Santa Barbara

Name: Jillian Gould Allstadt and John Allstadt, kids Mia and Bodhi, and dogs Bella and Milo Location: Mission Canyon — Santa Barbara, California Size: 1,650 square feet on a 10,000 square foot lot Years lived in: 8 months (bought gutted and designed from NYC); owned Jill and her husband John are New Yorkers who left Brooklyn behind for a West Coast dream.

Name: Julie Pointer Adams and her husband Ryan Location: Santa Barbara, California Size: 200 square feet Years Lived In: 1.5 years, renting Choosing to live in a small home—paring down your belongs and living more minimally—isn’t always easy. And sharing a small home can be even harder.

Name: Sadie and Dana Solomon, and their cat Emma and rabbit Buns Location: Santa Barbara, California Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 7 years, renting Though Sadie and Dana have been living in their 1940s Santa Barbara home for seven years, the couple never stops letting the home evolve and grow in style and design.

Name: David Brown Location: Lower Eastside — Santa Barbara, California Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 5 years; Owned The concrete floor—now honed to perfection—and the roll-up door are the only indications that David’s light and bright studio was formerly a garage. With the help of a skillful design team and an able contractor, David transformed the garage into a studio that epitomizes simple indoor/outdoor living.

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: Lynne Sutherland, kids Ava and Wyatt, cats Felix and Fiona, and dogs Charlotte and Tuesday Location: Santa Barbara, CA Size: 2,000 square feet Years lived in: 9 years; Owned Lynne’s home is oriented to the sun—in more ways than one. On the day of our visit, we found the house flooded with the most glorious mid-morning light. The energy of the household was light, too, and that’s intentional.

Name: Kelsy and Travis Hodge, with their children Elodie (6) and Paloma (1.5) Location: Santa Barbara, California Size: 980 square feet Years lived in: Rented 4.5 years The bright yellow wreath by the front door and pom pom garland hanging in the picture window are the first hints of the visual treat waiting for us within the Hodge family’s 1920s California Bungalow. Inside, their home has a cheery and comfortable vibe.

Name: Tara and Thierry Broucqsault, their son Henri, dogs Lola and Junebug, Maverick the cat, and Bobby the Gecko Location: Santa Barbara, California Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 11 years; Owned Set high above the street, Tara and Thierry’s charming cottage is a place where family, pets and guests can truly feel at home.