The colorful home of dog Trainer and broker

Living Here in Maximalism

Residents: Dana Ritz (44), Uri Ritz (44), Ran (11), Gal (8), and the dogs Bagira, Teddy, and Shusha

Occupations: Dana runs a therapeutic dog training clinic; Uri is a broker and co-owner of the climbing gym “Isaac”

Location: Rembrandt Street, Tel Aviv

In the same building where they once lived as a couple, Dana and Uri have created a home that bursts with color, objects, and textures. Inspired by the series The White Lotus, Pinterest, and dozens of design books, Dana wove a unique vision that came to life – bold wallpapers, designer pieces, Indonesian masks, iconic armchairs, and a curated collection of ceramics come together to form a layered, playful maximalist space that feels like a wonderland for design lovers.

“I lived in this building in a shared apartment long before Dana and I met,” says Uri. “When she came into my life, she also moved into this place, which was my first love, and we lived here for 12 years. COVID and the urban renewal project forced us to find a new place, but once construction was finished, I was determined to come back. We called every landlord we already knew until we found the one that suited us and signed a five-year lease.”

“At first, we didn’t like the layout and couldn’t really see the potential,” Dana adds. “But architect Ilan Halachmi guided us and helped refine and improve it. Before this, we lived in a series of temporary apartments that didn’t speak to me, so I found it hard to invest in them. During that period, I channeled my energy into fashion instead that was my way of expressing myself.

The arrangement we worked out with the landlady gave me the freedom to design the way I’d always wanted. I chose the marble, applied wallpaper, installed parquet flooring, built closets and storage, and truly turned this space into a home.

For the design, I created a mood board full of ’70s pieces, mid-century style, and a maximalist vibe that gradually came to life. Design and aesthetics are such a passion of mine that I’ve managed to get Uri to fall in love with these objects too. When I see a piece, I immediately know where it belongs, it’s like an operating system I run on.”

“I knew from the start I wanted wallpaper in the living room, and the green sofa was the anchor around which I built the entire space,” says Dana. “I ordered it from the store Yonati Tokyo, found the wallpaper at Elemento, and picked up the vintage armchairs at Icon Gallery. The rug from KARE worked perfectly here—I love mixing prints, textures, and colors.

The bookshelf, from Vintage Store at the Jaffa Flea Market, is filled with ceramic pieces, dolls, matryoshkas, and Kokeshi dolls, alongside an old Mac computer Uri used to play on as a kid and dozens of design books.

“I’ve never really traveled to exotic places, so through these books and items, I feel like I’m experiencing new places and cultures. Elephants are a recurring motif in the home, maybe inspired by The White Lotus and I found most of them on Facebook Marketplace. Moving into this home opened up a whole new world of inspiration for me there, and I’m constantly scrolling and looking for new finds.”

“The turquoise-and-red kitchen was the one element the landlady had already chosen, it was a given,” says Dana. “I knew I wanted to do something with the wall in the kitchen nook, so I found a textured wallpaper for it at Deco Room, and added a shelf packed with dishes from Uri’s parents, sculptures from KARE, and pieces from HKLIVING – my favorite brand.

On the wall hangs a red mask Uri’s parents brought from Indonesia, alongside masks we bought in Seoul on our honeymoon, African masks from Marketplace, and small mirrors from H&M HOME. For the island, we added bar stools from Top Design that matched the overall aesthetic of the home.”

“It was important to me that we have a large, extendable dining table because we love hosting and regularly have dinners here with 14 guests,” says Uri. Dana adds: “I bought the table at Elemento during an outrageous sale because it was damaged, which gave me a perfect excuse to paint it turquoise.

I found the folding dining chairs at Vintouch, a set of six in perfect condition with their original upholstery, each in a different color. The yellow vintage armchair also came from Vintouch and was reupholstered. The rug and light fixtures are from Prat Living, and the wooden bookcase is from IDdesign.

It holds tons of books and dolls, some belong to our kids and some are mine. This many objects come with a touch of OCD and an impeccable sense of order. If one of them is even slightly out of place, I feel it immediately.”

“The desk is a replica of designer George Nelson’s SWAG table, which I bought at Top Design, and next to it stands an original vintage chair by designer Burkhard Schiepak from Icon Gallery,” says Dana. “Above the desk I hung a space-age-style calendar and a framed poster from Tolmans Dot, where I got all the wall art in the house. The low bookshelf is from Tolmans’ outlet store, which is full of amazing finds, and it continues the display of my objects and books.”

“I designed the balcony inspired by a vacation in the Seychelles,” Dana continues. “I showed the nursery a photo of the greenery we had in our room there, and we recreated the same colors and plant types—even the Buddha statue.

The elephants made their way out here too, along with stools, low seats that double as stands or a resting spot for Teddy the dog. I still plan to sew cushions for them. I bought the table and chairs at Turkiz, and topped them with pillows from H&M HOME.”

“It’s a small room, so I wanted it to make a statement – and it ended up looking like a kids’ room,” says Dana. “It started with the Dumbo wallpaper, then came the Disney doll boxes I hung on the wall, and even the Kartell nightstands with their kitschy lamps add to that childlike feel.

These were pieces I absolutely loved but thought would be too babyish for the boys’ room, yet somehow, they felt just right for ours.”

“The wallpaper in their room was originally meant for ours, but as I said, I made some swaps,” Dana notes. “Right now, the boys share a bunk bed, though soon Ran, the older one, will move into his own room.

We put up shelves for their collection of Funko Pop figures, hung up some of their childhood drawings, and created a gaming corner for computer games. There’s a small basket hanging on the door and a rug from Prat Living on the floor, which adds a cozy, homey touch.”

“The hallway walls were originally painted all one color, but because Bagira, our dog, tends to make a mess and the space is too narrow for him, we decided to paint the lower part in glossy lacquer, which ended up adding a cool twist,” Dana explains.

“Because of its length, I turned it into a kind of gallery, with framed abstract-style posters from Tolmans Dot. Further down, there’s a bench from HKLIVING next to a Kartell side table.”