Modern

Name: Victoria Jacquemoud Location: Geneva, Switzerland Size: 180 square meters (1,938 square feet) Years lived in: 2 years Victoria is a Brazilian interior designer living in Geneva, Switzerland with her husband Philippe, a lawyer, and their two young children. Their fantastic home is an expression of Victoria’s unique personality and natural innate style.

Candice and Eddie's colorful and happy apartment is housed in an old warehouse in Melbourne, Australia.

They used to make kombucha in their small apartment. The success of the company allowed them to buy this beautiful home.

Originally from Hong Kong, Sheyee has owned this 575 square foot flat for three years. Far from family, she's filled her home with sentimental pieces and good memories.

These snowboarding sisters attend university living in a shared space that is equal parts modern and cool, but also classic and romantic.

This expert update is great inspiration for anyone looking to refresh their own home without doing a complete overhaul.

We dare you NOT to smile while looking through this stunning and stylish home.

Keeping everything in a neutral tone and playing with textures helps the small space feel visually cohesive and less cluttered.

You bet former House Beautiful magazine editor Sophie Donelson's home is full of clever and affordable design ideas collected from her many years at the helm of top design publications.

The ten-foot ceilings, original pocket doors, exposed brick, and amazing natural light make this 1900s charmer simply irresistible.

An adventurous family remodeled this 115-year-old Victorian house to have comfy, modern farmhouse vibes. And they did most of the work themselves!

Name: Jamie and Byron with Roux, Simone and Coco Location: Cow Hollow — San Francisco, California Size: 2,300 square feet Years lived in: 1 — rented We first saw Jamie and Byron’s dining room in the 2011 room for color contest. Painted shades of grey, their apartment embodies a sense of mystery and glamour. Byron describes it as the canvas for Jamie’s artworks, and they truly make a statement on these walls.

Name: Elizabeth Bear and her husband Location: Denver, Colorado Size: Approx 4300 square feet Years Lived In: 8 years, owned My college sweetheart and I got married in July 2009, both second marriages; previously we had agreed to sell the homes we were each living in and purchase one together.

Name: Susan Gregg Koger and Eric Koger, with dogs Winston and Blue Location: Noe Valley — San Francisco, California Size: 3 bedrooms, 3 baths Years lived in: 5.5 Susan and Eric Koger have come a long way from the cramped dorm room where they founded ModCloth in 2002. High school sweethearts turned college entrepreneurs turned retail power couple, their current home may be a bit bigger than their original digs, but the spirit behind things hasn’t changed.

A dilapidated, detached garage tucked behind a Santa Monica bungalow is now a minimal, modern, and tiny rental house.

Name: Esther Lopez Aguilar, her partner Dani, and Alma Location: Barcelona, Spain Size: 1,614 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting This amazing apartment renovation in Barcelona’s “El Born” neighborhood is full of the soul of its interior designer inhabitant, Esther Lopez Aguilar, the founder of loag studio. Esther shares the minimal home with her partner Dani and daughter Alma.

Name: Brigid Andrews Location: Clinton Hill — Brooklyn, NY Size: 1,300 square feet Years lived in: 4.5 years, renting Brigid Andrews, a merchandising director, has been a part of the fashion world for 15+ years. And her Brooklyn apartment reflects this experience… as well as her love for eye-catching visuals. Stacks of fashion magazines cover the top of the credenza in the bedroom, transforming it into a show-stopping feature.

Apartment Therapy's Lifestyle Editor calls her style: Rock ‘n Roll Bohemian Goth!

Name: Allison, my girlfriend Laura, and our cat RhiannonLocation: Halifax, Nova Scotia, CanadaSize: About 400 square feetYears Lived In: 8 months, rentingAfter living in a number of rentals over the course of our early twenties, my girlfriend, Laura, and I were looking for a space we could call home for more than a year. Aside from the hassles of moving we were ready to have a space to really make our own without the compromise that comes from college living or sharing with  roommates.

Name: Max ( 6) Location: Crystal Lake, Illinois I call Max’s new room Mix n’ Modern because although it is quite modern, I love to mix that up with a little vintage, a little handmade, and a little quirky. I want both of us to love it, and think I achieved that with this recent upgrade. I gave him our old Malm bed, but painted it. I made him an enormous chalkboard since he loves art.

This professional project by Sundling Studio is located in Thousand Oaks, California, and is an example of how splurging on one show-stopping decor element can really make an entire room shine. Occupied by a family of three, this house’s kitchen before featured black cabinets, a plain stone-colored backsplash, and a more closed-in layout.

