Alyssa Garrison

Summer’s Whimsical Toddler Room Reveal

November 3, 2021November 3, 2021 by Alyssa Garrison

As previously mentioned, decorating kid’s room is by far my favourite type of styling (like, can this be my full time job down the line please?)

In this line of work, and as a mom in general, it’s easy to get sucked into buying all new everything all the time, especially after a move, but I’ve really enjoyed challenging myself to make each of Summer’s spaces so far feel different, without breaking the bank on a whole new set of furniture.

There wasn’t much I could do as far as customization in Summer’s old room because we were in a brand new condo, so when I relocated to our current older home, I was eager to add some really special touches here. I didn’t go with a theme, instead I wanted to make the decor about all of Summer’s favourite things: cats, berries, birds, rainbows, and pink! It all started with Chasing Paper’s Smitten Kitten Wallpaper – possibly the cutest wallpaper pattern I’ve ever come across, and it comes in either traditional wallpaper, or peel and stick if you’re renting and need something less permanent!

The strawberry curtains (currently out of stock) were also an awesome find that helped shape the space early on. I haven’t ever really worried about window treatments in my past homes, but this time around I’m really loving the way a beautiful curtain rod with a patterned or coloured curtain can change the feel of a space. Plus it’s easy to take them down and bring them with you next time you move.

I kept Summer’s old rug, rocking chair, the bench from my childhood room that I repainted last summer, and our beloved gold crib from Babyletto, but with the toddler bar conversion kit, which instantly turned this heirloom piece of furniture into a safe and beautiful big girl bed. I added new bedding from Crate and Kids, a canopy from Sorens House, and a swan soaring overhead in place of a mobile, a combination that makes Summer’s sleeping experience feel whimsical and new without fully replacing her crib with a bed. I

I also wanted to keep the book wall that I have re-created in each of Summer’s rooms with IKEA picture ledges, but this time it felt important to include a smaller, accessible bookshelf in the space so she can pick out and read her favourite books. I went with the Babyletto Tally Book Case from West Coast Kids, a gorgeous piece that both works in the space and looks amazing too.

And of course it wouldn’t be an RAOP rental redesign without switching out a light fixture! Originally I tried re-using the IKEA light from Summer’s old room, but it felt much too small this time around, so I invested in a gorgeous flush mount I’ve been eyeing from Mitzi and I plan to re-use the IKEA one in the hallway (if I can ever sort out what breaker that light is on…)

With so many delightful little touches, this room is the happiest place in the house, and I can’t wait to watch it change and grow as Summer grows too!

Keep scrolling for more photos, and source / shopping links

Shopping Links //

Cat Wallpaper by Chasing Paper

Crib by Babyletto with Toddler Bed add on (available for order in Canada through West Coast Kids)

Canopy from Sorens House

Bedding from Crate and Kids

Rocker by Nursery Works

Quilt from Crate and Kids (on sale!)

Swan Ceiling Decor from Freddie and Birdie Co.

Rug from Lorena Canalis

Tally Bookcase by Babyletto

Leather pouf from Mashi Moosh (similar on sale here)

Lydia Flushmount light fixture from Mitzi

Swing shelf from Winter and Vine (no longer available, similar here)

Gold curtain rod from Crate and Kids

Art by Selena Wong

Strawberry curtains from H&M

Mini piano from West Coast kids

Coffee maker from Sorens House

Custom name puzzle from Busy Puzzle

Toy Bench from my childhood (similar here)

Most books from Collage Collage

A Pastel Home

A Country Kitchen Reveal

October 29, 2021November 2, 2021 by Alyssa Garrison

One of my favourite spaces in this apartment from the first walk through was the kitchen: with tons of space, simple white cabinets, peach-tinted floor tile, a woodblock island and cream countertops, it had all the makings of perfect pastel room, without the need for a big renovation like I did in my rental #heaveninhighpark.

It only took a few simple, renter-friendly swaps to totally transform this room. First, we took four of the cabinet doors off to create a bit of open shelving, and painted the inside with an accent colour. I started out using some old blush paint I had leftover from a furniture painting DIY awhile back, but in the end I switched to October Mist CC-550, the Benjamin Moore 2022 Colour of the Year (you can see more about that mini project here!)

Next, we swapped out the HORRIBLE massive fluorescent light fixture that came with the apartment, for a simple white pendant light, which made a huge difference in updating the room. Swapping out the cabinet knobs to these super affordable gold ones was also a quick but transformative step, and for the “wine hutch” as I fondly call it, I opted for some fun pink shell knobs to mix up the look.

Last but not least, we swapped out the old faucet for a white one, which I really only did because the old faucet was so gross and barely working (definitely not a necessary expense if you’re renting!)

