Washington

Gianne describes her 1100-square-foot rental apartment as a perfect blank canvas. “A charming craftsman home with a storybook cottage feel – white walls and still full of character. It just needed an artist to honor its potential and bring it to life.”

This houseboat was originally a chaotic mix of styles and elements thanks to previous owners and different remodels in the ‘80s and ‘90s. “The kitchen used to feel like a bit of a cave, with minimal windows, grubby cabinetry, and huge appliances.”

Gina knows *exactly* where everything is in her 870-square-foot apartment; she's custom designed her home to house her treasures perfectly.

“The aesthetic is a mix of new pieces and antiques that feminize the smokers lounge vibe we associate with masculine spaces in the English stately homes of the early 1900s.”

This Seattle apartment was once a "builder-grade blank canvas" until this couple made their mark on the space.

This mid-century modern house by renowned builder John Burrows was practically perfect, albeit dated, when Laura and Erick purchased it.

Greer is a graphic designer and has filled her home with artful, meaningful pieces that inspire her work.

When Patricia Ojendyk sold her house in Seattle, she wanted to figure out what her next home would be and how to live within her means. She decided on a 31-foot-long Airstream with 186 square feet of living space to be her and dog Miss Maybe Baby’s full-time home. And though she knew what she wanted, she didn’t quite know how to start.

The sleek shoe storage isn’t the only cool thing in this couple’s remodeled home – there’s a gorgeous slat wall, guest bathroom, and more.

There's an adorable reading corner and very cute bedroom desk spot, too.

See photos of designer and illustrator Alaina Johnson’s colorful rental apartment in Renton, Washington.

Brittainy and Ryan have lived full-time in this boat for seven years, creating a boho, vintage-inspired cozy home.

Lena Joy Whittle works at a contemporary art museum and has filled her home with local art, art books, and her own creations.

Arched details and stained glass tulips in the windows allude to the Dutch roots of the architect.

Lee Newman lives in a time capsule home built in 1974 that has been "maintained by the original architect and his family. It was one of his first builds, and has some quirks."

Jessica's rental house was built in the 1930s; she says it has a lot of "quirks, but also a lot of historic charm. It has original built-in cabinetry, windows, and tiling and a big backyard for us to all enjoy."

Stylist and professional organizer Iris Miyasaki and her partner Erin refreshed their Seattle condo for two months, taking out the ugly dated carpet, and redoing countertops, backsplash, light fixtures, and hardware.

Hannah Herman actually worked on the design of her apartment building before she decided to move in, so she was already ahead on the creative challenge of furnishing such a small space.

Film fan Madison's Seattle studio apartment is smartly designed and filled with fun elements, like a “Honk if you’d rather be watching the 1999 cinematic masterpiece ‘The Mummy’ starring Brendan Frasier and Rachel Weisz” sticker.

Kelby Mayberry and her husband, an active duty member of the military, share their home, this 1,300-square-foot rental duplex, with their two young kids and their pets. They've thrifted and DIYed a lot of elements in the home for a budget-friendly and stylish space.

Traveling interior designer and witch Marissa Lada's van features a cedar wood interior, a few pop of colors, and some magickal things like crystals, wind chimes, and an herbal apothecary.

When Zoë and her partner bought their first home, this 1950s ranch house, she was able to re-discover her colorful, creative side. "I learned to take risks and embrace the unexpected. I feel like I finally have my creativity back, and it’s a beautiful feeling." 

Inspired by "The Munsters," "The Addams Family," and old horror movies with incredibly ornate interiors, Lisa Lytle-Abridello's house is a "cross between an old-timey bordello, a tattoo shop, and a haunted house, with just a pinch of grandma’s house."

Registered Nurse Lisa Macaya needed a place to escape to during the height of the pandemic. She worked three days a week for a major hospital system and three days a week at the cabin renovating it with her father.

Taylor is an interior designer and indoor plant shop owner living in Seattle, and her biggest challenge with her rental space was a small budget. But she did nearly everything on her own, from decorating, painting, and more.

Marita has been painting (and re-painting!) walls, appliances, and furniture in her home (also known as "The Rainbow House") for the better part of a year.

This food blogger's home features DIY ideas like a divider wall, a unique furniture layout to, and an attractive way to hide an ugly shower rod.

Outdoor seating, a firepit, raised veggie gardens, and a cute converted garden shed turned guest room/movie room make this small Seattle house's backyard dreamy and inspiring.

Actress Bitsie Tulloch had to start from scratch when it came to furnishing the new house she bought with her husband, actor David Giuntoli.

This photographer used temporary wallpaper, a stick-on backsplash, and more decor ideas to turn this rental apartment into her cozy home.

This wedding planner and her husband, a photographer, live in this open-plan Seattle loft home that they laid out brilliantly.

The builder-grade home got a gorgeous modern update.

Raisa and Henry employ light-colored furniture, mirrors, and other reflective surfaces in their DC rowhome to help add more natural light to the space.

It's full of pops of color, energetic patterns, cute organizing ideas, and a great vibe... and all in just 145 square feet!

Mariana's home feels the way she wants her heart to feel: happy, harmonious, calm, whimsical, and adventurous!

The listing ad described the house as "needs a lot of TLC," but Erin and Ryan saw the property's potential.

Name: Andrew Nedimyer and Becky Armbruster Location: Capitol Hill — Seattle, Washington Size: 1,000-ish square feet Years lived in: 6 months; Rented Having only shared their bright and spacious Capitol Hill apartment for six short months, Andrew and Becky sure do know how to throw a fantastic home together. With the space boasting two large bedrooms and views of both the Space Needle and the always-spectacular Mt.

After struggling to find an apartment when they first moved to D.C., Abigail and Mark sold all their belongings and jumped into boat ownership headfirst.

