Sarah Richardson
Sarah Richardson has been a key fixture of the Canadian design world since starting out in 1995, working behind the scenes as a prop stylist and set decorator. It wasn’t long before she’d switched to the other side of the lens and was parlaying her innate charm and inimitable style into a burgeoning on-camera career. By the late 90’s, Sarah realized that she could carve a niche in the emerging world of design TV by sharing her practical, endearing and inspiring approach to décor and design with viewers. Sarah is the host, co-creator and co-producer of four hit HGTV series that speak directly to the needs of a contemporary audience. Room Service, design inc., Sarah’s House and Cottage and Sarah 10 are a collection of lifestyle television series dedicated to tackling the demands and design challenges of modern living.
Known for her upbeat and easygoing approach to creating elegant and timeless designs for every room in the home, Sarah inspires and empowers viewers by effortlessly sharing her winning style formula of mixing luxury with get-it-for-less savvy and balancing the save/splurge quotient of every decorating adventure. Sarah's enthusiasm for all aspects of design is infectious, and Sarah’s House season 4 is unlike any other project she’s tackled before.
In addition to creating groundbreaking television, her bustling design business, Sarah Richardson Design Inc. (www.sarahrichardsondesign.com), specializes in servicing residential clients in Canada, the U.S. and Europe. Sarah and the firm have directed a number of large-scale projects, including the design of the Krall Centre at the Vancouver General Hospital. Sarah has received the Caldwell Partners Top 40 Under 40™ award, writes a national newspaper column on design, and has recently added a signature paint collection to her indoor and outdoor product and furniture lines. Sarah has presented headlining installations at the Toronto Interior Design Show and is a regular keynote speaker on style and design.
To keep the demands of a hectic working life in balance, Sarah spends weekends pursuing outdoor activities in the country and living off the grid at the solar-powered cottage she shares with her husband Alexander, their two young daughters and new puppy. Sarah has begun work on her first book, due in 2012.
Tommy Smythe
Tommy Smythe has worked alongside Sarah Richardson as an integral member of her design team for over nine years, through several award-winning HGTV series’ including design inc., Sarah’s House and Cottage and Sarah 101. He has proven himself to be Sarah’s indispensable confidant, friend and design partner in crime.
Tommy’s passion for design extends to pulling back the curtain and letting the viewer get an inside peek at how it all comes together, from the early stages of planning through to executing and staging every room in the house. His quick wit and larger-than-life personality are the perfect foil to a woman who knows what she wants and isn't afraid to ask for it. His reactive personality creates a magnetic chemistry when combined with Sarah’s unwavering focus. Viewers love the “he said/she said” tension of two headstrong creative individuals battling out their ideas on screen. Tommy is the traditional to Sarah’s contemporary, the high to her low, the storm to her calm, rain or shine.
Tommy, born and raised in Toronto, has spent the past 12 years honing his appreciation of fine art and antiques, and managing numerous entire home renovations. With Sarah’s influence, he has come to appreciate the more contemporary approach to design and has even begun to embrace the notion of hunting for a bargain now and then! When not working from dawn until dusk managing dozens of tradespeople and racking up his cell phone bill, Tommy can be found spending his few spare moments of down time scouring antiques markets in New York and Palm Beach or augmenting his impeccable designer wardrobe!
In addition to his off-camera decorating work in Canada, the US and the UK, Tommy is a regular contributor to both Canadian House and Home and Style At Home magazines and has been featured on numerous design blogs including Habitually Chic, Apartment Therapy and Coco & Kelley.