The Latest: 2019

Name: Raquel and Pedro Location: Ruzafa — Valencia, Spain. Size: 807 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, owned Raquel and Pedro’s Spanish home is flooded with natural light, filled with luscious green plants and is the perfect showcase for their handmade wares. They’re the creative couple who founded Canoa Lab, a “ceramic, jewelry, photography and word laboratory.

Name: Virginie Pichet and roommates Ada Kraszczynski and Mée Reed-Desjardins Location: Villeray, Montreal Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Virgine is the editor of a popular lifestyle blog based in Montreal, Le Cahier. Her home reflects her girly, romantic and fearless personality. Passionate about fashion, she even dedicated her bedroom as a walk-in closet!

Name: Tracey Tilley Location: Metro Detroit, Michigan Size: 1,050 square feet Years lived in: 12 years, owned When Tracey is not working as a marketing project manager, she is obsessing over her house’s interior. She prefers furnishings that are old and built to last. She believes in supporting local artists. She really enjoys a good flea-market find. And she has been known to DIY a few things. Not surprisingly, her home in Michigan is a sophisticated mix.

Name: Cai Haun and Britt Maton Location: Oceanview — San Francisco, California Size: 450 square feet Years lived in: 5 months, renting Having a complete and comfortable home is really important to Cai. She’s moved at least once a year, every year, since she was 13, so adapting quickly has never been an issue. But because of the frequent moves, she noticed she wasn’t putting much effort into her homes as she’d like to (since she would inevitably move out within a year).

Name: Kirstie Maryott Location: Lower Pacific heights — San Francisco, California Size: 420 square feet Years lived in: Rented 2 years Kirstie has bounced around from state to state the past few years of her life, including stops in Colorado, Virginia and Georgia. A California native, she has called the Bay Area home for the last two years, where she lives in a charming studio on the top floor of a building in the Lower Pacific Heights neighborhood.

Name: Ana and Luis Castillo Location: 7 acre organic farm in Kealakekua Bay, Big Island, Hawaii Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 14 years, owned/leased Luis and Ana Castillo met on Hawaii’s Big Island fourteen years ago. Former Californians, they pooled their talents for design and building to create a unique “Rough Luxe” seven-acre sustainable homestead and farm on the lush volcanic slopes of Mauna Loa.

Name: Tara Gray, husband Luc, daughter Channing and bunny Lilly Location: Waikoloa, Hawaii Size: 1200 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned “What if we sold everything we owned and paid off all our debts…which would allow us to create some amazing new adventures for our family? ” Where could we go? Where would we want to live?

Name: Marta and Jordi Location: Sarrià – Barcelona, Spain Size: 1184 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned After having two kids — and living in a really small apartment — the time to move for Marta, Jordi and their family had arrived! With high design standards, searching for the perfect apartment can be stressful, especially when you want it all! Fortunately, Marta and Jordi feel lucky: they’ve found this perfect (larger!) home to stretch out in.

Name: Patrick Thompson, his wife Courtney and their son Monty Location: Bloomfield Hills, Michigan Size: 2,400 square feet Years lived in: 2 years Patrick Thompson is an award winning interior designer residing in the suburbs of Detroit with his lovely wife, their energetic three-year-old son and their sweet dog. His design firm, Patrick Thompson Design, specializes in hospitality, commercial and retail spaces. Patrick grew up in a family that celebrated art.

Name: Diana Marsh Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 2 months! After living in New York for many years, Diana decided to go back home to Michigan. But that wasn’t the only big life change she made, she also purchased a house, fully renovated it AND opened a store in downtown Ann Arbor. Called Thistle and Bess, Diana’s store offers one-of-a-kind treasures and goods to those seeking a luxurious lifestyle.

Name: Jenn Pablo and Paco de Leon and Dauphine, their dog Location: Echo Park, California (Los Angeles) Size: 1690 square feet Years lived in: 9 years, renting Paco and Jenn actually met when they were just kids at a birthday party, and ended going to the same high school. Later they became best friends and eventually, Paco and Jenn fell in love. How they came to live together in this house is an interesting story, as well. Jenn moved into this Echo Park apartment nine years ago with a roommate.

Name: Elizabeth and Tom (and Walter the dog) Location: Logan Square — Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,800 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting Elizabeth and Tom have a fearless approach to decor and life. They had only been dating a few months before deciding to move in together. And I should mention that their version of moving in together was signing a lease on an apartment in disrepair and then spending a year fixing it up together.

Name: Victoria Pater Location: Bucktown, Chicago Years lived in: 2 years Victoria, her husband Joe, and their cute pup live in a colorful apartment bubbling with mid-century modern energy. After a look around their home, it comes as no surprise that Victoria is the owner of a charming pin business, Mid Mod Pin. In her day job, she designs brands, experiences and digital products. And in this home, her Mid Mod Pin headquarters is housed in a delightful mint green home office.

