Name: Neeza and Pierre Location: Helmersbuurt; Amsterdam, The Netherlands Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Neeza is from Malaysia, and Pierre hails from France — two wildly different backgrounds that tastefully meet halfway to create this unique space. Splashes of color to balance out the white floor and walls, placement of beautiful furniture, and special handcrafted accents are just a part of the unique beauty of this home.
Name: Justice Darragh, voice-over actress & photographer, and Ronan Gibney, tattoo artist Location: Toronto, Canada Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: 15 (Ronan), 6 months (Justice); Rented Justice and Ronan share this cozy apartment in Toronto, Canada. Together they have created a warm and inspiring space to live and work in.
Name:Location:Size:Years lived in:New York apartment dwellers know all too well what a challenge it can be living the dream on a budget. Sometimes all you can afford is the lower level railroad apartment without direct sunlight. For Alex, the plus side to this is having backyard access to plant a garden and express his love of horticulture.
Name: Marisa Vitale and Peter James Location: Venice Beach, California Size: 1250 square feet Years lived in: 3 Years; Owned Marisa and Peter are a couple of world travelers with a serious case of wanderlust. Beloved souvenirs abound throughout their sunny, airy, one-story, Venice Beach home. Their home’s newest decor, however, speaks not to globetrotting, but to an entirely different sort of adventure, -that of first-time parenthood…times two!
Name: Austin White, Monica Rodgers and children, Manon and Shaw Location: Kingston, Rhode Island Size: 1,850 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; owned It all started with a ship captain in the 1920’s. He translated his passion for the seafaring life into a nautical-inspired Arts and Crafts home.
Name: Danielle Moss (and Buddy) Location: Lincoln Park; Chicago, Illinois Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: almost 1 year; rented Danielle Moss leads a hectic life. As a co-founder of The Everygirl, a popular website dedicated to career-driven women, the owner of her own graphic design and photography business, and the writer behind the blog Breakfast at Toast, it’s a wonder that she has time to think about interior design at all.
Name: Andrijana & Stanimir Location: New York City, NY Size: 750 sq ft Years lived in: Several years; Rented Andrijana & Stanimir do not like to be defined by any particular style or theme, giving them the freedom to incorporate & interchange an assortment of pieces in their apartment. This has become an integral part of their interior process as Andrijana is constantly changing and rearranging the space based on a new find.
Name: Jenna & Lexxa Location: Baker Neighborhood; Denver, Colorado Size: 630 square feet Years lived in: 13 (Jenna) & 17.5 (Lexxa); Owned Jenna Miles, the owner of Denver’s “modern mercantile” shop Hazel & Dewey, and her partner, Lexxa, are the happy residents of a two story renovated colonial in the city’s quaint Baker District neighborhood. I first met Jenna in her shop, filled with the most incredible kitchen items and hostess gifts.
Name: Johanna and Scott Location: Westerpark; Amsterdam, The Netherlands Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented After five years abroad and three moves around the Netherlands, Johanna and Scott planted themselves in a charming flat that needed a little love and patience. I’ve always admired Johanna’s ability to hone in on the little things.
Name: Alix Flood & Nick Benson, with kids Henry and Hope Location: Jamestown, Rhode Island Size: 2,355 square feet Years lived in: 4 years; owned For Alix and Nick, moving into their home in the quaint seaside village of Jamestown four years ago was a “dream come true.” Nick had admired the Edwardian house ever since he was a young boy, when his family spent summers in the picturesque island community.
Name: Sophie Crocket, her partner Scott and kids Casey and Callum Location: Lymington; Hampshire, UK Size: Three-bedroom house Years lived in: 6 years The pink flamingos standing sentry outside the front door give a clue to what lies inside this tiny 1960s red brick cottage tucked away in the English countryside.
Name: Hillary Schuster, graphic designer and aspiring wedding stylist, and Michael Kiser, freelance writer, photographer, brand strategist, and founder of Good Beer Hunting Location: Ravenswood; Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years; Rented Curios collected and lovingly composed unify the style of Hillary and Michael, a Chicago couple who balance home space with work space, and ephemera with plenty of classic, quality pieces.
Name: Nikki McWilliams Location: WASPS Meadow Mill Studios; Dundee, Scotland Size: 200 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; rented Nikki McWilliams, famed for her fabulous biscuit-themed soft furnishings, is as sweet as the treats that inspire her work.