Fresh out of foreclosure after years of being an unkempt rental made this house something many homebuyers in the competitive Seattle market had overlooked.

This maximalist loves color and patterns!

Just across the river from Portland, Rebekah and Larry found a warm and woodsy mid-century modern gem they now call home.

Apartment Therapy's Instagram Manager made a light and bright home in this oddly shaped loft with her roommate Jasmine and Jasmine's dog, Bambi.

Almost everything in this interior designer and vintage furniture dealer's home is from a vintage or thrift store.

Stanley's 525-square-foot studio is packed with American handcrafts, folk art, brass candlesticks, baskets and bold red, white and blue color palette.

This family of six has turned an outdated, 100-year-old house into a beautiful, functional, and fun home.

Name: Kennesha Buycks, her husband, and children Location: Seattle, Washington Size: 2,000 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, renting To only call Kennesha Buycks a “designer” would be missing a lot of what she does. “I am an encourager. A storyteller. A life-breather. A creative. An influencer. A stylist. A gatherer. But, most of all? I am a woman who loves connecting with the hearts of others through home,” she writes on her popular blog, Restoration House.

Name: Lia ( 6 years old) Location: Bellevue, Washington My daughter wanted a fairy tree in her room that she could sit inside and read books, climb the branches, and also have a top sitting area. I’m a professional video game artist and make virtual worlds for a living, so while I thought I could come up with the aesthetic idea, I was kind of un-prepared for the physical realities of this project. I used Disney set-design as my inspiration.

Name: Channing Foster and cat, Cosette Location: Mount Pleasant — Washington, D.C. Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 9 months, renting Channing Foster has lived in her Mount Pleasant apartment for less than a year, but she’s already made it her own. Drawing inspiration from the building’s mid-century foundations, she’s elevated the space with a disciplined color palette and an elegant selection of furniture, art, books, and heirlooms.

Name: Brittany, Christian, and (pup) Ted Location: Hill East — Washington, DC Size: 2,200 square feet Years lived in: Owned 3 years Brittany, Christian, and their much-adored German Shepard mix, Ted, live in a classic row house in Washington, DC, just east of the U.S. Capitol. They’ve built an elegant and sophisticated home, lovingly filled with details collected over time.

All the door and windows are painted gold!

Name: Ana Nelson Location: Tacoma, Washington Size: 925 square feet Years lived in: Owned, 1 year Ana grew up working for her family’s event company, and has always loved vintage items, so when she set out to buy her first house, she knew she would be happiest living in a home from another era. At just 25, Ana purchased a small 1920s bungalow, and has spent the past year converting the home from a dark, run-down space into the bright, cheery cottage that it is today.

Name: Irwin Gueco Location: The General Scott — Washington, DC Size: 495 square feet Years lived in: Rented 6 years / Owned 2 years “Your home should tell your story,” says Irwin. And everywhere you look in his home there is a good story, providing insight into Irwin’s personality. Filled to the brim with carefully selected mementos, artwork and furniture, his home feels like a lovingly curated museum. Which is fitting, because he spends his days at a museum.

Name: Kallie Seniff Location: Logan Circle in Washington, D.C. Size: 456 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, rented Kallie’s colorful studio apartment couldn’t be more representative of her personality. She’s an energetic, thrifty person and she found a way to combine these traits into a home so stylish that it makes me wild with envy.

Name: Jordan Location: Capitol Hill — Seattle, Washington Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting A friend of Jordan’s once called her a professional appreciator, and that is just exactly the right title to give this creative force of a woman.

Name: Caroline Rodrigues @shopmercimilo @rebelandquillobjects Location: Mt. Washington, Los Angeles Size: 2 bed, 2 bath Years lived in: 1 year, renting Caroline and her husband, Jason, have designed their home in a way that strongly reflects their personality and aesthetic. After moving from New York City back to their home state of California, the couple took every opportunity to feel more connected to nature. They settled into the Mt.

Name: Ron Kelly and Emily Goodstein Location: Petworth — Washington, DC Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: Ron has lived here for 4.5 years, Emily moved in last year; owned Colorful, comfortable, and warm, Emily and Ron’s home is full of treasures with a tale. They’ve decorated with a combination of modern and bohemian elements that give a global feel to their Washington, D.C. apartment.

Name: Hayley Francis Location: Roosevelt — Seattle, Washington Size: 1,800 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years, owned When Hayley Francis set out in search of her dream home in Seattle during the summer of 2015, she did so toting a wishlist of charming must-haves: checkerboard black and white tile floors in the kitchen, hardwoods throughout, and a classic Craftsman style.

Name: Grace Location: Washington, DC Size: 495 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned After a marvelous tour with Irwin, fate brought us Grace in the comments thread; she’s a resident of the same, beautiful Art Deco-style apartment building with precisely the same floor plan. Whereas Irwin’s studio was brimming with rich earthy colors, I was delighted to see Grace’s interpretation of the space—in top to bottom pink.

Name: Meg, Glenn, Maddie and Isabelle Hoburg, and dog, Piper Location: Capitol Hill — Washington, DC Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 14 years, owned Meg Hoburg is an interior designer with Southern roots, a true sense of Southern hospitality, and a fantastic eye for wallpaper. She and her family have been living in their Capitol Hill row house in Washington, DC for 14 years. Customizing the house throughout these years has been a steady work in progress.

Name: Moorea Seal, her husband, and pup Lemon Location: Seattle, Washington Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned When I reached out to Seattle boutique owner, social media extraordinaire, and author Moorea Seal about doing a home tour, she was in the middle of writing her third book, Make Yourself at Home. (The 52 Lists Project was her first hit journal, and 52 Lists for Happiness has been featured by the likes of Oprah.com.