Charlotte

“My home is a true reflection of our family — vibrant, creative, and ever-evolving. Color is at the heart of it all.”

There are two wolves within the homeowner of this 540-square-foot, 1920s apartment in Charlotte: "One is a minimalist, and one is a maximalist.”

Except for a few pieces of cookware, all of the furniture, wall art, linens, trinkets, rugs, and even plants have been found secondhand in this stylish rental apartment.

After leaving New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic, all this homeowner wanted was natural light.

When Brandon started working with designer Amber on his North Carolina home, he didn't let any traditional decorating "rules" get in his way. They worked together to create a space that is clean and modern but lets his personality shine.

Seana says that color feels like a giant hug, and we agree!

TaLaya and Kerrick inherited this house from his grandparents and have spent the past two years putting their stamp on the space.

In this new 6-part series, we meet the people redefining what home means today. Home is where YOU make it.

There are cute plant display ideas in her bathroom, too!

Name: Danielle and Justin McKim and Great Dane Charlotte Location: Charlotte, North Carolina Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, owned Danielle and Justin have a home that could not be more full of their own individual style and personality. Collecting affordable pieces and turning them into magic was once a hobby of Danielle’s that soon became her career as a designer and local storefront owner here in Charlotte.

Name: Ariene C. Bethea and Daren Z. Bethea II (and Mini) Location: Charlotte, North Carolina Size: 3,100 Square Feet Years lived in: 9 years, owned There are dreamers and there are doers. Ariene Bethea fits into the latter. Ariene brought her dream to life through her designer furnishings storefront, Dressing Rooms Interiors Studio. She has been called a “design maven,” whose arrival is “changing the face of design in the South.

Name: Nolan and Natalie Smith Location: Plaza Midwood — Charlotte, North Carolina Size: 1,136 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, renting In the times of meeting your mate online, Natalie and Nolan did it the old-fashioned way — through mutual friends in Nashville, Tennessee. The couple has now made a home in Charlotte, North Carolina, in a “plain” apartment they’ve added tons of color and life to.

Name: Melanie Branam, husband Scott and brand new baby Molly Location: Myers Park — Charlotte, North Carolina Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: 4 1/2 years, renting You can immediately smell the flowers when you walk into Melanie’s home, which is only natural given she is one of Charlotte’s premier florists. Melanie is the talented woman behind New Creations Flowers and her 1,600 square foot home is not only where she lives, it also serves as her floral studio.

Name: Jordan and Brittany Griggs Location: Charlotte, North Carolina—but currently traveling the country! Size: 276 square feet Years lived in: Owned since December 2015 Brittany, a newborn/family photographer and business coach, and Jordan, a banker-turned-aspiring golf pro, traded in their Charlotte, North Carolina home for life on the road to chase Jordan’s dreams.

Name: Brian and April Location: Villa Heights — Charlotte, North Carolina Size: 1,940 square feet Years lived in: Owned 2 years Brian and April have done an incredible job of turning their first home into their own. Since purchasing in 2014, they have added fun pops of color and personality into almost every room and turned it into a happy haven in the Plaza Midwood area in Charlotte.

Name: Ana and Mansour (and Molly) Location: NoDa — Charlotte, North Carolina Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: Owned 5 years Ana and Mansour have a home filled with pieces that each tell a story. Ana is a talented writer, originally from Dominican Republic, and travels often. Mansour is a Harvard graduate from Washington DC who enjoys biking in his free time. They are both intelligent and hilarious…and the corner garden in their living room is a dream.

Name: Helen Bayley and husband Chris Bayley. Daughters Charlotte (9), Annabelle (7), and Imogen (6). Location: Queensland, Australia Years lived in: 11 years, owned Helen Bayley knows how to create happiness with color. In 2013 she launched Lovestar, a company that vibrantly re-imagines the old-fashioned ceramic wall vase out of modern materials like Lucite. Helen and her husband handcraft their products in their studio in Brisbane, and the vases have been a huge hit since day one.

Name: Seana Location: Charlotte, North Carolina Size: 2,600 square feet Years lived in: Own. I am a first-time home owner! Seana does not claim to be a design expert, but she could have fooled us. As a corporate professional she spends her days in a more formal atmosphere, so her first house provides a unique canvas to express her creativity.

Name: Katie Rozycki and Patrick Moore Location: Plaza Midwood — Charlotte, North Carolina Size: 702 square feet Years lived in: 6 years; Owned Katie—a private school fundraiser, entrepreneur, and flower crown designer—and her audio engineer/tour manager boyfriend, Patrick Moore, completely overhauled this once-neglected one-bedroom loft in Charlotte, North Carolina.