Name: Jillian Schiavi, artist and founder of jilly ink, lettering and paper design Location: Lincoln Park; Chicago, Illinois Size: 400 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; Rented Moving into your first solo apartment is a challenge best met with enthusiasm, flexibility, and vision.
Name: Annie Elliott, CEO Bossy Color Interior Design Location: Woodley Park, Washington, DC Size: 2700 square feet Years lived in: Owned 8.5 years With a business called “Bossy Color” one naturally has a strong point of view when it comes to design. Enter Annie Elliott, the energetic designer behind Bossy Color Interior Design based in DC.
Name: Laura Shaeffer, Andrew Nord, Jasper and Sebastian Location: Hyde Park, Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: 9 years; Owned Laura and Andrew’s modernist townhome is a part of a community near the University of Chicago campus. It has 2 floors, a basement, and a huge backyard accessible by the other houses in the community. Their house is HOME Gallery, an intersection between a living space, an art gallery, a community engagement center, a playground, and a school.
Name: Keith and Paige Location: Belmont Heights, Long Beach, California Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 1 years; Rented The day of Keith and Paige’s tour I am embarrassed to say I was running late, plenty late. Making my way from a shoot in Laguna to Long Beach, I called from the 405 (Hello, Californians!) to see if I needed to reschedule.
Name: Teeny, Pie Baker, and Aaron, Content manager for PBS Kids Location: Woodley Park, Washington DC Size: 850 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Renting You know that really down-to-earth couple in your circle of friends with the gorgeously decorated apartment in the coolest part of the city, full of vintage gems they always seem to have the best luck snagging right off the street? Well, pie baker Teeny Lamothe and her boyfriend Aaron are those friends.
Name: Karen Racicot, actor and artist Location: Parkdale, Toronto Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 7 years, owned Flamboyant French actor/artist Karen Racicot emphasizes the use of bold colors in every aspect of her style, right down to her hot pink Brita water filter. As an extensive world traveller, jewelry designer and painter, she set out to create a vibrant “living jewelry box” with her Westside condo.
Name: Irina (and Lummi) Location: South Loop; Chicago, Illinois Size: 975 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; owned Coleridge, influenced by an opium-induced dream, wrote of “a stately pleasure-dome” that Kubla Khan established in Xanadu. In this space, verdant gardens mingled with caves of ice, and the sweet scent of incense floated above the sun-dappled hills, inspiring “deep delight.
Name: Ryan Cassidy Location: Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; rented Ryan Cassidy has the kind of loft most people dream about before moving to New York. Big, bright 15’ windows; a common area perfect for gatherings and stop-bys; an open kitchen connecting the living and dining area; paintings and obscurities decorated throughout.
Name: Tracy Steele Location: West 14th Street, New York, New York Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 15 years; rented In Tracy Steele’s apartment, things are not always what they seem: a drink set hides inside a bowling ball trophy, a rotary telephone lamp base is a clock that used to be a cigarette lighter, and the narrow slice of a drawer inside a mid-century modern buffet opens vertically and holds sewing supplies.
Name: Allison & Luke Location: The Castro; San Francisco, California Size: 715 sq. ft. Years lived in: 2 years; Rented It all started with a table. While visiting a friend recently I remarked on her amazing barn wood kitchen table, “Oh, it’s not mine. It’s on loan from a friend. Seriously, though — you should see the rest of her place.” With those magic words, she put me in touch with Allison, and a week later I found myself standing at her front door.
Name: Page Evans, daughters Peyton and Katherine, and Angus the Lab Location: Georgetown; Washington, DC Size: 1,800 square feet Years lived in: 8 years; Owned Page and her two daughters moved into this two bedroom in the heart of Georgetown eight years ago — they were downsizing after a divorce. Upon moving, Page, an art consultant and writer, set out to bring the small, 19th-century house up to date.
Name: Joanne and Brian King Location: Bay Spring; Barrington, Rhode Island Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 35 years; owned It’s a perfect summer evening. There’s a mellow breeze and a blanket of soft golden light. The Kings are sitting on their deck with drinks and a cheese tray watching sailboats race in Narragansett Bay. A couple sitting in a parked car takes in the scenery from across the street.
Location: Belmont Heights, Long Beach, California Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented Lisa and her twin daughters live in the bottom floor of a duplex owned by her twin sister Lori Lamont and Lori’s husband Monte Weiss. You may remember Lori and Monte’s home from a few weeks ago. Although Lisa’s style is very different, her home has a similar comfort and California ease.
