Liz Vidyarthi

Name: Andrew CorrieLocation: Shelter Island, New YorkSize: 2,400 sq. ft.Years lived in: 6 Andrew’s Shelter Island home has just weathered two storms – first, Hurricane Irene, and second, the constant motion of three children under the age of four. Yet between the casually simple style and the sweeping water views, the home feels tranquil, “part beach shack, part Scandinavian cottage.

Name: Lyndsay Caleo and Fitzhugh KarolLocation: Brooklyn, New YorkSize: 1,350 sq/ftYears lived in: 4 years, owned Lyndsay and Fitzhugh have always loved designing interiors. When the artistic couple graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design, they tackled their first joint project: their own home. Flooded with light and studded with rich woods and soft stone, the airy apartment feels like a summer cottage in the city.

Name: Gary and Ellen BriefelLocation: Brooklyn, New YorkSize: 1,500 sq/ftYears lived in: 6 months, owned For the Briefels, going green was a family affair. When Gary and Ellen returned to New York City after 35 years in the Maryland suburbs, they turned to their son David Briefel, a LEED accredited interior designer, to remodel their new Brooklyn apartment.

Name: Nick Cope and Rachel MoslerLocation: Brooklyn, New YorkSize: 2,200 sq/ftYears lived in: 1.5 years, rented This is green city living at its best: start with an airy apartment in a beautifully restored 19th century warehouse, and add a creative couple inspired by found objects. You get a clean, uncluttered space with rich historic details and unique handmade objects at every turn. (Image credit: Apartment Therapy)Mobile of vintage stereoscopic photos and wound-rattan fan.

Name: Cathy, Greg, Nick and Andrew Farrell Location: Keene Valley, New YorkSize: The two yurts are about 250 and 350 sq/ft each, on 100 acres of landYears lived in: 34 years, owned Thirty-four summers ago, Brooklyn dwellers Cathy and Greg Farrell gathered fifty of their closest friends in New York’s Adirondack Mountains to build a yurt, a flying saucer–like structure once reserved for nomads in Mongolia.

Name: Anil & ShannonLocation: New York CitySize: 655 square feetYears lived in: 5 years, owned How do you hide two bedrooms in a 655-square foot studio loft? With one Murphy bed in the living room and a second revealed by a sliding kitchen wall, which skims the floor on ceiling tracks. Moving a kitchen wall sounds daunting, but it’s actually quite simple. As seen in the photo above, just clear off the counter, scoot over the rolling kitchen table, and give it a tug.

Name: Adrian Jones and Allison SilvermanLocation: Williamsburg, BrooklynSize: 2,200 sq. feetYears lived in: 10 years total, 1 year since renovation After gut renovating the top floor of a dilapidated Brooklyn warehouse, theater set designer Adrian Jones had a great raw space: brick walls, loads of light, and views of the city. But the openness left the loft feeling cold, especially in winter.

Name: Lauren Yarmuth Location: New York CitySize: 400 sq/ftYears lived in: 2.5, owned Lauren’s 400-square-foot apartment was classic New York real estate: a sliver of space in an old brick building, with little light and even less charm. But in just three weeks, she gave it a clean and natural makeover, putting every inch of space to use with clever storage solutions. When she bought it, Lauren explained, the building “was a dump.

Name: Sara Jade Pesek and Rogan KershLocation: Manhattan, New YorkSize: 1,350 sq/ftYears lived in: 2.5 years In New York University’s Goddard Hall, on Washington Square Park, most doors open on the chaotic lairs of 200 college freshmen. But door #702, dotted with notes and nametags, reveals an unexpected oasis, the tranquil home of “dorm parents” Sara and Rogan.