Name: Stacy and Christoph
Location: Russian Hill; San Francisco, California
Size: 1,400 square feet
Years lived in: 3.5 years; Rented

Walking to Stacy and Christoph’s Russian Hill apartment from mine in nearby Pacific Heights was like taking my own personal stroll down memory lane. I lived just around the corner from them 10 years ago, and despite never getting used to the steep hill climb it was one of my favorite neighborhoods — very classic San Francisco, right on the cable car line with a view of Coit Tower to the east and Alcatraz to the north, with quainter and quieter restaurants than you find down the hill on Polk Street. 

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Name: Kirsten Coplans & Pearl
Location: Uptown, Denver, Colorado
Size: 900 square feet
Years lived in: 11 years

Kirsten Coplans is not just a collector, nor is her house just a house. Artwork, family memorabilia and rescued taxidermy grace the walls, shelves and floors of her tiny dollhouse of a home, all displayed lovingly and with purpose.

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Name: Nicole & Zach Lowery (and Oliver the dog!)
Location: Berkeley neighborhood, Denver, Colorado 
Size: 690 square feet, half of a duplex 
Years lived in: 5 years; owned

Wedding and event "party" planner Nicole Lowery and her husband, Zach, a web developer, settled in Colorado about 5 years ago in a old classic duplex built in the early 1900s located in the Berkeley neighborhood of Denver. I first met Nicole through her party planning business, and wasn't surprised to find her home just as stylish, energetic, and colorful as she is. 

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Name: Jared & Caryn
Location: Lakeview; Chicago, Illinois
Size: 1,000 square feet
Years lived in: 2.5 years; rented

Jared, who is working on a Ph.D. in African-American Studies, revealed to me his dissertation mantra: "Just take it bird by bird." Drawn from the writings of Anne Lamott, this saying suggests that when one writes, it's best to proceed one step at a time, focusing on the immediate task instead of getting bogged down by the big picture. This is excellent advice for writers of any ilk, but looking around Caryn and Jared's home, it also seems clear that taking it "bird by bird" is a great way to build an inspirational home full of truly loved objects.

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Name: James Franco and Mark Goldrick
Location: Newport, Rhode Island
Size: 1200 square feet (includes an outdoor deck)
Years lived in: 8 years; rented

When James and Mark first laid eyes on their third floor apartment, they saw past the hideous wall mural in the stairwell, dingy cabinets and linoleum in the kitchen, holes in the walls, and ratty stained carpeting. The dumpy place that scared every other potential renter away filled them with a sense of excitement and possibility. Inspired by the apartment's hip South Broadway neighborhood, which reminded them of the old East Village of their 1960's youth, the duo set out to transform the place into a home. With a lot of imagination and hard work, they've created a unique space filled with humor, color, and kitsch.

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Name: Ralph Martin and Julie von Kessel, their children Lulu (7) and James (3), and Tony the cat
Location: Berlin-Kreuzberg, Germany
Size: 175 square meters/1,884 square feet
Years lived in: 2 years; rented

The story of how novelist, journalist and ex-New Yorker Ralph acquired such a spacious, classic apartment in Berlin’s Kreuzberg neighborhood, with a rent that hasn’t been raised in over 20 years, is the stuff myths (and dreams) are made of. The space was earmarked for their family over ten years ago by the previous tenant, a friend and work colleague. Ralph, his wife Julie and their growing family patiently waited five years to move into the warm, multi-kulti neighborhood and their future home.

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Name: Emily & Jonathan Power, with Ramona (almost 2) and Ottoman, the Wheaten Terrier (there’s also four goats, three chickens, and two ducks who live out back).
Location: Lower Highland (LoHi) Neighborhood, Denver, Colorado
Size: 564 square feet 
Years lived in: 3 years; rented / owned

Almost three and a half years ago, the Power family decided to put down roots in a 1910s charmer located in the (now ever so popular) Lower Highland neighborhood of Denver. Just as the name implies, these two are indeed a power couple. They have their hands in multiple creative endeavors at once and yet some how manage to be incredibly talented at them all. 

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Name: Jackie and Sam Hiersteiner
Location: Shaw; Washington, DC
Size: 1,200 square feet
Years lived in: 3 years; Owned

Usually, friends drop by Jackie and Sam Hiersteiner’s place for some of Sam’s home-cooking, followed by a nip from his collection of small-batch bourbons; today I’m there to snap photos, and in Sam’s absence — he’s at work — Jackie has prepared a simple, lovely spread of fresh bread and cheeses. Beside it, champagne chills. The couple’s Maltese mix, Pappy Van Winkle (named for Sam’s favorite whiskey) hops into my lap. Their 1,200 square foot home in DC’s Shaw neighborhood is flush with warmth and hospitality.

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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. Their apartment today looks nothing like the dirty, cramped place they first viewed when they were looking to find a home in the city. (Two young guys with massive black leather couches were the tenan​ts at the time). However, Alexis saw the potential in the space and fell in love with the green framed windows, hardwood floors, decorative tiles on the Spanish inspired fire place, and all the natural light coming into the living area and kitchen. She quickly transformed the apartment into a cozy, personal space where she, Brooks, and their cat, Bear, could live. 

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Name: Julie Bazigos Karatzis, owner of letterpress company Cartoules Press and agent at Secret Agent PR, her husband Spiro Karatzis, sister Eugenia Bazigos, and their parents Michael and Mary Bazigos.  
Location: Sarlata, Kefalonia island, Greece
Size: 1700 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 3 ½ baths.
Years lived in: We bought the land in 2006, broke ground in October 2010, and completed the house in August 2012. 

What's your idea of the perfect summer getaway?  If it involves jumping on a plane to an exotic island, warm sand beaches, crystal clear water, great food and wine, and your own private villa, you're in luck. 

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