Angie Teater is a vibrant New Yorker who knows how to make use of a small space. The proof? Her studio apartment was a 350-square-foot beige box when she first moved in eight years ago. But now, it’s a bold, dramatic home that somehow fits a bedroom, living room and dining room in a teeny space. Effortlessly graceful, it feels more like a luxurious hotel room than a small studio apartment in the city. An interior designer by trade, Angie describes her style as “easy elegance.

Kicker and Anne Kalozdi designed and built this house made out of shipping containers... despite having no real experience building a house before!

Name: Channing Foster and cat, Cosette Location: Mount Pleasant — Washington, D.C. Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 9 months, renting Channing Foster has lived in her Mount Pleasant apartment for less than a year, but she’s already made it her own. Drawing inspiration from the building’s mid-century foundations, she’s elevated the space with a disciplined color palette and an elegant selection of furniture, art, books, and heirlooms.

Name: Amanda, Brandon, and Gatsby Location: Los Feliz; Los Angeles, California Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 1 years; rented This is one of those apartments that never gets advertised, because it gets handed down from friend to friend. Architectural designers Amanda and Brandon knew they had to have this sunny, large unit with vintage tile and hardware and outdoor space for their first apartment together as soon as a mutual friend talked about moving out.

Name: Ashley Drost, pups Lazer + Leroy Location: Silver Lake; Los Angeles, California Size: 1,800 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; owned Enter Ashley’s sunny and revamped 1914 Craftsman home and it’s immediately clear that the saying is true, home is what you make of it. After years of renting on the West side and an exhaustive real estate search, she stumbled on this home in Silver Lake.

Name: Esther, Álvaro and Aníbal Location: Ruzafa — Valencia, Spain Size: 840 square feet (78 square meters) Years lived in: Owned 3 years Esther and Álvaro met seven years ago in London when Esther was working as a journalist. Soon after, they opened Gnomo, a hip retail store in the fashionable neighborhood of Ruzafa.

Name: Edmund Lam, Heidi Donnelly and Arthur (2 years old) Location: Montreal-West; Canada Size: 2,500 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Sometimes it can be difficult to make the transition from downtown living to the suburbs, but when you luck out on a space to call home that screams your name (and meets your budget) you leave running! This is essentially what happened to Edmund and Heidi a little over two years ago.

Name: Alejandra Bennett and Oliver Katz Location: Beacon Hill — Boston, MA Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; rented Alejandra Bennett and Oliver Katz’s s light-filled Beacon Hill apartment in Boston is a convergence of new and old, near and far. The couple has filled the apartment with hand-me-downs and inherited family pieces, budget solutions and quality staples purchased for their first place together.

Name: Chris and Neil Bellamy Location: Bayside Melbourne — Victoria, Australia Years lived in: Owned 15 years Chris and Neil Bellamy with their two children Denie and Rhys live in a quiet bayside suburb of Melbourne. Chris is a full time artist who also dabbles in interior design and styling. Neil works in building and finance. They designed and built this house together—living in the home while they renovated, with small children in tow. A challenge in itself!

Laura and Nina’s Chicago home is simple and clean on the outside, and the interior is no different. The modern pieces they’ve put in their home create a contemporary and industrial aesthetic that also feels warm and comfortable—not cold and sterile. You can create the same vibe in your home and shop the style using the sources below. Green Cat with Lights — Similar (print sold out, but puzzle can be framed!

Name: Liz, Andrew and pets Stella, Layla and Helen Location: Neuilly-Sur-Seine (border of 17th arrondissement, Paris) Size: 65 square meters (about 700 square feet) Years lived in: 1.5 years, rented Finding an apartment in Paris is a dream for many. It’s easy in the process to get lost in the romance of parquet floors, french doors and views of Parisian rooftops. So easy, in fact, that many of us forget that day-to-day living needs sometimes trump those Parisian fantasies.

Name: Franke Chung, Jason Wark, Neko the cat, and Ozzy the dog Location: Streeterville — Chicago, Illinois Size: 640 square feet Years lived in: Rented 1 year Many folks who live in studio apartments might agree — they function quite efficiently… until you have company over. That’s when there’s a sudden shift in the equilibrium. There’s one too many bodies in here.

