The Latest

Name: Laurel Martinsky Location: Santa Barbara, California Size: 500 square feet Years lived in: 5 years; Rented Perched up in the hills above Santa Barbara, Laurel’s flower-filled home evokes the English country garden aesthetic of which she is fond. When she moved to the studio in 2011, instead of buying new pieces, Laurel worked with her existing collection of beloved furniture, taking on the challenge of making larger-scale pieces work in the one-room, multi-functioning space.

Name: Lianna Utley Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Size: 900 Square Feet Years lived in: 5 years We first got to see a peek of Lianna’s lovely Milwaukee loft in her house call. Now with a longer look, it’s obvious this home is a great mix of contrasts: rough brick and flirty florals; open loft space but cozy seating arrangements.

Name: Melissa (“Mel”) Nichols, Jake Durrett and Apple the adorable dachshund Location: Cole Valley/Upper Haight — San Francisco, California Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; rented Jake and Melissa have lived in four apartments together over the last seven years. But they love this apartment so much—located in a neighborhood close to Haight street, Golden Gate Park and tons of great food—they almost can’t see themselves living anywhere else!

Name: Kristine Renee Location: Sacramento, California Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 1.5; rental You don’t have to step foot into Kristine’s Sacramento apartment to see how bright and breezy the whole space feels. The natural light bounces off white furniture and accessories. Rustic design details mingle with flirty patterns and family treasures.

Name: LaurenLocation: San Francisco, California I moved into my quintessential San Francisco 500 sq ft studio just four months ago. After a few years of bouncing around living with roommates, I was excited to have my own place.I started my own interior design/style/food blog about a year ago and when I moved, I chronicled the search for and design of my apartment. I try to share tips with my readers about how to decorate with personality without spending a lot.

Name: Tereasa Surratt & David Hernandez Location: Camp Wandawega — Elkhorn, Wisconsin Year built: 2011 There are two kinds of people in the world; those who had a treehouse growing up, and those who wish they had. At the center of the Wandawega Lake Resort, aka ‘Camp Wandawega’, proprietor Teresasa Surratt and some very loyal, talented friends have built a beautiful, adult-sized treehouse that appeals to the kid in all of us.

Name: Matt DeLeva Location: Silver Lake neighborhood, Los Angeles, California Size: 400 square feet Years lived in: 1 1/2 years, renting When Matt measured his home to give me the exact square footage, we both couldn’t believe that his place was only 400 square feet. Even though his house is small and a rental, he took the time to customize it to fit his needs. He is so proud of his small home and it shows!

Name: Claes & Melinda Bergman Location: Phoenix, Arizona Size: 1,400 square feet including studio Years lived in: 7 years; owned The incredible thing about Melinda and Claes Bergman’s beautiful home is that they’ve done virtually everything themselves. Remodeled kitchen and bathroom? Check. Flooring? Check. Paint? Check. There isn’t a corner of their Mid-Century modern house they haven’t put some serious and impressive DIY into.

Name: Jennifer Chong – Designer & Photographer Location: Belmont Heights – Long Beach, California Size: Around 400 square feet Years lived in: 3 years Jennifer’s small space proves that you can be happy living with just what you need. She loves to travel, so she would much rather have experiences than expensive stuff. Still, with all the fun artwork, graphics, and small accessories, her live/work space is very lively and inviting.

Name: WendelienLocation: Amsterdam, The Netherlands Hello! We live in Amsterdam in the recently reclaimed and newly built area called IJburg. On a lake called the IJmeer they built six man-made islands that will eventually house 45,000 people.We live on the island called the Steigereiland where ‘normal’ people were offered the opportunity to build their own house. Restrictions where given as to the height and size of the house.

Name: Chad GraciLocation: Lower Garden District – New Orleans, Louisiana At 650 square feet I’ve managed to create a high style, multipurpose space that meets all of my needs.My home showcases the aesthetic, style and attention to detail that I bring to all of my design clients. Luckily, one of the only problems that I faced was the size of the space. The architecture was there, I just needed to make it work for me. There are 13 foot ceilings so I wanted to draw the eye upwards.

