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Name: Bev Wilson Location: Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Size: 975 square feet Years Lived In: 2.5 years, owned Bev is a lawyer, but has always been interested in interior design and photography. So when it came time to start searching for an apartment to buy, she wanted a space she could really design and customize. She wanted a renovation project. “When I bought my place, it had been used as a rental for over ten years and was not in good shape,” Bev shares.

Name: Bonnie Berridge Faxén and Per Faxén Location: San Francisco, California Size: 650 Square Feet Years Lived In: 3.5 years, renting Designer and interiors consultant Bonnie Faxén says she has a passion for “art, design, architecture, colors, fonts, materials, textiles, paint, wallpaper. If it has to do with design I’m thinking about it!” This healthy obsession for visual elements has spilled over into the small apartment she shares with her husband Per.

Name: Maddie Flanigan Location: Old City, Philadelphia Size: 500 square feet (approximately – slightly less) Years Lived In: 4 years, owned What’s old is new—that’s a theme that plays throughout every facet of Maddie Flanigan’s life. She is the founder of Madalynne Intimates, a Philadelphia-based lingerie brand (featuring bras, bralettes, undies and bodysuits that are made in the USA!

Name: Jordana and Trent Nicholson Location: Nashville, Tenneesee Size: Roughly 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Jordana and Trent’s Nashville home is a space of tranquil comfort with an abundance of natural light that they’ve worked to make a personal sanctuary…even if their living situation is only temporary. The couple is currently renting the ’60s style ranch house from friends who are traveling through South America.

Name: Manon Thibault and family Location: Brossard, Quebec Size: 2,000 square feet Years lived in: 15 years, owned After earning a business degree and working as an Account Director at a large live-event company, Manon Thibault made a career switch. Clearly already imbued with a “designer’s eye,” she worked as an interior decorator at a Pottery Barn for awhile, before founding her own company called Manon Thibault Design.

Name: Rowena Donker, her husband, their two daughters and two sons Location: Breda, the Netherlands Size: 1,238 square feet Years lived in: 6 months, owned As the adage says: “If you love your job, you never have to work a day in your life.” This might sound trite, but Rowena feels very fortunate to be able to confirm this. She certainly has worked hard to transform her passion into a career.

Name: Jess Cooney Location: Great Barrington, Massachusetts Size: 3,000 square feet Years Lived In: 7 years, renting New England-based interior designer Jess Cooney worked reno magic on an old carriage house a few years ago. Everything from an exterior paint job to a complete refresh of the interior transformed what was an outdated, dark space.

Name: Wendy van Wilgenburg and two sons Willem (10), and Adam (12) Location: Zaandam, The Netherlands Size: 1700 square feet (the house), 4700 square feet (garden) Years lived in: 6.5 years, owned My name is Wendy van Wilgenburg, and I am a visual anthropologist and documentary filmmaker focusing on craftmanship. I have made films on master craftmanship for over twenty years and decided to found the Craft in Focus Festival to engage a large audience with the beauty of handmade objects.

Name: Stacey Norkun and Chris Norkun Location: Salem, Massachusetts Size: 2,629 square feet Years Lived In: 3.5 years, owned We would visit Salem often in the early 2000s and loved the history, culture, and vibrancy of the city. It was a place that always held special meaning in our hearts. After some years living in the metro D.C. area, we decided to move back to New England, and Salem was the obvious choice—it had just the right amount of kitsch and character we were looking for.

Name: Liz Martin Location: Charleston, South Carolina Size: 1,800 square feet Years lived in: 6 months, owned Charleston blogger and shop owner Liz Martin has a simple mission: to make every day feel like the weekend. And according to Liz, it starts at home. “It’s about being surrounded by little things that make you smile,” she says. “[things like] fresh flowers, glorious candles, and fun decor.

Name: Maggie Smoller and family Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Size: 1,600 square feet Years Lived In: 4 years, owned Since the day we closed on this house four and a half years ago, we’ve been putting our stamp on it room by room. As self-proclaimed homebodies, there’s nothing we love more than staying in and getting cozy, and it was so important to create a home that we loved being in and living in.

Name: Marta Escoda, husband Albert, and kids Ivet, Marc, and Alex Location: Sabadell — Barcelona, Spain Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, owned When personal shopper and stylist Marta Escoda decided to move into her grandparent’s apartment, she knew it would need renovating. But while she wanted a fresh start and to make new memories in this place, she also knew this apartment was part of her history and heritage, and desired to keep some of the original character.

