—Al-Baseer Holly
Once I start with a color, I like to let it lead [and] go where it goes.”
![“Once I start with a color, I like to let it lead [and] go where it goes.”](https://media-s3-us-east-1.ceros.com/domino/images/2023/09/13/8b5569bcac2a47879c33ff4f6b626579/214.png)
After years of long-distance dating, these artists found
the perfect Seattle home to merge lives (and work studios)—just in time for
a baby.
M
oving in with your romantic partner is always a
leap of faith. Add a baby on the way and you’ve got
a major life event—on a fixed timeline. Cristina Martinez and Al-baseer Holly had been dating long-distance for four years between Seattle, where
Martinez lived, and Los Angeles, where Holly was based, when
their journey to cohabitation kicked off with happy news that
they were expecting.
“We were traveling between the two cities at least twice a month,” says Martinez. “Our daughter, Moon, inspired us to find a place to slow down, reset, and enjoy a new chapter—while still making art.” Both are in-demand visual artists: Martinez has collaborated with musicians and brands, including a home and fashion collection
for Nordstrom last year; Holly, who had a career as a musician before turning to painting, most recently curated an art show at
the Roots Picnic music festival in Philadelphia.
Fortunately, deciding where in Seattle to make their nest was easy. Martinez, a Washington native, already had two children, Marley (9) and Marcus (13), in school in West Seattle and didn’t want to disrupt their routine. Plus the area—with its access to green spaces and walking paths—suited them. “West Seattle is
like an island, but still eight minutes from downtown,” explains Martinez. “It’s more like a family neighborhood.” (For anyone
also on the lookout for their dream property, local real-estate company Windermere has you covered.)
Holly and Martinez quickly narrowed their home search to at least four bedrooms, plus additional square footage that could serve as a workspace for both artists, who planned to give up their solo studios. With busy careers and a 1,000-plus-mile move for Holly, the couple were lucky to score a five-bedroom
on their first viewing. “We knew it was perfect for us right away,” Martinez shares. (Pro tip: No matter your timeline or budget, working with experts like the seasoned agents at Windermere gives you invaluable on-the-ground intel in the Western Washington region.)
Organization was also key to combining households—but especially in the studio. “We needed room for both of us to work freely,” notes Martinez. A local organizer helped them make a place for every tool and supply, while functional pieces like the cobalt blue rolling table allows for extra flexibility. The ultimate goal, according to Martinez: “A quiet space to work in peace but still be close to enjoy the kids.”
Art was the final step in merging their lives. And for two creatives, that meant more is more. “We went into it thinking we were going to be so sophisticated and only put up a few big pieces,” says Martinez. “By the second day the installers were here, we had hung 92 paintings.” The couple finished moving in just two weeks before Moon arrived. “We were pushing it, but we got there,” says Holly with a laugh. “We wanted her to wake up and see color and artwork everywhere,” adds Martinez. A successful collaboration in every way.
Even though the couple has often collaborated on their art, they joke that deciding on the shared decor required several therapy sessions. They debated whether to try to furnish their home with existing possessions or bring in new pieces. “I was pregnant, and I wanted to get settled,” Martinez recalls, “but he really wanted to start fresh.” Holly prevailed, and the parents-to-be selected a low, loungy West Elm sectional in buttery yellow that can fit their growing family, as well as a sleek CB2 dining set with rounded corners that just so happens to be baby-friendly. Upstairs, a pair
of pink embroidered chairs from Anthropologie creates a playful reading nook beneath a brass palm tree floor lamp.
The two-story contemporary home checked all the boxes—and more: The extra bedroom could become a walk-in closet for the duo’s extensive clothing collections (complete with 112 pairs of sneakers); built-in bookshelves and open cubbies lining the entryway offered bonus storage; and the garage had great potential to be converted into a shared studio.
However, the house was lacking in the character and color that define Martinez and Holly’s aesthetic. So Holly picked up a paintbrush and got to work. He had long loved the soft, textured finish of limewash-style paints but wanted a different palette
than he’d had back in L.A.—opting for a deep sage green hue inspired by the surrounding trees, paired with a dusty eggplant. (Martinez adds that the rich, mottled colors also conveniently
hide toddler fingerprints.)
When confronted with the challenge of delineating different shades in an open-plan home, Holly says, “Once I start with a
color, I like to let it lead, go where it goes, and stop where it stops”—a credo that resulted in painting three steps green and
the rest aubergine. “When I saw him do the split-stair thing, I was like, ‘What is this?’” says Martinez, laughing. “But now it’s one of my favorite parts of our house.”
TogetheR
NOW
All
Photography by RAFAEL SOLDI
Words by LAURA FENTON
Styling by COZBI JEAN
On the hunt for a new house?
Windermere’s pros can guide you every step
of the way—making your new chapter feel
like home.
Let the local experts at Windermere help you find your one-of-a-kind-property.
Make Yourself At Home
In Partnership with
“