About
NOSTALGIA® an independent YouTube documentary series about soulful homes and the people who live in them. We show real spaces — never staged — with all the texture, memory, and history they carry.
We like to think of our films as visual poems, capturing the beauty in the everyday and the intimacy of personal spaces.
In a noisy world, NOSTALGIA® offers a quiet place to pause, notice, and feel.
Who we are
We’re Lena and Ilya.
We live by the sea in Leith, the old port district of Edinburgh — once its own town, and in many ways it still feels like one.
We’ve spent 18 years living and creating together.
Today, we make films about real people and the spaces they call home.
Why did we start NOSTALGIA®
Our very first film was about a blacksmith in Edinburgh.
His flat was small but full of treasures: mango boxes stacked in the corner, Sanskrit from a children’s alphabet book painted on the wall, a sky-blue ceiling. A purple balloon dog from a charity shop. Dozens of metal fish he had forged himself, hanging from the shelves as if swimming through the room.
He told us:
“People think they need big houses. But I’d just fill it with more stuff. This one’s the right size for me.”
We loved that.
And in many ways it set the tone for everything that followed.
We believe everyone has a story to tell, and that telling and listening can make us feel less alone.
Our films are our way of connecting with people and creating a sense of belonging.
What’s different about our films
Most home tours talk about square footage, renovations, or the cost of paint.
We care about something else.
the feeling of life.
How someone arranges their shelves. What they choose to keep in sight, and what they hide. The personality of a room.
We don’t rush and we don’t chase trends. Our films take their time, noticing the details and listening to the stories that often get overlooked.
Because homes aren’t backdrops — they’re lived-in worlds, shaped by memory, care, and everyday rituals.
That’s what we try to capture.
And if you’re here, maybe it’s what you’re looking for too — a chance to slow down, notice, and feel a little more connected.
Become a member
If you’d like to support NOSTALGIA and get closer to the stories, we’ve opened the door to our inner circle.
Discover how to become a member.
How can you get in touch with us
We’d love to hear from you. Tell us where you’re reading this from, and which film in our series speaks to you most.
Write to us at studio at getnostalgia dot com — we read every message.
Warm regards from Scotland,
Lena & Ilya