Name: Jay Michael
Location: Lincoln Square — Chicago, Illinois
Size: Approximately 300 square feet (this particular model)

Jay Michael and his construction manager (and long time friend) Diana Tokat led me on a recent tour of this small yet mighty Lincoln Square model apartment in one of Jay's converted rental properties. The idea is simple: show prospective renters how beautifully and efficiently one can live in a small, rented space. This studs-up renovation showcases a model unit that Jay hopes sets the standard for all of his properties and their possibilities.

Name: Daymon Bruck
Location: North Capitol Hill — Seattle, Washington
Size: 1600 square feet, 2 BR
Years lived in: 2 — rented/live-work

This Seattle-based brand designer calls a 2-story 1960's loft building both home and work. With expansive windows and views of the city, water, and lush green hills, Daymon is a lucky man: he wakes up to this backdrop, works in front of killer vistas, and can take breaks throughout his days with peeks at the outdoors (either with a telescope or by stepping into his charming yard/patio area).

Name: Nicole Radford Oehler
Location: Edgewater — Chicago, Illinois
Size: 825 square feet
Years lived in: 1 — rented

Shooting Nicole's apartment offered some charming challenges: Moments before my arrival, her pup, Dolce, pulled down the bathroom's shower curtain, and an outdoor chandelier came crashing down (unrelated). The kitchen is sweet and very tight, complete with only a single drawer wide enough to store sandwich bags (there are cabinets, but only one tiny drawer!). Nicole's enthusiasm for and ability to meet those challenges with laughter, style and ingenuity are what make this designer an original in both her own home and in others'.

Name: Roy and Dana Short
Location: Sheridan, Lake Forest Park — Seattle, Washington
Size: 2400 square feet
Years lived in: 1 — 1955 MCM, 3 bedroom, 2 bath, owned

Roy and Dana's house is big — add to the square footage enviable floor-to-ceiling windows, wrap-around decks, high ceilings, and elevation near the green belt, and this everyday home feels like a true getaway. In just a year, the couple has worked and worked, from the simple touches (doorknobs, paint) to the trenches of home ownership (digging ditches to replace and run a new sewer line). And, they've got stellar advice for those making tough home decisions together:

Name: Jeff and Mary LaCoste
Location: Crown Hill — Seattle, Washington
Size: 2100 square feet
Years lived in: 4 — 3BR, owned

Behold! It's the folks behind ModKnobs, which we featured back in 2009 (custom modern doorknobs made from hockey pucks). Rehabbing their home from the the ground up, Jeff and Mary left no detail untouched.

Name: Tali Edut & Cory Verellen
Location: Pioneer Square — Seattle, Washington
Size: 900 square feet
Years lived in: 2.5 — rented

Tali, an astrologer, author, and owner of Astrostyle, describes her home style as "vintage glam with a sacred twist." We couldn't sum it up more perfectly. With her husband, Cory, who re-engineers and restores vintage Polaroid cameras through his company LandCameras, the pair have a passion for glamorous and forward-thinking functions of vintage pieces and ideas.

Name: Crystal & Gavin Gregory
Location: Parkwood — Shoreline (Seattle) WA
Size: 920 square feet
Years lived in: 2 — owned

The owner and creator of Modernist Cat (featured on AT back in January) recently opened up her newly renovated home for us. Vintage feline ledges and custom-built catwalks compliment Crystal's handmade modernist cat furniture, which blends seamlessly with the home's MCM pieces. With a lot of elbow grease and creative solutions, Crystal and Gavin have transformed this house into a true original:

Name: Jo-Anne Bichard & Howard Potter
Location: Deptford — SE London
Size: 800 square feet
Years lived in: 9 — rented/owned: a bit of both — UK program of shared ownership

This design anthropologist (Jo-Anne) and oncology nurse (Howard) have long lived in southeast London — from several years renting in New Cross to taking great advantage of shared ownership with this new build terrace house/millennium design in Deptford. The freedom to paint, build, and garden have really inspired this London couple, as evidenced with some killer interior details, a true party kitchen, and a serene bonsai garden.

Name: Nina
Location: Islington — North London, United Kingdom
Size: 485 square feet (45 square meters)
Years lived in: 1 — owned

Nina's one-bedroom Victorian flat and new sense of ownership are a long way (albeit nearby) from living in a tiny shared Brick Lane flat above a curry house back in 2002. While both places certainly had/have their own charms, the biggest shift is from little light and lots of noise to light-filled and sweet serenity.

Name: Karen Braitmayer & Dave Erskine (Architect and Marine Mechanic)
Location: Magnolia — Seattle, Washington
Size: 1,800 square feet
Years lived in: 15 — owned since 1996

Working alongside Röm Architecture Studio, fellow architect Karen Braitmayer's goal was to make her family's Seattle home functional, user-friendly, and comfortable — while accommodating daily accessibility needs for two wheelchair users. The home's 1954 MCM roots evolved into a home of today — lived-in with very specific personal requirements, desires and tastes. The renovation's result: an open-air stunner!