Apartment

Name: Adriana Neumann Location: Italian Market; Philadelphia, PA Size: 500 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Rented We all strive to create a home that is highly personal, and Adriana’s small one-bedroom apartment is exactly that. Filled with hand-me-down furniture from family members, collected items from her travels across the country, and unique pieces that Adriana has made herself, this home is packed with memories and meaning.

Name: Theodore Venable Location: Hell’s Kitchen — New York, NY Size: 380 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Rented Theo recently relocated to New York City from Chicago with all of his belongings, and like any transplant coming to NYC, he was faced with the difficult task of downsizing. Theo had to make the adjustment from a 680-square-foot one-bedroom apartment to a 380-square-foot two-bedroom apartment!

Name: Charles Hafner Location: Bowmanville — Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,700 square feet Years lived in: 9 years; Owned Most people’s apartments are decorated in a way that is personal to them, but Charles Hafner brings this idea to another level. Different rooms in his big yet cozy Chicago apartment are dedicated to different members of his family.

Name: Gemma and Duncan Patford-Legge Location: Brunswick; Melbourne, Australia Size: 2 bedroom Years lived in: 3 years; Owned After buying their apartment in the inner-city suburb of Brunswick three years ago, rope vessel artist Gemma Patford and graphic designer Duncan Legge were determined to turn it from drab, rundown, dated disaster to something light, airy, welcoming, and altogether more modern—with a touch of nostalgia.

Name: Julie Carroll and Frances, the cat Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota Size: approximately 700 square feet Years lived in: 9 months While visiting my sister in Minneapolis, I recalled a certain House Call that begged for a follow-up. After making arrangements with Julie, I was thrilled to see inside a preserved Art Deco-era building. Minneapolis is rich in its beautifully maintained and functioning historical architecture, and Julie’s place is no exception!

Name: Julie Judson Location: South End; Boston, Massachusetts Size: 779 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Julie’s enthusiasm is contagious and her hospitality undeniable, so it’s no wonder this Texas transplant has been wildly successful engaging Boston-area millennials in supporting her passion: the arts. When you step into her apartment, you feel immediately at home.

Name: Marta Sasinowska and Mike Nourse Location: Pilsen neighborhood — Chicago, Ilinois Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 5 years; Rented Marta and Mike like to call their apartment “the tree house,” because of the lofted spaces, the hammock, and the light streaming in through different corners as if through the branches of trees.

Name: Ross Garner and Pat Hicks Location: Upper East Side — New York City, NY Size: 700 Square Feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; Rented This carefully curated home reflects the love of a traditional, nautical style that Ross and Pat share. Making an effort to co-design their apartment helped them find a balance that resulted in a lovely and inviting home. Ross: We are always at the water and I think that it’s really apparent in our style.

Name: Sam Location: West Village; New York City Size: 300 square feet Years lived in: 1 Year; Rented Keeping her home clear of clutter and displaying only the things she loves gives Sam’s 300-square-foot home in the West Village a spacious feel. Meanwhile, light from the many windows, pops of color, and the warm, neutral tones of her decor go a long way towards making it feel welcoming, comfortable, and soothing.

Name: Caitlin Snyder Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Rented Caitlin was lucky to score her apartment the old-fashioned way: by word of mouth. Three years later, she’s transformed the cozy two-bedroom into her first “adult” apartment.

Name: Jennifer and Hans Location: Bos en Lommer — Amsterdam, Netherlands Size: 60 square meters (645 square feet) Years lived in: 5 years (Jennifer), 2.5 years (Hans); Rented We got our first peek of Jennifer and Hans’ apartment during their their House Call in June, and we’re excited to share the full tour today. When Jennifer moved into her apartment five years ago, she shared the space with a roommate.

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: Christeleny Berner Location: Upper East Side; NYC, NY Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Christeleny’s love for design and style has resulted in a seriously gorgeous apartment. The home did not come together without hard work, though; the apartment went through significant renovations which took years to finish. Once renovations were complete, Christeleny set to furnishing her home using her strong eye for design and her patience, which was challenging at times.

Name: Jessica Meaney and her cat, Lucy Location: Echo Park — Los Angeles, California Size: 676 Square Feet Years lived in: 15 years; Rented Located on the ground floor of a 1930s, Spanish-style triplex, Jess’ home is a light-filled, happy haven.

