Name: Arabella Proffer and husband, Ben Vendetta, with two cats Location: Ohio Type of home: High-rise Condo Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 9 years, first renting and now own

Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: We rented this condo for several years until we bought it in 2019. We’re in a large high-rise overlooking Lake Erie. Our unit was all beige — so much beige — and the fixtures were cheap awful and brass, everything else was bottom grade. The first thing we did was get the small sputnik light fixtures that fit close to the ceiling. We demoed the bathroom, which I painted by hand, and got all new appliances — including a slim fridge (hey there’s only two of us!).

We went with bright colors and hand-painted animal prints that border on pop art to really tell that beige to scram. I’ve been a professional artist since I was a teen, so this probably helped when it comes to decorating, there’s my art but mostly other artist work I’ve collected. Ben has a similar to taste to mine, which makes it easy. We had a lot of rock posters so we put as many as we could up in the “music room.” He was a music journalist for decades and now writes novels, so that’s the room where he likes to be the most. The cats are pretty well behaved but scratching the couch and chairs is an ongoing battle.

We both worked in the music business and I exhibit my paintings around the world, so the rock ‘n’ roll vibe and artwork is all around. I collect work by other artists that is all over the place, and posters of bands we love. I hand-painted a lot of things like the dots in the living room and the lines in the bathroom. I would go full-on maximalist if I could, but years of moving cross-country has me thinking harder about things I purchase, and we both kind of hate clutter.

Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Mid-century, Punk, Goth, Art School, Colorful

What is your favorite room and why? The bedroom, because that’s where all the action is. It has a wonderful lake and skyline view. Ben picked a bright yet calming color for the room, and the cats love hanging out on the bed with us while having our morning coffee.

Any advice for creating a home you love? If you need a storage unit, you have too much stuff. Free yourself! Get a really good mattress, it’ll be worth it. Put some artwork up on those bare walls! Preferably art that speaks to you and not because it matches the couch. If you are able, a change of light fixtures can have a big impact on your spaces.

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

Share Your Style: House Tour & House Call Submission Form