Heather Keeling

The listing ad described the house as "needs a lot of TLC," but Erin and Ryan saw the property's potential.

Name: Alice Kendall Location: Wonderland Tattoo, SE Portland, Oregon Size: 1,300 square feet Years lived in: 5 months, renting Alice Kendall is one of the most sought-after tattoo artists in Portland. She opened her shop Wonderland in 2013, and quickly established her ranking as a top artist in one of the nation’s most inked cities.

This couple loved the original charm of the 1923 home, but knew they would need to be intentional to make the space work for their family of four.

After years of living life at a busy pace in San Diego, Liz and Andy were ready to slow down, both for themselves and for their two young daughters.

Name: Jessica Pezalla and Hazel the dog Location: Alphabet District — Portland, Oregon Size: 400 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting When Jessica Pezalla, an artist and designer who founded the creative studio Bramble Workshop, was looking for a new apartment last year, she wanted to live in an urban location and in a vintage building.

A fiber artist and a suit designer downsized from a three-bedroom house to a one-bedroom condo in a downtown Portland high-rise.

Name: Bonney Johnson and Lou Patrick, and son Hal Location: Arbor Lodge Neighborhood — Portland, Oregon Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, owned After living in a series of apartments in California that were that were sad, gray boxes, Bonney and Lou found a 1904 home to call their own in the Arbor Lodge neighborhood of North Portland, just a couple miles north of downtown.

Name: Andy Barlow, and his cat Cavanaugh Location: Eliot Neighborhood — Northeast Portland, Oregon Size: 850 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, renting Andy and his cat Cav live in one unit of a Portland duplex that was built in 1890 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Andy is a multi-talented real estate agent, freelance interior designer, and professional home-stager, who never thought that he would end up living in and loving a 127-year old home.

Name: Amanda and Courtney Sprinkling-Felt, and daughter Georgia Location: Stevenson, Washington Size: 1,800 square feet on 28 acres Years lived in: 1 year, owned When Courtney saw a foreclosure listing for a “retreat” on 28 acres in remote Stevenson, Washington, she thought it could be the perfect woodsy getaway for her family. She went to see the property that day…and discovered that it had been uninhabited for years and was in pretty bad shape.

Name: Deepali and Naveen Kalia, Annika, 8 and Akhil, 2 Location: Hillsboro, Oregon Size: 1,800 square feet Years lived in: 12 years, owned Deepali and Naveen began their life together in a traditionally Indian way — through an arranged marriage. She had just finished studying fashion design in India at NIFT, and moved to Oregon to join Naveen who works at Intel.

Name: Matt and Ali Murray, daughter Tennyson, 2, and Lucky, the Mini Aussie Location: Newberg, Oregon Size: 3,000 square feet Years lived in: Owned, 5.5 years Six years ago, Matt told Ali that he found their dream home in Newberg, a small town in Oregon’s wine country about an hour from Portland. They had previously lived together in downtown Portland, and later owned a house in a southwest suburb of the city…and weren’t actually in the market for a new home.

Name: David and Katy Kippen, and dogs Violet and Wally Location: Laurelhurst — NE Portland, Oregon Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 12 years, owned When Katy and David bought their 1922 Craftsman bungalow in Portland a dozen years ago, they visualized a place where they could enjoy privacy and calm, despite their home’s very urban location. With time and patience they have created their ideal space: modern, minimal and inspired by “nature, open spaces, and contrast.

These self-proclaimed "crazy cat people" joke that their biggest home challenge is "remembering that we don't actually own it." Click for the DIY kitty porch.

There's a tiki bar in the basement!

Name: Kami Gray, her husband Bryant and dogs Ben and George Location: Mt. Tabor Neighborhood — Southeast Portland, Oregon Size: 2,968 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years, owned Kami and Bryant started dating when they both lived on different floors of the same condo building. After falling in love, they decided to buy a house to live in together. They purchased a home on Mt.

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: Linda Derschang, and Jack the Westie Location: Belltown — Seattle, Washington Size: 1,523 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned Linda is a Seattle powerhouse. She is the force behind many of the city’s hippest bars and restaurants, and has designed her latest home, a modern condo in Belltown, with vintage finds, designer pieces, eclectic artwork, and a solid dose of ’70s glam.

Name: Angela and Wubbi the Bulldog Location: SE Portland, Oregon Size: 2,500 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned When Angela purchased her turn-of-the-century home, the kitchen was literally falling off the back of the house. “After moving in, I learned the original 1906 kitchen was moved from the center of the house onto the BACK PORCH! That little tidbit explained the slope of the kitchen floor! I had myself a genuine indoor/outdoor kitchen.

Just across the river from Portland, Rebekah and Larry found a warm and woodsy mid-century modern gem they now call home.

Name: Holly Schnackenberg and Dylan Sylwester Location: Sullivan’s Gulch — NE Portland, Oregon Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, rented Holly and Dylan live in what was originally the foyer, living room, dining room and kitchen of a 1907 home in Portland’s Sullivan’s Gulch neighborhood.

Name: Tim and Kelly Fischer Location: SE Portland, Oregon Size: 1,650 square feet Years lived in: Owned 4 years After making offers on six other houses in Portland’s competitive real estate market, Tim and Kelly and their nine-year-old twin daughters Isabelle and Olivia were thrilled to finally have a home to call their own.

