Kicker and Anne Kalozdi designed and built this house made out of shipping containers... despite having no real experience building a house before!

Name: Lauren and Alex Chapin Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: Owned 4 years Lauren, of Circle G Designs, shares this Pittsburgh home with her husband Alex. Though their tastes tend toward a more modern feel, Lauren believes in respecting the architecture of a house, so their home is a blend of their style and classic elements, the result of which is a simple, classic yet contemporary space.

Name: Molly Trask and Trevor Price (plus dogs Eleanor Roosevelt and Martha Washington and cat Abigail Adams) Location: Durham, North Carolina Size: 1,040 square feet Years lived in: Renting 1 year Molly writes: “Our home is a 1,040 square foot converted warehouse apartment in the oldest standing building in Durham, NC, an old tobacco town currently undergoing a brilliant revival.

Name: Isabel Serna and Juan Franky Location: Hollywood, Florida Size: 1600 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned Isabel and Juan share this Florida home with a cute Frenchie dog named Charlie (who, as you’ll be able to tell from the photos, is very much the king of the house).

Name: Silvia Location: London Size: 710 square feet Years lived in: Owned 1 year For years, Silvia worked with a top minimalist-leaning Italian architect, so when she and her boyfriend bought this two-bedroom apartment in North London a year ago, she knew she “wanted to create a minimal and calm interior, without being too cold.

Name: Margaret Scholley Location: Bangalow, Australia Size: 1453 square feet Years lived in: Owned 7 years Margaret Scholley has been designing residential interiors for over 20 years in Australia, founding Alida & Miller Interior Design, an impressive firm that takes on design and styling projects around the world. In 2013, her daughter Kit (see her house tour!) joined her, and they’re now a mother daughter design duo focusing on interior styling and staging in the Byron Bay hinterland.

Name: Kit Alida Bettison with husband and kids Location: Bangalow, Australia Size: 2368 square feet Years lived in: Owned 3 years Inspired by expansive, light-filled industrial-style New York lofts and the free-wheeling bohemian vibes of the 1970s, this house in Australia is a maximalist’s dream. It’s the home of Kit Alida Bettison and her husband, who have lived in the home for three years, after building it four years ago.

Not exactly known for her minimalist views on decor, Jen's holiday-ready home—and over 100 Christmas trees—is cheery enough to brighten even the biggest Grinch's day!

Name: Victoria Harrison Location: England, UK Size: 2 bedroom, semi­-detatched bungalow Years lived in: 3 years Victoria, the interiors writer, editor and stylist behind Style Made Simple, bought her 1970s English bungalow in 2014. Nestled on what Victoria describes as a “friendly street in a pretty village,” her cozy home is located in the picturesque countryside of England.

Name: Courtney Webster and Brandon Aguiar Location: Providence, Rhode Island Size: 950 square feet Years Lived In: 1.5 years, rent Courtney Webster (who’s behind the lifestyle blog jeune amour) and her artist husband Brandon Aguiar fell in love with this Providence apartment’s 15-foot high white walls, giant loft windows, exposed brick and the open living space.

Name: Kari Lopez and Vien Do Location: East Village, Manhattan Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned Kari and Vien moved up a few floors recently. First, the couple lived in a studio apartment on the third floor of this building for about a year and half. But now they occupy a light-filled one-bedroom unit on the 12th floor (with a balcony!).

Name: Melissa Morgan Location: Pleasanton, California Size: 380 square feet Years lived in: Renting 4 years Melissa’s been renting this tiny 380-square-foot rental for four years — a long time to try and squeeze your life and stuff in just one room. Does she ever get sick of small space living? “All the time!” she admits. “At least a few times a week I crave more space to have a sofa, a bigger bathroom to take a bath, and a bigger kitchen to cook anything I want.

Name: Michelle and Alex Gage Location: Havertown, Pennsylvania Size: 2000 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned “Everything needed to go!” That’s how interior designer Michelle Gage describes the Havertown house she and her husband bought three years ago. Because it’s in the suburbs, they were able to get more for their money — 2000 square feet — but Michelle reports that though large, it was, well, hideous. And she means all of it.

Name: Claire and Kasey Location: Mission District, San Francisco Size: 675 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting Claire and Kasey chose this apartment because of the light; it’s warm and abundant. “When we came to look at the listing it was mid-day and I didn’t have to do more than open the front door to know that I wanted to live here.