Big-Box Challenge w/ Sarah Richardson: Paneling and Trim Details

Hello Friday!  Hope you all had a fabulous Christmas and are still off work + enjoying a cup of hot coco with your family.  Well, I am doing exactly just that at the bed and breakfast this morning!  Yours truly will be sharing some quiet moments with friends up north for the next few days to relax before the super busy 2013 arrives.  You can also follow along on my mini vacay via Instagram as I just cannot resist taking photos of the breathtaking winter sceneries (yes we have snow!) and spaces full of country charming.

Speaking about stunning spaces in the country, Sarah's Big-Box Challenge is definitely my favourite country getaway.  If I ever have a cottage, I would love my living room to be looking exactly like this: serene, casual elegance, and very inviting.

image via Sarah Richardson Design, courtesy of Stacey Bradford

For the finale of this 10-part series, Sarah shows us how to use trims and standard panels creatively to maximize visual impact and up the character of the space.  These are finishing touches that turn an ordinary home into a sensational showstopper. 

image via Sarah Richardson Design, courtesy of Stacey Bradford

Are you ready to go shopping with Sarah at Lowes? I AM!

Here is a classic example on how to create a sumptuous guest bedroom starting with a piece of chair rail.  Installed 20" down from the ceiling, this architectural design now serves as a natural divider for a two-tone wall treatment.  Since wallpaper generally comes in 21" in width, just pick a pattern you can also run "side-way" and you will achieve a custom designer look without breaking the bank.  

image via Sarah Richardson Design, courtesy of Stacey Bradford

Sarah never cease to amaze me with her country mudrooms and entrances (check out Sarah's farm house).  I just love the panel details on the wall, vintage corbels as supports for shelves, double closet doors in robin's egg blue, along with antique bronze hardware and charming chandelier.  

image via Sarah Richardson Design, courtesy of Stacey Bradford

Here is the moment I have been waiting for 10 weeks: the final reveal of the living room! I have seen the living room right after demolition and spied Sarah's notes on the wall about building a fireplace from scratch.  So it just makes me admire Sarah's talents that much more seeing the strikingly beautiful "after" living room dressed in shades of cream, pale grey, muted silver sage, and blush apricot.

image via Sarah Richardson Design, courtesy of Stacey Bradford

From the color palette to the beautiful window treatment,  here are a few reasons why I am crazy about this living room.

image via Sarah Richardson Design, courtesy of Stacey Bradford

From Sarah's home to yours, these are some of the basic materials available from Lowes.  I am telling you, these are the baseboard, trim, wall panel I will be using in my future home!  So if you have a project ready to go, you know where to shop! For more tips on this how to add characters to your space with trims and hardware, visit Sarah's website here.

image via Sarah Richardson Design, courtesy of Stacey Bradford

My Christmas spirit is still going strong and you will see my house all dressed for Christmas next week (YAY!), here are Sarah's Christmas survival tips on ornaments, trees in the country, crafts with kids, green gift wrapping, and her 2012 plan and wish list for the holidays thanks to HGTV Canada.

image via HGTV Canada