Name: Nara, John, Halina and Lars Location: Bucktown — Chicago, Illinois Size: 1900 square feet Years lived in: 2 ½ years While house hunting, home designer Nara and her husband stumbled across a short sale home with a very neglected interior. Although hesitant to take the plunge, Nara could envision the potential under the questionable (and very red) cosmetic surface. Now, two years and a lot of work later, the family cozily lives in their Scandinavian-inspired home.

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: Julieta Alvarez, her husband Bart, and daughter Olivia Location: West New York, New Jersey Size: 1065 square feet Years lived in: Almost 3 years, renting Julieta, of Julieta Alvarez Interiors, lives with her husband and daughter in a two-bedroom apartment in West New York, New Jersey — one quick, peaceful ferry ride away from the Manhattan peninsula. Julieta says it’s like “Battery Park City but much quieter and less commercial.

Name: Aliça and Antony + Teti (dog) + Claudia and Sybil (cats) Location: Thornbury — Melbourne, Australia Size: 2800 square feet Years lived in: 3 months! Rented Aliça and Antony have only quite recently moved into their cute rental home in the northern suburb of Thornbury in Melbourne. Unfortunately for them, their stay is short lived; the house is due to be demolished and the land redeveloped at the end of the year.

Name: Nicola Broughton Location: Leeds, UK Size: 3000 square feet Years lived in: 13 years, owned Dark charcoal grays, velvety emerald greens and rich, earthy browns enliven the walls and furnishings of the big Victorian just north of Leeds that Nicola Broughton shares with her husband and kids.

Name: Beatriz Traver Location: El Carmen — Valencia, Spain. Size: 1022 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, renting This splendid space was once owned by a Peruvian consul in the 1900s, and it features tall ceilings, gorgeous architectural details and one-of-a-kind elements — like painted-on floral designs on the bedroom floor. It’s the perfect space for an art historian like Beatriz.

Name: Devin VanderMaas, her boyfriend Ranga and Chelsea the cat Location: Murray Hill — New York City Size: 775 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, own When Devin first saw this apartment, it reminded her of The Great Gatsby. Full of charming Art Deco architectural details, this isn’t the dark and dramatic kind of Art Deco style you might be imagining, though. Big windows and Devin’s mastery of a soft, neutral color palette make the small space seem bigger than it is.

Name: Aditi Khorana Location: Los Feliz — Los Angeles, California Size: 1300 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned As a writer herself, Aditi Khorana‘s eclectic mid-century home captures the essence of storytelling in more ways than one. As if a grand entrance with high ceilings, open windows and an expansive view of the Hollywood Hills weren’t enough to gush over, the novelist has filled her entire space with personality and memories from all over the world.

Name: Josie and Jules Location: South East London — UK Size: 677 square feet Years lived in: Owned 1 year Seeing this home’s style might give you déjà vu. Josie and Jules first showed off their small space maximizing skills when we toured an Edwardian flat in South East London they remodeled in 2015. It was a top-to-bottom renovation — the layout was reconfigured, and light and function were added to a dated space.

Name: Alex Kitain Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands Size: 527 square feet Years lived in: 7 years, owned Alex’s light-filled Amsterdam apartment is an early riser’s dream come true. Filled with the scent of coffee brewing and sunlight streaming through the windows, mornings are something to be worshiped in this home! Decorated with eclectic but modern design, Alex’s apartment is both welcoming and stylish.

Name: Angie Teater Location: Midtown East — New York, NY Size: 350 square feet Years lived in: 8 years, renting Have you ever seen a dining room, living room, and bedroom fit so elegantly into 350 square feet? Long-time New Yorker and avid traveler Angie Teater made it happen. She’s the owner and principal designer of Angela Leland Interiors and she knows how to make good use of small spaces. She’s also a master at styling a room.

Name: Ashley Neese Location: Silver Lake — Los Angeles, California Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting Though Ashley Neese was born in a small town in Wisconsin and grew up in Georgia, she went to grad school in San Francisco in 2005 … and hasn’t left the West Coast. She wanted to build a practice in the healing arts and fell in love with the light and energy of Los Angeles. “I dreamed about living in L.A. when I was much younger.

Name: Allison Shiman Location: The Mission — San Francisco, California Size: not sure about the square feet Years lived in: 5 years, renting “I’m so excited about having my apartment memorialized on Apartment Therapy,” Allison tells us. She’ll be saying goodbye to her beloved apartment soon…to leave on a trip around the world. “I have put so much effort and love in my little space that having it somewhere captured forever makes me so happy!

Name: Rachelle Padgett Location: Berkeley, California Size: 525 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting In Rachelle’s living room, a rich and colorful rug is layered on top of another, creating a kaleidoscope of colors on the floor. Bright turquoise sheets in her bedroom complement the framed photo of a bright French Quarter house she took on a recent trip to a jazz festival.

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: Corinne Schnieders Location: Balboa Island, California Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 9 months, renting Corinne has never been one to follow the crowd, so when it came time to decorate her apartment on Balboa Island in sunny Southern California, she made this back guest house all her own. Forget the bohemian beach style populating everyone’s Pinterest boards these days; this mechanical engineer followed her heart by gathering finds that reflect her love of comfort and fun.

