Brandon & Amanda’s Handmade Home

Name: Amanda, Brandon, and Gatsby
Location: Los Feliz; Los Angeles, California
Size: 800 square feet
Years lived in: 1 years; rented

This is one of those apartments that never gets advertised, because it gets handed down from friend to friend. Architectural designers Amanda and Brandon knew they had to have this sunny, large unit with vintage tile and hardware and outdoor space for their first apartment together as soon as a mutual friend talked about moving out. Together they have filled it with light, color, and masses of inspiration for their work.

From the start, the couple had their own priorities when organizing their space. The space meant for dining felt too detached from the living room, and the living room felt too crowded and public for their work. So instead of holding to how they were expected to set up the space, they use a small drop-leaf table in the living room for eating and socializing, and decided to develop their new product line, Parts + Pieces, from the more peaceful space beside the kitchen.

While #neutrallife may be trending, Amanda had a very specific vision that is anything but neutral. Bleached woods and bright whites provide a calm backdrop for a small riot of color to flourish. Brandon’s previous style involved darker woods but he admits it felt a little heavy at times and Amanda’s bright color palette feels expressive of both their joyful, open personalities.

When they can’t find something just right, they happily make it. Many of the elements of the apartment are of their own creation, including several artworks, the concrete bar cart, sketch shelf, spice rack, workshop cabinet and panels, and the ingenious cork tabletops uniting their IKEA furniture in the living and bedrooms.

Our Style: Modern, pops of color, artful, architectural

Inspiration: Rainbow sprinkles, museum white, Gatsby the Shih Tzu

Favorite Elements: Vintage oven, neighborhood, cork cabinet toppers, nightstand shelves, concrete bar, door knobs, laundry

Biggest Challenge: Time!

What Friends Say: “It looks like you”

Biggest Embarrassment: Giant cactus at the front door (writer’s note: I think it’s gorgeous!)

Proudest DIY: Nightstand shelves—designed and built in one day

Biggest Indulgence: Hue light bulbs at nightstand shelves—we only spent $8 on the shelves, so figured we had the room to splurge a little

Best Advice: Just make it!

Dream Sources: DWR, Poketo, A+R, Luminaire, Vitra

• Chairs: World Market
• Concrete bucket stool: DIY

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