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Jessica Isaac

Jess is an interior and architectural photographer based in Los Angeles. While she has the honor of peeking inside designer homes on a regular basis, she loves real homes designed by real people most of all.
    35 Genius Small Bathroom Storage Ideas
    The possibilities are endless when it comes to sprucing up your space.
    Jessica Isaac
    Jan 4, 2024
    Why Popcorn Ceilings Are Actually Pretty Great
    There's an upside to everything.
    Jessica Isaac
    Aug 21, 2023
    11 Useful Home Hacks for Basic Zip Ties
    Zip ties are just one of those things that seem to have an infinite amount of uses. Obviously, they’re good for tying groups of things together, but that can mean so many things. Once you read these 11 uses for zip ties, you’re probably going to want to buy a huge stash to have on hand. You know how your shower drain only gets clogged on Monday mornings when you’re already running late for a meeting and didn’t shower all weekend?
    Jessica Isaac
    Oct 14, 2022
    Design (& Life!) Lessons from a Forever Renter
    My name is Jessica and I’m a serial renter. I first dipped my toe in the proverbial musky beige carpet in 2007, signing the lease on an affordable two-bedroom unit in Riverside, California.
    Jessica Isaac
    Oct 12, 2022
    3 Simple Under Bed Storage Ideas That Will Help You Get the Most Out of Your Space
    There's extra space right under your nose.
    Jessica Isaac
    Jun 24, 2022
    10 Things You'll Find In Every '90s Movie Dream House
    Dream Week
    It's no wonder the bar for the modern dream home is set so high.
    Jessica Isaac
    Oct 23, 2020
    Design-Friendly Litter Boxes for Every Style
    Do you want your beloved cat to be able to retreat to her sacred place of solitude without being shunned to the dark corners of your least-tread rooms? Are you also looking to break the stank, not the bank? These budget-friendly feline facilities are less of an eyesore and more of a chic cat pad (catchelor pad?) that will give your little buddy prime real estate in your home. I must preface this by saying I am not a cat owner myself.
    Jessica Isaac
    Jul 17, 2020
    An Easy 5-Minute Upgrade for Lazy Home Improvers (and Renters)
    Good design is in the details—no matter how small. Today we’re here to shine the light (pun intended) on those white plastic light switch plates that are so commonplace, they’re often overlooked as permanent fixtures. No matter what your style, we promise there’s a wall plate that complements your home design better than the existing smudge-prone standard. All you need is a screwdriver and a few bucks, so start swapping.
    Jessica Isaac
    Jul 17, 2020
    Here’s How ‘The Baby-Sitters Club’ Characters Would Decorate If They Lived In Studio Apartments
    Which character most represents your style?
    Jessica Isaac
    Jul 14, 2020
    A Rental's Clever IKEA Hacks and Decor Are How You Distract from Beige Carpeting
    There are SO many good storage and IKEA hack ideas in this rental apartment!
    Jessica Isaac
    Apr 27, 2020
    The Best & Worst Rooms from the Original Trading Spaces
    The good, the bad and the (very) ugly.
    Jessica Isaac
    Mar 4, 2020
    This 560-Square-Foot Studio Apartment Is Full of Gorgeous Renter-Friendly Ideas
    Nearly everything in Miki's modern, colorful, maximal studio apartment is either second hand, Target, or IKEA.
    Jessica Isaac
    Feb 5, 2020
    Here’s What Would Happen If Harry Potter Characters Lived in Tiny Houses
    Here's what it would look like if Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco, Luna, and Neville traded their dorm rooms for their very own tiny houses.
    Jessica Isaac
    Jan 23, 2020
    Actress Riki Lindhome’s LA Loft Has Style, Stripes, and a Swing!
    It's fun, colorful, and has a lot of quirky elements, such as a soundproof massage chair room, an indoor swing, a forest bathroom and a mannequin that holds purses and keys.
    Jessica Isaac
    Dec 19, 2019
    5 Classic Design Rules to Absolutely Never Break
    We're all about breaking the rules for the sake of putting your own touch on a space, but these five design credos are non-negotiable.
    Jessica Isaac
    Dec 17, 2019
    9 One-Hour Ways To Boost Your Living Room This Weekend
    Weekends are precious. Use them wisely.
    Jessica Isaac
    Nov 19, 2019
    8 Things You’ll Find In Every Horror Film House
    In honor of Halloween, we’ve dissected the classics to reveal 8 common horror movie home tropes to make you start sleeping with the night light on.