Name: Caroline and Eduardo Location: North Beach — San Francisco, California Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented Stylist and model Caroline and her boyfriend, Eduardo, have taken a sunny San Francisco flat and made it all their own, enhancing it with items collected on their travels—like the giant papier-mâché rhino head from Mexico in the kitchen—and references to their cultural backgrounds.

Name: Hank Scollard and his two cats Location: Inman Square — Cambridge, Massachusetts Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 16 years; Rented When Hank Scollard was a child growing up in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn, Michigan, his mom would take him to open houses. The family wasn’t looking to move, but Hank’s mom loved to glimpse how others lived in and decorated their homes.

This organizational consultant's Silver Lake apartment is full of color and smart storage.

Name: Philippe Location: Haut de Belleville — Paris, France Size: 45 square meters (484 square feet) Years lived in: 32 years; Owned Philippe’s luminous and book-filled apartment is located on the top floor of a typical Parisian building hidden in a courtyard. Philippe, a writer and former director of the archives at France’s National Audiovisual Institute, has been working and living here for over three decades. As a result, the habitat is very cozy and personal.

Name: Kate Levinson and Mike Muschong and Snacks the cat Location: West Town — Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Rented White walls and floors set the scene for Mike and Kate’s vibrant, patterned, curious, and classy home. Kate is no stranger to the interest of personalized space—her mother, Stephanie Wohlner, is a successful interior designer, and Kate is a location scout extraordinaire.

Name: Sara Kate Eubanks Location: Asheville, North Carolina Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Rented On a Saturday morning, Sara Kate can be found rocking heels, a favorite shade of lipstick, thrifted denim, and a baseball cap. She’s a confident woman who isn’t afraid to mix things up—just so long as there is a little sophistication and class in every combination.

Name: Katy Mason and Devin Hampton and their dog, Ace Location: Washington, D.C. Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Rented With its loft-like essence, exposed brick, and beautifully industrial structural elements, this apartment has felt like home for Katy and Devin since day one. Having lived in D.C. for six years, Devin moved from one side of the wall (the apartment next door) to the other when Katy moved from NYC to D.C. last year.

Name: Tracy Bunkoczy Location: Silver Lake — Los Angeles, California Size: 850 square feet Years lived in: 3 months; rented Tracy recently downsized and relocated to Silver Lake to get a fresh start. With this move, she has gained a second floor walk-up apartment flooded with ample natural light, gorgeous architectural details, and an incredible view from her little deck.

Name: Joshua Kissi Location: Bedford-Stuyvesant — Brooklyn, NYC Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Rented When you’re one half of the creative agency Street Etiquette—tagline: “Telling Stories Through Style”—home styling is second nature to you. The home of Joshua Kissi is also more than a home—it is a meeting place, photography studio, and informal art gallery all at once.

Name: Megan and Leif Location: Longfellow — Oakland, California Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years; Rented Hailing from Wisconsin via Chicago and Portland, Megan and Leif now find themselves in Oakland with a home that pays homage to their past interlaced with the sunny muse of their present. With Leif working from home as a writer and Megan an aspiring creative director, the couple have created a space that strikes a balance between practical and inspirational.

Name: Isaac Orloff and his dogs, Sammy and Roo Location: Dogpatch — San Francisco, California Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 2 months Animator Isaac Orloff and his two pups, Sammy and Roo, have found a home in the Dogpatch neighborhood of San Francisco. Having kept an eye out for an apartment in the city that was affordable, dog-friendly, and stylish for years, Isaac was able to land this triple-threat abode just two months ago.

Name: Kenya Moncada and Conner Jay and their dog, Hugo Location: Marina District — San Francisco, California Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; Rented When Kenya and Conner aren’t traveling for work, they can be found at home in their top floor Marina District apartment in San Francisco.

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: Shannon Retseck and Alex Boatman and their two cats Location: West Philadelphia Size: 950 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Rented Like many apartments in West Philadelphia, Shannon Retseck and Alex Boatman’s is located in an old Victorian home. When Shannon first moved in a year ago, the apartment needed a lot of updating—the counters were outdated and the walls needed a fresh coat of paint.

Name: Emily and Colin and their dog, Scruffy Location: Greenwood Heights/South Slope — Brooklyn, NY Size: 1000 square feet Years Lived In: Colin for 4, Emily for 2; Rented One day, a little over four years ago, after always being attracted to a particular building’s rugged facade, Colin took a chance and rang the superintendent’s doorbell. As fate would have it, one of the lofts was vacant and Colin immediately took it!

