richardson for Allstyle Retrofit Collection and what is coming up next for the popular designer:
For many years, you have been a staple in the world of interior design. What keeps you inspired?
I truly find that inspiration is everywhere! Whether it’s travelling to new places and being exposed to interesting and diverse design directions, and thinking about how to bring these details home to the projects we are tackling at SRD, or looking to the natural environment and landscape, I am continuously fuelled with new ideas that make me feel excited.
A huge part of my work is focussed on finding a connection between inspiration from the natural world and bringing it into interior environments in a way that makes you feel connected. Colours, textures and even the tiniest of details can blossom into an impactful end result.
We’ve just completed install on a project in California where the principal bedroom palette was inspired by the view of clouds and sky from a wall of windows in the room and the living room and family room direction came from the views out over the garden, pool, and surrounding foliage. Thinking about how to draw the outdoors in and create a harmonious dialogue between what is outside and inside is always an interesting process for me.
Renovations are expensive, so may be difficult to follow trends unless you have an unlimited budget. What trends are you seeing for 2024 that have a timeless feel?
When thinking about renovations I’m always leery of trends. Trends are intended to be fresh, immediate, and “now”, whereas renovations should always endeavour to be timeless, classic and enduring. Obviously these two directions often sit at cross purposes from one another so when planning a renovation, I encourage everyone to stay firmly focussed on what you love and what you want to surround yourself with for the long term. Your home should reflect you and your personal style, and not be a timestamp of what was “on trend” in 2024.
In terms of current direction which I feel aligned with, I am happy to see a focus on use of natural materials as there is truly nothing more beautiful. I am also fully in support of more soulful items and a focus on designing your home with artisanal and handmade items that are crafted with passion and purpose. It’s no secret that I have long been a major cheerleader for the authenticity and unique appeal of vintage and antique elements in any home. It’s nice to see a return to appreciating quality pieces that have lived a previous life.
Texture, natural materials, vintage pieces, artisanal creations and beautiful textiles are my signature recipe that I never tire of. They can always be adjusted and moderated to suit each new project but it’s important for homeowners to always remember that any renovation should be infused with personal style and represent exactly how they want to live in a busy world.
Why did you decide to develop the Sarah Richardson for Allstyle Retrofit Collection?
For my entire career, I have thrived on embracing the challenge of designing beautiful spaces regardless of budget. Sometimes we are fortunate and get to play with a large budget and sometimes resources can be limited. This should never be a deciding factor for how successful the end product is in my view!
I have tackled hundreds of kitchens both on my shows and in our private client work. I’ve always enjoyed the puzzle of dramatically transforming the kitchen from before to after, and I have had dozens of projects where I have used IKEA cabinetry as the foundation for a creative end result. I have re-interpreted it, repainted, and reimagined all variety of components to transcend their origin, and it’s a challenge I always enjoy.
When asked to collaborate with Allstyle, I jumped at the chance! Being able to design an extensive collection of door and drawer profiles that can be custom lacquered in any colour (including 14 signature colours chosen by me) was a fun adventure in design. I focussed on creating a fresh, new collection of unique door profiles not currently available to a mass audience and wanted to offer a variety of contemporary profiles with dynamic texture that can be used anywhere and everywhere.
While the largest installations I have executed using IKEA cabinet frames as a launchpad happened to be kitchens, this new collection for Allstyle is designed to be used anywhere homeowners are looking to install fashion-forward storage. Whether it’s a mud room, laundry room, pantry, walk-in closet, bathroom vanity, media room, playroom, home office, bar, or kitchen, we have collaborated to create endless options for making your storage fabulous (and fun)!
Many people are afraid to play with colour in the kitchen. What is an easy way to play with colour for people who are nervous to take the plunge?
There’s no rule about using colour. You just need to do what works for you and feels comfortable. If you’re concerned about whether you will appreciate colourful elements in the long run, think about how you can embrace them in small amounts while still delivering impactful results.
For example, you can add colour to your walls which are easy to repaint, or inject a splash of colour on decor and accessories like chairs, stools, window coverings, light fixtures, countertop accessories and even small flourishes like kitchen linens and dishes. If you love colour, embrace it, but if you prefer to live in a neutral world, that is absolutely okay too. It’s all about personal taste in style and outfitting your home with the things that suit you best and make you happy to be in it.
You have had a successful TV career, a thriving YouTube Channel and a great social community. What is your favourite medium now and why?
After almost 30 years working in television, I do still love creating content to share on screen. While the medium in which we share has evolved so much over three decades, and allowed me to share on social media, and on YouTube, the process of creating and sharing video is still very satisfying as I love being able to connect with a global audience.
My goal is to share inspiration, give guidance and impart knowledge, showcase how to troubleshoot problems, explore new ideas, and do it all with a sense of humour so viewers everywhere can see that the fun of design is in the adventure – and no two adventures are ever the same.
What projects are you working on in your own home?
Fortunately, our homes are complete at this point. After 7 years in our farmhouse and 10 since we renovated our city home, I’m cleaning closets and reorganizing, and thinking about how to dial in spaces to adapt to changing needs (the 5 year old is now 15 and a refresh might be in order). Our next project is restoring/rebuilding a giant floating boathouse. I’m always on the lookout for new and exciting projects, so there’s probably something really fun around the corner 😉
What is next for you?
Launching a new YouTube series on the extensive renovation of a late 80s island cottage and taking it from a Golden Girls palette of pink and green to something more lake oriented.