Name: Audrey and Kevin McGill, sons Aidan (12) and Evan (10), and Charlotte the Yellow Lab Location: Lake Forest Park — Seattle, Washington Size: 2,240 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned When Audrey and Kevin moved their family across the country two years ago, they knew they wanted to live in a mid-century home. They found what they were looking for in a quiet, forested neighborhood just north of Seattle.

Name: Rachael Donaldson Location: St. John’s — Portland, Oregon Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 12 years, owned Rachael makes jewelry that transcends time and place. Her delicate pieces look like they could be worn by Cleopatra or a modern woman, and her home is equally inspiring. She is an avid collector of vintage furniture and objects — and has bought and sold both as a pastime and a profession.

Name: Judith Bigham and her daughter Idabelle, 18 Location: Madrona — Seattle, Washington Size: 1,650 square feet Years lived in: Rented, 2 years Judith Bigham‘s home in Seattle is layered with furniture, art, and treasures that she has spent decades lovingly collecting and creating. Judy is a painter, an interior designer, and a fun, fascinating person to talk with.

Name: Ana Nelson Location: Tacoma, Washington Size: 925 square feet Years lived in: Owned, 1 year Ana grew up working for her family’s event company, and has always loved vintage items, so when she set out to buy her first house, she knew she would be happiest living in a home from another era. At just 25, Ana purchased a small 1920s bungalow, and has spent the past year converting the home from a dark, run-down space into the bright, cheery cottage that it is today.

Name: Pamela Hill and Michael Castellon, their son Max, age 17, and dogs Bentley and Rosie Location: The Alphabet District — NW Portland, Oregon Size: 3,790 square feet Years lived in: Owned, 4 years When Pam and Michael purchased their 1906 historic home in one of Portland’s most desired neighborhoods, they knew they were signing up to tackle a huge project.

Name: Betsy Cross and Will Cervarich, with dogs Maurice and Gingham Location: St. John’s — Portland, Oregon Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: Owned, 1.5 years Betsy and Will live at the end of a quiet street in Portland’s St. John’s neighborhood. From the outside, their 1965 home looks modest and unassuming, but step inside, and you will find an interior that is modern, open and welcoming.

Name: Emily Kurzweil and Grady Jurrens, and Eva (6), Sam (3), Edie (3) and Juni the Boston Terrier Location: Laurelhurst Neighborhood — Portland, Oregon Size: 3,200 square feet Years lived in: Owned 5.5 years Emily and Grady moved from Chicago to Portland when their eldest child was just an infant. They wanted to be close to family, and bought their home in Portland’s historic Laurelhurst neighborhood with children in mind.

Name: Dave and Kelly Marie Thompson, and cats Bootleg and Tippie Location: Kilbourn Park — Chicago, Illinois Size: 1500 square feet Years lived in: Owned 3 years Kelly is the owner of Fleur, one of Chicago’s hippest flower shops, and Dave is a manager at the incomparable Chicago Athletic Association. Each of them are passionate about their work, and are dedicated to making their home a personal sanctuary where they can relax after their long days in the city.

Name: Trish Grantham and Rentz Leinbach, and Pablo the dog Location: Northeast Portland, Oregon Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: Renting 9 months From the moment you step into the foyer of Trish and Rentz’s home and find yourself surrounded by dark walls adorned with hand-painted gold tropical foliage, you know you’ve entered a unique space. Trish is an artist and interior designer, Rentz is a musician, and their home is colorful, fun, quirky and interesting, just like them.

Name: Kristen Siefkin and Ken “Zig” Naffziger, and their two Havanese, Zane and Ollie Location: Arbor Lodge Neighborhood, North Portland, Oregon Size: 2,800 square feet Years lived in: 2+ years, owned After years in a successful PR career, Kristen decided it was time to follow her dream of becoming an interior stylist.

Name: Sherri and Daniel, and their kids Bella, Vincent and Drake Location: Overlook Neighborhood — Portland, Oregon Size: 2,500 square feet Years lived in: 11 years; owned Sherri and Daniel both make beautiful things for a living, and their home is no exception. Though each brings their own aesthetic to the partnership, their family home feels cohesive, stylish and comfortable.

Name: Michele, Jeff and daughters Marlowe and Macie, 19 months Location: Northwest Portland, Oregon Size: 3,000 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; owned Jeff and Michele are both native Portlanders who met at a wedding in 2002. Five years after meeting, the couple bought their first home together, and just days after becoming homeowners, they started their first major renovation project.

Name: Irina and Daniel Schaffer, and kids Lily (7) and Milo (4) Location: Beaumont-Wilshire Neighborhood; Portland, Oregon Size: 1520 square feet Years lived in: 5 years; owned Irina and Daniel, their two young children Lily and Milo, and their rambunctious dog Oscar, live in a whimsically decorated old home in Northeast Portland.

Name: Penelope and Nathan Miller and their daughter, Bell Location: Alberta Arts District — Portland, Oregon Size: 2,100 square feet Years lived in: 6.5 years; Owned Penelope and Nathan have created a home for their family that is truly a reflection of themselves, where they’ve been, and what makes them feel good.

Name: Whitney Menefee and Ian Bailey Location: Northwest Portland, Oregon Size: 550 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented Whitney and Ian have nicely settled into life after university. They live in a gorgeous vintage apartment complex right in the heart of Portland, so they can walk to some of the city’s best shops and restaurants, and they both have great jobs close to where they love to live.