Breegan Jane’s home in Marina del Rey became more than a living space, it was a symbol of her resilience and transformation, a place that honored her independence and clarity of self, and where she faced the challenge of starting over as a single mother of two while running a thriving interior design firm in Santa Monica. 

Photographer Michelle Norris is one half of the creative team behind Tropico Photo. Norris runs the Atlanta-based photography company that with her husband and business partner, Forrest Aguar. Their 800-square-foot, one bedroom condo is proof that a small space can hold even the biggest design ideas. 

New York interior designer Leyden Lewis is both the name and creative drive behind the Leyden Lewis Design Studio. For the last sixteen years Leyden has made his home in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, in a beautifully appointed apartment that he shares with his partner, Lazhar and their dog, Nika. For many, creating the feel of a whole home in the 800 square foot, open-plan space would pose a daunting challenge. But for Leyden the challenge has been a nearly two-decade-long opportunity to test his abilities and try out new ideas.  

Nikia Phoenix loves the skin she’s in, and she wants you to love yours just as much. Once the awkward girl with freckles, the model now known for her gorgeous skin knows that the road to feeling at home with yourself is neither short nor straight. Yet she’d be the first to suggest that it’s the one best travelled, and that the best thing about traveling it is that there’s no need to do it alone. That was the driving sentiment behind Black Girl Beautiful, the 23andMe star’s self-and-communal love brand aimed at Black women everywhere and of all ages.