Name: Jonny and Aimée Mendez Location: Albany Park — Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: Rented for 1.5 years Jonny and I were married in May of 2015. One of our deepest joys over the past year has been creating our home together. Soon after we were married, we really considered the questions, “How do we want to feel in our home?” and “How do we want others to feel when they enter our home?

Name: Krysta Jabczenski and Joel Leshefka Location: Tucson, Arizona Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: Owned for 2 years (We remodeled this property earlier this year.) For Krysta and Joel, Tucson is more than just home. The two artists and shop owners relocated to Krysta’s native Arizona from the Pacific Northwest, and planted roots in the blossoming creative community in the area.

Name: Coco Dávez Location: Chueca nieghborhood — Madrid, Spain Size: 193 square feet Years lived in: Rented since February Coco welcomes me smiling in her studio, in an old royal state apartment in the heart of the high Chueca neighborhood in Madrid. Her paintings are full of colors, and fill the small, bright studio space. An artist since she was a child, painting for Coco is a way to relax, to play and to remain connected with that inner child inside us all.

Name: Rian, Zeanne and their son Christo Location: Newlands Village — Cape Town, South Africa Size: 250 square meters Years lived in: Owned almost 3 years What was once a dark house with low ceilings has been transformed into a light and airy home with an understated elegance. Zeanne and Rian bought this 1970s house almost three years ago and had to gut it to create the beautiful space you see today.

Sienna and Javod’s San Jose home is filled with art, mid-century modern furniture, and geometric patterns. Though a lot of the items were made by Sienna or purchased second-hand, you can get items with similar patterns and styles online using the links below.

Name: Sydney Krause and Fabrice Bouty Location: Plateau — Montreal, Canada Size: 1,147 square feet Years lived in: Owned 4 years Sydney and Fabrice are a perfect example of how two people with very distinct personal styles can cultivate a harmonized and well-designed home. Fabrice is originally from France and gravitates towards more classic design while Sydney enjoys color, unique lighting and a good vintage find! When Sydney moved in a few years ago, the place was entirely different.

Name: Lauren and Alex Chapin Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: Owned 4 years Lauren, of Circle G Designs, shares this Pittsburgh home with her husband Alex. Though their tastes tend toward a more modern feel, Lauren believes in respecting the architecture of a house, so their home is a blend of their style and classic elements, the result of which is a simple, classic yet contemporary space.

Lauren and Alex’s Pittsburgh home is mid-century modern, but also features lots of traditional elements. In order to highlight some of these classic details, the couple chose to fill their home with traditional furniture and modern accents—a combination that represents their tastes. If you love both classic and modern pieces, use the shopping sources below to get the look in your home.

Jane’s San Francisco home is inspired by her surroundings from architecture, retail spaces, and nature (plus some mid-century modern)—a style Jane calls “Happy Californian.” If you’re inspired by these things, as well as clean lines and craftsmanship, check out the shoppable links below. Teepee — Similar: Etsy Table lamp — Similar: Zinc Door Credenza — Similar: Overstock Mini globe — Similar: World Market Brass duck — Similar: Jet.

Name: Chad Location: Cape Town, South Africa Size: 968 square feet (90 square metres) Years lived in: 6 years, owned A quirky sense of decor (and bold color scheme) instantly draws you in and makes you want to explore this playful Cape Town home. Chad, a young freelance designer, director and entertainment consultant cleverly transformed his parents’ basement into a gorgeous apartment.

Name: Dawn Tan and Darren Lee Location: Yarraville — Melbourne, Australia Size: 2647 square feet Years lived in: Rented 2.5 years Dawn Tan is a Melbourne-based artist and school teacher who draws inspiration in art from her love of food and travel. Darren is a mostly desk-bound policy wonk but also photographer who is very fascinated by his travels with Dawn.

Location: Inner North of Melbourne, Australia Size: 190 square meters internally Years lived in: Owned, almost 3 years Dan and Bianca bought their home almost three years ago when it was a completely different house. I used to live next door — so I have watched them tirelessly transform their home over the last two and a half years, with not one but then two small children in tow! Their perseverance deserves a serious round of applause.

Name: Kristy Degina Location: Hollywood, California Size: 550 square feet Years lived in: Renting 4 years Kristy is a merchandising manager at Crate & Barrel Beverly Hills who shares her Hollywood studio apartment with two cuddly canine roommates. She’s made the most of her small space by incorporating big, bold statement pieces into a minimal black-and-white color palette.

