Name: Mary
Location: Georgetown; Washington, D.C.
Size: 1,935
Years lived in: 1.5 years, owned

Downsizing is good for the soul (less clutter, less time organizing, less stress), but so is light. So when Mary moved from a five-bedroom house in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. to a two-bedroom, garden-level condo closer to the city, she was eager to part ways with excess stuff, but concerned about a lack of daylight. She brought in an interior designer to brighten up her space, which now makes her cheerful, she says.

Name: Lindsey and Stephen
Location: Northern Virginia
Size: 882 Square Feet
Years lived in: 2.5 years

Two and a half years ago, when I moved into our apartment a week before we were married, there was no furniture. My then-fiancé and I had just moved to the area — me from my home in Seattle, him from California back home to Maryland — and I slept that first night on the floor, with a comforter and a desk lamp. It has been our joy to put our apartment together since then, with steals, deals, freebies, creativity—and of course, our beloved books.

Name: Patrick & Hyatt
Location: Kensington, Maryland
Size: 3200 square feet
Years lived in: 21 (11 since renovation to present configuration)

Patrick and Hyatt became empty-nesters went their second daughter left for school, and they quickly saw a need to declutter and repurpose their house to accommodate new needs. They contacted Emily Prugar of M House designs to help them redesign on a budget over the course of a year.

Name: Sean and Mandi Ehman
Location: West Virginia
Size: 1,977 square feet
Years lived in: 4

This contemporary-style home in West Virginia is a unique example of how to customize a modular home and make it beautiful, but more than the aesthetic result, it's the fruit of living intentionally that shines. Sean and Mandi Ehman have put as much thought into the way that they want to live their lives as they have put thought into the cabinetry, custom baby gate, and galvanized, corrugated master-bath walls.

Name: Emily & Andy
Location: Silver Spring, Maryland
Size: 1,200 square feet
Years lived in: 3 months, renting

You may remember Emily's pretty style from Emily's Well-Appointed Apartment. Now, she's moved, and here to share her new space with us. We like the new paint colors and her new window treatments. Mostly, we like the lesson in carrying a style from one place to another—remaining consistent while trying new things.

Name: Peggy A. Simpson
Location: Dupont Circle — Washington, DC
Size: 4,000 square feet
Years lived in: 32 — Owned since 1975, with a decade out for work overseas

As a journalist, Peggy has done a lot of travels, and even lived abroad for 10 years in Poland. Her studies, travels, and friends have resulted in an impressive collection of art and crafts tucked away in her three-floor town home near Dupont Circle.

Name: Lori and Greg Loomis
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Size: 1,950 square feet
Years lived in: 4 — owned

Many of us have loved seeing the country-farmhouse-inspired style in our favorite catalogs, but we doubt any of you have seen it implemented as well as in Lori and Greg Loomis' Richmond, Virginia home. We first saw Lori's home in a House Call, and we love what she's done since.

Name: Dayana
Location: Alexandria, Virginia
Size: 620 square feet
Years lived in: 4

Dayana's apartment in Alexandria may look traditional from the outside of the building, but come on inside and you find a style that's not traditional at all. The beige brick and cobblestone sidewalk belie the eclectic wonders inside, such as the many doll parts, the orange chandeliers, and the pillows with rhinestone cross skull appliqués. Venture through the rabbit hole to find a home worthy of Lewis Carroll's imagination.

Name: Emily Prugar
Location: Old Town — Alexandria, Virginia
Size: 1,200 square feet
Years lived in: 2

Like many of our own home tours would be, Emily Prugar's is short and sweet. Although it's a small house, it's full of furniture and fabric appointments that took considered thought, including subtle details such as miniature patterns and warm touches such as pastel accessories. Emily started designing her space two years ago, and enjoyed nesting alongside her other pursuits: raising a toddler, attending the Corcoran College of Art + Design, and starting her own interiors business, M House Designs.

In addition to the bulls-eye pillows that sparked a debate two weeks ago, Run Run Studio Inc. also makes vintage victory-inspired pillows, recalling the days of World War II. Amy at Red Barn Mercantile had some suggestions for us as to what might go with such pillows.