My Houzz: Seattle Roommates Unwind in This Cozy Space

They share the same birthday — January 3 — and a deep repertoire of inside jokes. And for the first time in their eight-year friendship, Gabriel Ayerza and Sean Martin also share a house. The two best friends rent a 1926 cottage in the Roosevelt neighborhood of Seattle. “Having the lone picket fence on the block makes it feel very much like a Norman Rockwell-Mayberry kind of place,” says Ayerza, a director at a not-for-profit healthcare company. He adds that their interior style is a reflection of their friendship. “[There’s] much overlap but complementary differences, like any other famous pair of pals — Butch Cassidy and Sundance, or more likely, Statler and Waldorf.”

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Gabriel Ayerza and Sean Martin, and Sean’s pet hedgehog, June
Location: Roosevelt neighborhood of Seattle
Size: 1,200 square feet (111.4 square meters); 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms plus a basement
Year built: 1926

“Even though we live in the same house, collaborating can be a challenge,” says Martin, pictured at left, a student at the nearby University of Washington. Due to their conflicting work and school schedules, the roommates’ design discussions were done primarily through digital communication. “We texted and emailed lots of images and ideas,” says Ayerza, pictured at right.

Despite his grumbling about the perils of living in an older home, Martin has given in to its charms. “I am quite fond of sitting out on the front steps when the sun is setting,” he says. “In the summer we eat a lot of dinners on that front step.”



The living room art wall is a direct reflection of their shared sense of humor. “It’s a bizarre mix of actual family history photos, absurd photos and Ripley’s Believe It or Not-esque images,” Ayerza says.

The top-left photograph is of the red barn that once stood behind Ayerza’s father’s home in rural central California, while the dog portraits were a housewarming gift from a friend. The framed postcard of their living room has a note to Martin from Ayerza after a span of several weeks when the two barely saw each other.


Though most of the artwork was either purchased or acquired as a gift, Martin painted the four square canvases near the front door. The pieces to the right of the door depict Fresno, California, and Portland, Oregon — cities Ayerza has previously called home.

A vintage white icebox bought years ago at secondhand store The RE Store has been repurposed as a side table.

Floor lamp (similar): All Modern; sofa (similar): Target


Both Ayerza and Martin enjoy playing musical instruments, including this piano, a Craigslist find that fits nicely under a window in the living room, and the two guitars that hang on the wall in the parlor (next photo). This area is often the scene of several impromptu jam sessions during parties.

“I’m surprised to learn how many of our friends play instruments,” Ayerza says. “After a couple hours and a few drinks, someone will just sit down and play piano or take down a guitar and strum.”

Bookcases (similar): Finnby, Ikea


The roommates are fond of hosting parties, and the parlor is one of the most-used spaces in the house. The framed images are a collection of vintage photographs curated by Ayerza.

Lounge chair (similar): All Modern; bar stool (similar): Hayneedle


When the guys brainstormed on what large piece of art should hang on the focus wall in the living room, they eventually both came up with the same inspiration: a butcher’s diagram. Ayerza purchased the image online, and Martin mounted it to plywood and painted the edges red. When Ayerza picked up the poster, the clerk happened to speak Russian and translated the cuts of meat for him.


This photo in the living room depicts the type of fishing boat Martin grew up on off the coast of Alaska. “Really, all of the photos and art on our walls have a story behind it, either to the individual owner or to us as friends,” Martin says.

The guys like to unwind with a glass of whiskey at the end of the day, so a decanter of Jameson always sits on the mantel.


One of Martin’s proudest design accomplishments was refinishing this wood bar cabinet he found on Craigslist. “It was pretty beat-up when we found it,” he says. “For several nights after we bought it, I spent hours in the garage hand sanding, restaining and repairing it.”

A shot of an in-motion John Wayne, one of Ayerza’s favorite pieces, hangs above the bar.

Artwork: Mr. John Wayne, by Luke Lombardo, Amazon; bar stool (similar): West Elm


While Ayerza is a fan of the circular floor plan and the period details of the home, like the angular lines of the breakfast nook, Martin admits, “I both love and hate the age of this house. On one hand, it has all the quirkiness and charm that a lot of these old houses do. On the other hand, you have to deal with old house problems, like finicky electrical and plumbing.”


Ayerza inherited this clock that sits over the entrance to the breakfast nook from his French grandparents. Every hour, the clock chimes with a different bird call. Of all of his grandparents’ possessions, “I wanted the bird clock, so that when I close my eyes, I’m at their old home in Fresno,” he says.


While the living room and parlor were collaborative efforts, Ayerza’s and Martin’s bedrooms reflect their personal styles. Next to Ayerza’s bed sits a tin donation cup used at a fundraiser event hosted by local charity group The World Is Fun, of which Ayerza is the board president.

Side table (similar): Target; lamp: All Modern; petal pillow (similar): Amazon


An eclectic mix of artwork adorns Ayerza’s bedroom wall, including a flow chart detailing the plot of Hamlet.


Vintage photos of Ayerza’s family are mixed with quirky thrift store finds, like a leopard-print frame.


Martin’s bedroom and separate bathroom are in the basement, making that level his personal space in the house. “Home is my sanctuary. After 14 hours a day of working and going to school, it is imperative I can come home and relax,” he says.

The pipe rack and harmonica on his bedside bookcase are from his great-grandparents’ home. Martin has taken to using the pipes every now and then, mostly out of nostalgia. “There’s nothing quite like the smell of an aromatic tobacco to take you back,” he says.


Martin is a Lego enthusiast who has a meticulously kept collection in the basement.





“I can distinctly remember saying when I was about 5 that I was never going to stop building with Lego,” Martin says. “Of course, what Lego is to me has changed over time. It’s gone from a toy to a learning tool, and now it is my most preferred art medium.”


He is currently building a replica of the fishing boat he grew up on as a boy, as well as several projects for world Lego competitions.


Martin’s hedgehog, June, usually stays tucked away in his cozy basement bedroom. “Even though it’s directly under the parlor and living room, it’s surprisingly quiet down there,” he says.

More: 10 Ways to Live in Harmony With Housemates

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