Home Curator Hannah Pobar Shares Her Tips For Minimalist Living

Designer, photographer, and entrepreneur Hannah Pobar runs Home Studio, which connects stylish homes with brands for photoshoots.

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Jen Woo

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Growing up, Hannah Pobar was an entrepreneurial child. She was constantly knocking on neighbors’ doors, selling her latest business idea. She learned how to make websites, HTML, and CSS, and begged her mom to let her order business cards with her credit card. And this was when she was eight years old.

In college, she started a photography business and started shooting weddings. Eventually, she moved to San Francisco to work at a startup and added even more skills to her toolbox. Now Pobar’s current project is Home Studio, a platform of styled homes and curated spaces that are available to rent for photoshoots and creative productions all over the United States.

Swathed in a neutral wood-and-marble palette, this exemplary home in Denver, designed in partnership with home staging company Guest House, pairs clean lines with warm finishes.

The idea for Home Studio was sparked by Pobar’s personal brand collaborations. "Dodging tenant laws, I worked with really cool brands like Anthropologie, HGTV, and Rocksbox on photoshoots and creative productions out of my tiny—but full of beautiful natural light—apartment," she describes.

As demand grew, she realized she wanted to build out the platform for other homeowners to use: "It really is so cool to see your own home in the pages of a catalog, published in books, or in ads on Pinterest." Now, Home Studio has a multitude of spaces across the country and relationships with brands like Amazon Fashion, L'Oreal, Steve Madden, Hallmark, Artifact Uprising, and Society6. Now, Pobar is constantly on the road, traveling and growing the business while working remotely.

The dining room is a minimalist space with handmade Shigouri dining chairs from Guest House.

While a life on-the-go may sound ideal, she divulges some unseen hardships to running your own business, including needing to play every role in a company. There is no one to tell you whether you’re doing a good or a bad job, so motivation has to come from within—a process that has taught her to seek out great mentors she can be honest with and learn from.

Her words of wisdom? "Don’t forget to appreciate where you are now. Direction is way more important than speed."

The bedroom is simple, but full of texture and stylish accents, including a Shigouri bed in maple.

As a so-called digital nomad, Pobar values environments that are both relaxing and stimulating. Natural light and a lack of clutter are key. When she travels, she lives out of one suitcase. While she thought she’d miss all of her belongings, she found that she was happier with less. "I love having just one suitcase of things to remember," she says. "And to be honest, I don’t even use half the things in my suitcase. The best way to enjoy your favorite things every day is to only have your favorite things."

Pobar's Senreve bag is her go-to for carrying all her necessities, including her camera.

How do you separate your living and work spaces?

I don’t do a very good job of this, honestly! Over time, I’ve realized that I’m much more productive if I can get away from home and have a dedicated "work" space. While I’ve done so much to break the routine of my life, I do find that I crave that comfort in other ways. Like, as soon as I get to a new place I have to find the coffee shop that I’ll settle in and become a regular at for a bit.

A Roadrunner chair from Guest House rests in the office nook.

What are some tips on how to make a home photo ready?

My tips would be play up the natural light, and don’t force anything. Think critically about the functionality of each room, and then pick pieces that make sense for the space. If you want a particular vignette in your home to photograph nicely, try to work with the natural light (usually this means directly across from the light source).

Just a few pieces of decor and natural light set up a pleasing vignette.

It looks like you’re a collector based off your beautiful vignettes—what are some of your collections?

Cameras. I inherited a collection of vintage cameras from my Grandpa. It was only fitting given I’m the photographer in the family.

Tips for a minimalist space?

Think about the things you do in your space and design around that.

The living area features a classic, black-and-white palette, including Ziggy Nesting Tables from Guest House.

What were your must-haves for furniture and decor?

My ultimate must-have is amazing bedding. I love hotel-like bedding that is really plush and a heavier weight. I’m so particular about the weight; if it’s too light I can’t sleep!

Best places to shop for home decor?

Naturally, my style leans towards modern classics, and I’m pretty by the book: Crate & Barrel. And I definitely turn to Guest House to support local makers.