Name: Alison Gilbert, Jon Polikowski (+ kids Ruby and Noah and dog Baxter St. James) Location: Mount Washington — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,456 square feet Years lived in: Owned 4 years With two 5-year-old twins and a peppy pupster (Mr. Baxter St. James, if you please), it’s a wonder how Alison and Jon flawlessly renovated their Los Angeles post & beam home in just two years.

Name: Kristy Degina Location: Hollywood, California Size: 550 square feet Years lived in: Renting 4 years Kristy is a merchandising manager at Crate & Barrel Beverly Hills who shares her Hollywood studio apartment with two cuddly canine roommates. She’s made the most of her small space by incorporating big, bold statement pieces into a minimal black-and-white color palette.

Name: Matt Casper and Ted Dorsey Location: Echo Park — Los Angeles, California Size: 2,132 square feet Years lived in: 6 years, owned Going to a dinner party at Matt and Ted’s is probably the grown-up equivalent of going to Disneyland. While their dining room alone makes the Haunted Mansion look like child’s play, every room in the house possesses its own unique design that feels both sophisticated and fun.

Name: Darien Zannis and Matt Johnson, and Rescue’s (Mick) Jagger, Wile E. (Coyote), and Stevie (Nicks). Location: Culver City, California Size: 3,000 square feet Years Lived In: 2 years, renting While parking is a luxury for most Californians, Culver City residents Darien and Matt have no trouble finding a spot very, very close to home. Yes, the couple (and their three adorable rescue pups) cohabitate with their cars…many cars.

Name: Lake Sharp, husband Alex, and two-year-old Nevada Location: Highland Park — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,406 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, owned Lake Sharp is a skilled maker whose hand-thrown pottery, micro-batch textile goods, and exterior and interior design services comprise her business Array. In addition to being a kick-ass artist, she recently co-founded the “friendly, radically inclusive neighborhood gym and wellness center” EVERYBODY.

Name: Julie and Matt Stephenson Location: Culver City, California Size: 2900 square feet Years Lived In: 6 months, owned It’s no secret that sticking to a minimal color palette can help create a sense of order and cohesiveness in design. Inspired by the stark and minimal styles found in Brutalist architecture and Icelandic design, homeowners Matt and Julie fully committed to a strict black-and-white color scheme and it definitely paid off.

Name: Courtney Gallagher and family Location: Riverside, California Size: 1252 square feet Years Lived In: 3 years, owned What started as a mild mid-century modern obsession has turned into a full-blown side hustle for mother and resident MCM expert Courtney Gallagher, She uses her successful Etsy furniture store, Not Another Mod Snob, as an excuse to rotate new vintage pieces in and out of her family’s 1951 ranch-style home in Riverside, California.

Name: Melissa Hon Tsai and Gary Tsai Location: South Pasadena, California Size: 3,101 square feet Years Lived In: 1 year, owned Melissa Hon Tsai is an interior designer and architect who favors a modern, minimal aesthetic. But when she designed and built her family’s three-bedroom home from the ground up, she had to marry her own modern taste with her neighborhood’s mid-century modern appeal.

Name: Denise and Andy Palma (+ kids Layla, Hailey, Lily and Mia) Location: Huntington Beach, California Size: 1,289 square feet Years Lived In: 3.5 years, owned Entrepreneur and design guru Denise Palma’s happy Huntington Beach home is everything sunny California dreams are made of. Denise, who shares her home with her husband Andy and four girls Layla, Hailey, Lily, and Mia, first launched her beloved boho home goods site Eclectic Goods last summer to the internet’s delight.

Roommates Noël and Giselle have created a home that celebrates creativity.

Name: Melissa Sonico, husband Johnny, and son Harrison Location: Redlands, California Size: 1,100 square feet Years Lived In: 2.5 years, renting Writer and jewelry designer Melissa Sonico and her husband Johnny moved in to their two-bedroom home just before their son Harrison (now two years old) was born.

Name: Emily Schuman, husband Geoffrey and daughter Sloan Location: Hancock Park — Los Angeles, California Size: 2,000 square feet Years Lived In: 4 years, owned Cupcakes and Cashmere founder Emily Schuman’s Los Angeles home is the perfect representation of her brand’s signature California cool aesthetic.

