Bohemian

Name: The Lemon Bowl (Founders: Kate Zaremba, Linny Giffin and Holley Simmons) Location: Park View, Washington, D.C. Size: 500 square feet Years lived in: 1 year Visiting The Lemon Bowl—a retail space, shared workspace and workshop studio in Washington D.C.—is like being inside a gumball machine where all the treats are handmade.

Name: Margaux Rust, Drew Daniels, Juniper and Gypsy Location: Echo Park; Los Angeles, California Size: 1000 square feet Years lived in: Rented 1 year We first got a peek at Margaux and Drew’s home during their House Call last fall, but since then they’ve already rearranged and refreshed their space (as they often do). The house was built around 1910, when the neighborhood was filling up with large Arts and Crafts or Victorian homes.

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: American Trade Hotel Location: Casco Viejo — Panama City, Panama. I had heard a lot of things about Panama, but when I’ve arrived I immediately knew this is a country full of contrasts. There are modern, cosmopolitan areas with views of the skyline and the ocean. Or you can get lost in the old neighborhood of Casco Viejo, where you can feel the history in the charming and colorful architecture. There a few things you can’t miss in Casco Viejo.

Name: Jaya Williams, Maggie Shafran, Steph Sloan Location: Silver Lake — Los Angeles, California Size: 1250 square feet Years lived in: Rented 8 months Jaya writes: “Maggie and I met during undergrad at Pitzer College in Claremont, California and Maggie and Steph grew up together in Sun Valley, Idaho. We all three got together after we graduated in 2014 and moved to Los Angeles and have had this amazing sister-best-friend-wife dynamic.

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.

Name: Morgan and Andrew Beatton Location: Historic Marietta, Georgia Size: 915 square feet Years lived in: 4 months! Morgan and Andrew welcome us into their beautifully designed home on the outskirts of Atlanta. Plants and natural textures create the welcoming aesthetic of this home, leaving this smaller space feeling bright and airy. The Beatton’s home in quaint and historic Marietta, Georgia is a clever blend of old and new that feels finessed and effortless.

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: Yancey, Carter and Duck Location: Cleveland Park — Nashville, Tenneesee Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: Owned 6 months Yancey and Carter bought their first home six months ago in the blossoming East Nashville neighborhood of Cleveland Park. It was built in 1908 and is on the historic registrar. The house was nearly torn down in 2010 but instead was rehabbed by Habitat for Humanity and cared for by the previous owner.

Lian and Fabien’s 1500 square foot space in Cape Town is like a breath of fresh air with crisp white walls and floors and brilliant pops of color with personal touches from around the world. If you’re looking for inspiration check out their resource list!

Name: Marie-Laure Daillut and Sébastien Zanella Location: Hossegor, France Size: 200 square meters Years lived in: 1 year In Hossegor, France, surrounded by forests of pine trees and the scent of the nearby ocean, is the spot where you will find the lovely home of Marie-Laure and Sebastien. It’s a creative gem put together by their common passions for nature, surf and the bohemian lifestyle à la francaise.

Name: Olga de la iglesia Location: Barcelona, Spain Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: Rented, 1 year This is the home of a multi-talented creative woman living and working in Barcelona. Olga is an art director and photographer who heads up Refresco Caribe. She lives in both Spain and the Dominican Republic, which helps to explain the beautiful Caribbean atmosphere in her home.

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: Becca and Doug, daughter Audrey and pug Seymour Location: South Bay Area, California Size: 1850 square feet Years lived in: Owned 2.5 years I think I might smile every day if I lived in Becca and Doug’s South Bay Area home. Natural light pours in through big windows, bouncing off white walls and light blond wood floors. But it’s the bold, colorful and stunning pattern that Becca’s infused in nearly every corner of this house that makes it so cheerful.

Name: Kathy Marquardt Location: Dayton’s Bluff — St. Paul, Minnesota Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: 11 Years Owned It doesn’t take long after stepping into Kathy’s St. Paul home to come to the conclusion that she must be an artist. Her eclectic and bright mix of furniture and decor speaks of her personality and demeanor, with personal and one-of-a-kind treasures filling every room.