Name: Chelsey Brown and roommate Location: Manhattan Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting Chelsey is a fiery go-getter who lives in a small Manhattan apartment with a roommate. No bunk beds are needed here, though; Chelsey transformed this one-bedroom apartment into a two-bedroom home by having temporary faux walls built! An editor by day (for the Dr. Oz Show) and an interior designer by night, this New Yorker does it all.

Name: Marcus, Alicia and Phoenix Brandon Location: Prospect Lefferts Gardens — Brooklyn, New York Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting First of all, this beautiful apartment has a private elevator. Call in, beam up, doors open and you’re there. It’s a wildly easier ride than a fifth-floor brownstone walk-up and definitely one of Marcus and Alicia’s favorite aspects of their home.

Name: 3 roommates (plus their cats Boogie and Sammie) Location: California Size: ~600 square feet Years lived in: 5 years These three roommates live in a two-bedroom attic apartment in a historic mansion that was converted to apartments. The space has its perks, such as the walls painted yellow and its convenience to downtown Oakland and public transit. But the awkward attic space also has its drawbacks: small windows resulting in low light, weird ceilings angles, and a tiny kitchen.

Name: Ilse van Elleswijk and Jasper and their puppy Jackie Location: Arnhem, the Netherlands Size: 1,640 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, owned There’s a lot to see in Ilse’s home — not a shock, considering her profession as a stylist — but what is surprising is how uncluttered the space feels. Ilse’s a big fan of accessories; she feels they add coziness to any room. But she hasn’t gone overboard in her home.

Name: Irene and Rob Burg Location: Eindhoven, the Netherlands Size: 1,614 square feet Years lived in: 19 years, owned As a girl, when Irene would visit her grandpa, she would always pass this quaint house built in 1934 and think to herself: “One could be so lucky to live in this home.” Years later she and her husband Rob moved into this very home — and it felt like a dream come true.

Name: Carina, her husband, and their daughters Isabel and Francisca Location: Nordelta — Buenos Aires, Argentina Size: 2580 square feet Years lived in: 6 years, owned Carina and her family moved in to this house they built in the suburbs just one month before giving birth to their youngest daughter. While she’s paused her career as a journalist to devote herself to raising her children, she’s used her curiosity to seek inspiration for decorating her house, room by room.

Name: Sadie Stein and Lorin Location: Upper West Side — New York, NY Size: 850 square feet Years lived in: Sadie: 5; together, 1.5, renting Sadie and Lorin joke that if their apartment were personified, she would be a 1970s feminist character named Valerie. She’s bold, she’s not afraid of color (or the patriarchy), and she doesn’t take herself too seriously. After all, she does have a “baby pink” kitchen. As Sadie says, “It is a happy place.

"Politician in recovery" Arnie Arnesen inherited this 1890 Queen Anne Victorian house from her aunt.

Name: Judy Ross Location: Union Square — New York City, New York Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 18 years, renting It’s no wonder Judy’s apartment is flawless; the accomplished textile designer’s space is a stage for her art. Located in the buzzing Union Square area in Manhattan, Judy manages to keep a cool, chic and totally under-control apartment that works for her busy family.

Name: Marcial and Andrea Location: El Carmen — Valencia, Spain Size: 2045 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned While Marcial and Andrea’s beautiful home is a minimal and modern space today, that’s not how they found it. When they bought this home, it was in a dilapidated condition. Thankfully, Marcial’s brother runs a design firm, Boor Studio, and together he and the couple tackled the renovation.

Name: Ria and Piet Veld Location: Appingedam, the Netherlands Size: 1,722 square feet Years lived in: 18 years; owned In the most northern province of the Netherlands lies the quaint city of Appingedam. It’s such a charming place, that when Ria and Piet Veld sold their previous house there eighteen years ago, they didn’t want to leave.

Name: Martin Bustamante Location: Villa Crespo — Buenos Aires, Argentina Size: 530 square feet (plus patio and terrace) Years lived in: 7 years, owned Martin was struggling to find a decent place to buy within his modest budget, as often happens. He thought he had seen every house in the neighborhood until a friend told him about this place.

Name: Alanna Okun Location: Bedford-Stuyvesant — Brooklyn, New York Size: 400 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years, renting Alanna’s cheery apartment in Brooklyn is the first space she can truly call her own. She grew up surrounded by siblings, next lived in college dorms, and then moved in with roommates. As a writer, she needed a quiet place for herself. As a crafter, she needed a creative space to inspire her.

Name: Bonnie (Mooky-Dog) and Trevor (Taco-Cat) — Not a couple, just a couple of best friends. Location: East Nashville — Nashville, Tennessee Size: 1100 square feet Years lived in: 4 months, renting Trevor and Bonnie’s home is a colorful oasis filled with collected treasures from various antique malls, thrift stores and family members.