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Marisa Vitale

A California native who loves to travel and explore, meet new people, laugh, play and capture all of these pieces with her camera. She lives in Venice Beach, CA with her husband and twins, Oliver and Macy, and their twin siamese cats, Choco and Blu.
    An Edgy Downtown LA Loft Embodies the Style of an Early ‘90s Movie
    Tours
    Rory Rockmore, celebrity jewelry designer by night, lives in this Los Angeles loft that’s “dedicated to any early ‘90s movie or sitcom with a ‘cool’ character who lived in a 'downtown' loft.”
    Marisa Vitale
    May 17, 2023
    B&A: An Artist's Rental Redo Features Gorgeous IKEA Hacks and Much More
    The best decorating advice artist Ben Cuevas ever received came from Amy Sedaris. "...[S]he says that she viewed her rental deposit as her design fee — which I think is just brilliant. If you’re renting, but plan to stay put for a while and want to really make your space your own, consider your deposit the fee you pay for being able to live in a space you truly love and can call your own."
    Marisa Vitale
    Nov 8, 2022
    A Kitschy, Colorful Echo Park Rental Is '80s Miami Vibes Meets Space Age Style
    Yuka, partner Daniel, and two fur babies, Bear and Penguin, share this colorful 700-square-foot Echo Park rental apartment.
    Marisa Vitale
    Jul 22, 2022
    Actress Franchesca Ramsey's DIY Rental Boasts Nearly Every Color of the Rainbow
    TV writer, actress, author, and producer Franchesca Ramsey moved to Los Angeles fall of 2020, decorating this rental apartment with DIY murals, color, and more.
    Marisa Vitale
    Jun 6, 2022
    This Home Stager's Hip House Is Packed with Pattern, Color & Lots of Decor Ideas
    Francesca owns Francesca Grace Home, a home staging and interior designer company, and her California Craftsman in Los Angeles’ Silver Lake neighborhood is full of vintage furnishings, modern lines, bold colors, and energetic patterns.
    Marisa Vitale
    Mar 22, 2022
    A Maximalist LA House Has the Best Color and Pattern Combos We've Ever Seen
    Dani Dazey, the owner and founder of the clothing line, Dazey LA, and the interior design studio, Dazey Den, and her partner, Phillip Butler, live in this colorful, patterned house in Los Angeles with their dogs, Franklin and Yuki.
    Marisa Vitale
    Dec 1, 2021
    A Small 1929 Spanish House's Remodel Retained Its Charming and Creative History
    Peter Quinn and Caitlin Dawson bought this house in Mount Washington three years ago, and recently finished a remodel that modernized the small home, while retaining a lot of the original history and charm
    Marisa Vitale
    Sep 16, 2021
    This Small Los Angeles Apartment Is a Master Class in Personalizing a Rental
    Los Angeles-based interior designer Kara Thomas' small LA apartment is full of ideas on how to make your rental apartment look good.
    Marisa Vitale
    Aug 7, 2021
    This LA Rental Apartment Has Bold Murals, a Wall of Shoes, and More
    Video House Tour
    It's like Lisa Frank meets Hot Topic with a sprinkling of theater kid, rhinestone cowboy, and disco daddy.
    Marisa Vitale
    Jul 30, 2021
    A Studio Combines Clever Storage Ideas & Smart Space Planning
    Creative director Willow Rothbart's style in her small Los Angeles studio apartment's style is a mix of industrial, minimalist, and a touch of transitional.
    Marisa Vitale
    Jun 21, 2021
    Before and After: Adding DIY Character to a California Craftsman
    On a peaceful, sidewalk-free street, lined with trees and near a lake, is Matt and Amanda’s 1947 bungalow in the San Rafael hills of Pasadena. It’s not hard to see what attracted the couple to this house, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t need a lot of work. The house had a lot of potential (and light), but not a lot of personality. Matt and Amanda wanted to create a rich, unique Craftsman feel.
    Marisa Vitale
    May 3, 2019
    Before and After: A Bare Den Takes On An English Pub Vibe
    With low ceilings, white walls and track lighting, Matt and Amanda’s post-war den in their California Craftsman didn’t exactly inspire the soul. As two people working in a hectic and creative field (they’re both actors), they wanted to add loads of personality to their small den, while also creating a retreat. In short, they wanted to banish the boring. Their plan? Transform the blank canvas above into a room with English pub vibes.
    Marisa Vitale
    May 3, 2019
    Before and After: A Dark, Dated Galley Kitchen Gets a Modern Makeover
    When Matt and Amanda first looked at this house, they were able to instantly imagine fixing up all of the rooms — except for the kitchen. It was a dark, dated galley kitchen with a wall smack dab in the middle. Matt writes: “We went back to look at it one last time and I just sat there trying to visualize what the solution could be. When I realized it could be done, I did my best to explain the mess in my head to Amanda and we went for it!