Name: TiffanyLocation: Studio in Upper West Side, Manhattan, New York Ever since I was a little girl I dreamed of having my own apartment in New York City. There was something about the history and charm of the big buildings that inspired me, and I loved the classical detailing that so contrasted the stucco suburb of my youth in San Diego, California.After graduating from NYU, I was ready to relocate uptown to a mellower neighborhood.

Name: Chuck D. WillisLocation: Hollywood, California My name is Chuck and I’m an actor living in Los Angeles. I have a great interest in furniture restoration and thrift shopping. I’m from Nashville, Tennessee, so my aethstetic is strongly influenced by American culture.My secret to filling a 2,000 sq feet apartment is patience. I have sourced and collected pieces over the past three years so I wouldn’t break the bank as well as but pieces I truly love.

Name: CaraLocation: West Hollywood, California Interior design is not my job, it’s my passion and it is in my blood. I grew up with a father who kick started and fueled my love for beautifully cool spaces… And now, well, he’s the proud Dad of a girl who likes to move every year so she can change-up her ” look”.As a Creative Director in an L.A.

Name: CullenLocation: Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York I collect 1950s antiques and had a unique experience finding an unrenovated mid-century apartment. My search started after already living in New York for 8 years. I had moved just after turning 18 to go to college. After 1 year in the dorms I was ready for my own place and I found a great deal on a 1 bedroom in the West Village off Washington Square Park.

Name: JaymeLocation: East Kensington – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania This Philadelphia row house rehab was conceived as a showcase for my business, CraftworkHome, a design/build firm specializing in cabinetry and cast concrete. The starting point was an 1880 structure that had seen better days: once surrounded by a thriving textile industry, the neighborhood had slid into disrepair and the building was a blighted drug house for years.

Name: Cory Andreen Location: Mainzerstraße, Berlin-Neukölln Size: 240 square meters/2,583 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years, rented Cory Andreen’s large, shared loft in the Neukölln district of Berlin is at the top of what was originally a chemical factory during World War I.

Name: Maxwell Ryan and daughter, Ursula (aka Lulu)Location: Soho, NYCSize: 480 s/fYears lived in: 1 year rented Just over a year ago, when my marriage ended, I moved here. Despite being overwhelmed by the unexpected turn of events, it seemed like the right thing to do for both of us. I quickly found this apartment only a few blocks away, waited while it was finished and then set about making a new home for myself and our daughter, who is with me half of the time now.

Name: Johanna Lane & Mike Harvkey Location: Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn, New York Size: 440 square feet Years lived in: 5 years; Own Having previously lived in an apartment about the same size as the home that writers Johanna and Mike share, I am acutely aware of how challenging it is to make a space that lacks in square footage feel spacious. That’s why I was so impressed by how comfortable and roomy their home feels.

Name: Amy Yvonne Yu Location: Downtown, San Francisco, California Size: 400 square feet Years lived in: 4 years; Rented Amy lives downtown in the bustling hub of the city, and her innate energy and enthusiasm are a perfect match for her surroundings. As an art buyer, producer and creative consultant (she works with the Selby), her artistic eye and ability to edit carefully shines through in her space. The things that do make the final cut?

Name: Sarah and Brian Meeks Location: Homewood, Illinois Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; owned Nearly everything in Sarah and Brian’s house – from the credenza they found on the side of the road right down to their three cuddly shelter pets – has been rescued or re-purposed.

Name: Molly and Tyler KingLocation: Echo Park, Los Angeles, CaliforniaSize: 680 square feetYears lived in: 5 years; Owned I first met Molly and Tyler years ago when I tagged along with a friend to their Labor Day barbecue, and since then, I’ve watched them welcome countless friends into their charming Eastside home.

