A Sweet Toronto Nursery Filled with Unique and Local Art

Designer Alana Firestone took a small room with an awkward alcove and transformed it into a dreamy, light-filled nursery, styled with unique and contemporary finds, family treasures, and a special request from the baby’s father.

The nursery resides in an older home, with beautiful hardwood floors, original moulding and hardware. To counterbalance those elegant features, Alana chose a clean and contemporary design for the walls: thick white and dove grey horizontal stripes. The walls are a perfect neutral backdrop for the touches of pink and feminine details Alana had planned for the nursery.

With original hardware as gorgeous as this, there was no need for Alana to source updates. This door knob, plus a second that’s equally as beautiful, adds femininity and vintage charm.

As is often the case with older homes, the closet didn’t offer much in the way of storage, so Alana sourced a large dresser from Restoration Hardware that could double as a changing table, and bring some modern lines to the airy space.

A changing table topper and storage box help commandeer diapers, cloths and small items into a neatly arranged vignette.

Alana took a sweet little planter and thoughtfully repurposed it for storing hand towels on the change table. With creative thinking, even the most practical, everyday pieces can be made to look beautiful and cohesive in a space.

Elegant little ring pulls in an aged-pewter finish tie in touches of chrome found throughout the room.

When styling a nursery, plush toys are always a good idea.

Hung above the changing table is a gorgeous JuJu hat,sourced from JuJu Boutik, a Canadian company based in London, Ontario. The delicate white and pale pink feathers play into the room’s dreamy aesthetic, while still providing an anchor for the otherwise bare wall. It’s simultaneously sweet enough for a nursery, and cool enough for Mom and Dad to enjoy.

Horizontal lines play a huge role in extending the sense of space in the small nursery. From the walls to the wide dresser, even the original door with paneling, the undisturbed lines give depth to the space.

Alana created a cozy nook with a modern grey glider from Monte Design and soft, pretty accessories to soften the chair.

A sweet framed photo of Mom and Dad is the perfect accessory on the side table.

A framed photo of Mom and Dad is the perfect accessory for a little side table next to the rocker.

To brighten up the grey chair, Alana sourced a gorgeous pink printed pillow from Tonic Living. The abstract bird print is fresh and lively, exactly what Mom needs to brighten the mood for 3am feedings.

A task lamp is perfect for creating a softer glow in the evening for reading stories before bed. It also carries through a touch of metallic from the dresser pulls.

To keep the nursery organized and clutter free, dolls and stuffed animals are stored in a basket, but one special bunny (who conveniently matches perfectly with the pillow) gets a special seat on the glider.

The pom pom Roman blind was a point of contention for Alana and her client, but in the end, it’s a playful touch that blends seamlessly with the room. The pom poms mimic the flush mount chandelier (stay tuned for that beauty!) but in white, they’re not overly distracting.

While the original hardwood floors in the room were beautiful, Alana’s client needed a rug that would be super soft for the baby. A large sheepskin rug looks like a big, fluffy cloud, adding to the dreamy quality of the nursery. Topped with a pouf from ELTE Market, it’s the perfect play space for the baby.

The crib is a classic design in white from Pottery Barn Kids. A mattress sheet in a super soft pink pattern is the perfect base for a couple throw pillows to style the crib when the baby’s not sleeping.

Alana and her client had their hearts set on this exquisite handcrafted mobile. The limited release design is from Etsy seller RosyRilli, and provides a bright burst of colour in the otherwise white and soft pink space.

To house and display special gifts and keepsakes, Alana sourced hand-carved display boxes from Restoration Home that mirror the vintage vibe of the room’s hardware.

A palette of white with just a touch of gold and pink pulls this lovely little display together.

Baby booties are always a cute touch of decor to add to shelves. Here, they introduce a splash of gold to the colour story, and bring a little added height to the vignette.

A collection of books Alana’s client had received as a baby now sit on display in her own daughter’s nursery.

Hung above the crib with ribbon, the beautiful mobile seems to float through the air. It’s the icing on the cake of this exquisite nursery!

An awkward alcove was transformed into the sweetest little nook for the crib.

A large pillow from Tonic Living weaves in the touches of pink spotted throughout the white and grey nursery.

By adding a minimal amount of decor to the room, and leaving lots of empty wall space, the nursery is uncluttered and calming, the perfect environment for a busy baby to wind down before bed.

The sweetest addition to the nursery was a special request from the baby’s father, who insisted his baby girl have a dream catcher hanging over her crib. Alana found this heavenly piece, that pleases Dad and keeps with the colours and old-meets-new vibe of the room.

Alana sourced the unique dream catcher from Iron Wood & Wool.

The palette and textures of the nursery, from the blush pinks and white, to the blooming mobile, imbue it with a sense of spring and new beginnings.

Saving the original hardware was a no-brainer for Alana. The closet (however tiny) had this gorgeous glass doorknob, that fits perfectly with the space.

Minimalist floating white shelves house the baby’s growing library.

To bring the shelves to life, Alana selected books and neatly arranged them by colours and height. To add a touch of personality and dimension, she seated a cute little mouse on the top shelf.

A big basket stashed in a corner becomes a quick and easy catchall for stuffed animals and toys.

When you’re doing laundry round the clock with a new baby, a chic little hamper is key.

This gorgeous glass beaded light fixture is the icing on the cake of this elegant nursery.

This is truly one of the sweetest and most peaceful nurseries we’ve ever toured! For more interiors by Alana Firestone, visit instagram.com/alanafirestoneinteriors.