    Jessica Isaac
    Oct 24, 2019
    Wallpaper, Bold Colors, and Animal Motifs Invigorate This Small But Stylish Los Angeles Rental
    Interior designer Isabel Muller of Harte Designs has made it her mission this year to fall in love with her own home.
    Jessica Isaac
    Oct 1, 2019
    A California Cool Home with Parisian Charm
    This expert update is great inspiration for anyone looking to refresh their own home without doing a complete overhaul.
    Jessica Isaac
    Jul 1, 2019
    Say Goodbye to Dated Track Lighting With This Easy & Clever DIY
    There’s no denying that lighting is a vitally important aspect of any space, yet it’s often the most overlooked. Once you flip the switch to illuminate your interior, it’s easy to get distracted by all the other things that need tending to, and lighting falls by the wayside. When visiting Lauren and Danny’s Mount Washington home, we were reminded that, whether you rent or own, you can take control of your own lighting situation.
    Jessica Isaac
    May 4, 2019
    A Creative (And Musical!) Couple’s Real-Life Style
    It was Gary and Chelsey’s personal style that first enticed us to peek inside their mod Astoria apartment. While they each have a strong individual aesthetic, their mutual love for classic vintage attire means they complement each other perfectly. With closets full of pieces ranging from classic motorcycle jackets and wool capes to Star Wars sweatshirts and Swedish Hasbeens, the couple seem to have honed their own cohesive brand of style.
    Jessica Isaac
    May 3, 2019
    Fashionable People: Kelsea Gaynor’s Real-Life Style
    Kelsea Gaynor owns East Olivia Creative in NYC, lives in a fabulous two-story apartment, and has an eye for fashion that is fun, sophisticated and sensible. From her elegant wool skirt suits to her fuzzy pink hats, she knows how to make a fashion statement while keeping warm strolling those chilly city streets. This California native shared with us what inspires her unique style. Unfortunately, she couldn’t figure out a way to share her ridiculously good hair genes.
    Jessica Isaac
    May 3, 2019
    Real Life Tips for Keeping Cool (and On Budget) During Your Home Renovation
    Small or large, one room or ten, a home renovation is a big undertaking that often involves a few unavoidable hiccups along the way. When I visited Dustin & Maya’s Eclectic Silver Lake Home, I was surprised to learn that they had completely renovated and designed their spacious house in just six short months. I picked up a few tips for you renovating readers when I visited the busy hands-on couple.
    Jessica Isaac
    May 3, 2019
    When Getting Older Is the Best Thing That Will Ever Happen To You
    It may only be matter of time until wall-to-wall Tuscan faux plaster makes a comeback (Olive Gardens everywhere rejoice). Until then, we prefer these easy, natural-looking antiquing methods to give new furniture an aged look that doesn’t feel dated. Speed up the “Aging” Process: Sturdy materials like wood and brass look great with age (we think humans do too). Get creative by envisioning your furniture’s past lives and layering a variety of finishing techniques.
    Jessica Isaac
    May 3, 2019
    Before & After: A Dilapidated Kitchen Restored to Rental Heaven
    While Joanna Harrison has done a stellar job decorating her family’s small Silver Lake cottage, she’s lucky the preservation-savvy developers at bettershelter got their hands on the decaying structure before their demolition-hungry competitors. The company restored the historic home before renting it to the Harrison trio, making Joanna’s renovation process more about adding functional style and less about, um, not dying.
    Jessica Isaac
    May 3, 2019
    So You Want to Dress Like a Gilmore Girl: A Get-the-Look Guide by Character
    Unless you’ve been living under the floorboards with Lane Kim’s CD collection, you’re probably aware that the Gilmore Girls is coming back in November (!!!). In an attempt to prepare you for your dress-code-enforced viewing party, we’ve dissected each character’s iconic wardrobe so you can be the best fast-talking, tack-sharp Stars Hollowian you can be.
    Jessica Isaac
    May 3, 2019
    Recharge Your Work Week: 5 Twists to Your Familiar Wardrobe Staples
    Routines can be great. They keep you from oversleeping, keep you clean, and help you look totally badass when you and your friends bust out Thriller at Halloween parties. But if your work routine is leaving you feeling less than motivated at the office, upgrading some of your go-to wardrobe pieces may be just what you need to recharge those 9-to-5 vibes (that and an office-wide flashmob of Single Ladies at lunch). This comfy work shoe is a must-have.
