Lauren Kolyn

See inside this Ontario house that’s been renovated inside and out by the owners of the colorful vintage shop, Rainbows and Retro.

"This process can be an emotional one, but also brings clarity and perspective through our attachment to certain objects, memories, and spaces," says photographer Lauren Kolyn.

Fairy tales, period dramas, and fantasy novels have all lent imagination to this space. "I feel inspired among rich jewel tones like emerald green and plum, and have put up a fairy light canopy in every place I’ve lived — I like to make my inner child happy!" exclaims Lauren Park, who shares this home with partner, Kevin, and their two cats.

Momina and her husband, Ali, moved into this Toronto townhouse at the start of the pandemic and spent A LOT of time at home. Since then, they have been spending their time slowly and intentionally customizing their space.

Janelle and Spencer's apartment is in an old Victorian house (built in 1883!) that’s been broken out into units. Their space has a ton of character, including original molding and ceiling medallions, chandeliers in every room (even the kitchen and bathrooms), a working fireplace, a large verandah, and big, lovely bay windows not overlooking someone else’s condo balcony.

Content creator Luna Lindsay has DIYed and painted her rental apartment into a pastel palace... and recently launched a hand-poured pastel candle business called Moonwix.

If you imagine that being a furniture designer means you get to be surrounded by your own gorgeous modern work, you'd be right.

Anyone who's been captivated by the current checkerboard trend will fall head over heels for this Toronto rental apartment's original black and white checkered kitchen floor.

Like installing pink peel and stick backsplash tiles, replacing fixtures and hardware such as handles, light switches, faucets, and more!

Taking the renovation process room by room, Vanessa and Félix have transformed the space into a warm — and very pink! — abode that reflects their bright and fun-loving personalities.

Interior designer Michelle Martel remodeled this 1904 Victorian fixer-upper, and it's gorgeous!

Name: Tucker Howe, Adam Hyndman and their dog, Teddy Location: Bed-Stuy — Brooklyn, New York Size: The entire apartment: 1,000 square feet; the bedroom and common areas that Tucker and Adam share: approximately 500 square feet Years lived in: 9 months; Rented Earlier this fall, we got a glimpse into Tucker and Adam’s space through their House Call. Tucker is a fashion stylist and recently started a furniture design company called SCOUT.

Name: Melissa and Sonny Location: Trent Hills; Ontario, Canada Size: 1,700 square feet on 5 acres Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Melissa never imagined that she’d trade in the bustling city life of Toronto for a homestead in the countryside. However, a few years ago the desire for more space and a slower pace of life crept in, so Melissa and her husband Sonny moved their lives 1.5 hours east of Toronto to the rolling hills of Trent Hills, Ontario.

Émilie and her daughter Brook have shared this 700-square-foot apartment for a year.

Name: Andrew Stelmack Location: Toronto, Canada Size: 725 square feet Years lived in: Owned 5 years Andrew is a professional actor (both on screen and stage), visual artist and writer. However, it is his visual art that now takes up most of his time. To accommodate his creativity, he moved into this live/work space five years ago.

It's filled with art, plants and micro shrimp.

Bright colors, textiles, and tons of art fill Joanna Anastasia's Montreal family home.

Rachel Jones is a designer who launched an underwear line, JONESY, in 2015. We recently toured the home that she shares with her husband and fellow creative mind, Adam. We are often curious to take a deeper look into the personal style of the people whose homes we feature and explore how these two aesthetics overlap or remain distinct from one another.

Name: Lauren and Dylan Location: Cabbagetown — Toronto, Canada Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; owned Lauren, Marketing Director at Spacing Magazine, and Dylan’s home is nestled on a small, tree-lined street in Toronto’s historic Cabbagetown neighborhood, an area known for having the largest collection of designated heritage homes in North America. Lauren, Dylan, and Dylan’s brother Chris have spent the past three years renovating this 1904 Victorian home.

Name: Tim Tripp and his dog, Sebastian Location: Toronto; Ontario, Canada Size: 1,150 square feet Years lived in: 11 years; Owned For as long as he can remember, Tim has had an interest in collecting things. His passion for the history of decor and design is present throughout his space, whether it’s embodied by an Art Deco piece of furniture, dinnerware from the mid-20th century, or vintage telephones.

Name: Chris Collie Location: Cabbagetown; Toronto, Canada Size: 600 square feet (but feels like 1000!) Years lived in: 2+ years; Owned We recently toured Lauren and Dylan’s Historic Split Apartment in Toronto’s east end. Lauren, Dylan, and Dylan’s brother, Chris, share this Victorian home, which they’ve split into two entirely distinct spaces.

Name: Melinda Josie and Wesley Doerksen and their cat, Malkmus Location: The Junction; Toronto, Ontario Size: 1,000 square feet Years Lived In: 1 ¼ years; Rented Upon entering this home you immediately feel like you’ve been transported to a cabin in the woods. On a quiet street in Toronto just west of downtown, the couple have managed to cultivate a quaint and cozy environment inspired by their love for the outdoors.