Name: Hilde Leiaghat Location: Los Feliz — Los Angeles, California Size: 2000 square feet Years Lived In: 23 years, owned Linen designer Hilde Leiaghat’s effortlessly romantic home is full of artifacts and antiques reminiscent of her time spent scouring the local Belgian flea markets as a young girl.

A free-spirit at heart, her adventurous background in backpacking and love for travel seems to have oozed from her soul and spilled out onto every surface of her vibrant home.

Name: Dave and Vivian Kania Location: Lake Arrowhead, California Size: 632 square feet Years Lived In: 6 months, owned When it came time for Vivian and Dave Kania to buy a house, it’s no wonder the creative couple chose to retreat to the charming mountain town of Lake Arrowhead.

Name: Malik and Abbie Naber Location: Cardiff by the Sea, California Size: 1,800 square feet Rent or Own: Own When Abbie Naber and her husband Malik moved into their home just two short years ago, it was a forgotten stucco’d-over mid-century ranch home in need of some love.

Name: Katie Zamprioli Location: Sunland-Tujunga, California Size: 1,222 square feet Years Lived In: 1 year, owned Katie Zamprioli (or @katiemackmusic as she’s known on Instagram) didn’t set out to make her home Insta-famous, but once she began posting photos of her candy-colored desert-meets-jungle interior, the fans came pouring in. In just one year she has transformed her Los Angeles-area home into a fully decorated oasis, where every inch is worth a closer look.

Name: Morgan Parker and dog Shirley Location: Los Angeles, California Size: 1000 square feet Years Lived In: 1.5 years, renting Award-winning poet Morgan Parker is the honest and powerful voice behind “There Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyoncé,” “Other People’s Comfort Keeps Me Up At Night,” and her most recent poetry collection “Magical Negro” (out February 5th).

Name: Erika Carlock, and fiancé Joe Location: Los Angeles, California Size: 1,150 square feet Years Lived In: 5 years, renting Blogger and designer Erika Carlock has made a name for herself on Instagram with her love of bright and poppy pastels. The interior of her Los Angeles rental apartment, which she shares with her fiancé Joe, is filled with colorful accessories and dozens of plants to match her dreamy, jungle-y feed.

Name: Liz and Josh Carey (+ 3 human children and 2 canine children) Location: Santa Clarita, California Size: 2,400 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, rented Liz and Josh, owners of the well-being shop Mascot, are the youthful heads of a full household. With three children ranging from 14 to 22 years-old and two lively pups, there’s a lot of activity and a lot of opinions to consider.

Name: Casey Anderson Location: Highland Park; Los Angeles, California Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Owned With a penchant for unconventional activities (read: dodgeball and tap dancing), and an affinity for Spielberg-ian extraterrestrials, it goes without saying that Casey is one rad kindergarten teacher.

Name: Ben Lee and Vivian Ritchie Handler Location: Los Feliz; Los Angeles, California Size: 2,100 square feet Years lived in: Almost 2 years; Owned Ben and Viv’s ‘70s-inspired home appears to jut out above the narrow streets in the hills of the Los Feliz with confidence. From the outside, the seemingly modest, stream-lined house offers a unique view of the city, including the Griffith Observatory.

Name: Carla Location: Historic downtown; Los Angeles, California Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; Rented You may think living in the heart of a major metropolitan city would be stressful, but Carla proves adapting to city life can be surprisingly serene. Living in a small, but airy studio in Downtown Los Angeles, she resides four floors above the streets and rides her bike to work, successfully avoiding the “joys” of traffic.

Name: Samantha Schulz and Christa Schulz Location: West Hollywood; Los Angeles, California Size: 2 bedroom, 1 bath Years lived in: 1 year, Rented The minute I walked into Sam and Christa’s gorgeous Spanish Deco-style apartment, I felt as though I were visiting a couple old friends. First of all, it is clear they are old friends themselves, a rare and inspiring quality to find in a mother-daughter pair.