Name: Brad, Julie and Rye OlcottLocation: Dolores Heights, San Francisco, CaliforniaSize: 2,500 sq feet (not including 1st floor studio)Years lived in: 3 years; owned Your home says a lot about you, and the home that Brad and Julie have created speaks volumes about their artistic sensibilities and love of clean and bright spaces.

Name: Shell Azar Location: Greenwich Village, NYC Size: Started with 420 square feet; increased to 520 square feet (not including outdoor terrace) Years lived in: 6 Shell lives and works in this gorgeous studio space, which she recently transformed, with the help of architect James Vira, into an open and inviting place to call home. Materials are used in a way that’s true to their nature, giving the studio an invigorating and creative feel.

Name: Mary Sprague Profession: Artist and Art/Art History professor (retired) Location: St. Louis, Missouri Size: 4500 square feet Years lived in: 27 years; owned Mary’s home and studio is an aggregation of 50 years of art. An active and longtime member of the St. Louis artistic community, she’s also one of those women you want to be when you’re in your 70s — whip smart, creative and kind.

Name: Sirima Sataman Location: Dogpatch, San Francisco, California Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented Walking into Sirima’s loft, I was blown away by the openness of the space.

Name: Alexis Finc and Brook Heintzelman Location: West Hollywood; Los Angeles, CA Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; Rented Alexis and Brooks​ met in school in Wilmington, NC while pursuing graduate degrees in creative writing (him: fiction, her: poetry). But after graduating, a job brought them to the West coast — sunny LA to be exact — somewhere they never thought they would ever live.

Name: Eunice Chang, Senior Principal User Researcher at Autodesk, a 2D and 3D design, engineering and entertainment software company Location: Eureka Valley, border of Castro and Mission; San Francisco, California Size: 1,073 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Owned The soothing coast meets San Fran city living inside Eunice’s sophisticated-yet-laidback urban hideaway.

Name: Neeza and Pierre Location: Helmersbuurt; Amsterdam, The Netherlands Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Neeza is from Malaysia, and Pierre hails from France — two wildly different backgrounds that tastefully meet halfway to create this unique space. Splashes of color to balance out the white floor and walls, placement of beautiful furniture, and special handcrafted accents are just a part of the unique beauty of this home.

Name: Justice Darragh, voice-over actress & photographer, and Ronan Gibney, tattoo artist Location: Toronto, Canada Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: 15 (Ronan), 6 months (Justice); Rented Justice and Ronan share this cozy apartment in Toronto, Canada. Together they have created a warm and inspiring space to live and work in.

Name:Location:Size:Years lived in:New York apartment dwellers know all too well what a challenge it can be living the dream on a budget. Sometimes all you can afford is the lower level railroad apartment without direct sunlight. For Alex, the plus side to this is having backyard access to plant a garden and express his love of horticulture.

Name: Marisa Vitale and Peter James Location: Venice Beach, California Size: 1250 square feet Years lived in: 3 Years; Owned Marisa and Peter are a couple of world travelers with a serious case of wanderlust. Beloved souvenirs abound throughout their sunny, airy, one-story, Venice Beach home. Their home’s newest decor, however, speaks not to globetrotting, but to an entirely different sort of adventure, -that of first-time parenthood…times two!

Name: Austin White, Monica Rodgers and children, Manon and Shaw  Location: Kingston, Rhode Island Size: 1,850 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; owned It all started with a ship captain in the 1920’s. He translated his passion for the seafaring life into a nautical-inspired Arts and Crafts home.

Name: Danielle Moss (and Buddy) Location: Lincoln Park; Chicago, Illinois Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: almost 1 year; rented Danielle Moss leads a hectic life. As a co-founder of The Everygirl, a popular website dedicated to career-driven women, the owner of her own graphic design and photography business, and the writer behind the blog Breakfast at Toast, it’s a wonder that she has time to think about interior design at all.

