Michelle Norris and Forrest Aguar were home-brainstormers before they became homeowners. That stands to reason, since they’ve made a name for themselves as the creative powerhouses behind Tropico Photo, a kaleidoscopic collaboration that spins out art direction and visual delights of all kinds. “I think over time we started integrating our aesthetic more and more into what we were doing, and then that grew into what our home looks like, what we dress like — anything that’s visual, being able to put our stamp on it became more important,” Michelle explains. “And by the time we were buying this place, we were really excited to put that stamp on where we lived as well.” So, what’s it like to live inside your own mood board — and how do you put it together? Join us on a tour of their dazzling Atlanta loft and find out.

“When we first bought this condo it was totally white; it was a blank slate,” Forrest recalls. “We had cement ceilings, cement floors, white walls — and it was perfect. We used Photoshop to draw on the photos that were in the actual listing [to] design what was going to go on the walls, and then we hit the ground running as soon as we closed.”

The living room features one of Michelle and Forrest’s all-time favorite pieces: “a custom entertainment center that our friends Matt and Eve of Silt Studio built for us,” Michelle says. “They are local to Atlanta, and we had the benefit of being able to match the colors to the paint colors in our space.”

Another benefit of commissioning work from creative friends? “They also built it to spec for us so it fits the space perfectly. Without it, this area wouldn’t feel complete,” Forrest says.

Crafted with Southern yellow pine, heart pine accents and painted plywood, the entertainment center also displays the knickknacks Michelle collects as she and Forrest travel. It’s no accident that the pieces and colors here and throughout the loft evoke international destinations and creators like Luis Barragán, a Mexican modernist known for his bold use of color: “We have visited both Casa Luis Barragán and San Cristobal Stable,” Michelle says. “Also we had the joy of visiting [Spanish architect] Ricardo Bofill’s Muralla Roja, which is truly inspiring.”