Home

Name: Sue Nixon Location: Seattle — Washington Size: 1000 square feet Years lived in: 10 years on the dock; 6 months in this home; Own A few months back I posted about Seattle’s dreamy houseboat culture in Hello Houseboats! Life On Seattle’s Shores, and to my incredible delight I had the opportunity to do a tour of one of these amazing homes. Is the idea of living in a houseboat what you imagine it to be? The answer is a resounding ‘YES’ and much, much more.

Name: Trent and Carly Shepherd, our 4.5 month-old baby, Gray, our 14-year-old golden retriever, Levi and our 8-year-old cat, Phoenix. Not listed in order of preference.

Name: Hallie & Mark BurrierLocation: Frederick, Maryland’s historic districtSize: 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bath, built in 1890Years lived in: owned, 1 yearEven from the street, Mark and Hallie’s three story row house is a stunner. And perhaps even more stunning is the amount of work that the young couple has poured into restoring the turn of the century row home in just a year. While Hallie claims that there is still tons to be done, you would never guess it.

Name: Andrew Schultz & John TylerLocation: Berwyn, IllinoisSize: 900 square feetYears lived in: 1 — owned I’ve seen the way Andrew and John can create an amazing display of furniture and accessories, like the one we saw at The Vintage Bazaar. If they can do that in a big space in just an hour’s time, I reasoned, imagine what their home must look like! Andrew and John are the stylish fellows behind Study, a color and design service.

Name: Kristin SalazarLocation: San Diego, CaliforniaSize: 3,000 square feetYears lived in: 10 — owned We’ve seen Kristin’s ingenious concealment of her garage door opener and we turned to her when we needed a tutorial on installing glass in solid cabinet doors. Now we finally get a chance to see Kristin’s entire house.Kristin’s home is what I picture as my ideal California dream home.

Name: Crystal & Gavin GregoryLocation: Parkwood — Shoreline (Seattle) WASize: 920 square feetYears lived in: 2 — owned The owner and creator of Modernist Cat (featured on AT back in January) recently opened up her newly renovated home for us. Vintage feline ledges and custom-built catwalks compliment Crystal’s handmade modernist cat furniture, which blends seamlessly with the home’s MCM pieces.

Name: Alexis Karpf and her fiance Nick Location: Silverlake — Los Angeles, CASize: 1200 square feet, 2 bedroom, 1 bathYears lived in: 2 — rent I met Alexis through her business partner Jeff Eyser, who you may remember from his house tour last year. Alexis and her fiance share this single level duplex home in the hills of Silverlake. They have a wonderful little yard and plenty of organic goodness ripening in their garden.

Name: Doub Hanshaw and John David MahaffeyLocation: Fishtown — Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaSize: 4,500 square feet — 1 bedroom Years lived in: 2 — own Doub transformed her once run-of-the-mill garage in the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia into a free-spirited space that screams fun, resourcefulness and a serious sense of style. The unassuming exterior and the raw interiror is what attracted her to the space and she was able to see a diamond in the rough.

Name: Kirsten + Josh Krason and son JettLocation: South Jordan, UtahSize: 1,500 square feet — owned After I saw House Call: Kirsten’s Colorful Family Home and Kirsten’s Jazzed Up TV Credenza, I couldn’t wait to see the rest of her house. Just as I expected, her home is equal parts colorful, classic, a little dramatic, and utterly fabulous! As a frequent reader of Kirsten’s blog, 6th Street Design School, I already knew that she has a fabulous sense of style.

Name:Jesi & Ryan Haack, with their two sons Jonah & MaverickLocation: Costa Mesa, CaliforniaSize: 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom (approx 750 square feet)Years lived in: 1 ½ years — rent Jesi and Ryan Haack are a dynamic duo of creativity, sharing a loving home with their two sons Jonah and Maverick. Each room has a DIY charm, with great thrift store finds and handmade decorations.

Name: Steve Halterman and Glen SteigelmanLocation: Joshua Tree, CaliforniaSize: 1,800 square feet on 5 acresYears lived in: 4 The jealousy is kicking in! Steve and Glen’s incredible Joshua Tree home, surrounding environment and pool make for a relaxed weekend getaway, just a few hours from the city. Steve is a set designer, underground filmmaker and stained glass artist and I am fairly certain this remarkable desert location plays a role in his daily inspirations.

Name: Angelique Hoffman & Dan, + 3 young daughters + fluffy dogLocation: Myersville, MarylandSize: 2,500 square feet —4 bedrooms, 2½ bathsYears lived in: almost 4 Some homes are lessons in compromise — Angelique’s is a lesson in harmony.

