The Latest: Apr 2019

Name: Steph Rager Location: Highland Park — Los Angeles, California Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting On her personal website, A Dapper Line, Steph Rager describes herself as “50 percent muralist, 30 percent illustrator, 15 percent sign artist, and 5 percent champagne drinker.” It’s hardly a surprise that, like her art, her home is a brilliantly laid-back mix of color and crisp lines.

Name: Alex Fitzgerald Location: West Village — New York, NY Size: 420 square feet Years lived in: 6 years, owned The trick to studios is how to make the most of the space you’re given. For Alex, a studio apartment previously owned by an architect obsessed with built-ins has proved both a boon and a challenge.

Name: John Sorensen-Jolink and Fabien Dubuet Location: Fort Greene, Brooklyn Size: 900 square feet Years Lived In: 3 years, renting He once performed with contemporary choreographers like Twyla Tharp. Today, modern-dancer-turned furniture designer John Sorensen-Jolink is the founder and owner of Coil + Drift, a Brooklyn-based design studio that creates elegant, contemporary furniture, lighting, and accessories.

Name: Alex Riley and Laure-Anne Carré Location: Plateau — Montreal, Canada Size: 2,000 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting Alex and Laure-Anne are designers living and working in Montreal’s trendy and historic Plateau neighborhood. Originally from France, the pair made a move to Montreal last April to pursue new creative opportunities; they arrived in the city with nothing but suitcases of clothing.

Name: Anina, Deon and their daughter Marguerite Location: Bellville — Cape Town, South Africa Size: 3,229 square feet Years lived in: 6 years, owned From the outside Anina and Deon’s home still tells tales of its ’80s heritage. It was the location and view that initially attracted them to the house, and certainly not the interior, which was old fashioned.

Name: Sasha Fominskaya and Aaron F.L. Location: Fangjia Hutong — Beijing, China Size: 645 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Living in Beijing as an expat often means working with what you have, usually pre-furnished apartments and roommates that never seem to stick around long enough to decorate. But when Sasha Fominskaya and her boyfriend Aaron moved into their first apartment together, they wanted to put more effort into making it a home.

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: Coro Urdaneta and Marco Cortavitarte Location: Sanlitun — Beijing, China Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, renting It’s hard to find an expat in Beijing who doesn’t know about the Moka Bros, or the Venezuelan siblings behind it. When the restaurant first opened in 2013, it flipped the capital’s healthy café scene on its head, largely thanks to its refreshingly bold and trendy creative concept.

Name: Anouska Tamony and her partner Scott Location: East Dulwich — London, UK Years lived in: 1.5 years, owned Anouska shares a stunning London flat with her partner Scott. A light-filled home set in a turn-of-the-century terraced house (built in 1898), there are two bedrooms, a wonderfully wallpapered bathroom, a sitting room and a spare bedroom used as a study and guest room.

Name: Rachel Burke, her husband Thomas and their dachshunds, Daphne and Daisy Location: Brisbane, Australia Years lived in: 3 years, owned Rachel Burke has been on my radar since 2012 when she made a dress every day for a year. So it was certainly wonderful to step into her bright and colorful home that she shares with her kind husband Thomas and their two little dachshunds (who eventually warmed to me after a little coercing with some treats!).

Name: Coni, Albert and Mia (plus their cat!) Location: Ciutat Vella — Barcelona, Spain Size: 1,023 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, owned When Swiss fashion designer Coni met Albert in Barcelona years ago, their adventures as a couple were off to a good start. After a year of dating, they moved into a small apartment in Barcelona. However, they knew they’d have to upgrade to a bigger space when Coni became pregnant with their daughter.

Name: Gabriel Assouline, Sarah Marciano, and Levi Location: Outremont, Montreal Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned Sarah and Gabriel’s Montreal home is on the second floor of a building located on a tree-lined street. The space itself could be described as “monochromatic tones meet a few pops of color.” In other words, it’s a space decorated with care and filled with a selection of rich materials, original pieces, and organic details.

Name: Juan Carlos, Coral, and their dog Apple Location: Manises — Valencia, Spain Size: 6,6673 square feet Years lived in: 25 years, owned In Spain, color is a big part of people’s life. The light is warm, the colors are strong, and the people are friendly and relaxed — and Juan Carlos and Coral’s Valencia home is a perfect example of this vibrant lifestyle.

Name: Lisa Zigarmi and Paul Del Vecchio, and French Bulldogs Luna and Boom Location: Hollywood District — Portland, Oregon Size: 3,290 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned Lisa and Paul met and fell in love in New York City, and when they made the decision to relocate to Portland three years ago, their biggest challenge was starting from scratch. The couple brought hardly more than their bed and a sofa from their previous home to their new Portland digs.