Name: Michael Fiset with pets Dog: Josephine; Cat: Leopold (orange one); Cat: Ouski (grey one) Location: Parc Extension; Montréal, Canada Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: Rented 2 1/2 years Mike’s home is filled with stories and intent; virtually every item he owns has significance, purpose or is connected to an adventure or inspiration.

Name: Edmund Lam, Heidi Donnelly and Arthur (2 years old) Location: Montreal-West; Canada Size: 2,500 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Sometimes it can be difficult to make the transition from downtown living to the suburbs, but when you luck out on a space to call home that screams your name (and meets your budget) you leave running! This is essentially what happened to Edmund and Heidi a little over two years ago.

Name: Dana Haddad Location: Corktown, Toronto Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: Owned 1 year For as long as she can remember, Dana has had a love for interiors and is known for decorating (and redecorating!) her space. Not expecting to move to Toronto’s East End or to purchase a condo, after walking into this space and seeing the trees in the distance she was sold!

Name: Jil and Jeff Location: Leslieville — Toronto, Canada Size: 1,250 square feet Years lived in: Owned 2 years Originally from the Canada’s East Coast, Jil and Jeff moved to Toronto in pursuit of career opportunities. They brought along not only their friendly character and Maritime hospitality but also many treasures, such as old barn ladders, driftwood and antiques.

Name: Sydney Krause and Fabrice Bouty Location: Plateau — Montreal, Canada Size: 1,147 square feet Years lived in: Owned 4 years Sydney and Fabrice are a perfect example of how two people with very distinct personal styles can cultivate a harmonized and well-designed home. Fabrice is originally from France and gravitates towards more classic design while Sydney enjoys color, unique lighting and a good vintage find! When Sydney moved in a few years ago, the place was entirely different.

Name: Caitlyn Murphy Location: Trinity Bellwoods — Toronto, Canada Size: 600-ish square feet Years lived in: Rented 6.5 years Caitlyn is a visual artist living and working in Toronto. She moved to the city nearly a decade ago, landing herself a one-bedroom apartment within a short distance from the art school she was attending.

Name: Juliana Ciccarelli Location: Toronto, Canada Size: 715 square feet Years lived in: Owned 2 years Within moments of first entering her loft, Juliana knew this space would be her first home. Conveniently located within a part of the city where she works and plays, Juliana has spent the past two years slowly and consciously designing her home. Undoubtedly, its selling feature is the over-20-foot windows that pour light into the space and offer a view of the city.

Name: Adam Kuhn Location: Little Italy — Toronto, Canada Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: Rented 3 years Finding an apartment in Toronto is no easy feat, so when Adam stumbled upon this gem in Little Italy he was ecstatic and relieved to have finally found a place to call home in the city. One of his favorite things about the neighborhood is the mix of dwellers from renters, owners and families — all folks that say hello to one another on the street.

Name: Jill and Warren Location: Roncesvalles — Toronto Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: Renting 4 months As soon as Jill and Warren stepped into their new loft, they were sold! Moving from a newer condo in the downtown core, this space – with a good story and some history behind it – really appealed to them. Initially from the West End, Jill knew the charm of the neighborhood and has now introduced Warren to a new part of the city.

Name: Kirsten White, Darcy Killeen and Brydie Killeen Location: Dufferin Grove — Downtown Toronto Size: 2,300 square feet Years lived in: 16 years, owned It took over a decade for Kirsten and Darcy to begin their home renovations — other than a few fresh coats of paint. But when you’re a professional designer (and self-proclaimed perfectionist), “it was all worth the wait to achieve exactly what I had envisioned for the space,” explained Kirsten.

Name: Sara, Kyle, and Monty the dog Location: Forest Hill, Toronto Size: 750 square feet| Years lived in: Renting 10 months. (They lived in the one-bedroom unit directly next door for 5 years.) This space proves that we should never judge a home by its exterior. Built in the late 1960s by architect Uni Prii, this apartment building was described as “space age” by Spacing Toronto. However, Kyle and Sara have created a home that leans far more toward cozy vintage than futuristic.

Name: Joseph Luk Location: Downtown, Toronto Size: 550 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; owned Have you ever felt that your home has a dual personality depending on the time of day? The season? Joseph does. During the day, the space is bright, airy and open. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the city, giving the illusion that you’re in the clouds. Transitioning into the evening, the lighting is dim and moody — perfect for having a mellow night in.

Name: Terra Loire Location: Toronto, Ontario Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 8 months, renting After living in nine different spaces over the past eight years, Terra finally feels like she has found a home in her mid-town Toronto apartment. She’s definitely had her tour of living all over the city—east to west, centrally and along the lakeshore—experiencing many of Toronto’s diverse neighborhoods.

Name: Michael Berger Location: Hamilton — Ontario, Canada Size: 1,100 square feet Years Lived In: 2 months, renting When it comes to making the most of a new space with a small budget, Michael is a master. He completely transformed a dingy old rental apartment into an ’80s-inspired boho glam space for very little money! How was he able to pull off such a stylish feat? Patience, creative thinking, and killer thrift shopping skills.