Name: Jennifer Jorgensen and two pups Location: Kingfield — Minneapolis, Minnesota Size: 1,700 square feet Years lived in: I purchased it in 2012, so 7-ish years… I had no idea until I just looked up when I bought it—that’s a long time! Jennifer is one half of the Minneapolis-based, custom hand-painted and printed wallpaper and furnishings company, She She. (Kate Worum is the other half of She She, and we toured her home, too!

Name: Eryn and Jared Erickson + Dog, Sprocket Location: East Atlanta; Atlanta, Georgia Size: 1200 square feet Years lived in: 7 months, Renting Eryn Erickson of lifestyle brand, So Worth Loving, and Jared Erickson of the beloved Atlanta motorcycle co-op space, Brother Moto, combine their individual aesthetics and open their doors to give us a glimpse at where the magic happens in this beautiful and eclectic East Atlanta home.

Name: Kevin O’Gara and family Location: Cabbagetown — Atlanta, Georgia Size: 1,500 square feet Years Lived In: 5 years, renting My dad first moved to Cabbagetown, a historic neighborhood in Atlanta, when my parents divorced in 2009. His first pad was a three-room shotgun duplex where my sisters and I first started exploring the neighborhood, and quickly we fell in love with its artistic charm!

Name: Wes Trammel, Ben Cooper, (Dog) Duffy Location: Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan Size: 1,870 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned An Alabama native and graphic designer, Wes relocated to Detroit three years ago with his fiancé, Ben. Having worked for 16 years as a graphic designer for a national home and lifestyle magazine, Wes has recently turned his attention to home renovation and interiors.

Name: Victoria Kirchhoff Location: Downtown St. Paul, Minnesota Size: 780 square feet Years lived in: Rent, 8 months Young professional, Victoria Kirchhoff, carves out her own piece of Texas in a downtown Saint Paul apartment. Although an unlikely spot for a Southern girl, her cozy rustic design successfully brings her roots to the Midwest.

Name: Lisa and Adam Location: Cobble Hill; Brooklyn, New York Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 10 years; Rented Everyone who knows Lisa knows she likes an organized and clean space! So she’s extra challenged in a small pre-war apartment with a husband and a new baby, but she makes it work, and with a very nice feel. There is something about this apartment that all people who visit this charming home love.

Name: Michelle Lin Greenip Location: West Village, New York Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 6 years; Rented Out the window, there’s a tumble of rooftops and a church steeple or two. Inside, a palette plucked from Ladurée, lavender fields, Hermés boxes and champagne labels, with a bit of gilding for good measure. While it’s one part atelier, including an artist’s garret of sorts, it’s the West Village, not the Left Bank.

Name: Kelly and Dave; son Litton (“Lit”) Location: Lawrence, Kansas Size: 3,200 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Owned When Kelly and Dave purchased their split-level home back in 2012, there were months of renovations ahead of them. The neighborhood is what initially drew them to a house that, as Kelly put it, “was an ugly eyesore! Asbestos tiles! Wood paneling EVERYWHERE! I have some before pictures if you care to see,” (which we will share in more posts to come).

Name: Gillian and Mark Location: Vancouver, BC Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 6 Months; Rented Mark, an electrical engineer, and Gillian Stepping into Mark and Gillian’s apartment felt like stepping into a quiet country home. Their home is just tucked away enough to escape the busy city life most people in Vancouver are used to. The building has an amazing view of the ocean and mountains, and their home is often filled with a wonderful sea breeze.

Name: Elizabeth Wissel Location: Irvington; Indianapolis, Indiana Size: 2,508 square feet (including unfinished basement) Years lived in: 6 years; Owned In design, as in real estate, the key is location, location, location — at least that’s the case in Elizabeth’s home, in which everything is arranged beautifully. The layered clusters of curios around the house provide rich texture and engaging depth in every corner.

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: Megan and Jason Clark and their 7-month-old son, Ever Clark Location: West Seattle, Washington Size: 2,300 square feet Years lived in: 5 years; Rented Though they each hail from other places in the Northwest, Jason and Megan have made a beautiful home together near Alki Beach in Seattle. She is a VP at the non-profit LifeCenter Northwest, and he works for Groupon and writes the blog THE BLACK CANOE.

Name: Jill and Dan and their 2-year-old, Branson Location: Hillsdale; Portland, Oregon Size: 4,100 square feet Years lived in: 6.5 years; Owned When Jill and Dan moved from a small condo in Portland’s Pearl District to their brand-new home in the Hillsdale neighborhood, they weren’t in a hurry to fill the house up with furniture and things that didn’t have meaning for them.

