Rachel has been renting this small Portland for three years and has DIYed quite a bit in the space. She refinished furniture, made a pendant light, and even created mirrors, too.

After home flippers “made literally everything gray” in Mary and her husband’s quintessential 1959 mid-century modern home, they brought it back to life with color, retro-patterned wallpaper, and cheerful vintage pieces.

Kalin Stovall “could talk about curtains all day,” and each room of the three-bedroom apartment she shares with her family “has a different combination of curtain length, fabric, and header.”

Writer Elisabeth Edelman bought this 750-square-foot condo in Richmond, Virginia five years ago, and she shaped the space to “highlight the century-old charm while creating a luxe feel.”

“I am often torn between maximalism and minimalism, and my apartment definitely straddles the two,” writes Lake Buckley, who describes her home’s style as “California New Wave or Brooklyn Beach House.”

This 675-square-foot Barcelona apartment is filled with secondhand gems and a great IKEA hacked coffee table.

Hannah Deau’s rental apartment has envy-inducing architectural features like a brick wall, high ceilings, French doors, Spanish tiles, and around 20 plants.

Manon found this tiny boat on Dutch eBay. “I figured it's better than renting an expensive apartment, and it would be a great adventure!”

When Sin Ying Tracy Leung first bought this small apartment, it was “old, dull, and lifeless,” but three years later it’s now a colorful, playful, eclectic, and warm home.

This Seattle apartment was once a "builder-grade blank canvas" until this couple made their mark on the space.

"It may seem a bit cluttered to some, but I love it!" exclaims Melanie, who shares this tiny studio with her cute cat. "Maximalism isn't for everyone, but I keep it clean!"

Rhea knows a thing or two about living in a small space; she’s made a stylish but functional home in this 420-square-foot studio apartment.

This cinematographer’s 700-square-foot apartment stuns with brick details, warm paint colors, and a double drenched pink bedroom.

Rosalind and her family undertook a “tip to toe renovation, reconfiguring many of the rooms and adding a kitchen/diner extension” in this London house.

It's the mix that makes this apartment so interesting, like a vintage sideboard, vinyl records, and eclectic art pieces.

Juan De Anda “built shelves into the awkward spaces in walls, had custom storage seating made to measure, and even turned hinged doors into sliding barn doors.”

Grace loves her sofa. ”The end tables can become stools and there's a secret compartment in the corner.”

This mid-century modern house by renowned builder John Burrows was practically perfect, albeit dated, when Laura and Erick purchased it.

“I bought this house right after COVID when the housing marketing was tough to find a good house and for a good price. There just wasn’t enough homes, and you had to go above and beyond the asking price to even be considered. I waited six months!” begins James Bryan, also known as That Halloween Bro (he also has a YouTube channel).“However, a friend of a friend let me know she was selling her townhouse and knew I was looking.

Esther has poured her soul into this little apartment by “planning, painting, and installing cabinets, shelves, and a finicky wall desk.”

There are no design rules in this townhome, instead, the renters “embrace whimsy and comfort, crafting a playful atmosphere that invites creativity and conversation.”

This historic loft came with restrictions on paint and remodeling, so this renter “embraced creative, nonpermanent solutions, like playing with textures, statement pieces, and utilizing the built-in shelving to craft a homey atmosphere without altering the architecture.”

Los Angeles-based writer, comedian, and actor Christina Anthony turned a “small and simple” studio apartment into a “cozy, colorful, vintage, and dreamy home.”

Rachel Schwartzmann, the author of “Slowing,” lets her Brooklyn Brownstone’s historic details — like moldings, wood floors, and fireplace — shine thanks to her minimal decor style.

Greer is a graphic designer and has filled her home with artful, meaningful pieces that inspire her work.

These Parisians used color to transform their Lisbon apartment, and now it has cozy and comfortable English cottage vibes.

It’s taken Hollie just over a year to design her colorful and maximalist rental home.

The warm and artsy home also has high ceilings and an open floor plan.

It’s not hyperbole to say that I’ve been completely in love with this fabric designer’s home since the moment I saw it.

Including wood floors with a patterned inlay, antique glass doors with brass hardware, arched doorways, intricate moldings, cast iron radiators, and a mauve-tiled fireplace.

Designer and author Nasozi Kakembo completed a renter- and budget-friendly DIY in nearly every room of this “white and beige box” townhouse to transform it into a cozy and beautiful home.

Salome Mergia's Upper West Side studio was furnished a lot from places like Housing Works, Salvation Army, Goodwill, and other vintage spots.

After decluttering and downsizing, Matthew Jeffers embraced this small studio’s natural flow to create a personal retreat — what he calls “functional tranquility.”

Mauriel Davis considers herself a “city homesteader” not just for her apartment’s rustic “farmhouse-chic” look, but also because of the scratch-made meals and homemade bar soap she whips up in the kitchen.

Tour this eclectic and contemporary New Jersey apartment with lots of color and pattern.

Mother Spooky Witch transformed this formerly basic Austin house into a modern and gothic home.

Now this family of four’s house has an industrial modern style with a “dash of moodiness and a whole lot of color.”

Apartment Therapy’s video producer Margaret and her husband, Alex, have made a dreamy, cozy home for their two young daughters in this small Washington Heights apartment.

Shaped like a “T” and with original picture molding lining the hallway, this NYC rental apartment has a “modern folk, moody modernism” vibe.

Jasmine Espinoza actually grew up in this building and was able to get a deal on this small but cozy studio apartment: $1,500-a-month rent!

Natalie, her wife, and their dog have moved eight times within the last 12 years, but I feel like this beautiful small studio might be their home for a while.

The large bay window and the flood of natural light immediately sold Emily and her partner, Andrew, on this 700-square-foot Los Angeles house.

After El lost her husband, she fell out of love with this house. “What started off as a small project to take my mind off my grief turned into a passion and a love of painting and color!”

This Arizona native lucked out with this rental dream spot: a 1920s Spanish duplex with a private patio, an avocado and lime tree, and an original fireplace mantel.

Sydney Fazende says it took a lot of trial and error with furniture arrangements (and custom pieces) to maximize her small SoHo apartment.