Name: Matthew, Mikel and Peri the dogLocation: Vestavia — Birmingham, AlabamaSize: 2,300 square feetYears lived in: 8 months — owned To Mikel’s relief, this wasn’t the first time Matthew had decided to take on a sizeable DIY project.

Name: Tommy SmytheLocation: Rosedale — Toronto, CanadaSize: 700 square feetYears lived in: 3 — rented If you live in Canada and have the slightest interest in design, you know Tommy Smythe. Tommy is the sidekick to Sarah Richardson, one of the most high profile designers and television personalities up north. Besides working together at her eponymous firm, they star together on two of HGTV’s most successful programs: Sarah’s House and Sarah’s Cottage.

Name: Lori and Greg LoomisLocation: Richmond, VirginiaSize: 1,950 square feetYears lived in: 4 — owned Many of us have loved seeing the country-farmhouse-inspired style in our favorite catalogs, but we doubt any of you have seen it implemented as well as in Lori and Greg Loomis’ Richmond, Virginia home. We first saw Lori’s home in a House Call, and we love what she’s done since.

Name: Alfred & Rachel Atlas VendittoLocation: College Hill — Providence, Rhode IslandSize: 3 bedrooms + mother-in-law in converted atticYears lived in: 10 — owned The home Rachel & Al share with their two children, ages 3 and 5, and their dog in a former church meeting house is cozy and whimsical — filled with unusual and inspiring collections of natural objects and artwork.

Name: Rebecca Orlov Location: West Hollywood, California Size: Dining Room/Home Office – 120 square feet Years lived in: 6 weeks Rebecca Orlov is one busy woman. After a stint in San Francisco, she decided to return to Los Angeles, and in just 6 weeks created a home office that would make just about anyone envious. From this glamorous home office for one, Rebecca juggles an assortment of projects: her own design site, loving. living. small.

Name: Michael Jon WattLocation: Traverse City, MichiganSize: 818 square feet, with a full basementYears lived in: 2 We first got a glimpse of Michael’s wonderful cottage in Traverse City (home of the Cherry Festival!) during Small Cool 2010. As illustrated by the hefty number of “thumbs up” on his entry, his style is clearly in line with the aesthetics of the Apartment Therapy readers. With that in mind, we’re thrilled to bring you a full tour of his home.

Name: Sarah and JoshLocation: Somerville, MassachusettsSize: 1800 square feetYears lived in: Only six months! I tend to be a bit Jamaica Plain-centric for my Apartment Therapy house tours. But I finally crossed the river to check out Josh and Sarah’s retro-inspired condo in Somerville. It was worth the trek! I knew it was going to be a fun afternoon when Josh greeted me on the front porch, offering me two delicious cherry tomatoes he’d just picked.

Name: Julie ThompsonLocation: Portland, OregonSize: 410 square feetYears lived in: 4 You might remember Julie’s Cozy & Vibrant home from this year’s Small Cool contest. She was gracious enough to let us stop by and take more photos of her eye-catching place. This small space is teaming with personality, yet has a great balance of bold and calming attributes.

Name: Brod HartLocation: Finsbury Park, London Size: 2,000 square feetYears lived in: 4 years Brod’s ambition was to create a home that would fulfill his wheelchair accessibility requirements without compromising on style. But with the typical Victorian houses in London, it was going to be a challenge! The most conventional option for accessibility would have been a “new build” but Brod loathed the idea and as a creative soul and “fixer” at heart he persevered.

Name: MeredithLocation: Cobble Hill, BrooklynSize: 600 sqft. 1 bdrm co-opYears lived in: 8.5 >> appreciated if and when she chose to sell the apt.> Meredith, of BlondeInBrooklyn House Call fame claims that almost everything in her house arrived by mail to her doorstep! Even though she lives in New York, she finds that shopping on the internet yields the best deals. Her colors and collections work together seamlessly and make for an immediately soothing yet scintillating home.

Name: Sharon Montrose and Spencer Starr Location: Los Angeles, CASize: 2,000 sq. ft. Years lived in: 3+ years >> When we found the photos of Los Angeles photographer Sharon Montrose, we knew we had to pester her for a house tour.

Designer Kay Prestney and her family celebrated the festive season in their cozy country home.

Name: Christine Lolley, her husband and business partner Tom Knezic, and their two kids Location: Roncesvalles Village; Toronto, Ontario Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Owned Tom and Christine bought their 100-year-old house in July 2013 with the purpose of renovating it. As co-founders of sustainable design firm Solares Architecture, their goal was to create an ultra-energy efficient family home.