Name: Justin and Meg Location: Toronto, Ontario Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented When Justin and Meg walked into this house—after visiting about 60 houses and doing six months of research—they knew immediately it was the one. A lot of people wanted this place, and they had to basically beg the landlord daily until he finally gave in and let them have it.

Name: Brooke Voss and Jerrid Voss and their two dogs Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 5 years; Owned Five years ago, Brooke and her husband downsized and moved themselves from the suburbs to Minneapolis’ booming warehouse district, the North Loop. Those five years have brought changes and improvements to the surrounding area, while Brooke has used her expertise as an interior designer to carefully design an intriguing loft space.

Name: Larissa Gaul, boyfriend Jack, roommate Matt, dog Gustav, and cat Mishka Location: Fairmount — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Size: 1,800 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years; Rented Larissa Gaul’s apartment does not have an abundance of natural light. Located on the first floor of a row house, it has two windows in the front and two in the back but zero anywhere else. Most people might find the lack of light gloomy, but Larissa doesn’t mind.

Name: Alex Geriner and the amazing shoulder-balancing cat Isfahani Location: Uptown — New Orleans, Louisiana Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years; Rented The colorful exterior, the big bright windows, the original wood floors – Alex’s apartment in New Orleans’ Uptown neighborhood certainly isn’t lacking in charming architectural details.

Name: Courtney Halverson and Eric Neujahr Location: Echo Park — Los Angeles, California Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Rented I discovered Courtney and Eric’s home via Instagram. Courtney, an actress and the blogger behind Pretty Little Fawn, would post occasional photos that led me to believe her passions included not only fashion but extended into home decoration and interiors.

Name: Noah Hollander Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota Size: 958 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Owned When a friend suggested I check out Noah’s space, all I had to hear was “historic Cream of Wheat factory,” “huge vinyl collection on display,” and “striped wall” and I was sold! Noah’s apartment in an industrial area of northeast Minneapolis certainly didn’t disappoint.

Name: Lauren Rogoff Location: Union Square/Flatiron/Chelsea; New York City, New York Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Just beyond the bustling Union Square Farmer’s Market, the Flatiron’s shadow, and Chelsea’s world famous 5th Avenue shopping attractions, an attorney by day and fine artist by night strikes the perfect blend between urban and rustic.

Name: Steve and Robin Anderson and their two sons Location: Cambridgeport — Cambridge, Massachusetts Size: 1,700 square feet Years lived in: 8 years; Owned Robin and Steve’s condo in a former elementary school is a playful convergence of colors and textures. It’s an ode to surf, sand and sun. But it wasn’t always that way. They purchased the condo pre-construction almost a decade ago, when the developer was still in the process of converting the school into residences.

Name: Joyce Chen and her fiancé Location: West Oakland—Oakland, California Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented When Joyce moved into her now-fiancé’s West Oakland loft a couple of years ago, she knew it would be a challenge to have the space embrace both their styles. The loft previously had a personal gym and bar area in the living room and didn’t quite give off the warm and homey vibe Joyce wanted in their home.

Name: Taylor Fimbrez and Wesley Moon (plus pups Squid & Marbles) Location: East Village — New York, New York Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 5 years Do you remember when you were little, and you’d go to a friend’s house, and just want to spend hours looking at all their toys and their delightful stuff?

Name: Jeanine Hays and Bryan Mason, founders of Aphrochic Location: Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York Size: 1200 square feet Years lived in: 18 months When Jeanine and Bryan moved to New York from Philadelphia 18 months ago, they were drawn to this apartment in Crown Heights because “it just felt like Brooklyn”.

Name: Kristen Shenk Location: Northwest Portland, Oregon Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years; Owned Kristen moved from Ohio to Portland to work as a graphic designer for Nike and has loved the process of setting up her first home. Her space is a direct reflection of her career, her personal style, and her love of a modern, graphic aesthetic.

Name: Mariana and Manuel and their cat, Bamboo Location: Tøyen — Oslo, Norway Size: 525 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; renting Welcome to Scandi Week—Apartment Therapy’s seven-day focus on all-things Scandinavia (often defined as the countries of Sweden, Denmark, and Norway). Sometimes it seems like the whole world is obsessed with trying to copy this corner of the globe, from its timeless style aesthetic to its now-famous coziness rituals.

Name & Location: Steven in Brooklyn My Favorite Room: Bedroom Specs: 50 Square Feet What would you do if faced with a tiny (like, 50-square-feet tiny) bedroom space that was nearly all-white and felt like the inside of an empty closet? If you’re Steven, you pick a dramatic paint color, do a little hunting and gathering for interesting items and you create a room that—despite the size—would be a nice place to cozy up in, day or night.

