Cristina Casañas-Judd and General Judd had always envisioned living in the same home in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn for the rest of their lives. However, their dreams were shattered when their plans to buy the building fell through. Devastated but determined, the couple found a new rental in Crown Heights, Brooklyn while continuing their search for a permanent home. Initially, they saw the rental as just a steppingstone, but as the years went by and the pandemic hit, they realized that they had never designed a home for themselves. This realization prompted them to embark on a complete redecoration, transforming their rental into a personalized and inviting space that they now call home. Through their experience, Casañas-Judd and Judd discovered the importance of living in the present and making the most of their current living situation.
Tired of Waiting to Buy, They Redesigned Their Brooklyn Rental
Reinventing a Crown Heights Rental
Cristina Casañas-Judd and General Judd had always envisioned living in their Cobble Hill, Brooklyn brownstone apartment for the rest of their lives. With over a decade of renting the space and raising their two daughters, Najal and Rafia, the couple had even started discussing buying the building and making renovations. However, when their landlord passed away in 2015, the remaining owner decided against selling, leaving their dreams shattered.
“It was devastating,” said Ms. Casañas-Judd, who runs the interiors firm Me and General Design with Mr. Judd. “My dreams were shattered, and I was just like, ‘I’ve got to go.'”
In search of a new home, the couple found a rental in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. The 1,100-square-foot, three-bedroom apartment had recently been renovated and seemed like a temporary solution while they continued their search for a home to buy. As set decorators and art directors in the TV and film industry, the couple didn’t put much effort into decorating their new rental. They viewed it as a steppingstone, anticipating that they would only be there for a few years.
Embracing the Present
However, as the years went by and the pandemic hit, the couple began to reevaluate their approach. Working from home alongside their daughters, they realized that despite designing interiors for others, they had never fully designed a home for themselves.
“We said to ourselves, ‘Why wait? Why not live in the moment? Why not do it now, and all along the way?'” Ms. Casañas-Judd said. This realization was a revelation for them, and they decided to embark on a complete redecoration of their rental apartment.
In the fall of 2020, they started incorporating art and movie props that they had been collecting in a storage unit with the intention of using them in a future home. The couple covered one wall in the living room with the Echo wallpaper they designed for Wolf-Gordon and created a faux fireplace using a mantel from the 2006 movie “Beautiful Ohio.” They added personal touches, such as a portrait painted by their artist friend Voodo Fé and a wireless speaker system called Swick Board, which they designed and manufactured in collaboration with Leon Speakers.
Throughout the home, the couple decorated with special objects that held personal meaning to them. In the dining room, they created a bar area using charcoal Perch wallpaper they had designed and mounted shelves to display cherished objects, including a vintage camera passed down from Ms. Casañas-Judd’s father and pottery from her family’s beach house in Chile.
As their oldest daughter Najal moved into her own apartment, the couple transformed her former bedroom into an open office space for their design firm. They adorned the walls with Flavor Paper wallpaper featuring an Andy Warhol print of Yves Saint Laurent’s French bulldog, Moujik, reminiscent of their own Frenchie named Thor. They also added a custom storage unit for the office and a chandelier from Townsend Design for the dining room.
By the spring of 2022, the couple had invested approximately $50,000 into their redecoration project. They enjoyed the process so much that a few months later, they purchased a rundown stone house in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, to take on another personal project.
Embracing the Present and the Joy of Personalization
Ms. Casañas-Judd and Mr. Judd are uncertain about how long they will continue to stay in their Brooklyn rental, which costs them around $3,700 per month. However, their experience has taught them the value of living in the present and seizing the opportunity to personalize their living space, even if it’s not their forever home.
“It was a great lesson,” said Ms. Casañas-Judd. “We were always planning, but then we just went and did it. I don’t want to rent forever, but I would have never expected a rental to feel like this.”
Mr. Judd added, “It’s just home. It’s for now, and we love it.”
This story highlights the importance of embracing the present and making the most of one’s current living situation. While the couple initially planned on buying a home and making renovations, circumstances changed, and they had to adapt their dreams. By redecorating their rental apartment, they not only created a space that reflected their personalities and interests but also found joy in the process. This article serves as a reminder that personalization and embracing the present can transform any living space into a home.