Name: Matt Rudkin Location: Hell’s Kitchen, New York, NY Size: 300 square feet Years lived in: 6 months; rented Matt’s apartment feels cool. It’s hard to tell if it’s the soothing grey of the walls or the pile of fluffy pillows placed carefully on the bed or the sunlight streaming in through an entire wall of windows, but the feeling you get immediately upon walking in the door is one of calm and relaxation. Matt moved to this diminutive space (300 square feet!

Name: Jeffrey Toraichi Eyser (of Flip This Bitch) and Joseph F. Kuntz Jr Location: Silver Lake; Los Angeles, California Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: Less than 1 year; Own Every time Jeff Eyser shares a new project with me, I am always surprised and relieved, because his style remains clever, fun and yet some how extremely functional. Last time I visited he and his husband Joe’s home, it was their two bedroom apartment in West Hollywood.

Name: Leslie Landis, Jake Martinez and dog Raincheck Landis-Martinez Location: MacArthur Park, Los Angeles, California Size: 800 square feet (We joke it’s our “mini mansion”) Years Lived In: 1 year; rented Last time we went home with Leslie, she was living in a teeny tiny studio apartment in Silver Lake. Since then her old landlord bought her out of her old place and she’s moved in with Jake into a two-story chateau-like apartment.

Name: Masha D’yans and Colin Mulligan Location: Highland Longwood — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,412 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Owned Masha, originally from St. Petersburg, Russia, and Colin, originally from St. Louis, have been married for just over one year, in which time they’ve created a beautiful and unique home full of international curiosities.

Name: Bernadette Location: Austin, Texas Size: 2100 square feet Years lived in: Owned for 10 1/2 years Filled with sleek modern furniture, bold wall paint colors and a fun collection of art gathered over the years, Bernadette’s style is cool, contemporary and inspiring. You feel a peaceful calm wash over you as you explore the colorful art on her walls or enjoy the natural light that pours in from ample windows.

Name: Emily and Alex Champagne Location: Hamilton; Baltimore, Maryland Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 15 months; Owned This young newlywed couple’s craftsman home radiates with endearing energy, even before stepping through the front door. Emily, an artist and educator, and Alex, a musician and co-founder of Scenic Route Records, have painted their home with small bits of themselves.

Designer Teeny Morrison's Downtown Charleston home is an art-filled, worldly space.

Anyone who frequents large estate sales on the hunt for antique goodies *might* have thought about buying the house too... but this couple actually did it.

The soothing, neutral color palette of this small rental apartment keeps it interesting with cozy textures and natural materials such as leather, linen, sheepskin, and jute.

Designer Leslie Sumner doesn't believe a home has to have one certain style: She uses them ALL.

Name: Elijah & Tuli DastrupAge: 5 & 3Location: Kansas City, Missouri A few months ago we had a chance to tour the home of Crissy and Justin Dastrup. They have an old Four-Square style home that’s quite full of personality and fun design choices. It’s a 3 story home and the children have bedrooms on the second and third floors. There might be only 2 kids, but there’s five beds and although you’ve seen bits and pieces, we’d like to show you the whole thing!

Fresh out of foreclosure after years of being an unkempt rental made this house something many homebuyers in the competitive Seattle market had overlooked.

Before the renovation this house had yellow and teal walls, wood paneling, and Christmas-colored red and green checkerboard floors.

For Julie and Daniel Metzinger, this 1954 house in Louisville, Kentucky is more than just the first home they really got to own. This house has also served as a vehicle of transformation after a painful transition in the family's life: In 2014 their youngest child, a daughter named Edythe, passed away at age 13 after a long illness.

The kitchen transformation is great, but the entryway makeover might be one of the best we've ever seen.

This couple loved the original charm of the 1923 home, but knew they would need to be intentional to make the space work for their family of four.

"What if happiness came in a package?"

Bec's house is a vintage mix of '50s and '70s surf vibes. It's painted blush pink, there's an olive green Volkswagen in the driveway and surfboards lean by the front door.

And the plant-filled outdoor spaces are DREAMY.

Name: Melissa Reese Location: Tarrytown; Austin, Texas Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented Melissa Reese is a Creative Director and Illustrator. Her work is whimsical and soft, much like her eclectic two bedroom home and office located a few minutes from downtown Austin. Her vintage bungalow is in one of Austin’s oldest neighborhoods and has such charm.

Name: Katie & Soloman Location: Arcata, California Size: ~750 square feet inside Years lived in: 5.5; Owned Have you ever dreamed of getting away from it all, maybe living in a little house with a big garden, growing your own food, making your own clothes? That’s life for Katie and Soloman, whose home in Arcata, a California college town 280 miles north of San Francisco, is full of color and warmth and the sense of a life well lived.

