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Sarah 101: Simone's Girls' Rooms

by - Tuesday, February 08, 2011

I admit it, I was getting a little blasé about Sarah 101. I've liked the rooms but nothing has really blown me away or given me that signature Sarah "wow" I was looking for. Not until this week's episode, that is.


Maybe its because I have a little girl of my own, but I just loved loved loved these rooms Sarah created for a trio of little girls. The rooms contain a mix of modern and vintage pieces, layered fabrics, sophisticated colour, and touches of whimsy.

In the nursery, Sarah painted the walls a shade of coral (can you say Honeysuckle?). She kept it from being too sweet by pairing it with bright fire-engine red furnishings and accessories. I especially loved the bold floral curtains trimmed with polka dot fabric. The room had a "collected over time" look, as each piece was unique and not too matchy-matchy. Even her finishes didn't match... natural wood on the chair, white paint on the ottoman, a yellow side table, red crib, and creamy dresser... but they all worked together because she stuck to a palette of reds, creams, and yellows.


In the shared girls bedroom, she went for a cooler palette of blues & greens. This is Sarah's favourite colour combo and she's used it many times before in tween rooms, guest bedrooms, and her own cottage. What makes this room a standout for me are the girly details like the curvy headboard and side tables, the swirly brackets, the pleats on the bedskirts, and the crystal knobs. She tied the two rooms together by using pops of yellow, and the same striped carpet in both rooms.

I loved all the DIY touches too like the painted dresser (it was naked pine originally) and especially the storage platforms she sat the beds on. Such a great idea to use velcro to attach the bedskirt to the front of the platform; its pretty and functional and keeps the baskets beneath accessible.


Tips from today's show:
- inspiration can come from unlikely objects. She used two tea towels from Anthropologie as the jumping off points for each room
- your fabrics and paint don't have to match exactly. Use a toned down paint colour for your walls and ceiling
- use carpet as another design element. Keep it fun and 100% wool for kid's rooms
- use pencil when making markings on walls. Pen will bleed through paint.
- vintage furniture is often inexpensive and durable. Use your savings to splurge on blingy handles or knobs to dress up the piece
- consider placing twin beds end to end instead of side by side or in a bunk bed configuration. This makes the room feel more open and gives each child one half of the room to consider their own.

What did you think? Did you love it as much as I did? Or maybe this room just appeals to the other mommas out there?

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