The Latest: 2014

Name: Nicole & Mike Location: West Loop, Chicago My husband Mike and I live and work in a work/live loft in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood. The loft is almost 2000 square feet, located in an old factory and has no doors other than the one on the bathroom. I am a graphic designer/photographer and Mike is a graphic designer/illustrator and we run a small studio together so we needed a place that has as much space as possible for all of our work stuff as well as our living space.

Name: Sara Knowles Location: Beacon Hill Neighborhood, Seattle, Washington My partner Logan and I recently relocated to Seattle from Washington, DC, and found a lovely little house to rent in the Beacon Hill neighborhood — conveniently on the same street as my sister! It is a charming craftsman that has been recently updated but retained some of its period details, like the beautiful original cabinetry in the kitchen and much of the original hardware.

Name: Sandra Location: Seattle, Washington Last June, my husband Ezra and I purchased a fixer upper in the Queen Anne neighborhood in Seattle. Although the home was pretty outdated and in need of some major help, we saw potential in the home. So, we purchased it and gut renovated the place from top to bottom on a limited budget, finding inexpensive materials without sacrificing on our desired aesthetic and doing all of the design work on our own to save on costs.

Name: Bianca Location: Capitol Hill Neighborhood, Seattle, Washington I moved into this lovely classic building back in October. It’s the smallest place I’ve lived in, at 520 square feet. But I love it. The size forces me to edit and be conscious of how much stuff I own. I’m really enjoying the simplicity. My bedroom doesn’t receive much light.

Name: Designer and interiors stylist Maureen Stevens and husband Jason (plus a tenant) Location: Old West Austin Neighborhood; Austin, Texas Size: 2,200 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented To say Maureen’s home exudes a comfortable style would be an understatement. You immediately feel at ease as soon as you enter her Austin home. Some people just naturally “get” how to make a home look great and inviting.

Name: Maggie Location: Heilsbronn, Germany When my husband made the Army his career thirteen years ago I knew there would be moves involved but I didn’t expect nine moves in fourteen years. Although all this moving can be hard, I have to say, I love having a new house every few years to put my stamp on. I have a degree in architecture and a husband who lets me do as please with the house.

Name: Pomona Singh Location: Toronto, Canada Size: 1100 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, Owned There’s something so fascinating about getting a peek into another person’s home — I love to see how other people live and the design and details they choose to surround themselves with. Pomona’s thoughtfully decorated space is filled with both old and new treasures, with everything in the perfect place and every detail thought out.

Name: Eileen McGrath Location: Georgetown; Washington, DC Size: 2,700 square feet Years lived in: 13 years; Owned It’s no surprise that Eileen McGrath’s place is so inviting. As a real estate agent for Washington Fine Properties, the top residential firm in DC, she’s a pro at making beautiful houses look like great homes. “I do this for my clients all the time,” she says, straightening a stack of magazines here, moving flowers there, plumping a pillow on the sofa.

Name: Erin Tavin, Nathan Stein, and Charlie the cat Location: Echo Park, Los Angeles Size: 320 square feet Years lived in: 24 years (Nathan), 9 years (Erin); Owned A few months ago, we took a peek inside the eclectic, bohemian Los Angeles home of Erin and Nathan. If you loved their colorful home, their dreamy backyard yurt, which doubles as an office, will definitely make you swoon!

Name: Penelope, Zack and pup Milli Location: Red Hook, Brooklyn, New York When my boyfriend and I decided to take the plunge last summer and apartment hunt together, our only absolutes were that we find a two bedroom (Zack is a photographer, and needed the extra room to use as his studio) with subway proximity. After a week of searching, our dream apartment — two bedroom, spacious, rooftop access, modern, airy — popped up on Craigslist. The only catch?

Name: Jennie Cain Location: Athens, Georgia My home is in Athens, Georgia and is 900 square feet. It is a small brick house on one level with an attic. I chose to live here because it is a home built in the 1930s and is in the Athens “Normaltown” neighborhood. It is also very close to a park. My inspiration are Wes Anderson films, vintage decor books and bright, poppy colors. Bright colors rock my world!