Name: Melinda and Mark Fay Location: Eagle Rock; Los Angeles, California Size: 1,800 square feet Years lived in: 16 years; owned Melinda Fay, owner of Good Eye Gallery in Eagle Rock, has a background in therapy and finds the act of curating spaces deeply beneficial to her well-being. Her ability to refine and curate her family’s extensive collection of art is nothing short of impressive.

Name: Logan Sommers Location: Los Feliz — Los Angeles, CA Size: 400 square feet With an eye for detail, visual display artist and former New Yorker Logan Sommers has outfitted his cozy studio apartment with panache. He currently resides in Los Feliz, one of the few quaint and walkable communities situated in the heart of the sprawling expanse that is Los Angeles.

Name: Cat and Alex Location: Downtown; Los Angeles, California Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented Cat Li is in the business of fashion, and she doesn’t leave her keen sense of style at the office. Her open and airy fifth floor loft is situated in the center of the bustling city and feels effortlessly cool. Minimal yet striking decor in a cohesive palette of blacks, whites, and metals makes bold pieces feel sophisticated yet casual.

Name: Katie Costick and Andrew Nielson Location: Boyle Heights — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,300 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Our lovely homeowner Katie hails from “across the pond,” and she’s styled her East Los Angeles home with the sophistication and refinement often associated with her English roots.

Name: Lauren, Danny and their dogs, Mr. Belvedere and Junebug Location: Mount Washington — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; Rented Salon owners Lauren and Danny’s comfy cottage is like the brick-and-mortar equivalent of a breath of fresh air. High ceilings and interesting, multi-level mid-century architecture allow natural light to flood in from every direction, bouncing off the simple white walls.

Name: Fay Wolf Location: Silver Lake — Los Angeles, California Size: 660 square feet Years lived in: 4 years; Rented Apartment Therapy’s resident organizational expert Fay Wolf is living proof that being highly organized doesn’t have to mean being sterile and rigid.

Name: Travis and Jessica Kiger and their two children Location: Fullerton, California Size: 2,400 square feet Years lived in: 6 years; Owned Jessica and Travis’s charming 2-story home is a historic Southern California landmark—built in 1923—that looks as though its roots are deep-seated in a Grimm fairytale.

Name: Gary and Chelsey Knight and their cats, Scout, Boo, Atticus, and Ella Fitzgerald Location: Astoria, New York Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented Musicians Gary and Chelsey Knight’s open and airy Astoria flat boasts two features that many big city apartments lack: natural light and space.

Name: James and Kelsea Gaynor and their roommate, Bridget Murphy Location: Harlem — New York City, NY Size: 2 bedroom, 2 bath Years lived in: 1 year; Rented It’s hard to believe that newlyweds Kelsea—owner of East Olivia Creative Company—and James only recently moved into their Harlem apartment after relocating from Los Angeles. Their gorgeous fifth floor, two-story flat (complete with a rooftop patio!) feels just lived-in enough to be cozy and inviting.

Name: John and Laura Frame Location: Wrightwood, California Size: 2,500 square feet Years lived in: 30 years; Owned I’m a fan of sculpting mastermind John Frame, so touring his home was an honor, which makes it difficult for me to write this feature without giving you an essay-style rundown of his poignant, otherworldly carvings and stop-motion animations.

Name: Lenora Elizabeth Curbo Location: Northeast Los Angeles, California Size: 1,150 square feet; 2 bedroom/2 bath Years lived in: 2 years; Rented It’s hard to imagine a spot as serene as Elizabeth’s rustic bungalow existing mere minutes from Downtown Los Angeles. Her sweet 1920s home is nestled in the hills of El Sereno, an up-and-coming suburb of Los Angeles, and feels like a secret mountain retreat amidst the hustle and bustle of the city.

Name: Katy Goodman and Todd Wisenbaker Location: Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; rented So having 15 guitars may not sound minimal, but I’m convinced indie rockers Katy Goodman and Todd Wisenbaker of the band La Sera are nailing efficient living.

