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If you’ve been following the career of Sarah Richardson over the years, you know that Georgian Bay is an important place for the designer and her family. Sarah’s previous renovations in that area were documented on HGTV Canada’s Sarah’s Cottage in 2009 and Sarah’s Rental Cottage in 2015, and the designer’s latest labour of love is another spot on Georgian Bay, a 4,000-square-foot cottage in Pointe au Baril, Ont.
Though Sarah admits they didn’t need another cottage, she and husband Alexander Younger wanted to move closer to friends and provide more summer job options for their teenage daughters. Sarah shares why Georgian Bay is so special, how she transformed the cottage’s parrot-green interiors with her signature decorating moves, and gives us a glimpse of the easy-breezy summer lifestyle her family holds so dear.
Scroll down for a look inside Sarah Richardson’s Georgian Bay cottage!
Designer Sarah Richardson. House & Home: What made you want to buy this place? Sarah Richardson: A few years ago, some friends told us about this cottage. It was designed by Bill Bennett — he’s the fantastic architect who refurbished Langdon Hall in Cambridge, Ont. They thought it would be great for us, and that we’d have the vision to restore it and bring it up to date. We love an adventure, taking something with incredible potential, reviving it and saving it. The location offers more community for our teenage daughters, plus it reminded me of my grandparents’ cottages where I spent my childhood summers.
Daisy, one of the family’s wheaten terriers, in front of the breezeway.
The vintage counter from a general store came with the cottage. Sarah added cane chairs and pine antiques to carry the warm color throughout. H&H: How long did the renovation take? SR: Most of the work was done in three months. We installed new windows, took out the wall that separated the screened porch from the kitchen, enlarged the kitchen and created a lounge area, added a bar and renovated the screened porch. We also renovated all the bathrooms and the laundry room, put in new floors in the main living areas and restored the original floor in the principal bedroom. Trades helped us, but we did a huge amount ourselves.
In the living room, Sarah kept the original tongue-and- groove panelling and had the mantel repainted. H&H: What was your design vision? SR: I’m invested in connecting a home to its surroundings, the landscape, and creating a sense of place that’s rooted in the natural environment. There’s no glitz or sparkle here. Everything is homespun with handmade textures, so everything feels good to the touch because we’re generally barefoot.
Sarah opened up the great room ceiling to expose the rafters. A trio of woven pendants helps draw the eye up, and eight sets of double doors flood the space with natural light. H&H: What do you love most about the finished cottage? SR: I love how bright and breezy it feels. The cottage is our summer clubhouse, a place where family can be together. That’s what summer’s all about for me.
Sarah loves antique pine accent pieces like this console near the dining area. H&H: Were there any major challenges? SR: We ended up replacing a lot of wood because we had a ton of rot. We bought without an inspection, so we knew that there would be surprises.
Woven pendants resemble floppy straw hats in the kitchen; fluted cabinet doors, part of Sarah’s line with Allstyle Retrofit, remind her of ripples on the water. H&H: Do you design differently when you’re your own client? SR: No, not really. I’ve always said that my home was my lab. I buy things that capture my imagination. I spent months buying vintage rattan and wicker, and had a full storage locker by spring.
New rectangular windows installed in the bar corner have views to the rocky terrain. A set of Georg Jensen barometric instruments (left of door) was a wedding present. H&H: Do you find that there’s a Georgian Bay cottage aesthetic? SR: For me, it’s about wind, water, rocks, sky and sunsets. This style is unfussed, with natural materials and patina and part of the lifestyle is being outside as much as possible.
A grey vessel sink accents the swirling veined marble in the powder room. Vintage cottage-themed art pops against the tongue-and-groove panelling.
Sarah updated the screened porch with a fresh coat of paint on the walls and floor. H&H: Where did you source the furniture? SR: Online shopping is not my favorite game; I love to touch and see things before I buy. There’s no better day than scoping treasures at an antique show. The renewed respect for antiques these days is heartwarming. Two years ago, you couldn’t give away your pine and, now, I feel like I should be stockpiling it!
The principal bedroom’s curvy headboard has a Kit Kemp feel with a Sarah Richardson spin. The oak leaf–print fabric is called Matisse Leaf, a nod to one of Sarah’s favorite artists. H&H: What were your splurges and saves? SR: I’m a splurge-save girl! Saves included Ikea cabinet boxes and Lee Valley hardware. The lighting is super fun but wasn’t a huge expense. A lot was bought on Etsy and Facebook Marketplace. We splurged on gorgeous marble.
“I like every bathroom to have its own distinct elements,” says Sarah of the ensuite. 
To shake things up in the shower, Sarah ran her signature tile stripes vertically.
The bedroom of Sarah’s youngest daughter, Fiona, only needed paint and some new furniture, including a custom headboard.
Daughter Fiona’s bathroom features a painted floor accented by pale blue ripple door fronts on the vanity.
Bamboo accents and a basket are classic cottage fare.
Elder daughter Robin’s bedroom has a tub chair, ottoman and painting that are original to the cottage.
In Robin’s bathroom, Sarah designed the vanity doors with a raised semicircle detail. The stone counter was the jumping-off point for the palette; mirrored sconces are a cool touch.
Sarah upholstered this guest room headboard with kantha quilts and also used them as drapery panels to separate the sleeping area from a hallway.
The laundry room has a porthole-inspired door that conceals storage.
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