Inside Itatiana Robinson's family home in McKinney, she and her partner De'Arion Wafer play on a miniature vintage Pac-Man arcade.
But instead of being made out of wood and metal, it's made of tiny Legos.
It's just one of dozens of creations made of interlocking plastic bricks that adorn the walls of their dedicated Lego room. Wafer said making Legos together is a way that he and Robinson bond as a couple, and it's a fun way to detach from the stress of life.
"It's basically my happy place, my peace and my stress reliever," he said.
They started collecting Legos a few years ago and have continued to grow their collection based on their interests. For Robinson, that's anything to do with The Office, Animal Crossing or plants and for Wafer it's Marvel and comic books.
Some of their favorite builds include an Avengers tower and The Office-inspired replica complete with characters including Michael, Dwight, Jim and Pam.
This story has been lightly edited for clarity.
Can you describe your Lego collection?
IR: So my Lego collection actually started with my obsession with the show The Office. I randomly saw that Lego was making a replica of the whole little office that they have, and I just felt like I absolutely needed it. So I actually asked for it as a gift and ever since I did that I kind of just became obsessed. I needed every single Lego I could get my hands on.
I kind of went for movies and shows that I liked the most, so Lord of the Rings. I like Mario. I got a lot of modular sets as well, so historical buildings. I'm kind of like a cutesy girl, so Animal Crossing, anything like that, I absolutely had to have.
DW: I started collecting around a year and a half ago, maybe going on two years, and my first piece was the Infinity Gauntlet.
It went from one set and after that I was hooked. It went from a Marvel set to plenty more Marvel sets. I'm also a huge fan of Star Wars, so there's a mixture of those and things that caught my interest: modular buildings, houses and things of that nature. So it went from one to about 30 to 40, and it's growing every day.
Where did you get your Lego collection from?
IR: Most of them I've gotten as a gift, but I also go to any Lego store in a nearby mall, sometimes from Target, pretty much anywhere that sells Lego.
DW: The Lego store, for one. Mostly stores that hold Lego, if anything, Walmart, Target, etc.
Where is your Lego collection in your home and why did you place it there?
IR: I actually have an older brother, so anyone who has a sibling knows that as soon as they move out you're ready to move in immediately, and so that is what I did. I turned his bedroom into my personal Lego collection room.
How does having your Lego collection make you feel?
IR: It makes me feel creative in a way. I'm a pretty boring person day-to-day. I'm more of a corporate person, so I really don't get to express myself in many ways. This is like my way of showing my character.
DW: It makes me feel like I can express myself, honestly. I feel very creative. I'm already creative in a sense when it comes to music, but I can sit there, I relieve a lot of stress, and I can think of brand new ideas for anything that I want to bring to life.
How does your Lego collection represent home for you?
IR: I would say that it brings colorful and amazing light to my life. I don't really do much, but whenever I do this, I just feel like a little kid again. I'm releasing my inner child.
DW: This piece of art represents home for me because I don't do it alone. I actually do it with my significant other. I love us getting the time to bond and do these together, and I'm glad we have a shared interest.
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