When you’re looking for a new piece of furniture, it can be hard to determine what exactly it is that you want or need. Are you looking for a statement piece that’s pretty in your place, or do you want something that you can comfortably crash into at the end of the day? Sarah Richardson, of Sarah Richardson Design, spoke to TheHome.com about her recent collection at Palliser Furniture and how she helps consumers realize that fashionable furniture pieces can be at once beautiful and relaxing.
For Richardson, it’s all about the angles. “I want a piece that looks great no matter what angle you look at it,” says Richardson. “However you approach a chair or a sofa in a room, I want it to look great from all angles, but I also want it to have a lean, tailored silhouette.” Shapely silhouettes are key in her design as well as having some sort of sculptural interest.
One piece in particular that combines this idea of angles and silhouette is the Silhouette Sofa. “We’ve got a nice soft radiant at the bottom of the sofa, we have a tailored arm and then we have this lovely sweep, almost like a wing at the back,” says Richardson. It goes along with her idea of comfort and stunning relaxation. “I still want it to look elegant, but I definitely want to be able to kick back and relax,” she says. “So, I’ve designed these pieces to marry both casual ease with beautiful elegance.”
Shapely silhouettes are an important part of Richardson’s collection while still holding true to her need for comfort. Her Silhouette Sofa, for example, perfectly encapsulates the idea of smart design that is at once functional and chic. “The sofa has three over two, which means we’ve got three loose back cushions on the back, sitting over two seat cushions,” she says. “I like the two seat cushions because if this is really a kickback and relaxed piece, you want a larger seat to be able to do that.”
Richardson also uses color to create a cohesive palette. “I like a soft palette with a variation of hues and tones all mixed together,” she says. For this most recent collection, she used soft blues, soft greens, and smoky grays to achieve this look. However, her color options aren’t just for furniture, as she’s also designing a rug collection. “We have over two dozen rugs in our collection, and with each of them we have extracted the colors we’ve used in the rugs and match them exactly to upholstery fabrics,” says Richardson. “This means it’ll make it seamless and foolproof for the end consumer to get the look they want.”
Some consumers might find colors (especially bolder ones) to be intimidating, but Richardson advises to find the hue that fits you. “I think embracing color can be challenging for some consumers,” she admits. “I want them to be fearless about using color—I want to make it fun.” In her rug collection, Richardson used a combination of cut and loop textures, as well as undyed natural wools. So, what you can see here is these bands are cut and then the main ground of the rug is a loop, which adds to the striated look.
One of Richardson’s current designs is her Shore Collection, and all of her pieces—from furniture to rugs—embodies that happy, beachy, calm vibe. “I think of this as what the horizon looks like,” she says. “If you’re looking out on a foggy day, and you’re looking across that broad seascape, isn’t that what it feels like? Wouldn’t it be nice to be there right now?” With Sarah Richardson’s design and expert advice, it’s absolutely possible.