Name: Céline Lamée and Heather Mowbray Location: Dongsishisantiao — Beijing, China Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting It’s hard to step into Céline Lamée and Heather Mowbray’s home and not be charmed by its sense of playfulness, starting so obviously with an extensive pillow collection that fills their dining nook and has started to take over their living room sofa.

Name: Marci and Carlos Cordero, with children Penelope and Mitchell Location: Vicenza, Italy Size: 2,150 square feet Years lived in: 5 months, renting Marci and Carlos have only lived in their Italian apartment for five months, but you’d never know it from looking around. There are photos and art hung (even with the stubborn concrete walls!) and every piece of furniture seems to fit into place and have a home.

Name: Jenny, Konstantin & Simone Peysin (plus their dog Murray) Location: Windsor Terrace — Brooklyn, NY Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned Jenny and Konstantin were married in 2015, moved into their beautiful Brooklyn apartment in 2016, and recently welcomed baby Simone into their lives and the home they share with their quirky pup, Murray.

Name: Vera Claire and Sam Cheadle Location: Bayview — San Francisco, California Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned For Vera and Sam, the past three years have been filled with the never-ending process of renovating and personalizing their home. The fact that Sam — the acting handyman and contractor — has no experience with renovating is even more impressive.

Name: Darien Zannis and Matt Johnson, and Rescue’s (Mick) Jagger, Wile E. (Coyote), and Stevie (Nicks). Location: Culver City, California Size: 3,000 square feet Years Lived In: 2 years, renting While parking is a luxury for most Californians, Culver City residents Darien and Matt have no trouble finding a spot very, very close to home. Yes, the couple (and their three adorable rescue pups) cohabitate with their cars…many cars.

Name: Timothy Kolstad Location: San Jose, California Size: 1,888 square feet Years lived in: 27 years (on and off); Owned for 2 years Timothy never expected he’d end up back in San Jose living in his childhood home. He inherited the house two years ago, and since then, he’s worked hard to remodel the space and make it his own, which he says hasn’t been an easy task on a limited budget.

Name: Adam Wihlborg Location: Former French Concession — Shanghai, China Size: 950 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, renting When Adam Wihlborg tells the story, it’s hard to believe that six flights of dark and dusty stairs once nearly deterred him from signing a lease on his spacious, light-filled flat looking out over the trees in Shanghai’s French Concession.

Name: Björn Holmenäs Location: El Poble-sec — Barcelona, Spain Size: 506 square feet (plus a 430 square foot terrace) Years lived in: 6 years, owned Björn’s apartment is located in the Barcelona neighborhood of El Poble-sec, a neighborhood with a history that can be traced back to ancient Rome. The streets in the neighborhood are small and narrow, yet filled with creativity and inspiration.

Name: Shari Pelkmans, Mike and Olle Location: Heeze, the Netherlands Size: 1,087 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned Three years ago Shari and Mike bought a newly-built house in Heeze, a tiny town in the south of the Netherlands (and Mike’s hometown). The location is great: a short walk from the town center, but also lots of pretty nature just around the corner.

Name: Alexander Åhnebrink Location: Former French Concession — Shanghai, China Size: 3,200 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting When Alexander moved to China with his wife four years ago, he dreamed of a traditional courtyard home. He was met with reality: finding one that didn’t need serious renovations was next to impossible and they would be settling for a more modern serviced apartment in the city center.

Name: Jenny McCown Location: Brisbane, Australia Years lived in: 20 Months Some years ago I first met artist Jenny McCown when I photographed her home in East Brisbane — a five-bedroom Queenslander with a bright pink door. She has since moved into a more modern (and smaller) two-bedroom apartment on Brisbane River. It is in an enviable location, with a view off her balcony across Jacaranda trees with the river just beyond.

Name: Christopher Gyzemyter Location: Brisbane, Australia Size: 1345 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, owned Christopher — a talented interior designer — was destined to have a beautiful home, whatever space he ended up in. But what’s so lovely about this place is that it’s a reflection of his style, and also a reaction to the bones of the home he bought five years ago.

Name: Andrea, Fernando and their children Delfina, Juan Cruz, Bautista and Benito Location: Villa Adelina — Buenos Aires, Argentina Size: 950 square feet Years lived in: 20 years, owned When Andrea got pregnant with their first child, they moved to this house that belonged to her husband’s family. It was supposed to be for the meantime, while they’d keep looking for their “forever” house.

Name: Stefano Giacomello Location: Outremont, Montreal Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Stefano is a 3D artist and designer with a great eye for home decor and spatial planning. And his style is influenced considerably by the ’80s and a love for graphic lines and vibrant colors. Although Stefano’s apartment is on the small side, every item has its own place.