The white house is situated on a corner lot with circular motifs sprinkled throughout. The windows are round, the gate has a round door and windows—even the front door has a rounded top surrounded by a circular stained glass window.

Pre-remodel features included a sunken living room, an oddly positioned two-panel cook top, and a paver stone fireplace with no mantel.

The time spent in this minimal Michigan home-away-from-home no doubt feeds a couple's creative spirits.

Name: Sharon and Phil Sunderland Location: Perth, Western Australia Size: 300 square metres (3229 square feet) Years lived in: 10 months; Owned It’s apparent from the moment I walk through the front door that this home oozes style and sophistication. Although, the light-washed floorboards, paired with the white walls and the designer furniture and light fixtures, make it hard to believe that a family of five—with three children preschool age and under— live here.

Interior stylist Gina Ciancio her family designed and built their marvelously modern house four years ago.

Name: Terri Falvey (Advertising copywriter, freelance graphic designer, daydream comedy writer) and Adam Penly (Software engineer, musician, amateur photographer) Location: Albany Park; Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,200+ square feet (townhouse w/ partially finished basement) Years lived in: 1.5 yearsYou know how some couples are simply fun to be around and some homes are simply happy homes?

Emily's style is eclectic collector with carnival chic/plant lady vibes.

Stripes on the walls, stripes on the curtains, a STUNNING pink kitchen... this Argentinian artist and architect's home is gorgeous and full of interior design inspiration.

Name: Judy and Don, plus two little ones (and a dog) Location: Braeswood; Houston, Texas Size: 3,400 square feet Years lived in: 2 years Judy and Don’s architect, Gary Tran, made an unconventional design choice that transformed their entire home. Most Houston homes have the kitchen and living room on the first floor and the bedrooms on the second floor, but in this house everything is inverted; the public spaces occupy the top floor, with a view over the treetops beyond.

This UK house is dripping with charm. Elegant proportions and architectural details of the late 1800s mix with lofty ceilings, original fireplaces and picture rails.

The couple painted walls, added new light fixtures, tiled bathrooms, refinished hardwood floors, and installed butcher-block kitchen counters to transform this run-down house into a beautiful family home.

Editor and lifestyle blogger Carrie Waller hit the home jackpot when she stumbled upon this small town gem.

There's a tiki bar in the basement!

Nick and Sarah had one toddler and baby number two on the way when they purchased their 1920s island cottage — and had ambitious ideas for what they could do with the space.

This colorful and cool home is located in Easton, an artsy and quirky part of Bristol that has recently been revealed as one of the 50 coolest neighbourhoods in the world.

Color and patterns are constant decor elements here, and lots of things are made from local designers. If they don’t love it or use it, they lose it!

This layered, lived-in, storied family home is full of creative ideas and cozy vibes.

Name: Actor & voice over instructor Tracey Hoyt, and medical instrument supplier Rob Marshall Location: The Beach, Toronto, Canada Size: 1,300 square feet. Years lived in: 9 & 6, owned. Perched above a bustling Toronto beach community, Tracey & Rob’s lakeside home is not your average condo. Nine years ago, inspired by the work of Hugh Jacobsen and Howard Backen, Rob transformed a typical condominium box into an airy coastal oasis.

It's Scandinavian-inspired, but with the joy and bolder colors of Australian homes we've seen.

BUK & NOLA co-founder decorated her house with a mix of influences ranging from Scandinavian, minimalism, quirky, and boho designs.

Name: Kirsten Coplans & Pearl Location: Uptown, Denver, Colorado Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 11 years Kirsten Coplans is not just a collector, nor is her house just a house. Artwork, family memorabilia and rescued taxidermy grace the walls, shelves and floors of her tiny dollhouse of a home, all displayed lovingly and with purpose. Strongly connected to deer, birds and rabbits, Kirsten finds comfort in sharing her home with figurines and artwork of animals.

Name: Amy and Rob MacMillan and their kids, Tatum and Mo Location: Newport, Rhode Island Size: 3,900 square feet Years lived in: 11 years; owned It’s hard to believe that Amy and Rob MacMillan’s utterly charming home, set back behind a stone wall along Newport’s scenic ten-mile drive, started out as a building with a completely utilitarian purpose.

Name: Pirate Toronto Location: Toronto, Canada Size: 10,000 square feet Years Occupied: 23 yearsPirate Toronto is one of Canada’s leading audio post-production houses, located in the heart of the city’s Design District.

Just across the river from Portland, Rebekah and Larry found a warm and woodsy mid-century modern gem they now call home.

Kathy's a photographer and inspired by light. Thankfully, the remodeled house she shares with her husband has tons of windows!

Marléne, an interior influencer living in Sweden, has a real knack for mastering a monochromatic color palette.