Caitlyn Cartlidge

Name: Caitlyn Cartlidge Location: Frederick, Maryland Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned This house was a dump when I bought it. Stained wall-to-wall carpet and garish high-gloss paint, zero appliances in the kitchen, missing most of its doorknobs, and with a barely usable bathroom whose walls matched the color of the anti-freeze in the pipes pretty well.

Name: Anna Saffer and Clementine the cat Location: Mt. Vernon — Baltimore, Maryland Size: 450 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting At only 450 square feet, it takes some flexibility to make this small space (an apartment carved from a historical Mt. Vernon townhouse) work. Somehow, Anna has managed to do that, despite several space challenges — like the kitchen being too small for the refrigerator.

A lot fits into this 550 square foot Philly rental: a drool-worthy fireplace, brick walls, hip furniture and tons of plants.

Name: Annie and Rush Location: Prince George’s County, Maryland Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: Owned 1.5 years I was lucky to visit Annie and Rush’s house, in the suburbs of Washington, DC, on an unseasonably warm day. Somehow I felt like I’d been there before, maybe because of the sun, or the cat walking in and out, or the comedic absurdism of a bright blue, stuffed shark toy resting on an old Eames lounger.

Clever, retro-industrial style mixes with the picturesque Gothic style of this late 19th century row house that was converted into apartments.

Name: Alisa Rabinovich and Jared Thomson Location: Arlington, Virginia Size: 900 square feet Lived in: Seven months; Rented Alisa and Jared haven’t lived in their apartment very long, but nevertheless, the small space has years of history inside. Alisa, owner of Fleurs Boutique in Arlington, has collected art, textiles, antique furniture, and lots and lots of books from all over Europe and the United States.

Name: Francina and Joe Baldi Location: Frederick, Maryland Size: 1,800 square feet Years lived in: 34 years; Owned Built around 1900, Francina and Joe Baldi’s townhouse has no doubt been through many transformations over the years. The couple have been through a few renovations themselves, but they have been careful to preserve as many of the original features of the house as they could, from the second stair in the kitchen to the thoughtfully embellished door hardware.

Name: Sophia and Sebastian Black Location: Washington DC Size: 3,000 square feet Years lived in: 28 years owned The Blacks have the type of house that engages even the passersby. Sophia and Sebastian built their house in the late eighties on a beautiful and coveted piece of land overlooking a valley; the house itself has as much artfulness as the spaces inside. [Even while I was there for this house tour, two pedestrians happened to stop and tell the homeowners how much they loved the house!

Name: Emily and Alex Champagne Location: Hamilton; Baltimore, Maryland Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 15 months; Owned This young newlywed couple’s craftsman home radiates with endearing energy, even before stepping through the front door. Emily, an artist and educator, and Alex, a musician and co-founder of Scenic Route Records, have painted their home with small bits of themselves.