It’s no secret Katy Goodman and Todd Wisenbaker of the band La Sera have style. Just like their guitar-filled Silver Lake home, their fashion choices are fueled by carefree living and an insatiable love of music. They share one small bedroom closet and a modest-sized dresser, and while neither storage device is bursting at the seams, the couple’s daily fashion choices are anything but lackluster.

Name: Sheeva Sairafi Location: Los Angeles, California Size: 3 bedroom/2 bathroom Years lived in: Owned 1 year Sheeva Sairafi’s bright and colorful Spanish Colonial style home reflects her inspiring vision for making a global impact. In 2014 Sheeva left a coveted corporate retail position to start her own socially conscious global home decor company, Local + Lejos.

Name: Caroline and Jayden Lee Location: Atwater Village — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: Rented 2.5 years Caroline and Jayden are the hard-working dynamic duo behind Woodnote Photography and Coco Carpets, two companies that combine a love for travel with an eye for all things beautiful.

Name: Megan Jorgensen Location: Highland Park — Los Angeles, California Size: 2 bedroom Years lived in: Rented 6 months Megan Jorgensen is an artist whose carefully edited collection of unconventional knick knacks has followed her from Minneapolis to California and everywhere in between. From antique tools to mini figurines—and her own paintings and textiles—her artistic assortment is displayed throughout her home in thoughtful vignettes.

Caroline Lee is the founder of perhaps the most fun rug retailer in the world, Coco Carpets. She lives with her husband Jayden in the charming Los Angeles suburb of Atwater Village and boasts a wardrobe that is as colorful as her rugs and as vibrant as her personality. We coaxed the carefree Caroline into sharing some of her favorite wardrobe staples, which are helpful reminders that work and play do not have to be mutually exclusive. Your very favorite outfit:: Most often found in?

We recently featured artist Megan Jorgenson‘s peaceful Bohemian home, which she shares with her roommate Leah, and fell in love with her style. Just like her home, her outfits are artfully composed and timeless in their aesthetic. Classic shapes from a variety of decades combine with killer color combinations to create a look that follows no rules yet is distinctly Megan.

Name: Alyssa Valentine Location: Echo Park — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,414 square feet Years lived in: Owned 7 years Alyssa works in real estate and it’s no surprise she’s staged her share of interiors. Her natural knack for tastefully blending a variety of styles to give rooms a unique personality is hard to match. Her bright and cheery home, which she shares with her husband and two children, feels both comfortable and refined, with a touch of whimsy.

Name: Joanna, Audie and son Arlo Location: Silver Lake —Los Angeles, California Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: Renting less than a year Joanna and Audie’s charming 1920s bungalow trades indoor space for a large, private yard (something of a unicorn in the bustling hillside neighborhood of Silver Lake).

Name: Alison, Bob, and Angus Masey Location: Highland Park — Los Angeles, California Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 5 years; rented Alison and Bob’s mini Craftsman may be petite, but it’s loaded with warm and fuzzy anecdotes. Whether given or found on the side of the road, every single item inside seems to have fatefully found its way there without being sought out, and each one with a great story to boot.

Name: Chrissy Phelan Location: West Hollywood, California Size: 1,300 square feet Years lived in: Renting 7 years Hair stylist Chrissy Phelan’s knack for styling goes beyond the buzzes and fades she crafts in her small in-home salon. While she’s lived in her West Hollywood house for seven years, a recent self-motivated design overhaul has given the home a fresh feel, complete with a new light-filled salon room and tons of vintage-eclectic character.

Name: Marni Epstein-Mervis and Laine Mervis (and Fitz the corgi) Location: Highland Park — Los Angeles, California Size: 570 square feet Years lived in: Rented, 1 year Marni and Laine’s mini one-bedroom apartment is the physical manifestation of their perfectly complementary marriage. Marni is eclectic and Laine is minimal. Marni runs a creative agency (STRUKTR), while Laine practices law in the city. Marni tends to collect, while Laine is really good at, well, not collecting.

Name: Kim Mahair Location: West Hollywood, California Size: 500 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting Kim Mahair is a food photographer and stylist who was given “first dibs” on her West Hollywood studio apartment after her friend, the home’s previous tenant, moved out. Years of actively coveting the petite studio’s dreamy french windows and charming details paid off.