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: Thomas Wegner Location: Longfellow — Minneapolis, MN Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: 20 months; Owned Longfellow, one of south Minneapolis’ tight-knit neighborhoods, is full of row after row of early 1900s gems. The exteriors of these houses—which are found throughout the Twin Cities—share many similarities, so walking into a unique interior like Thomas’ is a special treat.

Name: Francesca and her cat, Shady Location: Southeast Portland, Oregon Size: 421 square feet Years lived in: 9 months: Rented When Francesca moved to Portland from upstate New York two years ago, she only brought a few suitcases with her. Since then, she’s been working for Airbnb, where she finds herself looking at beautiful interiors all day long and nesting beautifully in the first space she’s lived in by herself.

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: 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.

If you like bright light, white walls, simple furnishings and a mixture of personal and colorful details, you’ll want to check out the room-by-room resource list for this lovely Portland space. Occupied by two young, creative women, the space features a sophisticated mix of new pieces and vintage scores. You just might inspiration for your own bright home mix.

“Only have things you love. Obviously, some things just need to be functional, but when it comes to decorative pieces we try and only get things we have a strong emotional reaction to. When we get stuff to fill a spot and not because we absolutely adore it, it tends to fall flat.

Name: Penelope and Nathan Miller and their daughter, Bell Location: Alberta Arts District — Portland, Oregon Size: 2,100 square feet Years lived in: 6.5 years; Owned Penelope and Nathan have created a home for their family that is truly a reflection of themselves, where they’ve been, and what makes them feel good.

Name: Sage Gregory and Gracie Ellison-Shortridge Location: Portland, Oregon Size: 2,331 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, rented Prior to moving into this space, Sage and Gracie were actually living in the basement below. During their time in the basement apartment, they had limited light and space so they used bright colors and decor to give the space life.

Name: Jon and Nina Hans of Weekday Studio Location: Downtown Los Angeles, California Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 2 years We first got a peek at Jon and Nina’s home in their house call. It’s a clean, simple sanctuary in a busy Downtown LA area—but it isn’t boring in the slightest. Bold contrasts add drama while design details stand out in a space without a lot in it but that has a lot going for it.

Name: Jennifer & family Location: San Francisco, California Years lived in: 11 The kitchen is the heart of interior designer Jennifer’s home and the place where her family catches up between work and school. It’s also where we’re eating Burmese takeout for lunch because when you cook for five, like Jennifer, you’re allowed to do that. Spacious, beautiful, and generally filled with good food and good people, it’s not a bad place to spend an afternoon. Or a morning.

Name: Suzanne of Decogirl Montreal Location: Downtown, Montreal Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 9 months Suzanne is an interior decorator working in Montreal who excels at creating luxurious decor where exuberance, drama, class, color and comfort all mix together to create intriguing and wonderful spaces. Suzanne finds inspiration for every project in Coco Chanel, Bunny Williams, and Jonathan Adler, to name a few.

Family heirlooms, antique store finds, and unique modern goods find themselves at home together in Suzanne’s 900 square foot space in downtown Montreal. With her experience as an interior decorator, Suzanne has seamlessly joined timeless pieces from across the globe. Let her resource list inspire you to go traditional and timeless!

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: 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.

Name: A. J. Berne Location: Village of Swansea — Toronto, Canada Size: 645 square feet Years lived in: Owned 5 years What can be better than a view of Lake Ontario and the chance to take in a few moments each day, to gaze out at the water and watch the sailboats wander and tides change? For A.J. — not much. A.J. lives in a waterfront condominium in the city’s West End.

Name: Elijah Clark-Ginsberg Location: Somerville, Massachusetts Size: 450(ish) square feet Years lived in: 2 years, rented Elijah, a well-traveled marketer and designer, moved into his beautiful one-bedroom rental in Somerville two years ago. This West Coaster turned East Coaster now draws design inspiration from the collegiate, preppy feel of the New England area, and his love for international travel.

Name: Christine Gasparich and her husband Location: Beacon Hill neighborhood — Boston, Massachusetts Size: 1100 square feet Years lived in: Renting 2 years In 2014, Christine’s husband was accepted to graduate school in Boston, so they sold their D.C. house, sold or stored most of their furniture, and moved to Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood for two years. “I am an interior designer.