Name: Frances Walsh Location: Inner Sunset — San Francisco, California Size: 1750 square feet Years lived in: Owned 4 years Before Frances settled into her new apartment in the quiet Inner Sunset neighborhood of San Francisco four years ago, she had lived on the East Coast and had spent a few years working abroad in Russia, exploring Eastern Europe and traveling the globe. The love and excitement for different cultures are visible everywhere through her current apartment.

Inspired by ’60s eclectic style, Mike and Rachel’s Ojai rental sets the mood for creativity as well as peaceful lounging. Full of classics and bohemian charm, be sure to check out their resource lists to achieve a similar style and make it your own!

Bright, cheerful, full of patterns and textures—Becca and Doug’s California home is a visual stunner. With items sourced from secondhand shops, the internet, and new things, too, Becca’s style isn’t tough to duplicate. Check out her resource lists for some bright mid-century, bohemian inspiration to bring some joy to your home!

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: 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.

Marni and Laine’s Los Angeles rental is sure to inspire. They’ve mastered the art of mash-up — one a collector with a love of flea market finds and a boho vibe, the other leans toward minimal, negative-space style. If you’re trying to reconcile these two styles, look no further than Marni and Laine’s resource lists!

Name: Micaela Clouse and June Carter Cash the Pug Location: South Central Austin, Texas Size: 630 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting Drawing inspiration from her family’s collective design styles, Micaela brings together ’70s charm with Southwestern flavor in this mid-century apartment in Austin, Texas. Tucked away in an apartment complex in South Central Austin is an oasis of macrame and greenery. Micaela has effortlessly made this 630 square foot space a home.

Name: Eli and Luis Location: El Borne — Barcelona, Spain Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: Owned 2 years Though Eli and Luis consider themselves modern nomads, they decided to settle down in one spot two years ago. That’s when they found this apartment in Barcelona’s El Borne neighborhood. Luis wasn’t initially sure it had any potential; the apartment wasn’t in great shape. But Eli fell for it from the moment she saw it and convinced Luis to give it a chance.

Name: Adrianne Hawthorne Location: Lower Pacific Heights, San Francisco Size: 400 square feet Years Lived In: Renting 1.5 Adrianne’s studio apartment, perched high up in a Lower Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco, is an oasis of color and unique details. The thoughtfulness of each item placed in her home isn’t surprising; Adrianne works as a visual designer by trade!

Name: Kendall Leigh Location: Echo Park — Los Angeles, California Years lived in: Renting 4 years Kendall’s collection of antique oddities and memorabilia from her childhood is the perfect mix of charming and alarming, giving her home-sweet-home a bitter twist.

Name: Mackenzie Kirk, Hannah Kirk, and Rachel Wyatt Location: Mount Washington — Los Angeles, California Years lived in: Rented, 1 year Sisters Hannah and Mackenzie seem to possess a quintessential sisterly bond that allows for creative exploration and unrestrained authenticity when decorating their hilltop home.

Name: Danika and family Location: Fort Worth, Texas Size: 3400 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting When you’re outnumbered by kids, it can sometimes be hard to craft a home that both fits your style personality and theirs. Particularly if you’re renting. But as this young family proves, you can get creative — and colorful — even in a rental. Danika’s advice for making a home is simple, but universal: “Make your home yours. Unapologetically.

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.

Lauren has filled her Chicago home—and her shop, Maven Collection—with handmade textiles and treasures from around the world, especially Morocco. Now you can shop the style, no plane ticket required!

Yancey and Carter have decorated their historic Nashville home in a style Carter refers to as, “like an old-money Moroccan cowboy, riding through Tennessee in 1957.” If there’s not a Mid-century Moroccan wealthy cowboy emporium near you, use this guide to shop the style!

Name: Jenee Yuen Location: San Francisco, California Size: 400 square feet (maybe a little larger?) Years Lived In: 8 years, renting One of the fun things about living in an old San Francisco apartment is that sometimes, depending on your particular landlord, you get a little bit of creative control to “adjust” your living space as you see fit. Jenee did just that when she took out the carpet in her living room and refinished the beautiful hardwood floors that were hiding underneath.

Name: Terra Zosel Location: Kenwood Neighborhood, Minneapolis, Minnesota Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: Rented 6 months The story of Terra’s apartment is multi-fold. Her home occupies the attic of her grandparents’ house where she lives as caretaker to her grandmother. Her grandparents purchased the home in the 1960s from a couple who relocated from Minneapolis to the significantly warmer state of Florida.

