Sarah Landry, known to her 2.2 million Instagram followers as The Birds Papaya, and her husband Shane recently invested in a run-down cottage on the lake. They had big dreams of transforming it into a content-friendly space where other creators could visit and collaborate. But with a mustard exterior, random rooms and wood-covered interior walls, they needed help.
Enter Scott McGillivray and Debra Salmoni with their plan for a Little Pink Cottage with big income potential and design appeal. The Vacation House Rules duo gave the entire property the pink treatment, transforming it into a dream content creator space inside and out.
Don’t miss new episodes of Scott’s Vacation House Rules, Mondays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on HGTV Canada. Stream Live or On-Demand with STACKTV. Try it free today!
A Light-Sucking Design
When Scott and Debra entered the cottage, many rooms looked like this. The space had no design, imagination or purpose, and even areas like this sunroom overlooking the lake felt drab and dated.
A Creator’s Dream
With a bit of imagination and a lot of love for social media appeal, Scott and Debra transformed every nook and corner of this space into purposeful designs. The new sunroom opens to the rest of the cottage and feels light and airy. New floors and white paint go a long way, and details — such as the podcasting corner or desk overlooking the lake — add significant value when renting this space.
Related: Scott and Debra Kick Off Season 5 With a Coastal Cottage
Multipurpose Spaces
Scott and Debra also created this little sitting/bar nook where a random (and entirely too small) room used to sit. Now, Shane can have his buds over for a weekend and use the area as a bar. As for renters? They can hang out and use the creatively branded space for collaborating, doing makeup and nails, or anything else they can dream up.
Bright and Airy
Scott and Debra opened up the ceiling to where dead space used to sit above, creating a vaulted ceiling that gives this cottage maximum light. The dining room and kitchen area now feature tons of space for renters and exciting design elements they can incorporate into photos and reels.
The pink theme continues through understated and elegant accents, such as the chairs or the new fridge. A brilliant green backsplash adds thoughtful contrast, and gold hardware brings it all together.
Related: Scott and Debra Bring Colourful Design to a Beachside Abode
A Drab Bathroom…
Sarah is an underwear model, and many of her messages are about body positivity. Given that she uses the bathroom for a lot of her content, this primary bathroom wasn’t going to do.
…Turns Into An Instagram-Worthy Space
So, Scott and Debra opened up the bathroom by reconfiguring the space and adding new features. Now it doesn’t even look like the same room. There’s the giant soaker tub and pink tiles to take in, not to mention the pops of gold everywhere. The dual sinks also add extra function, especially if makeup tutorials or glam squads are involved.
Related: Scott and Debra Design the Ultimate Open-Concept Inn
A Pretty Primary
Scott and Debra also opened up the primary bedroom, giving it a modern design appeal with upgraded floors, trim and paint. They eliminated what used to be an awkward room by installing a new staircase and creating a dressing room area for more content potential.
Pink Exterior
This cottage is a content creator’s dream on the inside, but the outside certainly matches. Scott and Debra upgraded the former mustard siding with a coat of light pink paint, adding a gentle colour that pops but still fits in with the surrounding nature. Then, they upgraded the grey trim to a pretty white that ties in with the pink, creating a warm and welcoming space that renters aren’t likely to forget!
Watch new episodes of Scott’s Vacation House Rules, Mondays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on HGTV Canada. Stream Live or On-Demand with STACKTV. Try it free today!