Name: Heidi and Erik Salo of Salo Design and their daughter Frankie Location: Lakewood — Cleveland, Ohio Size: 2,000 square feet Years lived in: Owned 3 years Homeowners Heidi and Erik Salo mix periods, styles, textures and colors to get the best possible match, blending retail trends (like a Sputnik dining room chandelier) with personal trends (like thrifted destination plates) and travel items (like from their honeymoon in Thailand).

Name: Steve and Sarah Carter, Emerson, Mercy June and their pup Biscuit Location: Hoffman Estates, Illinois Size: 1,700 square feet Years lived in: Owned 2 years Steve and Sarah Carter have created a space that breathes freedom, imagination, whimsy and truth. The spirit of this home is playful. The walls are adorned with beautiful and curated art collected by Sarah, an artist herself who uses creative work, primarily painting, to advocate for vulnerable women and children globally.

Erin and Tobin’s condo in Rhode Island is a perfect blend of minimal decor and bright, bold colors. The bright yellow backsplash and colorful poster in the kitchen contrast the white, modern IKEA cabinets, and the beautiful yellow lounge chairs in the “record room” add a pop of color to the light and airy room. Check out the sources below to shop some of the items featured in their gorgeous Providence home.

Dan and Yves’ Chelsea home is modern and artistic, with farmhouse accents, crafty DIYs, and unique art pieces in every room. Some may call it “eclectic” but we call it “farmhouse chic.” Find some of the beautiful pieces featured in their home (or something similar) using the links below.

Name: Jesse and Cali Green Location: New Center — Detroit, Michigan Size: 980 square feet Years lived in: Rented 1.5 years Jesse and Cali’s apartment building is inspiring, not only because they’ve created a beautiful modern and minimal home without splurging, but because of its deep history in Detroit. The building opened in 1926 as a home to graphic artists working in all of the nearby industries, General Motors in particular.

Name: Cindy Zhang Location: Soma — San Francisco, California Size: 232 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Finding a nice, affordable apartment has become a challenge for anyone moving to San Francisco. When Cindy Zhang moved in 2016 from San Diego, she was super happy to find a cute little studio in the hip neighborhood of Soma.

Tiffany and Alan’s Austin bungalow is chic and playful, inspired by Tiffany’s background in fashion and the couple’s travels. Most impressive is that the couple has only been in the space for nine months. You can easily get this warm, beautiful look in your home using the links below. Shop the style!

Name: Vicki Sleet and Justin Spreckley, with four children aged 17 to 2 months. Location: Muizenberg — Cape Town, South Africa Size: 250 square metres Years lived in: Owned 6 years Interior stylist, journalist and blogger Vicki Sleet is known for her love of DIYs and finding a good bargain. She even has a series on her blog, aptly named Bargain Betty. Naturally, you’ll find evidence of her handiwork and upcycled projects throughout their home.

When Pamela, Michael, and their son Max moved into their 1906 historic Portland home, the floors were layered with soot and grime, the ceilings had water damage and rot, and there were literally holes in the floors. The couple did a major renovation, and now, the home shows off beautiful original features plus finishes of their choice. It’s also filled with gorgeous furniture, accents, and art the family loves. Check out the links below to shop some of those pieces.

Name: Carmen Chavarri and Tom Mills Location: Ottawa, Ontario Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; Rented Carmen Chavarri is one of our fabulous photographers here at Apartment Therapy, and she toured her Ottawa apartment last summer before they moved to the Philippines! “This was our home for only one and a half years, and yet it became such a personal and comfortable space that we find ourselves reminiscing about it every day,” she writes.

Name: Isabel Serna and Juan Franky Location: Hollywood, Florida Size: 1600 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned Isabel and Juan share this Florida home with a cute Frenchie dog named Charlie (who, as you’ll be able to tell from the photos, is very much the king of the house).

Name: Lucas Ortega Navarro Location: Vicente Lopez — Buenos Aires, Argentina Size: 495 square feet Years lived in: Rented, 1 year After living in a much bigger place (where he never felt at ease), Lucas finally found his home a year ago in this one bedroom apartment over an avenue in the Vicente Lopez neighborhood. The furniture that seemed to be floating all over his old apartment now felt at home in this much cozier place.

Name: Victoria Harrison Location: England, UK Size: 2 bedroom, semi­-detatched bungalow Years lived in: 3 years Victoria, the interiors writer, editor and stylist behind Style Made Simple, bought her 1970s English bungalow in 2014. Nestled on what Victoria describes as a “friendly street in a pretty village,” her cozy home is located in the picturesque countryside of England.