Name: Ceci Gervaso Location: Barcelona — Spain Size: 860 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, renting Originally from Uruguay, famed photographer Ceci Gervaso has called Barcelona home for several years. She misses her home town but this beautiful house she’s been renting for almost four years has a special place in her heart. Gorgeous antique floor tiles and vintage furnishings are the perfect mix for this space.

Amanda and Courtney DIYed this cabin from uninhabitable to livable in eight months.

Name: Glenda and David Pedersen Location: Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue — Quebec, Canada Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 18 years, owned Glenda — a most charming woman — finds the best inspiration from her dreams when it comes to decorating. She has a thing for the quirky, the retro, the playful, and the unexpected.

Name: Andréa Crofts and Stefan Jovanović Location: Toronto, Canada Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 8 months, owned Andréa and Stefan’s home is a 700-square-foot unit in a modern condo overlooking the beautiful skyline of Toronto’s downtown. The eastern view is what sold the couple on this particular unit, and you can’t blame them. Even if the condo was completely empty, it would still be gorgeous with that view.

Name: Jessica Becker and Daniela Moebius Location: Bushwick — Brooklyn, New York Size: 950 square feet Years lived in: Rented — Jessica 13 years, Daniela 5 years Jessica and Daniela are the duo behind Konstruktive Studios, a design company. Additionally, Daniela provides architectural services through Moebius Architecture PLLC. And they created a workspace within their home that allows them to collaborate, but each with their distinct style.

The lower Manhattan studio she's inhabited for a decade with her partner Fred exudes freedom and fearlessness.

Name: Leisse Wilcox (plus Mia, Grey, and Clara) Location: Cobourg — Ontario, Canada Size: 2,500 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned Leisse Wilcox is a Life and Success Coach, and her home is like walking into a bubble of positivity and optimism. The walls are plastered with kind expressions and uplifting reminders for her and her three daughters. Obviously it works. Leisse and her daughters were so welcoming; they were just as warm as their home feels.

Name: Swathi Narra and Jay Miller Location: Marigny — New Orleans, Louisiana Size: 2,200 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Swathi is a worldly woman of fashion while Jay is a man of science. Combine these seemingly disparate influences inside a sun-drenched New Orleans “dream rental,” and you get a perfectly balanced environment that’s sophisticated, personal, and inviting.

Name: Majo, Arturo, and their daughter Sofia Location: Bartolomé Bavio — Buenos Aires, Argentina Size: 2,400 square feet Years lived in: 8 years, owned Imagine having your nearest neighbor at a far enough distance that it’s unnecessary to set a password on your Wi-Fi. Welcome to Bartolomé Bavio, a rural town of 2,000 people located a couple of hours south of Buenos Aires and home to a lovely family made up of Majo, her husband, their daughter, and three rescued dogs.

Name: Mallory Fletchall and David Rhoads, and their two cats Michael and Kiki Location: Greenpoint, Brooklyn Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting If Mallory and David’s Brooklyn rental looks familiar, it may be that you’ve caught a drool-worthy snapshot of it on her Instagram account, which has over 71K followers. It’s no wonder.

Name: Lilly Giraldo Location: Seabright — Santa Cruz, California Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting I currently live in a two-bedroom apartment in the Seabright neighborhood of Santa Cruz. I moved to Santa Cruz fresh out of college and I remember thinking, “When I grow up I want to live in Seabright,” and 20 years later (and after kind of growing up), I found this lovely apartment.

Name: Celeste and Felix Location: Monte Grande — Buenos Aires, Argentina Size: 410 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, renting Celeste and her boyfriend Felix’s story actually starts in chilly Canada, where he was living when they met. She tried moving there, but the cold weather and the distance from her friends and family made things hard for Celeste, so the couple decided to move to Buenos Aires to see how that worked for them.

Name: Maca Atencio, husband Esteban, and kids Nico and Oli Location: Montreal, Quebec Size: 1,120 square feet Years lived in: 11 months, owned Living in Montreal can be fun, artsy, and beautiful, and that’s completely on display in lifestyle blogger Maca Atencio’s home. She and her husband Esteban had waited a couple of years to buy the perfect house for their little family, and this one had every single detail they wanted!