Eventually I’d like to look into replacing the sink and faucet for something with a bit more impact, and maybe investing in a vintage-style SMEG fridge, but for now I’m so thrilled with the warm, cozy feeling this kitchen provides every time I walk into the room to prepare a meal or a pot of tea. Plus, everything I have done was low cost and easy to reverse, while still making a big impact!

To see more, check out the reel here.

Shopping Links //

Dinnerware, serving tray, serving bowl and linen napkins/tablecloth by Fable

Always Pan by Our Place

Glassware by Anthropologie

Cream faucet from Lowe’s

Tea Towels and candles by Homecoming

Pink shell drawer pulls (on hutch) from Etsy

Gold drawer knobs from Wayfair

Light fixture from IKEA

I'll Follow You Anywhere

A Pastel (Family) Guide to Toronto

October 21, 2021October 21, 2021 by Alyssa Garrison

I lived in Toronto for almost 12 years, which means I likely know it better than I know my own hometown of Vancouver! I’ve been planning to get back for a visit as soon as it felt safe to do so since I made the decision to relocate back to the West Coast in March 2020, and after what felt like forever, we finally made it happen this last month.

I went into this visit with a list of my old standby favourites to revisit, but what I didn’t expect was how many awesome new businesses have popped up all around the neighbourhoods I once called home. Plus, I had the new perspective of seeing The Big Smoke through a toddler’s eyes – because we made our move while Summer was still a baby, it was a completely new experience to explore with her now. Some things, like public transit, were more complicated and than I had anticipated, while others, like hanging out at my favourite brewery, were more kid-friendly than I could have known!

In all the years I called Toronto home, I featured a lot of local businesses, but I never put together a proper city guide. So here it is, a pastel (family friendly!) guide to Canada’s biggest city.

If you see a *, it means the spot is better suited to adults, otherwise this list is family friendly!

STAY //

The Anndore House

I stayed at this upscale downtown hotel pre-parenthood and I loved it then, but my expectations were definitely exceeded this time around with a toddler in tow. The room was spacious and quiet, the staff was incredibly helpful, and they even provided a crib so we didn’t have to pack one! Plus the central location made taking TTC all over the city quick and easy. If you’re looking for a beautiful (and well-priced) home base to explore the city from, I highly recommend this hotel!

SNACKS //

Gold Standard Sandwiches

Glory Hole Doughnuts

SIPS //

SHOPPING //

PLAY //

Trinity Bellwoods Park Playground

Jamie Bell Adventure Park (High Park)

A Pastel Home

A Sunny Bathroom Reveal

September 10, 2021September 10, 2021 by Alyssa Garrison

I am over the moon (or… sun?) to be sharing the newest finished room at #pastelsunriseplace – our sunny bathroom!

When I first saw this space, I was amazed at how much we’d lucked out on the basics: nice neutral tiling and countertops, plain white cabinets… it was basically a blank canvas BEGGING for a renter redo! The existing mirror and light fixture were my main concerns, but overall I saw so much potential in this little bathroom without having to take on a massive amount of costly work.

But before I got to the practical bits like paint, lighting and hardware, I started with sunny inspiration. I’d seen a geometric sun print wallpaper awhile back and had been waiting for the right room to use it in. Turns out, peel and stick wallpaper can actually be a bit of a nightmare on a steamy bathroom, so though I didn’t actually use the wallpaper in the end, it set the tone and colour scheme for this room and what I wanted it to become. First I found and promptly fell for Flax Home’s Linen Bath Towels – beautifully crafted, local, and in the perfect shade of blush pink? What’s not to love! Then I saw this sunset bath mat, which tied the same shade of blush with warmer yellow and peach tones, and from there the space really started to take shape. Eventually this room became a cheerful escape filled with all the colours of a summertime sunset. But what about the practical stuff?

I didn’t originally intend to paint this room, but the more closely I looked at the space the more I realized it was begging for a fresh coat of white paint. I went with Boomerang paint from RONA for this project, a small collection of eco-friendly colours that are made with recycled paint! The production of Boomerang emits four times less greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than the production of any conventional paint – and honestly it worked great! I went with “Moonlight White” and at first I was a bit worried the paint was too thin and easy to wash off my hands/surfaces, it ended up exceeding my expectations with just two coats once dry. Highly recommend!

Next I focused on hardware, and for all of those bits and pieces, I turned to Lowe’s. I found the oval mirror first (initially I wanted to do an arch, but it just didn’t fit the space) and went from there, matching the finishes on the light fixture, knobs and towel bars to create a gleaming gold cohesive look. Lowe’s has so many incredible online exclusives, and most of what I chose was found on their site using keywords like “gold mirror” and “gold towel bar”. Once I found a collection that worked (in this case, the Moen Align collection), I shopped through all the items within it until I’d checked off every need on my list.