Name: Kelsey and Mike Sheofsky (and Louella and Bird Sheofsky) Location: Mission; San Francisco, California Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: 2 1/2 years; Rented Kelsey and Mike make their living by creating beautiful outdoor spaces for their pop-up lodging service Shelter Co. They bring the same effortless style, laid back attitude and appreciation for travel to their San Francisco home, which they share with their perpetually chatty 7 month old Louella and their dog Bird.
Name: Marti Palermo and Jarrod Routh Location: Lincoln Square; Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; rented There’s a real effortlessness about Marti and Jarrod’s home: a fresh, comfortable simplicity that immediately puts one at ease. I felt right at home on a Sunday afternoon with sunlight streaming through the windows, Wild Belle on the stereo, and a cold glass of beer.
Name: Sooz Gordon Location: Dundee; Scotland, UK Size: 2 bedroom flat Years lived in: 3 1/2 years; Owned When I went to visit Sooz Gordon (and her excellent cat, Winnie) in a little 1920’s ex council flat in Dundee, the beautiful and dramatic way she’d transformed an ordinary space into such an exciting and dynamic home exceeded all my expectations. Her homemade truffles were pretty nice too.
Name: Christina Nickerson, Owner of Olmay Home, and her husband, two daughters, and their dog Location: Hancock Park, Los Angeles, California Size: 5,000 square feet Years lived in: 15 years I’ve always been surprised that the classics, things like great jeans, a beautiful white mug, a plain dark chocolate bar, someone who makes a good martini — which you would think would be so easy to locate — can be so hard to find.
Name: Sara Tunstall, Digital Producer, and Becky Kastelic, Art Director Location: Wicker Park; Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Rented Longtime roommates Sara and Becky make cohesive cohabitation seem effortless. Friends since college, these ladies combine carefully selected additions from estate sales and big box stores together with favorite pieces from their childhood homes to give this historical space a sense of depth and timelessness.
Name: Darla Minnis & Andrew Childs Location: Greenpoint, Brooklyn Size: 500 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; rented Darla & Andrew are both creatives pursuing their dreams; he’s a web designer and she’s a freelance accessory designer. When they first saw this apartment they knew right away they had to have it. In Brooklyn, outdoor space is highly coveted, and this one has an outdoor deck to boot.
Name: Maria and Eric Location: Jordaan — Amsterdam, The Netherlands Size: 200 square meters Years lived in: 5 years; Owned Welcome to Maria and Eric’s historical Amsterdam home with a modern twist. The two purchased this four-story abode five years ago and renovated the whole structure from top to bottom. Maria put it lightly when she said that renovating is “not an easy task in a foreign country.
Name: Jocelyn Mackenzie, Musician with the band Pearl and the Beard, and Jim Altieri, Programmer/Musician Location: Purdy’s, New York Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Rented When Jocelyn and Jim decided to leave Brooklyn living behind, they looked northward for their next home.
Name: Charlie Cosby, creative at Farrow & Ball Location: Southbourne; Dorset, UK Size: 860 square feet Years lived in: 3 years I was bursting with curiosity to see Charlie’s house — I tracked her down after falling in love with her incredible flamingo-tiled bathroom on Pinterest. I was even more intrigued when I found out that she is a creative at paint company Farrow & Ball and lives only a short drive away from me.
Name: Scotti Sitz, creator of GARDE (lifestyle, gift, and home accessories shop) Location: Hancock Park; Los Angeles, California Size: 2,600 square feet Years lived in: 4 months Scotti’s home reminds me of the classic California Spanish-style interiors you find in Malibu or Santa Barbara. The home (and its inhabitant) carry such elegance and beauty without being overly fussy.
Name: Stiles and Lauren Christner Location: Englewood, Colorado Size: 624 Square Feet Years Lived In: 2 Texas born and bred, Lauren and Stiles embody the small town warmth and southern spunk so often found in the Lone Star state. Lucky for us, the same can be said about their beautiful starter home in Denver, Colorado. Stepping through the threshold of this home, one might initially find it hard to determine the age of its residents.
Name: Taylor and Isabella Crockett Location: Central Phoenix, Arizona Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 9 Months; Owned While the housing market in Phoenix was one of the first to crash, it’s also been the first to rebound. Before the first quarter of 2012, if you were quicker than the investors, you could snag a foreclosed home in an historic neighborhood for less than $100,000.