Name: Mimi and Harper Location: Nashville, Tennesee Size: 2,300 square feet Years lived in: Owned 5 1/2 years Mimi is a Nashville native who grew up in the city limits and on a farm outside of town. She now lives in her own house — a space that manages to be simultaneously calm, comfortable, vibrant and eclectic.

Name: Kathryn and Emilio Ancaya and their daughter, Claire Location: Kenilworth — Asheville, NC Size: 2,000 square feet (with 700 square foot attached studio apartment) Years lived in: Owned 7 years Kate has always appreciated the beauty of old homes, and when she saw that the architectural gem she had long admired had gone on the market, she knew there was a dream to chase.

Name: Maggie, Chuck, Katie and Will (crazy critters: Stella, Blanche and Ozzie the three legged cat) Location: Sumter, South Carolina Size: 2,400 square feet Years lived in: Renting 14 months Maggie Overby is a Louisiana native living in Sumter, South Carolina. After graduating from LSU and meeting the love of her life — Chuck — they bought their first home and Maggie caught the renovating and design bug.

Name: Bethany Chase Location: Cobble Hill, Brooklyn Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: 5.5 years Bethany Chase is a woman of many talents. Besides being an interior designer, she’s also the author of two novels, including Results May Vary, which was just published this fall. Her Brooklyn apartment reflects her love for both literature and design, and her understanding of the deep importance of the places we call home.

Name: Hannah, Marc, Louisa and Izzy Location: Nashville, Tennessee Size: 3,300 square feet Years lived in: Owned 1.5 years Hannah and Marc moved into their gorgeous 1920s home a little more than a year ago. They have worked hard to update the space with fresh coats of paint, flooring and beautiful decor.

Name: Monica Dyer Location: West Village, New York Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, rented Monica and her husband have lived in this apartment in New York for about three years and have transformed it into a perfect compact and chic city home. It’s light-filled and lovely, designed with a fresh outlook and plenty of savvy.

Wood floors, dark molding, lots of natural light and a gorgeous, contrasting black, white and brass palette. Even more impressive? Matthew's only lived here two months!

Name: Jenny, Glen, Stella (cat), Harley (cat) Location: Lake Worth, Florida Size: 2,000 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned Jenny, lead floral designer at Port + Palm Co., calls this charming 1950s-era house in Florida home. Only three miles from the ocean and two miles from downtown, it’s enviable for its proximity to the beach, but it’s also retained much of its original character. Not every room in Jenny’s home is “done.

Sarah has executed the perfect mix of traditional, rustic, Chinoiserie, and mid-century styles in her family’s Massachusetts home. With easy-to-source furniture and decor you can shop Sarah’s style and achieve this bright mix of styles, too!

Name: Christine Alcalay, her teenager daughter and two-year-old son Location: Brooklyn, New York Size: 4,600 Square Feet Years lived in: 8 years, owned After emigrating from Vietnam with her family when she was just three years old, Christine Alcalay grew up in New York City. Her mother, who was a self-taught tailor and worked in factories in the Garment District, introduced her daughter to the art of sewing.

Name: Eric Kunau Location: Beverly Hills, California Size: 1000 square feet Years lived in: Renting 2 years Eric’s sunny Beverly Hills apartment combines his love for art, mid-century modern style, and contemporary design to create a bright, welcoming space to call home in his adopted state of California. Originally from Minnesota, Eric now calls Beverly Hills home in this 1000 square foot apartment.

Name: Delia Kenza, Júlio Leitão, and their two daughters Location: Clinton Hill — Brooklyn, New York Size: 3,500 square feet Years lived in: Owned 3 years Having already renovated and/or designed 10+ homes together over the past 15 years, Delia and Júlio were already well on their way to capitalizing on their experience. They had lived in four of these homes together, all in Manhattan, ranging from trendy Soho to soulful Harlem.

Name: Phyllis and Bill Location: Glen Ellyn, Illinois Years lived in: Owned 25 Years This is a house I know intimately…because it’s the home I grew up in! My parents, Phyllis and Bill, bought this house over 25 years ago when it was filled with pink and teal decor from the ’80s. Once we moved in, they chose to decorate with neutral colors and vintage furniture that seemed more appropriate for a house built in 1902.

This 100-year-old row home is full of charming original wood flooring, built-in bookshelves and natural light.

Name: Melissa Frankenfield, her husband, Jason, and their three children Location: Vicenza, Italy Size: 2,500 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting When Melissa first found out she would be moving to Italy, she had fantasies of grandeur about her future home — how it might sit on a vineyard, overlooking a quaint Italian farm, with a vine-covered barn and rustic wood ceilings inside.