    Marisa Vitale
    May 3, 2019
    Before and After: A Vintage Bathroom Gets Classic Italian Restaurant Vibes
    Matt and Amanda knew they wanted to strip this entire bathroom down and create something new that was light and airy — that felt good to be in. As Matt writes: “The two rooms of the house that we had done by contractors were the kitchen and the bathroom. I was too afraid to deal with that much tile and plumbing. We had them gut everything. …We wanted a classic subway or old Italian restaurant vibe in here for some reason.
    Marisa Vitale
    May 3, 2019
    Before and After: This Dull Driveway is Now Super SoCal Cool
    Turning a driveway and storage area into a beautiful lounge for adults and children alike seemed like an impossible feat for Ali and Evan. Luckily they had a great friend, Lake, who knew exactly how to transform this space! From Lake Sharp of array.la: The lean-to structure immediately creates a sense of privacy and much needed shade, but still allows for airflow and light. The look of the patio is centered around the colorful Laotian lanterns that Ali showed me at our first meeting.
    Marisa Vitale
    May 3, 2019
    The Most Colorful Apartment in the World
    Name: Salvatore and Amina and Worf and Princess Leia, the couple’s dogs Location: Downtown Los Angeles, California Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting Amina is a firm believer that your home “should be the ultimate happy place.” And the Downtown Los Angeles rental apartment she shares with her husband Salvatore (and pups Worf and Princess Leia) certainly shows that she practices what she preaches.
    Marisa Vitale
    Apr 30, 2019
    A Paper Artist’s Home Has an Envy-Inducing Art and Textile Collection
    Artist Sharlene Kayne calls her style "evolutionary design." She adds layer after layer, piece by piece over time until it's done.
    Marisa Vitale
    Mar 15, 2019
    A Couple Live Aboard a Tiny Bohemian House Boat
    Name: Kajon Cermak and Bob Muellner Location: Marina Del Rey, California Size: 40′ LOA, 13.5′ Beam Years lived in: 3 years, owned Kajon and Bob raised their family in Thousand Oaks, but as their kids got older and their schedules got busier, having to commute to west L.A. for work felt like more and more of a hassle. The couple’s creative solution was a fun one: They decided to simply go all in and live on a 40-foot house boat during the week! If you live in L.A.
    Marisa Vitale
    Nov 15, 2018
    A Minimal California Home Features All Your Modern Furniture Design Crushes
    Name: Alle Fister and Don Popkes Location: Playa Del Rey, California Size: 4,500 square feet Years lived in: 6 years, owned Alle Fister—owner of Bollare, a communications firm that works with well-known beauty and fashion brands—met Don Popkes 10 years ago. Six and a half years ago the couple got married and bought this house, their first home and a total fixer upper.
    Marisa Vitale
    Jun 28, 2018
    A Minimal, Tailored Home
    Cindy is a jewelry designer and fiber artist and shares this bright North Hollywood home with her husband Matt.
    Marisa Vitale
    May 21, 2018
    A Minimalist LA Home Is Inspired by Earth, Rocks & the Cosmos
    Name: Kristine Claghorn and Mark Harrison and SETI the cat (stands for “Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence”, of course) Location: Silver Lake — Los Angeles, California Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Kristine and Mark knew they were meant to be together when they both bonded over their separate rock collections. She’s a creative producer and artist, he’s a documentary editor, and their cat, SETI, is an expert at being adorable.
    Marisa Vitale
    May 10, 2018
    This Cheery California Home’s Hand-Built Woodwork Is Must-See
    Name: Peter and Jana Deeble and their four kids Location: Long Beach, California Years lived in: 7 years, rent to own For 14 years, Long Beach resident Peter Deeble was a math teacher who had a side hobby of designing and building furniture. In the beginning the work was just meant as a way to furnish his and his wife’s (to whom he’s been married for 15 years!) home.
    Marisa Vitale
    Apr 6, 2018
    A Dog Bed Designer Turned a Blank Canvas into a Beautiful Beach Bungalow
    Name: Eloisa Ribeiro and Anderson Ribeiro Location: Venice, California Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting Eloisa Ribeiro is a mom, dog lover, model, actress and the owner of The Wolf Nest, a business that sells one-of-a-kind designed “pillows for pups + cushions for home.” Born in Brazil and raised in Florida and Texas, it was in New York that she met her husband Anderson six years ago. Three years ago, she moved to Venice, California for a lifestyle change.
    Marisa Vitale
    Mar 21, 2018
    A “Boho Minimal” Rental in Santa Barbara
    Name: Sadie and Dana Solomon, and their cat Emma and rabbit Buns Location: Santa Barbara, California Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 7 years, renting Though Sadie and Dana have been living in their 1940s Santa Barbara home for seven years, the couple never stops letting the home evolve and grow in style and design.
    Marisa Vitale
    Feb 8, 2018
    This Colorful L.A. Home Is Fantastically Fun and Cheery
    Name: Anthony Conley, Elizabeth Hall and Olivia Location: Highland Park, California Size: 922 square feet Years lived in: 11 years, owned When Anthony “Antz” and Elizabeth were first looking to buy a home back in 2006, they never dreamed their journey would take them into LA’s Highland Park. But after 11 years in this dreamy 1923 California bungalow, the creative couple both agree that they lucked out in finding such a family-friendly and community-oriented neighborhood.