Name: Thierry Chow and Peter Yuill Location: Hong Kong Size: 1,600 square feet Years Lived In: Rent for 2 good years Forget all the outdated notions of what you think feng shui is about—that isn’t what expert Thierry Chow practices. Under her company, TRE, this modern master blends ancient feng shui concepts in all aspects of design (including fashion) with the contemporary world.

Name: Tina Bousu and family (including four kids and four dogs!) Location: North Colorado Size: 4,500 square feet Years lived in: 7 years, owned This house is essentially our dream home! We have a large family and had quickly outgrown our starter home and this neighborhood and home were so far out of anything we ever thought we could have. I was half seriously looking at homes in the area for sale and this one came up.

Name: Carly Fuller and her boyfriend Martin Location: Hell’s Kitchen — Manhattan, NY Size: 450 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, renting There wasn’t much of an opportunity for Carly Fuller to add her own style to this small Hell’s Kitchen rental when she moved in with a roommate, who had already been living there. But when the roommate moved out a year ago, Carly’s boyfriend Martin moved in, and the blank space was ready to be refreshed and filled.

Name: Ashley Taylor and Tymer Tilton and their dog Moseby Location: Red Hook, Brooklyn Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting Golden accents around this Red Hook loft shimmer in the warm sunlight beaming through a large south-facing window. Healthy green plants cheerfully spread their leaves from corners, tabletops, and even the ceiling. A deep, soothing teal grounds the space.

Name: Olivia Muenter, her boyfriend Jake, and their dog Winnie Location: Upper East Side, NYC Size: Not sure Years lived in: 1.

Name: Krystal Mack Location: Washington Hill — Baltimore, Maryland Size: 250 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Krystal’s studio is peaceful, inviting, and full of inspiration. Cozy maximalism is the vibe. Everything holds meaning, and her belongings are arranged into what Krystal calls “moments”—be it a pair of pom-pom heels she wore on a special day in her career, or beer bottles she enjoyed with friends that now live on as bud vases.

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: Lita Lee, Mike Martin and their four children Location: Edmonton, Alberta Size: 2,550 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, owned Lita Lee claims to be “just a girl who decided to go for it.” And the it she went for was taking a large spec home from a blank slate to a bold, bright home that’s the perfect fit for her family. And in the process, she discovered her passion and talent with interior design, launching Crave Interiors.

This basement apartment in the city feels more like a handcrafted cottage, neatly nestled in a hidden forest somewhere in the mountains.

Name: Maggie Williams Location: St-Henri, Montreal Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: Rented 1 year Maggie‘s old converted Montreal loft is visually striking and incredibly spacious, but in the wrong hands, its industrial elements could dominate. Thankfully, Maggie’s always loved thrifting and finding beauty in other people’s discarded items. She hunts for unwanted furniture pieces, repairing and refinishing them.

Name: Joey Meyers, Mark Baehser, and Bridget (Cat) Location: Lincoln Park Neighborhood of Jersey City Size: 3,200 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned It comes as no surprise that the owners of this home, Joey Meyers and Mark Baehser of Ball & Claw Vintage fame, are part of Brooklyn’s chicest co-op, Dobbin St. While scouting for vintage finds for their stores in Bushwick and Williamsburg, the couple makes sure to keep the most precious items for their own home improvements.

Name: Abeer and Aetesam, with their two sons, Hamza and Azaan Location: Donvale — Melbourne, Victoria Size: 1,600 square feet Years Lived In: 1 year, renting Having moved from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia and most recently Melbourne, this is a family on the go. Abeer, a photographer/blogger and her engineer husband, Aetesam, started renting this bungalow in the suburbs of Melbourne a year ago, and have lovingly turned it into a home for them and their two little boys since.

This warm, organic Tudor-style house will make you want to move to New Zealand immediately.

Name: Kit Warchol Location: Eagle Rock — Los Angeles, California Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: Rent control baby! It’s no surprise Kit Warchol is a writer/Head of Content for the female-focused website Career Contessa. Citing Joan Didion’s Slouching Towards Bethlehem as an inspiring force behind her home’s overall aesthetic, her sophisticated ’70s-style bohemian home is lined with books and peppered with meaningful mementos.