And finally, I circled all the way back to my sunshine wallpaper accent wall. I knew I still wanted to do something around the window, and these Sunscape decals from Urban Walls were just the easy to install, high impact touch I was looking for.

All in all, bringing this vision to life from takedown to tiny decor details was pretty quick and easy compared to some of my past projects, but it was definitely just as satisfying! What’s your favourite part of this sunny space?

Scroll down past the photos for shopping links and sources!

Flax Home Linen Towels here

Urban Walls Sunscape Decals in “Maize” here

Oval Mirror here

Vanity Light Fixture here

Gold Cabinet Knobs here

Gold Toilet Paper Holder here

Gold Towel Bar here

Gold Towel Hooks here

Gold Shower Curtain Hooks here

Off-white Shower Curtain Rod here

Shower curtain here (but this one was also a big contender)

Sunset Bath mat here

Boomerang Recycled Paint in “Moonlight White” here

Gold Apothecary Pink Cedar Bath Salts here

Land of Daughters Girl Gang Candle here

Lady Planter here

Arch Candles (similar) here

Cactus Artwork by Cabin Journal here

Pink and Gold Ceramic Vase here

LOHN Diffuser oils here

Artifact Skin Co. Skincare here

IKEA Small Shelves here (small accent mirrors IKEA too, but discontinued)

MONDAY Haircare here

Detox Mode Shower items here

Umbra Corner Shower Shelves here

Disclaimer: Some of the product featured in this post was gifted to me in exchange for content.

A Pastel Home

A Pastel Patio Reveal

September 4, 2021September 4, 2021 by Alyssa Garrison

Just in time for the Labour Day long weekend, the massive project we’ve been working on ALL summer long is finally here: THE PATIO!

Let me start by saying the outdoor space at this home is a LOT, like easily as much space outdoors as we have indoors between the yard, back patio, front yard, front porch, and small front patio as well. The backyard came together fairly quickly and easily once I planted my veggie and flower gardens, although I have added some flowering shrubs and bushes that I hope will really expand next Spring and transform the space a bit more. The front yard garden is still a very sad outrageous mess of weeds, and other than a power wash, we decided to leave the front patio and porch as projects to think about NEXT YEAR. Which just leaves… the back patio!

When Jonnie and I first toured this apartment, we were both overwhelmed by all the potential we saw for the back deck. It’s massive, partially covered, and gets a ton of great sunshine all throughout the day. On the day we got our keys, we did another little walk around, and he casually mentioned maybe it would be nice to do some painting to brighten up the space out there (sometime down the line). Unfortunately for him, he’d said it out loud to me, and I never do things reasonably or slowly or “in time”.

Shortly after moving everything into our East Van apartment, I came up with a plan for the back patio and got to work. Benjamin Moore very kindly supplied all of the paint we needed for the project, and I thought from there, the rest would be easy! A little sanding, a bit of painting, and voila – new patio! What can I say? I have a poor sense of reality. This turned out to be the most labour intensive home project that I’ve ever embarked on, and the work ended up taking nearly the entire summer to complete. We started with sanding back in June, then moved on to extensive pressure washing, and once everything was dry and prepped, we finally started painting. Turns out, outdoor painting, with various textures and previous paint jobs and endless cracks and corners and weather restrictions is much less straightforward than say, painting an accent wall inside.

I need to give credit where it’s due here: I had a lot of help. It took me, Jonnie, my sister, and her girlfriend Emily countless hours to finally get every inch of the patio painted, from floor to ceiling beams. Luckily Benjamin Moore’s Aura Exterior paint had such good coverage that we could get away with just one coat on all the woodwork (after a light sanding) but it still took ages to get between all of the fence posts, every angle of every roof beam… you get the point! The floor painting was my favourite part – we used a product called Sure Step, which had texture built into it that both prevents future slipping, and evens out the cement. Painting over our stained, bumpy old cement flooring and watching this paint fill all of the little holes and cracks was so satisfying.

When all of the painting was finally done, all that was left to do was decorate! A jungle of plants was obviously a must, but beyond that I felt a bit stuck. I used a lot of the same IKEA furniture from my last patio setup on the North Shore, so I really just some pops of colour to bring life to this space. I’m not sure how I landed on Society6, but it turns out almost all of their pillows can be made as outdoor throw pillows! Once I fell in love with Megan Galante’s Rainbow Cheetah cushion, the rest came together. White string lights and a couple of colourful candles pulled the vibe together for both day and night, and Summer’s favourite addition was definitely her new swing from Busy Puzzle (love that nice neutral gingham fabric).

I shared the before and after video today in my reels, but I also wanted to put together a list of sources and share our experience with this project in full on here! Let me know your favourite part in the comments below!

Scroll down for shopping links