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I’m Amazed by How This Apartment’s Small Office Transforms into a Guest Room

Adrienne Breaux
Adrienne BreauxHouse Tour Director at AT Media
I grew up watching TV shows like "This Old House" and "New Yankee Workshop" with my parents, and learned early on that not only is it possible to remake your home’s surroundings to fit your lifestyle and personality, but that it’s also fun. When I got to college, I started in journalism but graduated with a BA in Interior Design from Louisiana State University. My entire professional career has been a mix of my passions: writing, photography, and interior design. I’ve worked at two different types of furniture stores (one ultra-modern and one full of antiques); I’ve worked on residential and commercial interior design projects; I’ve written about art, architecture, and design for print and online publications (a career highlight was interviewing famed collage artist and David Bowie collaborator Rex Ray for "Uppercase Magazine"); I’ve even been an architectural photographer. And for over 10 years, I've led Apartment Therapy's real home content, producing thousands of gorgeous house tours from around the world. I've also lived in a variety of homes, including a van, a former downtown store in small-town Texas, and a studio apartment rumored to have once been owned by Willie Nelson. It's made me passionate about featuring people making the best of their homes, no matter what shape that home is in, and inspiring others to create beautiful, functional homes. I truly believe that you can be your best self when you love your home. I love traveling, checking off Atlas Obscura wish lists, taking photos, making art, seeing art, throwing an incredible themed Halloween party every year, and staying up-to-date on the latest science fiction and horror movies. Currently, I live in my maximalist dream home in New Orleans, Louisiana, with my partner, a perfect dog, and a cute cat.
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published Oct 2, 2024

I’m Amazed by How This Apartment’s Small Office Transforms into a Guest Room

Adrienne Breaux
Adrienne BreauxHouse Tour Director at AT Media
I grew up watching TV shows like "This Old House" and "New Yankee Workshop" with my parents, and learned early on that not only is it possible to remake your home’s surroundings to fit your lifestyle and personality, but that it’s also fun. When I got to college, I started in journalism but graduated with a BA in Interior Design from Louisiana State University. My entire professional career has been a mix of my passions: writing, photography, and interior design. I’ve worked at two different types of furniture stores (one ultra-modern and one full of antiques); I’ve worked on residential and commercial interior design projects; I’ve written about art, architecture, and design for print and online publications (a career highlight was interviewing famed collage artist and David Bowie collaborator Rex Ray for "Uppercase Magazine"); I’ve even been an architectural photographer. And for over 10 years, I've led Apartment Therapy's real home content, producing thousands of gorgeous house tours from around the world. I've also lived in a variety of homes, including a van, a former downtown store in small-town Texas, and a studio apartment rumored to have once been owned by Willie Nelson. It's made me passionate about featuring people making the best of their homes, no matter what shape that home is in, and inspiring others to create beautiful, functional homes. I truly believe that you can be your best self when you love your home. I love traveling, checking off Atlas Obscura wish lists, taking photos, making art, seeing art, throwing an incredible themed Halloween party every year, and staying up-to-date on the latest science fiction and horror movies. Currently, I live in my maximalist dream home in New Orleans, Louisiana, with my partner, a perfect dog, and a cute cat.
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published Oct 2, 2024
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About this tour
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Home Type

Apartment

Location

Jersey City, New Jersey

Style

Colorful

Contemporary

Bedrooms

2

Square feet

1200

Sq ft

1200

Gerardo Tiscareño Castro was born and raised in Mexico, but currently shares this 1200-square-foot, two-bedroom apartment in Jersey City, New Jersey, with his husband, Timothy, who was born and raised in Cornwall, New York.

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Credit: Gerardo Tiscareno Castro

“We have been together for 10 years, and this the first apartment we own, but the fourth we’ve lived in (we used to move a lot). We love turning the places where we live into a space where we feel relaxed, safe, and are able to forget the outer worlds exists,” Gerardo writes.

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Credit: Gerardo Tiscareno Castro
This wallpaper can be found at Wallpaper Direct.

“We are both a little silly and quirky, and we like to have that reflected in our spaces. I (Gerardo) also gravitate towards a more sophisticated approach when it comes to aesthetic. Having said that, I do not ever want a space to feel stuffy, pretentious, or unapproachable.”

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Credit: Gerardo Tiscareno Castro

“Decorating our apartment has been a very organic process, which is the result of 10 years of collecting different items,” Gerardo explains. “We do not overthink when we get a piece for the apartment; it is always a very visceral reaction to each item, and somehow it all just fits together very harmoniously. We like to keep different feels in different rooms. Some are very colorful and impactful; others are more restrained and neutral. It all depends on the purpose the room serves.”

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Credit: Gerardo Tiscareno Castro
"We painted the shelves blue and installed a white wallpaper with very thin French blue stripes to give the back of the shelves a bit more of texture and dimension," Gerardo describes of the bookshelves in the guest room. "I love being in this space."

Gerardo describes his and his husband’s home style as “fabulously colorful and unapologetically us.” And his design advice for getting a home that is boldly your own personality? “Always follow your gut.”

Thanks, Gerardo and Timothy!

This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.

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