Name: Sadatu, Kareem, and their pup Llave Location: La Condesa — Mexico City, Mexico Size: 1300 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting Though Sadatu and her husband Kareem moved back to the U.S. a few weeks ago, they spent the last three years living in Mexico City for his job. “Mexico City will forever be an important place for us. This is the first home we shared together and where we spent our newlywed years!” And what a first shared home this is.

Name: Krista and Daniel Location: Little Italy — San Diego, California Size: 1400 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, renting Krista runs Hand Meets Sky, “an online boutique specializing in authentic turquoise jewelry and jewels for the modern, boheme bride.” She’s an Apartment Therapy reader who submitted the home she shares with her partner Daniel. In her own words: Daniel had been living in the building for over eight years or so.

Name: Ellen Macomber, Kevin Fannon, and their son Donald Location: Central City — New Orleans, Louisiana Size: 2,400 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned Ellen Macomber had given up on the idea of becoming a homeowner in New Orleans. The mixed-media artist, born in New Orleans and raised in a small Cajun town in South Louisiana, was discouraged by a housing market that had skyrocketed after Hurricane Katrina. “I figured we’d just rent forever,” she said.

Name: Lee Tilghman Location: Koreatown, Los Angeles Years lived in: 8 months, renting When Lee Tilghman moved from New York City to Los Angeles a little over two years ago, she initially rented another apartment. But the building this Koreatown apartment is located in had great bones, Art Deco details, “amazing light and was central to everything I wanted to get to in LA,” says Lee. So she made the move to where she lives now!

Name: Sam E., Stephanie Libanati and Lorena Jimenez Location: Lower Bottoms — Oakland, California Size: 1,610 square feet Years lived in: 8 months; Rented When Sam E. was looking for an apartment earlier this year, she felt so lucky when she hit it off with Stephanie and Lorena on the day they met.

When we toured Liz and Josh’s Bohemian Santa Clarita house, it seemed they knew a thing or two about maintaining a balanced life. The energetic couple has built a flourishing family home and successful well-being business while remaining totally chill in the process (seriously, you just want to be friends with them). Their local shop Mascot Aesthetic shares that spiritual-Bohemian ambiance that their house wears so well.

If anyone has any insight into sharing a small space with another person (and pets), it’s got to be Julie and Andrew, who have been (successfully) living together in a Blue Bird school bus for a year. They graciously let us share their incredibly tiny yet stylish home in a house tour, and they’ve also shared some of their secrets to living harmoniously in a shared small space.

When Elise and Ben bought their Mount Washington house, the kitchen looked like this. They used this sad kitchen for five years until they finally updated it. The end result is modernized, but still captures the spirit and integrity of the storied older house. Using IKEA cabinets to keep the costs down, they were able to upgrade and personalize the look with Calcutta marble and Schoolhouse Electric hardware for all the cabinets.

Name: Margaret Sche and Gabe Belgara Location: Uptown — New Orleans, Louisiana Size: 1,300 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Rented Theirs is a Texas love story. Margaret can thank her mom for insisting she join her for some live country music and two-steppin’ on that fated Friday night when she met Gabe at Blanco’s. The beloved Houston dance hall—now closed—was one of Gabe’s favorite honky-tonks, and sparks flew when the two met.

Name: Eric Stauble and Patrick Maziarski Location: Mid-City — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Owned Welcome to the very creative home of Eric Stauble and Patrick Maziarski, who are both immersed in the creative design world. With an eclectic mix of custom-designed, reupholstered and vintage pieces, this home offers the best of indoor and outdoor living.

Name: Olesya Ianovitch Location: Bywater; New Orleans, Louisiana Size: 785 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Rented You Are Beautiful. These are the words boldly painted in white on the side of a century-old industrial converted rice mill in New Orleans’ Bywater neighborhood. The upbeat message, rumored to be the work of Banksy, mirrors Olesya Ivanovich’s approach to life.

Name: Nikou and Travis McCarra, their sons, Kian and Zayn, and WIFI the Dog Location: Houston, Texas Size: 1,550 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Owned Nikou and Travis met in architecture school at the University of Houston many years ago—first came love of design, then came marriage. Now they co-own McCarra Creative, a “multi-disciplinary design studio focused on branding, web, print, and 3D.