Name: Nic and Andrew Location: North Loop — Minneapolis, Minnesota Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; Rented In a recent addition to the North Loop of Minneapolis, you’ll find uniquely shaped apartments completed with different finishes and materials. On the level that boasts concrete floors, in a unit with a balcony overlooking the street, you’ll find Nic, Andrew, their dog, and not much else!

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.

Name: Virginia and Garrett Cortese Location: Maitland, Florida Size: 817 square feet Years lived in: 6 years, Rented Virginia and Garrett’s lakeside home is a treasure trove of fine art, travel souvenirs, family heirlooms, lush greenery, and their own art—Garrett is a photographer, while Virginia is a graphic designer who dabbles in painting. Their apartment is wonderfully, as Virginia describes it, “modern but eclectic.

Name: Lianna Utley Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Size: 900 Square Feet Years lived in: 5 years We first got to see a peek of Lianna’s lovely Milwaukee loft in her house call. Now with a longer look, it’s obvious this home is a great mix of contrasts: rough brick and flirty florals; open loft space but cozy seating arrangements.

Name: Melissa (“Mel”) Nichols, Jake Durrett and Apple the adorable dachshund Location: Cole Valley/Upper Haight — San Francisco, California Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; rented Jake and Melissa have lived in four apartments together over the last seven years. But they love this apartment so much—located in a neighborhood close to Haight street, Golden Gate Park and tons of great food—they almost can’t see themselves living anywhere else!

Name: Kristine Renee Location: Sacramento, California Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 1.5; rental You don’t have to step foot into Kristine’s Sacramento apartment to see how bright and breezy the whole space feels. The natural light bounces off white furniture and accessories. Rustic design details mingle with flirty patterns and family treasures.

Name: Matt DeLeva Location: Silver Lake neighborhood, Los Angeles, California Size: 400 square feet Years lived in: 1 1/2 years, renting When Matt measured his home to give me the exact square footage, we both couldn’t believe that his place was only 400 square feet. Even though his house is small and a rental, he took the time to customize it to fit his needs. He is so proud of his small home and it shows!

Name: Jennifer Chong – Designer & Photographer Location: Belmont Heights – Long Beach, California Size: Around 400 square feet Years lived in: 3 years Jennifer’s small space proves that you can be happy living with just what you need. She loves to travel, so she would much rather have experiences than expensive stuff. Still, with all the fun artwork, graphics, and small accessories, her live/work space is very lively and inviting.

Name: Cory Andreen Location: Mainzerstraße, Berlin-Neukölln Size: 240 square meters/2,583 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years, rented Cory Andreen’s large, shared loft in the Neukölln district of Berlin is at the top of what was originally a chemical factory during World War I.

Name: Maxwell Ryan and daughter, Ursula (aka Lulu)Location: Soho, NYCSize: 480 s/fYears lived in: 1 year rented Just over a year ago, when my marriage ended, I moved here. Despite being overwhelmed by the unexpected turn of events, it seemed like the right thing to do for both of us. I quickly found this apartment only a few blocks away, waited while it was finished and then set about making a new home for myself and our daughter, who is with me half of the time now.

Name: Johanna Lane & Mike Harvkey Location: Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn, New York Size: 440 square feet Years lived in: 5 years; Own Having previously lived in an apartment about the same size as the home that writers Johanna and Mike share, I am acutely aware of how challenging it is to make a space that lacks in square footage feel spacious. That’s why I was so impressed by how comfortable and roomy their home feels.

Name: Amy Yvonne Yu Location: Downtown, San Francisco, California Size: 400 square feet Years lived in: 4 years; Rented Amy lives downtown in the bustling hub of the city, and her innate energy and enthusiasm are a perfect match for her surroundings. As an art buyer, producer and creative consultant (she works with the Selby), her artistic eye and ability to edit carefully shines through in her space. The things that do make the final cut?

Name: Sirima Sataman Location: Dogpatch, San Francisco, California Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented Walking into Sirima’s loft, I was blown away by the openness of the space.

Name: Alexis Finc and Brook Heintzelman Location: West Hollywood; Los Angeles, CA Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; Rented Alexis and Brooks​ met in school in Wilmington, NC while pursuing graduate degrees in creative writing (him: fiction, her: poetry). But after graduating, a job brought them to the West coast — sunny LA to be exact — somewhere they never thought they would ever live.