Name: Sarah, Will, baby Romilly and Ramsey the bulldog Location: Haddonfield, New Jersey Size: 3,795 square feet Years Lived In: 3 years, owned Sarah and Will live in a beautiful 19th Century Haddonfield Manor House, designed and built by notable architect, Clement Remington. Remington was also involved in the construction of Philadelphia’s City Hall, the Curtis Building, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Name: Lezli Clendening Location: Vicenza, Italy Size: 1,614 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, renting Walking into Lezli’s second floor Italian apartment is like walking straight into a museum. With artifacts from all around the world, beautiful canvases from artists (some of whom she is related to) and even bones, insect display cases and taxidermy pieces, it certainly could be mistaken for one of the coziest exhibits ever.

Name: Holly Location: The Mission — San Francisco, California Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting The first thing you notice when you open the door to Holly’s apartment in San Francisco’s popular Mission neighborhood is the light in the hallway that runs two-thirds of the length of the space. Windows all along the right side — some stained glass — make it feel very airy and ethereal.

Name: Matt and Ali Murray, daughter Tennyson, 2, and Lucky, the Mini Aussie Location: Newberg, Oregon Size: 3,000 square feet Years lived in: Owned, 5.5 years Six years ago, Matt told Ali that he found their dream home in Newberg, a small town in Oregon’s wine country about an hour from Portland. They had previously lived together in downtown Portland, and later owned a house in a southwest suburb of the city…and weren’t actually in the market for a new home.

The nice part about a spec home is you start with a great blank canvas with such potential for personalization.

Name: Carolyn Rebuffel Flannery and husband Location: San Rafael Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned When we first saw the fabulous bungalow home at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac, we were smitten. The interiors were mostly original and there was a giant blue farm sink in the kitchen, original to the house. Regretfully, the sink was completely impractical but we are turning it into a potting sink in the garden.

Name: Joe Gast and Willow the Weimaraner Location: Leschi — Seattle, Washington Size: 1,690 square feet Years lived in: 25 years, owned My 1908 Leschi cottage was a victim of several ill-conceived remodels and plenty of deferred maintenance. A transplant from Ohio, with an Ohioan’s modest budget, I purchased the house because it was in my price range and it was located on a magical stairway, steps above Lake Washington.

Name: Erica A. Jacobs and cat Luci Location: Uptown — New Orleans, Louisiana Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Erica Jacobs runs a nature-based, holistic home design company called Between Red & Violet, where she offers services ranging from space planning to landscaping. She defines holistic home design as an “intuitive and perceptual process rooted in physiology, sociology, and psychology designed to enhance well-being.

Name: Jaclyn and Jeff King Location: Dallas, Texas Size: 264 square feet Jaclyn’s earliest memories of design and appreciation for all things eclectic began with her grandmother and memories of tagging along with her to antique shops and trade shows where she and her aunt worked as vendors under the name “Two Dumb Dames.” Even at 80, her grandmother’s sense of style reflected her personality—bold, beautiful, and an uncompromising flair for independence.

While maintaining the integrity of the building's original architecture, Jim and Molly gave a modern face to areas like the kitchen and bathrooms.

The house was a shell when they bought it, and they applied for a special first time home-buyer loan to allow them to rehab the existing structure.

When Jill and Charlie Bent bought their Cambridge home, the kitchen hadn’t been updated since 1920. Cosmetic changes made the space function aesthetically for the family, but the space had its fair share of structural issues, leaking ceilings, and ant infestations every spring. After compromising their comfort for half a decade, the couple decided to hire a contractor, Monarch Carpentry, to renovate it.

Name: Jeni Wu Location: Nob Hill — San Francisco, California Size: 685 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented After years of roommates and carpeted studios, Jeni finally got the chance to move into her own apartment, and she couldn’t wait to add her personal style. She works as a home decor buyer and as an interior designer with her own styling business, Wunder Design, so it’s only natural that her space is as stylish as the homes she puts together for clients.

Name: Todd and Kate Novak Location: French Quarter — New Orleans, Louisiana Size: 675 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned New Orleans is known as a city that loves color, and Kate and Todd Novak embraced that notion with a touch of “understated” bordello in their French Quarter getaway. Though they call Marin County, California, home, Kate and Todd’s love of New Orleans stems from their time at Tulane University.