The Latest: Nov 2010

Name: Nancy Mims, co-founder, designer and creative director of Mod Green Pod, her husband, Rodney Gibbs, her two delightful children (ages 4 and 9), and their very old cat, Fuzzy WeaselLocation: Hyde Park — Austin, TexasSize: 1,700 square feetYears lived in: 6 — owned Nancy and her great organic fabric designs are no strangers to Apartment Therapy — we’ve previously featured her style and her approach to creating healthy materials for the modern home.

Name: Jesse Keenan, Leia Everett, and our two kitties Libby and Nola Location: Santa Barbara, California Size: 585 Square Feet Years lived in: 4 years After a relaxing drive up to Santa Barbara, I visited the home of an endearing young couple living in a bungalow community. The row of homes was so quaint and pristine, I felt like I was in a time warp going back many years to when neighbors still borrowed a cup of sugar.

Name: Sonja TeriLocation: Silver Lake, Los Angeles, CASize: 700 square feetYears lived in: 1.5 years Last week we previewed Sonja’s Silver Lake apartment’s home office and studio over at Unplggd, and now we’re back with the rest of her stylish apartment for a full tour. Filled with a colorful and harmonious assortment of artwork, prints, sculptures and photographs, the quintessential Silver Lake apartment is a glamorous extension of Sonja’s love of the arts.

Name: Family of Three plus one adorable service dogLocation: Providence, Rhode IslandSize: 3000 square feetYears lived in: 3 — owned You get to see plenty of streamlined, minimalist spaces on Apartment Therapy. This isn’t one of them. This is a home that feels more like a delightful, giant cabinet of curiosity. This place isn’t shy about reflecting the stories, experiences and history of those who are lucky enough to live here.

Name: Aaron and Rob + pets, Jan and Ira Katz & Simon Le BoneLocation: Gold Coast — Chicago, ILSize: 700 square feetYears lived in: 3 — owned I met Aaron through a mutual friend a couple of months ago and when he mentioned that he lives in the Astor Tower condominiums, I’m afraid I overreacted. I LOVE Bertrand Goldberg’s buildings and so of course I started pestering Aaron about a house tour. After a bit of cajoling, he agreed.

Name: Allison and her cats, Pooh Bear and LBA.Location: Cleveland Park, Washington, DCSize: One bedroom, about 850 square feet. The apartment is split into two levels, which helps it feel a bit roomier.Years lived in: 2.5, rented If there’s one thing I learned about Allison from visiting her lovely home, it’s that she is way too modest about her DIY skills. Walking in, my first impression was that her home felt very “put together,” in the best possible sense.

Name: Jess, Erio, Stella & Tiger Brown (& Shorty the dog)Location: West Petaluma — CASize: 1300 square feetYears lived in: 7 — Owned While some peoples homes speak pages about them, the Browns’ home is a vintage encyclopedia set. A set that is hued in the colors of the Sahara desert at sunset, with well worn tea stained pages that only the passage of time and care can create.

Name: John Saint-DenisLocation: Hancock Park – Los Angeles, CaliforniaSize: 1500 Square FeetYears lived in: 5 years John wanted to reduce his carbon footprint by moving in a multi-unit building. He found his current fourplex and decided to purchase the property with a few friends, who would each keep one of the units. It had the potential for John’s ideal blending of styles, a classic Upper East Side Manhattan layout with a California garden, but needed a complete overhaul.

Name: Caitlin MurrayLocation: Beverly Hills — Los Angeles, CaliforniaSize: 700 square feet — 1 bed, 1 bathYears lived in: 6 months I met Caitlin a few quarters into design school and immediately knew she had an inherent talent for interior design. When apartment hunting, Caitlin scouted out units with strong architectural features, knowing it would be much easier to complement a well-designed rental space.

Name: Hunter Wimmer (Design Educator) & Casie Permenter (Civil Engineer) and Marty the Cranky CatLocation: Concord, CaliforniaSize: 1,800 square feet + 200 square feet atriumYears lived in: 3 — owned On a blazingly hot 4th of July holiday, my wife and I moved from West Oakland to the suburbs of Concord to tackle a labor of love: a 1963 Eichler-built home in pretty rough, but somewhat original shape.

Name: Steven Arroyo, restaurateur Location: Hancock Park — Los Angeles, CaliforniaSize: 2,100 square feet — 2 beds, 2 bathsYears lived in: 1 year I had the pleasure of meeting Steven for the first time in his home. I immediately picked up on his strong demeanor and disciplined, yet multifaceted sense of style. With more than a few successful restaurants under his belt — Cobras & Matadors, Church & State, Sgt.

Name: Mary Visconti and Tom CaldwellLocation: the Loop — Chicago, IllinoisSize: 2,000 square feetYears lived in: 4 — Owned As a lifelong Chicagoan, I’ve often been curious about the Manhattan Building, the 1891 landmark that’s the city’s oldest surviving steel frame building. Designed by William Le Baron Jenney, the 16-story historic skyscraper features gorgeous bay windows and a prime view of the Harold Washington Library.

Name: Deborah Strauss, Lizzie the bird and Bentley the dogLocation: North Hyde Park — Austin, Texas Size: 1,570 square feetYears lived in: 5 — owned Who says you have to fill a modern architecture home with contemporary or Mid-Century Modern furnishings? We found an Austin resident who furnished her modern house with a medley of shabby chic, French-inspired decor and eclectic items in a careful mix that seems both exciting, relaxing and just perfect.

Name: Dana & Steve Miller along with sons Layne & Everett Location: Cincinnati, OhioSize: 2500 sq ft – 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath homeYears lived in: 2.5 — owned When Dana and her husband Steve bought their new construction home a few years ago, they were certain they could bring their own casual style to this boring builder’s home. And have they ever succeeded!

Name: Evan Harrison, Greg Gasawski & their schnauzer BugLocation: Downtown — Los Angeles, CaliforniaSize: 850 square feetYears lived in: 2 — rentEvan (who is currently seeking new work with a designer or showroom) and Greg (a law student at Southwestern Law) submitted their home to the Small Cool Contest on Apartment Therapy earlier this year.

Name: Dragan & ElissaLocation: Dallas, TexasSize: 1,100 square feet — 2 bedrooms, 1 bathYears lived in: 4 years — rented The creative energy that flows through Dragan and Elissa’s home is invigorating. As your eyes dart from one piece to the next, they will tell you that many of the items in their home are original, handcrafted by them or members of their family. Then, the envy for their creative genes ensues.