    Jessica Isaac
    May 3, 2019
    The Most Memorable Trading Spaces Makeovers
    Remember when “Trading Spaces” shone a light on your budding love for interior design? If you’re like me, you found your teenage self confused by your strong desire to stay home on the weekends and peep TLC’s most riveting home design programming. From Doug’s jungle room to the Jessica Biel episode, we’ve unearthed some of Trading Spaces’ most memorable makeovers, that you probably (some for the best) forgot about.
    Jessica Isaac
    May 3, 2019
    Clothes Call: What Were People Wearing the Decade You Were Born?
    Strong fashion trends are hard to recognize when you’re in the midst of them. However, give them a decade or two, and what once was funky fresh is now just…funky. Fortunately for mom jeans, what’s old is new, and everything comes back around. We’ve chronicled the typical outfit decade by decade from the 1950s to the early 2000s, so you can spot the least attractive style to model your 2017 wardrobe after. A simpler time, indeed.
    Jessica Isaac
    May 3, 2019
    So, You Want to Live Like a Gilmore Girl: A Get-the-Look Guide by Home
    Before KonMari was a household word, the town of Stars Hollow was busy hoarding coffee mugs, antique china, and novelty egg timers. Today we peel back the layers of framed photos, cozy quilts, and valances-on-drapes-on-sheers to dissect the iconic interiors of your favorite Gilmore Girls interior sets: Lorelei and Rory’s house, Richard and Emily’s mansion, The Dragonfly Inn, Luke’s Diner, and Luke’s apartment. First, we have the home of our favorite Lorelais.
    Jessica Isaac
    May 3, 2019
    7 New Workwear Staples that Will Make You Excited to Go to Work (Maybe?)
    Whether you’re back to work after a much needed vacation or your “much needed vacation” is simply shopping on your lunch break, these modern takes on classic workwear staples will motivate you to conquer your work week with confidence. Relaxed-fit is queen of 2016 and we’re not mad about it. These loose cropped trousers look polished and professional while allowing movement for the on-the-go gal. (Image via What Vero Wears) Left to right: Cropped Trousers at Zara, $99.
    Jessica Isaac
    May 3, 2019
    Take Notes: 10 Real Life Examples of Great Bed Styling
    Do the impeccably-styled beds in home decor showrooms and magazines make you want to give up on ever making your own bed again, conceding that no real person could ever achieve such perfection on a regular basis? Not only am I asking for a friend, but I have pertinent eye candy, direct from our very own house tours, that prove otherwise. Here are 10 times that real life home owners made their actual beds like bosses.
    Jessica Isaac
    May 3, 2019
    One Room, Many Windows? Pro Tips for Choosing Window Treatments
    While having “too many” windows may sound like a good problem to have (hello, vitamin D), treating multiple windows in one space is often a task best left to the professionals. With so many variables involved, it’s hard to know what treatments will look good together until the installation is complete (aka once it’s too late).
    Jessica Isaac
    May 3, 2019
    I Rewatched the Original Trading Spaces and Here’s What I Learned
    “Trading Spaces” and I go way back…like Alex McLeod back (the season 1 host prior to Paige Davis joining the show). I was but a mere high schooler with a penchant for basic cable when I first laid eyes on Ty Pennington’s puka shells and Hildi’s offensive wall treatments. The OG interior decorating reality show, Trading Spaces definitely spawned my foray into the world of interiors, but after re-watching the original series (the TLC reboot airs April 7th!
    Jessica Isaac
    May 3, 2019
    Here’s How We Think the Designers on Trading Spaces Have Evolved
    If you’ve watched any of the old episodes of Trading Spaces lately, you know that every room has one thing in common: it’s painfully dated. With very little information out there about what our favorite home DIYers have been designing these days, we looked to old episodes for clues as to what’s in store for the new season. Here are our predictions for what we have to look forward to (or be scared of) from Hildi, Doug, Genevieve, Vern, Frank and Laurie.
    Jessica Isaac
    May 3, 2019
    How Dinosaurs are Responsible for Bobby Berk’s Success on Queer Eye
    If you watched Season One of Netflix’s Queer Eye, chances are you benefitted from the Fab Five’s heartwarming antics as much as the men being made over— or, “heroes”—as home design expert Bobby Berk lovingly referred to them as during our recent chat. In season one, Berk and his castmates delivered viscerally-satisfying transformations that tugged at our heartstrings and basically gave us all a restored hope in humankind.
    Jessica Isaac
    May 3, 2019