Name: Lexie Comstock Location: Former French Concession — Shanghai, China Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting For someone whose cookie baking skills have gained her countless fans in Shanghai, Lexie Comstock is very chill about not having a kitchen in her apartment.

Name: Claire Plummer Location: Brunswick — Melbourne, Australia Size: 2,034 square feet Years lived in: 15 years, owned It might be surprising to learn that Claire Plummer — a telecommunications analyst by day, mosaic artist by night — is a self-confessed minimalist when it comes to decorating her home. But it’s precisely this conscious decision to keep it simple with furnishings that’s allowed the amazing, one-of-kind mosaic art she creates to shine.

Name: Mireia Location: Gracia — Barcelona, Spain Size: 969 square feet Years lived in: 12 years, owned As a pattern designer, Mireia has an eye for mixing different textures and styles, and the beautiful Barcelona apartment she’s owned for over a decade has proven to be the perfect canvas for her to show off her styling skills.

Name: Gretchen and Kevin Location: Detroit, Michigan Size: 2,200 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, owned After spending four years in 800 square feet in New York City, Kevin and Gretchen were able to design their dream loft back in their home state of Michigan. They found a space in an old, industrial building in a mixed-use neighborhood that’s lively and vibrant.

Name: Andrew Chappelle and his dog, Patti LuBone Location: Washington Heights — New York, New York Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, rented Andrew Chappelle is part of the amazingly talented cast of the Broadway hit musical Hamilton, but aside from his performance skills, he has a great eye for design. This is quickly apparent when walking into his Washington Heights apartment, which he shares with his pup, Patti LuBone.

Name: Anh Tg Location: Petite Patrie, Montreal Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Plants. Plants. Plants. White walls. Art and Design. This minimalist Montreal apartment is tastefully styled by the talented exhibition designer of the Canadian Centre of Architecture. Designer and co-founder of bureau sacha von der potter in Geneva, Anh definitely knows about the delicate balance between negative and positive space.

Name: Meghan Lorenz Location: Ukrainian Village — Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: 6 years, rented Meghan Lorenz is a jewelry maker and occasional prop stylist and her creative eye is on display all over her Chicago apartment. Her space is filled with pieces from her artist friends (and her artist boyfriend). She loves to go thrifting and antiquing, a skill she got from her mom. In fact, many of her awesome pieces were thrifted by her mother.

Name: Susanne ter Heerdt and Henri van Veen Location: Arnhem, the Netherlands Size: 1,184 square feet Years lived in: 9 years, owned It’s fascinating how one thing can lead to another. In Susanne’s case she took an upholstery course, resulting in a striking dining chair set. But what’s more: the pretty rose fabric inspired her to create a huge cross-stitch wall hanging. This new passion was born one and a half years ago, and since then Susanne has grown in her craft and style.

Name: Lake Sharp, husband Alex, and two-year-old Nevada Location: Highland Park — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,406 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, owned Lake Sharp is a skilled maker whose hand-thrown pottery, micro-batch textile goods, and exterior and interior design services comprise her business Array. In addition to being a kick-ass artist, she recently co-founded the “friendly, radically inclusive neighborhood gym and wellness center” EVERYBODY.

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: Darren Sandras Location: Tamboerskloof — Cape Town, South Africa Size: aprox. 1550 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, renting Tucked away in the heart of Tamboerskloof is a row of semi-detached Victorian houses, each with a different colored door. And if you enter the blue door, a surprise awaits you: A beautiful and relaxed home that has come together over time. The fabulous location is what initially drew Darren to his home.

Name: Rachel and Ryan Location: Oak Hill — Nashville, Tennessee Size: 3,500 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, owned Umbrellas hang from the ceiling and there’s an entire wall of speakers in the front sitting room. The moment you enter Rachel and Ryan’s house, you’re swept up into their colorful and eclectic world.

Name: Patricia Lopez Location: San Isidro — Buenos Aires, Argentina Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 13 years, owned When Patricia got divorced she did it her way: She left him the house and went looking for a new place where she could unleash her extravagant taste and decorate free from compromises. You see, Patricia’s personality has always been strong. Born into a family of artists, she tried rebelling against her parents by attending college to become an attorney.

Name: Anne Yvonne Stoltze and her Ragdoll cats Teddy (who sadly passed away this summer) and Nigel Location: Treme — New Orleans, Louisiana Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting Anne’s romance with New Orleans began three years ago during a visit for Jazz Fest, a familiar story here in the Crescent City. The unique architecture, lush landscape, and celebratory way-of-life felt just right for this Iowa-born bon vivant.