Name: Farida Location: IJburg — Amsterdam, The Netherlands Size: 968 square feet Years lived in: 11 years; owned A twenty-minute ride by streetcar will take you from the bustling Amsterdam center to IJburg, a cluster of six artificial islands in the IJ lake. Surrounded by water, it feels like being on an island holiday. Even though it’s still a part of the Amsterdam-Oost (Amsterdam East) borough!

Name: Jonathan, graphic designer and founder of Pulp and Pixel Location: Rosemont-La-Petite-Patrie, Montréal Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: Rented 1.5 years Graphic designer Jonathan has a great eye for design, and he’s carefully collected decor for his rental apartment that reflects his personality. His home is something like a Rainbow Chips-Ahoy! cookie: mostly plain with pops of color throughout.

Name: Lori Location: Downtown — Detroit, Michigan Size: 1,195 square feet Years lived in: Rented 1.5 years Lori’s downtown Detroit apartment is a good example of a space that appreciates functionality and modernism, but still manages to be a warm, welcoming home. She used her move to this space as a fresh start, and prioritized incorporating local designers’ work into the mix. From art to custom-made furniture, Lori’s love and support of her city is on full display.

Name: Sara, Kyle, and Monty the dog Location: Forest Hill, Toronto Size: 750 square feet| Years lived in: Renting 10 months. (They lived in the one-bedroom unit directly next door for 5 years.) This space proves that we should never judge a home by its exterior. Built in the late 1960s by architect Uni Prii, this apartment building was described as “space age” by Spacing Toronto. However, Kyle and Sara have created a home that leans far more toward cozy vintage than futuristic.

Name: Kallie Seniff Location: Logan Circle in Washington, D.C. Size: 456 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, rented Kallie’s colorful studio apartment couldn’t be more representative of her personality. She’s an energetic, thrifty person and she found a way to combine these traits into a home so stylish that it makes me wild with envy.

Name: Lisa Diederich and Samuel Stephenson Location: Inglewood — Nashville, Tennessee Size: 1,248 square feet Years lived in: 6 months, renting Sam and I recently moved from Sydney, Australia to Nashville, Tennessee and have spent the past few months settling into our home and our businesses here in Music City. After five years in Sydney, we both felt it was time for a new adventure, and Nashville was calling!

Name: Kenny and Robbert Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands Size: 969 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, rented Robbert and Kenny are quite the complementary pair — Robbert’s practicality balances out Kenny’s flair for the dramatic — and their Utrecht attic apartment wonderfully reflects that balance. Located on one of the main canals of Utrecht, this building was once a warehouse and dates from the 15th century.

Name: Sarah and Dan Location: Fort Greene — Brooklyn, New York Size: 350 square feet Years lived in: Renting 4.5 years Sarah and Dan live in a beautifully preserved brownstone apartment in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn. The pre-war space features an abundance of architectural charm, like high ceilings, a floral ceiling medallion, and a gorgeous fireplace. The couple describes their style as modern and minimal, but above all, they value comfort.

Name: Tomoko and Michael Yates and cat Mochi Location: Clinton Hill — Brooklyn, New York Size: About 400 square feet Years lived in: 3.5 years, renting Tomoko and Michael met in Austin (in fact, you might remember the Austin house tour we did of his old apartment), but moved into their Clinton Hill apartment about three and a half years ago. The couple, respectively from Japan and Texas, describe their home’s style as simple and cozy.

Name: Franca, Thom, and their dogs Herman and Truusje Location: Nuenen, The Netherlands Size: 1,775 square feet (including the third/attic floor, not shown) Years lived in: 23 years, owned The town of Nuenen in the south of the Netherlands may have a familiar ring to art lovers. It’s where Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh lived for a couple of years in the period when he created his famous “The Potato Eaters.

Name: Soogee, husband Tae and their three kids Location: Okemos, Michigan Size: 2376 square feet (including the basement) Years lived in: 3 years Soogee wears a lot of hats. The mom of three kids, she also helps her husband run a couple of family businesses. The couple are also avid foodies, and they enjoy making delicious Asian- and European-inspired cakes and pastries. She’s also a decorator and realtor!

Name: Danielle Walsh and Greg Brownstein Location: Laurel Heights — San Francisco, California Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting Traveling is fun, but can also be hard work — especially when you’re a senior editor at a travel magazine. So your home needs to be something you love coming back to; a place you can take a vacation from vacation.