Tour a Funky, Austin Apartment Filled With Plants and Global Accents

Arnelle here, reporting live from the jungle. I spent five years as a freelance photographer before shifting into the non-profit space. My husband, Emil, is a freelance filmmaker from London. Before moving into our Austin, Texas, home together, we made our trans-Atlantic relationship work by meeting in amazing places around the world, kickstarting our story as travel enthusiasts and fellow lovers of nature and the planet. We now focus a lot of our work together on wildlife and environmental conservation. With plants in every corner and incense and candles always burning, we want guests to feel relaxed and connected to the outdoors whenever they visit.

While visiting Morocco, we were inspired by the terra-cotta and rust colors that blanket the riads. We decided we needed an accent wall that brought us back. This Cavern Clay wall is a reminder of the beauty of Marrakech that enamoured us and kept us longing for more.

We knew we wanted a green couch to complement the plants and to pop against all the other rustic, natural hues. We really think it brings out the rich colors of the foliage and makes the living space feel all the more jungle-esque — just the way we like it. The wild animal on the couch is also a nice touch.

An “egg chair” (as we like to call it) surrounded by greenery, a handmade footstool and our budding wicker and mask collection make this nook one of our favorite spots in the entire apartment to curl up with a book. As a bonus, it also faces the rest of the living space, making it prime real estate for socializing with guests.