Name: Eunice Chang, Senior Principal User Researcher at Autodesk, a 2D and 3D design, engineering and entertainment software company Location: Eureka Valley, border of Castro and Mission; San Francisco, California Size: 1,073 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Owned The soothing coast meets San Fran city living inside Eunice’s sophisticated-yet-laidback urban hideaway.

Name: Justice Darragh, voice-over actress & photographer, and Ronan Gibney, tattoo artist Location: Toronto, Canada Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: 15 (Ronan), 6 months (Justice); Rented Justice and Ronan share this cozy apartment in Toronto, Canada. Together they have created a warm and inspiring space to live and work in.

Name:Location:Size:Years lived in:New York apartment dwellers know all too well what a challenge it can be living the dream on a budget. Sometimes all you can afford is the lower level railroad apartment without direct sunlight. For Alex, the plus side to this is having backyard access to plant a garden and express his love of horticulture.

Name: Danielle Moss (and Buddy) Location: Lincoln Park; Chicago, Illinois Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: almost 1 year; rented Danielle Moss leads a hectic life. As a co-founder of The Everygirl, a popular website dedicated to career-driven women, the owner of her own graphic design and photography business, and the writer behind the blog Breakfast at Toast, it’s a wonder that she has time to think about interior design at all.

Name: Andrijana & Stanimir Location: New York City, NY Size: 750 sq ft Years lived in: Several years; Rented Andrijana & Stanimir do not like to be defined by any particular style or theme, giving them the freedom to incorporate & interchange an assortment of pieces in their apartment. This has become an integral part of their interior process as Andrijana is constantly changing and rearranging the space based on a new find.

Name: Johanna and Scott Location: Westerpark; Amsterdam, The Netherlands Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented After five years abroad and three moves around the Netherlands, Johanna and Scott planted themselves in a charming flat that needed a little love and patience. I’ve always admired Johanna’s ability to hone in on the little things.

Name: Hillary Schuster, graphic designer and aspiring wedding stylist, and Michael Kiser, freelance writer, photographer, brand strategist, and founder of Good Beer Hunting Location: Ravenswood; Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years; Rented Curios collected and lovingly composed unify the style of Hillary and Michael, a Chicago couple who balance home space with work space, and ephemera with plenty of classic, quality pieces.

Name: Teeny, Pie Baker, and Aaron, Content manager for PBS Kids Location: Woodley Park, Washington DC Size: 850 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Renting You know that really down-to-earth couple in your circle of friends with the gorgeously decorated apartment in the coolest part of the city, full of vintage gems they always seem to have the best luck snagging right off the street? Well, pie baker Teeny Lamothe and her boyfriend Aaron are those friends.

Name: Karen Racicot, actor and artist Location: Parkdale, Toronto Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 7 years, owned Flamboyant French actor/artist Karen Racicot emphasizes the use of bold colors in every aspect of her style, right down to her hot pink Brita water filter. As an extensive world traveller, jewelry designer and painter, she set out to create a vibrant “living jewelry box” with her Westside condo.

Name: Irina (and Lummi) Location: South Loop; Chicago, Illinois Size: 975 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; owned Coleridge, influenced by an opium-induced dream, wrote of “a stately pleasure-dome” that Kubla Khan established in Xanadu. In this space, verdant gardens mingled with caves of ice, and the sweet scent of incense floated above the sun-dappled hills, inspiring “deep delight.

Name: Ryan Cassidy Location: Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; rented Ryan Cassidy has the kind of loft most people dream about before moving to New York. Big, bright 15’ windows; a common area perfect for gatherings and stop-bys; an open kitchen connecting the living and dining area; paintings and obscurities decorated throughout.

Name: Tracy Steele Location: West 14th Street, New York, New York Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 15 years; rented In Tracy Steele’s apartment, things are not always what they seem: a drink set hides inside a bowling ball trophy, a rotary telephone lamp base is a clock that used to be a cigarette lighter, and the narrow slice of a drawer inside a mid-century modern buffet opens vertically and holds sewing supplies.

Name: Allison & Luke Location: The Castro; San Francisco, California Size: 715 sq. ft. Years lived in: 2 years; Rented It all started with a table. While visiting a friend recently I remarked on her amazing barn wood kitchen table, “Oh, it’s not mine. It’s on loan from a friend. Seriously, though — you should see the rest of her place.” With those magic words, she put me in touch with Allison, and a week later I found myself standing at her front door.