Name: Andrijana & Stanimir Location: New York City, NY Size: 750 sq ft Years lived in: Several years; Rented Andrijana & Stanimir do not like to be defined by any particular style or theme, giving them the freedom to incorporate & interchange an assortment of pieces in their apartment. This has become an integral part of their interior process as Andrijana is constantly changing and rearranging the space based on a new find.

Name: Jenna & Lexxa Location: Baker Neighborhood; Denver, Colorado Size: 630 square feet Years lived in: 13 (Jenna) & 17.5 (Lexxa); Owned Jenna Miles, the owner of Denver’s “modern mercantile” shop Hazel & Dewey,  and her partner, Lexxa, are the happy residents of a two story renovated colonial in the city’s quaint Baker District neighborhood. I first met Jenna in her shop, filled with the most incredible kitchen items and hostess gifts.

Name: Johanna and Scott Location: Westerpark; Amsterdam, The Netherlands Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented After five years abroad and three moves around the Netherlands, Johanna and Scott planted themselves in a charming flat that needed a little love and patience. I’ve always admired Johanna’s ability to hone in on the little things.

Name: Alix Flood & Nick Benson, with kids Henry and Hope Location: Jamestown, Rhode Island Size: 2,355 square feet Years lived in: 4 years; owned For Alix and Nick, moving into their home in the quaint seaside village of Jamestown four years ago was a “dream come true.” Nick had admired the Edwardian house ever since he was a young boy, when his family spent summers in the picturesque island community.

Name: Sophie Crocket, her partner Scott and kids Casey and Callum Location: Lymington; Hampshire, UK Size: Three-bedroom house Years lived in: 6 years The pink flamingos standing sentry outside the front door give a clue to what lies inside this tiny 1960s red brick cottage tucked away in the English countryside.

Name: Hillary Schuster, graphic designer and aspiring wedding stylist, and Michael Kiser, freelance writer, photographer, brand strategist, and founder of Good Beer Hunting Location: Ravenswood; Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years; Rented Curios collected and lovingly composed unify the style of Hillary and Michael, a Chicago couple who balance home space with work space, and ephemera with plenty of classic, quality pieces.

Name: Nikki McWilliams Location: WASPS Meadow Mill Studios; Dundee, Scotland Size: 200 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; rented Nikki McWilliams, famed for her fabulous biscuit-themed soft furnishings, is as sweet as the treats that inspire her work.

Name: Jillian Schiavi, artist and founder of jilly ink, lettering and paper design Location: Lincoln Park; Chicago, Illinois Size: 400 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; Rented Moving into your first solo apartment is a challenge best met with enthusiasm, flexibility, and vision.

Name: Annie Elliott, CEO Bossy Color Interior Design Location: Woodley Park, Washington, DC Size: 2700 square feet Years lived in: Owned 8.5 years With a business called “Bossy Color” one naturally has a strong point of view when it comes to design. Enter Annie Elliott, the energetic designer behind Bossy Color Interior Design based in DC.

Name: Laura Shaeffer, Andrew Nord, Jasper and Sebastian Location: Hyde Park, Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: 9 years; Owned Laura and Andrew’s modernist townhome is a part of a community near the University of Chicago campus. It has 2 floors, a basement, and a huge backyard accessible by the other houses in the community. Their house is HOME Gallery, an intersection between a living space, an art gallery, a community engagement center, a playground, and a school.

Name: Keith and Paige Location: Belmont Heights, Long Beach, California Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 1 years; Rented The day of Keith and Paige’s tour I am embarrassed to say I was running late, plenty late. Making my way from a shoot in Laguna to Long Beach, I called from the 405 (Hello, Californians!) to see if I needed to reschedule.

Name: Teeny, Pie Baker, and Aaron, Content manager for PBS Kids Location: Woodley Park, Washington DC Size: 850 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Renting You know that really down-to-earth couple in your circle of friends with the gorgeously decorated apartment in the coolest part of the city, full of vintage gems they always seem to have the best luck snagging right off the street? Well, pie baker Teeny Lamothe and her boyfriend Aaron are those friends.