Sarah Richardson for Palliser

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How did you come up with the four design styles?

Whether someone chooses an entire room or just a single piece, we’ve designed four collections that feel well suited to any home. Some people have a more contemporary style, some gravitate to a lighter palette, and some prefer a coastal feel, so we wanted to offer an assortment of different design perspectives. My goal was to create a collection that’s foolproof and offers something for every taste and style!

What are some of the fabrics and materials you used?

The Shore collection uses whitewashed oak with cream lacquer, woven rattan elements, and is finished with brass accents for a casually elegant yet sophisticated collection that celebrates layered textures.

The Annex collection celebrates the natural character, and wood grain in ash swirl veneer applied in a checkerboard pattern on several pieces for a look that is equal parts rich and restrained while the lines are thoroughly modern.

The Vista collection speaks to consumers who are drawn to the elegance of updated transitional style dressed in light neutrals. With refined parquetry details and pale oyster-hued veneer, the Vista collection has contemporary silhouettes that embrace old world techniques and can easily integrate into any home.

The Boulevard collection takes inspiration from the rounded silhouettes, timeless walnut finish and warm brass tones synonymous with the enduring appeal of 20th century Art Deco design.

What piece or pieces are you most excited for consumers to see?

Shore

I designed the Silhouette chair and sofa for my own home to blend a curvaceous profile and deep, lounge-y comfort. I always want even the most inviting upholstered pieces to be streamlined and elegant, which these are thanks to the sleek frame, rounded corners, and tapered legs. I also love the woven rattan featured in a number of the Shore case pieces. Working with artisans is one of the most fulfilling aspects of what I do, and I got to see craftspeople hand-weaving the rattan in Indonesia.

Vista

With its curved back, arched arm profile, compact proportions and octagonal block legs, the Pier chair is one of my all-time favourite chairs in the Vista collection. I designed it over 15 years ago, and it remains one of the most adaptable chair profiles to date for its go-anywhere flexibility. I’m excited about the Vista bedside and occasional tables with their crisp mitered frames – and the DIY enthusiast in me loves that I mixed the pale oyster stain myself in the factory in Indonesia.

Boulevard

I’m partial to the Avenue sofa and chair silhouettes in this collection, especially on the optional plinth base since this is what I have in my living room at home in the city. It’s a sleek, modern frame that works in any room. There are so many interesting and unique design details incorporated into the Boulevard collection occasional pieces that it’s hard to pick a favourite. Still, the banded profile of the salon tables, the pedestal dining table and the console make these pieces signature style standouts!

Annex

The Promenade sectional is on the top of my list with its innovative design and softly curved lines. It’s comfortable without looking messy, plus it can be configured in a multitude of ways – from a cosy two-chaise grouping to the biggest sectional imaginable. In the case pieces, it’s all about the dynamic effect achieved by using ash swirl veneer in a hand-applied checkerboard pattern that’s scaled to fit each piece perfectly.

I noticed a lot of neutral tones, beiges, creams, ivory and light wood. Is this a trend that homeowners can expect going into the new year?

Absolutely. At my core, I’m somebody who loves to live with the beauty of naturally neutral materials. Cream on cream, mixed with oyster, flax, linen and shell tones are my happy place. Everything in the natural realm is what I could live with until the end of time and never tire of, and that’s why you’ll see a real celebration of naturally neutral tones in every part of my four collections.

With people working and spending more time at home during the pandemic, how do you think this has changed furniture design?

One of the hardest things about 2020 is that we’ve all been at home for longer than we ever could have expected or thought possible. Because of this, adaptability and flexibility in furniture design are more important than ever – you might need a desk to also function as a console table, or a sofa table that has storage and can become a bar or buffet. Although the collection was designed before the pandemic, we wanted everything to be able to go into a multitude of locations, so height, width, depth was thoroughly considered making sure versatility and practicality were always top of mind.

For more information, visit sarahrichardson.palliser.com

Sara Duck
Sara Duck

With over 15 years' experience as a magazine editor, writer and content creator, Sara brings her passion for design and decor to our pages each issue. @bysaraduck

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