Joshua Itiola in his Bed-Stuy apartment.

When asked where he’s from, Joshua Itiola is quick to say he’s a New Yorker: “I've lived everywhere [in the city]. I’ve lived in Harlem. I’ve lived in Washington Heights, Queens, and then now back in Brooklyn.” Joshua, who is a planner at Vitsoe and specializes in customizing the brand’s shelving and storage systems, moved here when he was seven years old with his Nigerian parents.

His latest apartment, a one-and-a-half bedroom in Bedford-Stuyvesant, embodies everything he has worked for, particularly the rows of Vitsoe shelves and cabinets. “I think working at Vitsoe for as long as I have has influenced how I live,” he says.

The rigid lines of a Vitsoe 620 chair offset a curvy floor lamp by the late German industrial designer Ingo Maurer.

Storage and livability are key, and Joshua considers himself a naturally curious person who thinks about everything from how a chair “lives” on the floor to what lamp looks best where. But despite the tidy and thought-out aesthetic, minimalism is not for him. “A lot of people say, ‘Oh, I want to be a minimalist so to do this I’ll throw everything out,’ and I cannot do that. I have so much stuff I love and so much stuff that I know I will purchase eventually, so it’s about making space for those things and allowing them to live within your environment.”

Joshua opted for mismatched black dining chairs in the kitchen.

Crisp white walls and storage are offset by black details: “I love black and white. It’s the contrast I really like.” For texture, Joshua likes leather and wooden pieces, and he adds color through dozens of books, artworks, and memorabilia that he has collected over the years. “I love being around all my stuff,” he admits. Cherished finds include the resin chair in his bedroom by Italian architect Gaetano Pesce and the caramel leather modular sofa by Afra and Tobia Scarpa.

Joshua was introduced to design by shooting photos on his dad’s old film camera: “I think when I was growing up my parents shielded us a lot, so it was up to me and my siblings to find interesting things to do and to entertain ourselves with,” he says. “I’m still learning. I don’t think learning will ever end.” He credits his introduction to furniture design from Ray and Charles Eames and loves to put his engineering degree from SUNY College to good use. He’s not afraid to buy vintage European lights online and convert them for American plugs. “Because of my background as an engineer, I can rewire lamps pretty well. European lamps that wouldn’t work over here, I just rewire them for 110 voltage.”

A shiny Splugen Brau Lamp by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni settles into the bedroom nicely. 

Joshua has found a bright side to the past few months. “Living [more] at home has just reminded me how much having your home in place is necessary to having a balanced life,” he says. All this time at home is great for experimenting, and Joshua admits he rearranges things constantly: “My apartment changes probably every week in some way.”

⚒ Do It Yourself

Joshua scours the internet for secondhand pieces. His favorites are Kaiyo and eBay, as well as Lichen in Brooklyn for in-person finds.

Basic white walls are ideal for black details, from picture frames and chairs to painted kitchen cabinets.

Rows of shelves are a nice way to break up rooms. Joshua has fun stashing books on them to put their fonts and colors on full display.

The desk where Joshua works when he’s not at the Vitsoe showroom in Greenwich Village.

One of the many lamps and lights that Joshua has acquired over the years.