Bungalow

Name: Corinne Schnieders Location: Balboa Island, California Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 9 months, renting Corinne has never been one to follow the crowd, so when it came time to decorate her apartment on Balboa Island in sunny Southern California, she made this back guest house all her own. Forget the bohemian beach style populating everyone’s Pinterest boards these days; this mechanical engineer followed her heart by gathering finds that reflect her love of comfort and fun.

Name: Andrew, Kelly, and Cecilia McMahon—and Doris, the family dog Location: South Orange County, California Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: 7 years, owned Our historic California bungalow has been reborn and we love it! As a musician (Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness), I spend as much time on the road as I do at our home. My love of travel started early, growing up all over the U.S., however California has been home for most of my life.

Name: Steve and Nikki Carlson Location: Encinitas, California Size: 544 square feet Years Lived In: 4 months, owned Our home, which we named “Cottage + Sea,” is a tiny 544-square-foot beach bungalow studio steps from Moonlight Beach in the quaint surf town of Encinitas near San Diego, California. We never knew we could live tiny.

They pulled up carpet, repaired the original floorboards, added a new plywood ceiling, and painted the shack inside and out.

Name: Jessica Engeman & Erik HovmillerProfession: Historic Preservation Specialist & Social WorkerLocation: Portland, OregonSize: 1500 sq. ft.Years lived in: 5 months, owned >> When they began their house hunt, Jessica and Erik, like so many first-time home buyers, found that most of the houses in their budget were old and needed a lot of work. But for a young couple with the creativity, vision, and unstoppable work ethic of these two, a fixer-upper can be a blessing in disguise.

Name: Mason St. Peter and Serena Mitnik-Miller Location: Outer Sunset, San Francisco, CA Size: 400 sq. ft. Years lived in: Mason: Since July 2007, Serena: Since July 2008 >> >> Mason and Serena, business partners of Two Birds Fly, a green company that curates the art and design of surfboards, had to find creative ways to make more living space when Serena moved in this past July. Nestled in back of the main house inhabited by their landlords, their bungalow is of modest size.

Name: Greg and LauraLocation: Austin, TexasSize: 720 square feetYears lived in: 8 years>> Converting a small house into a chic, modern home was the task Greg met when he first bought this Austin house in 2000. When he married Laura a few years ago, the task officially became a challenge on how to fit two people happily in 720 square feet.

Name: Chris Murphy Location: Saugatuck, Michigan Size: 950 square feet Years Lived In: 3 years, owned I own a vintage (and new) home furnishings store in Chicago, District Chicago. Whenever I needed a break I found myself going up to Michigan to camp to de-stress and be in nature. A couple years into this routine, I started looking for a house that would help with my escape.

Name: Alicia Peiró Location: Sagunto — Valencia, Spain, Size: 645 square feet Years lived in: Owned 11 years I don’t know if was the amazing and bright light, the warm materials or the sensation of being next to the Mediterranean sea, but this place completely stole my heart. Alicia, is an amazing photographer and her work is full of light, amazing stories and beautiful color. Her love for design is palpable in all the places of her home.

Name: Elissa Hall Location: King; Portland, Oregon Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Rented When Elissa finally found her Portland home, it had been preserved to honor the integrity of the architecture while also gently renovated to make the most of the space and available light. With the gift of a clean palette in front of her, Elissa’s challenge was then to make the space homey and reflective of her taste while nesting in with two other roommates.

Name: Ethan Morris and Tarleton Walmsley-Morris and their cats, Tozer and Etta Location: Asheville, North Carolina Size: 980 square feet Years lived in: 6 years: Rented Antique dealers Tarleton and Ethan have filled their home with many of their favorite finds, and the result is an eclectic mix of art, textiles, and Mid-century furnishings.

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: Kelsy and Travis Hodge, with their children Elodie (6) and Paloma (1.5) Location: Santa Barbara, California Size: 980 square feet Years lived in: Rented 4.5 years The bright yellow wreath by the front door and pom pom garland hanging in the picture window are the first hints of the visual treat waiting for us within the Hodge family’s 1920s California Bungalow. Inside, their home has a cheery and comfortable vibe.

Name: Emma and Matt Location: Silkstone, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia Size: 1012sqm Block Years lived in: Owned for two years I first came across Emma on Instagram, sharing a mutual appreciation for old architecture in South-East Queensland.

Name: Chloe Gard and Joel Dwine Location: Brisbane, Australia Size: A cottage and backyard studio Years Lived In: Renting for 1.5 years Chloe and Joel’s home looks like a simple old timber cottage just on the Southside of Brisbane city. But if you take a look inside, you will find a quirky and nontraditional extension done by an architect, complete with a built-in attic-bedroom, corrugated iron walls and old French doors as windows.

Joanna and Audie’s Silver Lake home boasts original white paneling, vaulted ceilings, and arched windows, and they’ve furnished it in a Scandivnavian-inspired style that complements these charming features. And now you can shop the style!

This modern-inspired California house draws inspiration from an effortlessly laid-back style.

Kate Richards of Drinking with Chickens is a self-taught cocktail blogger who lives in this farmhouse with her husband and 13 furry and feathered friends.

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: Joyce Pickens and her dog, Mouse Location: Mid-City — Los Angeles, California Size: 670 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Rented When interior designer Joyce of JDP Interiors sent in her House Call, I knew we had to see more of this lovely layered space. The green path to her doorstep is an oasis in the middle of the city, as is the warm, welcoming home that she has created.

Name: Carrie Miller KerwinOccupation: Interior Designer with Massucco Warner Miller Interior DesignLocation: San Anselmo, CaliforniaSize: 1,100 square feetYears lived in: 5 — owned Carrie’s bungalow may be a mere 1,100 square feet, but it feels palatial. Her style is refined, yet playful —mirroring her own personality. An interior designer by trade, Carrie’s home is edited to perfection which in turn makes each room feel spacious and grand.

Name: Jesse Keenan, Leia Everett, and our two kitties Libby and Nola Location: Santa Barbara, California Size: 585 Square Feet Years lived in: 4 years After a relaxing drive up to Santa Barbara, I visited the home of an endearing young couple living in a bungalow community. The row of homes was so quaint and pristine, I felt like I was in a time warp going back many years to when neighbors still borrowed a cup of sugar.

Name: Kerri & LukeLocation: Lakewood — Dallas, TexasSize: 1,400 square feetYears lived in: 8 months — rented Amidst the historic neighborhoods tucked away in east Dallas, Kerri and Luke have embraced their early 20th century home in a space that continues the tradition of southern hospitality updated for their 21st century guests. All at minimal cost.

Name: Jenika and RobertLocation: Westchester, CaliforniaSize: 1,000 square feetYears lived in: 2 months Jenika and her boyfriend, Robert, had been living in Los Angeles for 4 years and desperately wanted to have a house of their own. Knowing how expensive real estate is in Los Angeles, they knew that they would have to find a great fixer. Jenika and Robert, with the help of her parents, purchased a small home in Westchester that needed a lot of work.