A Playful, Flirty, Uplifting Small/Cool Space
A Playful, Flirty, Uplifting Small/Cool Space
Name: Ryleah Resler
Blog or website: https://www.ryleahshae.com
Instagram: @ryleahshae
Size: 470 sq ft
Home type: Apartment
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Years lived in: 7 years, rented
Household: My small but constantly growing local art collection and a healthy stack of books!
Have any design professionals worked on this space: Myself - Event Designer + Prop Stylist with an education in Interior Design
Describe your space:
It all began with a girl who bought her first piece of furniture at 20: a lime green sleeper sofa that she thought was just the absolute coolest! As someone who had to stick to a dress code as a kid, I’ve always challenged myself to push the boundaries when it comes to color. It is an always-evolving process, but I love that the bold and bright palette of greens, blues, and pinks somehow feels calming and contemporary — the opposite of what you would expect. Each piece is a conversation and holds a story. I would definitely describe myself as a collector. Or even better... a curator!
Did you DIY anything in your space? And, if so, what's your favorite DIY?
I’m proud to report most aspects of the apartment, furniture included, are DIY. If I had to pick an absolute fave, I would go with the floor-to-ceiling gallery wall behind the couch. The vision was to have the frames look like they were custom made for the space, but in reality, they were IKEA frames that fit serendipitously! My favorite renter-friendly hack is to use Command Strips for art instead of nails; it’s like they were never there! The colors in this DIY were definitely the jumping-off point for the palette found in the rest of the space.
How do you make your small space work for you and feel bigger than it really is?
Over the years I’ve worked hard to ensure everything has a proper home, or it’s out the door. I’m not so sure I have one genius storage solution, but instead chose carefully so a lot of my furniture doubles as storage. One thing that always makes me laugh is how the space can transform to fit all my ‘live at work’ needs. The counter doubles as my office during the day, and the gallery wall is the perfect backdrop for all my zoom calls. When work is over, the furniture gets tucked in tightly to make way for a virtual barre class or a game of darts (a thrift find that I recently refurbished).
How does your home reflect you?
If my personality was a physical space, it would look exactly like this apartment… which makes me think I’ve done something right! My home showcases the values I try to live by in my day to day life: fun-loving, welcoming, and creative with a little dose of humor. I look back and think about what this space looked like when I first moved in and can’t believe how much it has grown with me. Side note: My good friend always jokes that my style is "geriatric chic,' and I couldn’t have said it better myself. At the end of the day, I hope I'd make Iris Apfel proud!