    Marisa Vitale
    Feb 6, 2018
    A Relaxed Modern-ish Silver Lake Home for Busy Entrepreneurs
    Name: Erin Cullerton of Design Agency Co and Melanie McGraw of Monk Provisions Location: Silver Lake — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,250 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, owned When Erin and Mel felt it was time to look for a home together, they never dreamed they would be able to find something affordable in the Silver Lake area.
    Marisa Vitale
    Dec 17, 2017
    A Sleek (Renter-Friendly) Headboard You Can DIY
    This headboard idea is So. Simple. It’s an uncomplicated DIY project that adds minimal and modern pizzazz to a bedroom or a guest bedroom. Creating architectural interest, the headboard ledge is now perfectly suited to store and display art, plants, lamps and more. This is the bedroom in Puno and Daniel’s LA loft. Using leftover material from their kitchen cabinet remodeling project, the couple built a headboard with a lip along the top that doubles as a shelf.
    Marisa Vitale
    Dec 7, 2017
    A Wallpaper Designer’s “Psychedelic Modern Cowboy” Style Home
    Name: Samantha Santana and James Lively Location: Jefferson Park — Los Angeles, California Size: 619 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, 2 months, owned When Samantha and James first moved into their historic, 93-year-old Spanish bungalow, they knew they would be doing most of the renovations and remodeling themselves. It was a long haul, especially since their home was inhabited by squatters before they moved in.
    Marisa Vitale
    Dec 4, 2017
    Before and After: An Incredible DIY Makeover for Rental Kitchen Cabinets
    When Puno Puno (yes, you read that right, her name is Puno Lauren Puno!) and Daniel Chin Yee moved into their Downtown Los Angeles loft earlier this year, they knew they’d found their dream home. First, because of all the added space (their previous apartment was a modest 600 square feet to this loft’s 1,500). And secondly, because of the huge amount of light pouring in from the wall-to wall, industrial-height windows that line their corner unit.
    Marisa Vitale
    Nov 27, 2017
    The Cool California Home of the Founders of Health-Ade Kombucha
    They used to make kombucha in their small apartment. The success of the company allowed them to buy this beautiful home.
    Marisa Vitale
    Nov 20, 2017
    A Pattern-Filled & Playful Pasadena Home You’ve Got to See
    Name: Jaimee Dormer + Adam Lodynsky Location: Pasadena, California Size: 672 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Jaimee Dormer and her husband, Adam, moved to LA three years ago in search of new opportunities (and better weather) and have since created not just a home — but a truly unique space to work and relax. Jaimee, the founder of Coast to Coast Vintage, allows her love for color and patterns to run free throughout the space.
    Marisa Vitale
    Oct 4, 2017
    A Creative Director’s Airy Laid-Back LA Home
    Name: Steph Rager Location: Highland Park — Los Angeles, California Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting On her personal website, A Dapper Line, Steph Rager describes herself as “50 percent muralist, 30 percent illustrator, 15 percent sign artist, and 5 percent champagne drinker.” It’s hardly a surprise that, like her art, her home is a brilliantly laid-back mix of color and crisp lines.
    Marisa Vitale
    Sep 20, 2017
    A Ceramicist and Furniture Designer’s California Cabin
    Ceramicist Kenesha Sneed of Tactile Matter shares this cabin-like home with furniture maker Ben Tetro. It's minimalist meets comfort with bold pops of color.
    Marisa Vitale
    Sep 18, 2017
    Two Makers Create a Bright Haven in a Downtown LA Apartment
    Name: Michelle Paul Toney and James Toney III Location: Chinatown — Downtown Los Angeles Size: 1,115 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting Michelle and James’ lives seem to revolve around downtown LA. After meeting in the Arts District one fated Tuesday night, the couple have since been married, started the Los Angeles-based company Morrow Soft Goods with two friends, and moved into the beautiful and brightly lit Chinatown apartment where they currently reside.
    Marisa Vitale
    Sep 17, 2017
    A Ceramicist & Architect’s Hand-Crafted California Home
    Name: Linda Hsiao, Kagan Taylor and Scallion the Cat Location: Highland Park — Los Angeles, California Years lived in: 2 years, renting Linda and Kagan’s Highland Park home is a perfect reflection of their combined creative collaborations and organic aesthetics. The space is filled with handmade treasures, meaningful art, and friend’s crafts to create a truly cozy and original style.
    Marisa Vitale
    Sep 15, 2017
    A Bold, Eclectic Basement Apartment in a Converted Church
    Name: Lourdes Hernandez and Zach Leigh Location: Highland Park, Los Angeles Size: 1900 square feet Years lived in: 18 months, owned Creative duo Zach and Lourdes started their relationship as musicians — they met one night at The Largo while playing a show. But recently their creative energies have gone in another direction: Refurbishing an old church in Los Angeles’ Highland Park.
    Marisa Vitale
    Aug 21, 2017