The other day I attended a design presentation at ADAC Atlanta given by Sarah Richardson, a designer that is at the top of my design idol list.  Sarah is the talented Canadian designer behind the popular HGTV shows Design Inc. Sarah 101 and Sarah’s House.  In addition to designing fabulous rooms on her shows, Sarah shares the ins and outs of the design business and gives design advice that any homeowner can put to use. All this, along with Sarah’s charming personality are the reasons I admire her so much.

Seeing Sarah in person was pure joy and hearing her words of inspiration on building and growing a business was icing on the cake.

{cute as a button}

Before Sarah got started with her presentation she let us know that Tommy, her adorable sidekick was home sick in bed.  She asked us all to wave and say hi as she took a video to send to him.

Once the presentation began, Sarah shared how she got started in the design business,  showed images of her work and gave all the designers in the room some really simple but great design advice.

Here are the things that stuck out in my mind.

Every designer should define, understand and CREATE A SIGNATURE STYLE for themselves and KNOW YOUR BRAND.  Knowing this will not only help you be a better designer, but it will help your clients understand who you are and how you approach business.

I also loved Sarah’s design philosophy…”Create rooms tailored to your clients and their interpretation of what home means to them.”

Another aspect that she spoke about that both designers and homeowners need to tap into is their INSPIRATION.  Knowing what inspires you as a designer or someone who is decorating a home will help you create a space that is right for you.  Sarah spoke about the things that inspire her…pattern mixing, color, rooms that have both a feminine and masculine point of view and mixing old with new.

Sarah has been designing for quite a few years and one of the things she really focuses on beyond the work is BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS.  Building relationships with your clients, support team, painters, contractors and anyone you work with is key to developing and maintaining a successful business. She fully acknowledged that her business is a team effort and not a solo one.   I couldn’t agree more!

 

 And the final inspiration point that stood out to me was this…every designer should HAVE A POINT OF VIEW & UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE. To help with this process Sarah divides her work in to 4 key looks that form the starting point of every space she designs:

SHORE–Coastal colors, a soft palette, a relaxed vibe

BOULEVARD–City chic, refined color palette

SIDEWALK–Family friendly interiors, light-hearted, youthful

FARM HOUSE–Rich color palettes, warm, antiques

After the presentation we headed to the Kravet showroom where Sarah’s new line of fabrics were on display. I can’t begin to tell you how beautiful her collection is.

Each color grouping has the perfect mix of solids, textures, pattern scales and the looks can be mixed and matched in so many ways.

This is my favorite collection and the floral below is my favorite pattern.

If you’ve ever watched one of Sarah’s show you’ll recognize that these patterns are definitely her signature style…classic with a vintage feel.

Sarah loves blue color palettes which are heavily represented in her collection.

The fabric line is launching as we speak and you can already find many of the styles at Forsyth Fabric here in Atlanta or online at House of Fabric.

Oh, I forgot to tell you that Sarah also mentioned she is working on a book.  It’s in the early stages so there is no release date yet but I can’t wait to add her book to my design library.

 Everyday I look to be inspired by something or someone and spending the afternoon with Sarah was inspiring beyond words.

To learn more about how Sarah got started in the design business head here and to see more of the beautiful spaces she and her team design head here.

Follow Sarah on FB and Instagram!

images via Sarah Richardson.com