The Latest: Dec 2015

Name: Paul Location: East Village — New York, New York In a pink building nestled on the only quiet street in the East Village neighborhood of New York City, Paul lives in a 650 square foot, one bedroom apartment that blends modern, music, surf, street art and wanderlust in a way that is both inviting and aspirational. His style combines vintage design with different materials and imagery that lets him feel comfortable while providing a sense of excitement.

Name: Alison and Jay Carroll and dog Lefty Location: Los Feliz — Los Angeles, California Size: 1200 square feet Years lived in: 2 years Alison and Jay are a creative husband and wife team who find inspiration from around the globe. As recent Los Angeles transplants from San Francisco, the couple and their dog, Lefty, enjoy soaking up the Southern California sunshine in their cozy Franklin Hills apartment.

Name: Delila and Nexus, and their dog, Amanda Location: Hayes Valley; San Francisco, California Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Rented Nexus and Delila’s personal styles extend deep into their apartment’s aesthetic — he describes his style as relaxed, and she finds inspiration and comfort in wearing a white T-shirt with vintage jeans and high heels.

Name: Caryn Location: Santa Cruz, California In 2005, my husband and I bought a very small 1000 square foot house in Santa Cruz, California to raise our growing family. Proximity to the ocean and a great elementary school trumped our desire for square footage! Our little Santa Cruz bungalow had no unique architecture, so I viewed it as a blank canvas.

Name: Catherine Cachia and Lionel McDonald, their daughter, Winnie, and Griffey the dog Location: East Danforth — Toronto, Ontario Size: Approximately 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Instagram and mid-century modern couches brought Catherine and I together. Last summer, she left a comment on one of my pictures saying we had the exact same couch. I thought that was a big coincidence for a considerably vintage piece of furniture. Was she also in Ontario?

Name: Jessica, her dog, Bhalu, and her cats, Chutney, Norma, and Feynman Location: Atlanta, Georgia Size: 624 square feet Years lived in: 4 years In a small space, it’s important to surround yourself with things that serve a purpose but also have meaning. With a treasure trove of collected items, Jessica’s cozy quarters tell a story from every angle. On a rainy afternoon I meet up with Jessica, a talented local potter and blacksmith, to scope out her studio and home.

Name: Meg Location: Logan Square — Chicago, Illinois Last year my boyfriend and I scored a Memphis Design Group exhibit poster at a garage sale down the street for $7. I’d been wanting to do an ’80s apartment for ages, but never pulled the trigger (I was getting my design fix through my blog). Neal was on board and began to make a copy of our favorite Memphis pendant lamp, “The Santa Fe” by Matteo Thun, out of balsa wood and an IKEA lamp cord. Thanks, Meg!