Colorado

With almost no storage, uneven floors, and two 7x10-foot bedrooms, this family's 100-year-old cabin required storage solutions, layout updates, and double-duty furniture.

Married couple Abigail and Natalie travel and work full-time in their 2004 Sprinter van they converted into a home on wheels.

Paola and Slava used peel-and-stick wallpaper, secondhand finds, and ‘70s-inspired DIYs to turn a "quiet and empty" apartment into a vibrant and kind of nostalgic sanctuary.

“My home is a direct love note to who I am at my core,” writes renter Morgan Ford, who added yellow, pink, and green colors and patterns to this formerly bland rental apartment.

There are no design rules in this townhome, instead, the renters “embrace whimsy and comfort, crafting a playful atmosphere that invites creativity and conversation.”

Mauriel Davis considers herself a “city homesteader” not just for her apartment’s rustic “farmhouse-chic” look, but also because of the scratch-made meals and homemade bar soap she whips up in the kitchen.

90% of the furniture in Eva’s large rental apartment was found on Facebook Marketplace.

Emily Ann Salles’ challenge was "how to turn the corporate-feeling 500-square-foot box into something cozy that would make me (and my dog!) feel at home in our new city.”

Tamera Walters has been renting this townhouse for two-and-a-half years and shares it with her husband, Max, and four kids (ages 7, 5, 3, and 1). She tells us about her home: With four kids under seven, our home is loud, fun, and full of systems. Every inch needs to be child-safe and friendly, but also feel like two adults live here!Every closet has been converted into rooms or play space. And we have even changed the primary bathroom into a small office.

While architect Keaton Cizek would love to own and renovate his own home one day when he has the means, as a renter he finds "so much joy in making an apartment feel like an extension of myself as much as I can."

When Tyler and Sam moved to Colorado from New York, they fell in love with the gorgeous views of mountains everywhere. They took this inspiration into their own home with natural pieces and paintings of mountains for a beautiful, welcoming space.

Alexandra Rodriguez bought this single-story house built in the 1970s two years ago. Even though there was a major amount of gutting, updating, grading of the driveways, landscaping, and remodeling of the interior rooms, Alexandra has kept it true to its original ranch style form.

This is Hill Stark's fourth renovation in the last seven years.

Alyssa says her home is a mix of Post Modern, Eclectic, Danish Pastel, '80s Miami, and Art Deco styles. And 95 percent of her vintage finds were found on Facebook Marketplace!

Sensi editor-in-chief Stephanie Wilson's apartment is "maximalism to the max" and FULL of wild decor ideas — like contact-paper-covered doors, neon-painted door jambs, and a carefully curated bar-cart-turned-bong-cart.

This cute white stucco house that was built in 1939 with really unique Spanish-style architectural features has been layered with calming neutrals to create a cozy and chic home.

"Furnishing our home with unique Facebook Marketplace finds and old pieces my family was getting rid of has become one of my biggest passions," explains Leslie Jarrett. "There is something special about bringing pieces that were on their way to the landfill back to life!"

As soon as photographer Colleen O’Toole saw this rental apartment's gorgeous stained glass, clawfoot tub, and original hardwood floors, she fell in love with the place!

Even though this Denver studio apartment is small, it feels like it has distinct rooms like a bedroom, dining, office, and living thanks to a good layout and the use of open and closed storage.

This utilitarian dorm apartment was transformed entirely into a cozy home... without making any permanent changes AND spending as little money as possible. It's PACKED with DIY ideas!

Originally the cabin was one large room with a stone fireplace and only 545 square feet big. After several changes through the years, it's now a dreamy and magical second home.

Name: Elizabeth Bear and her husband Location: Denver, Colorado Size: Approx 4300 square feet Years Lived In: 8 years, owned My college sweetheart and I got married in July 2009, both second marriages; previously we had agreed to sell the homes we were each living in and purchase one together.

"Being immersed in interior design day-to-day for clients definitely helped me define my own personal style."

Name: Kaitlin Grunder and Dilbert the Dachshund Location: Lower Highlands — Denver, Colorado Size: 550 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting Kaitlin is a graphic designer in Denver, Colorado; so it came as no surprise to discover her space to be so sufficiently streamlined, while also looking so good. Her studio is fun and functional, from her decorative use of her IKEA shelving to her DIY faux fireplace. Every inch of her 550-square-foot studio is thoughtfully utilized.

Name: Gregory Alan Isakov Location: Boulder County, Colorado Size: 2,250 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, owned On three and a half acres just outside of Boulder, Colorado sits a working farm where vegetables grow on their vines, flowers sway gently in the breeze, and sheep graze. And, depending on the day, music may float along the wind.

Name: Rebecca Caridad Facteau (a photographer and artist) & Dustin Facteau Location: Boulder, Colorado Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: 3.5 years; Owned Stepping into the colorful, light filled space belonging to Boulder residents Rebecca and Dustin Facteau, you might be shocked to discover that you are actually standing in a mobile home (although it will probably take you a while to notice).

Name: Marianne Brown 
 Location: Denver, Colorado Size: 600 square feet Years Lived In: 1 year, renting “My apartment is a small one bedroom in downtown Denver. Not among the tall buildings of downtown, but just on the edge, in the Uptown neighborhood of Denver. A whopping 600 square feet. I’ve lived here for a year, after moving several times over the past few years.

Name: Kimothy Joy, her partner Gregory and their brand new baby girl, Luca Joy Location: Park Hill, Denver Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned “I love the original wood paneling, glass block, built-in shelves, and architectural ceiling tiles that make it unique to the era,” explains Denver-based artist and illustrator Kimothy Joy, of the 1940s-era home she’s owned for a year and shares with her partner (and the baby girl they welcomed just last month!).

Name: R (1.5 years) Location: Denver, Colorado So I’m not a decorator…like at all. But before the birth of my first child, I wanted to do a nursery. We didn’t know the gender so the room needed to be neutral. I got a lot of ideas & inspiration from Apartment Therapy including all the IKEA hacks: shelves, bookshelves & cart. But I got most of my inspiration from this post.