Name: Jonathan Rubinstein, Founder/Owner of Joe, a coffee roastery and group of retail shops in New York City and Philadelphia; and Sally, age 4 Location: Brooklyn Heights; Brooklyn, New York Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Owned Clean lines define the neat, loft-like space that is Jonathan’s Brooklyn home, a well-edited contemporary apartment.
Name: Eric, founder of Fair Coast Goods & Upholstery, and Kellie, advertising account manager Location: Roscoe Village, Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,300 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years (own) Eric and Kellie’s wonderfully bright and modern loft is punctuated by a serendipitous story (bad pun intended!). You see, shortly after moving into their loft, which is a converted pencil factory, Eric launched his own business making handcrafted leather goods.
Name: Philip Oakley, his wife Olivia, and their two cocker spaniels, Joe and Jarvis Location: St Leonards; Sussex, UK Size: 6,000 square feet Years lived in: Owned 4.5 years, lived in 3 years Philip and Olivia’s home is a great hulk of a building painted top to toe in gunmetal grey. From the outside, it looks almost hermetically sealed. The front door blends in to the wall, and most the windows are shuttered.
Name: Jonathan Lo of Happy Mundane Location: Solana Beach, California Size: 1,300 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Rented Last year, Jonathan Lo circled back around to his fondest childhood memories and rented a place in Solana Beach for long summer weekend escapes. Of course, since it was only going to be used in summer and because the space was temporary, cost was a primary consideration. When costs need to be kept low, turn to imagination to keep the final look high.
I first saw Shira Gill’s home through an Airbnb link that my friend forwarded to me, and I was instantly smitten. Shira, the owner of a professional organizing business called Simply Sorted, keeps her home exactly how I would (and sorta do). Her decor is minimal and clutter-free without being boring, an impressive feat with two little girls.
Name: Hallie Glennie Location: South Loop, Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,000 square feet Years Lived In: 2 years; Owned From the rustic wood ceilings crisscrossed by painted red duct work to the castle-sized windows surrounded by floor-to-ceiling exposed brick, her loft is the real deal — that sleek, urban look that suburbanites (like myself) often try to emulate with faux brick panels and prepackaged beadboard, but can never quite capture for lack of authenticity.
Name: Hannah and Dave Bullivant and their daughter Frankie-Rose Location: Brockley; London, UK Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: 10 years; rented Hannah and Dave’s south London flat is proof that a little creativity and lateral thinking can turn a down at heel rented property into a cozy family home. The couple moved in ten years ago as students. Since then they’ve embarked on careers as a freelance writer and blogger at Seeds & Stitches (her) and music video director (him).
Name: Elizabeth Tulipana, founder of Anticipation Events + Bad Loo Loo Location: Bucktown; Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented Putting together a space that functions as both a home and base for her event planning business and Etsy shop came naturally to Elizabeth. A lover of all things vibrant and patterned, her spacious one bedroom apartment reflects her dynamic spirit and boundless creativity.
Name: Calvin Gilbreath Location: Capitol Hill, Washington DC Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned “Natural” is an apt term for the look and feel of Calvin’s Capitol Hill apartment — not just for the materials that make it up, but his innate ability to mix (and repurpose) high and low decor into a truly fashionable space. And I’ve never wanted to steal someone’s bathroom trash can until I toured Calvin’s home.
Name: John and Liz Tavarez Location: Fairview Place; Phoenix, Arizona Size: 1,004 square feet Years lived in: 7 years; Owned Liz and John live in a Sears Craftsman assembled in 1926. Their neighborhood, Fairview Place, was granted Historic Designation in 1994. It’s the oldest house in their neighborhood by two years. In Phoenix, this is considered incredibly old. In fact, generally speaking, a home built before 1960 is considered old.
Name: Johanna Lowe, food and prop stylist, and Derek Richmond, food photographer; together, they are the co-founders of Richmond Lowe Studio. Location: Logan Square; Chicago, Illinois Size: 3,000 square feet, with an additional 2,000 square feet of outdoor space Years lived in: 7 months; Rented Could there be a more perfect pairing than a food and prop stylist and a food photographer?
Name: Lesley Greening Lassoff of Aardvark, and her two lurchers Ernie Spartacus Crabtree and Peggy Pansy Pearl Location: St Leonards, UK Years lived in: 5 years Lesley is one half of the creative force behind Aardvark, the printmakers who came up with the warm and witty Kill Your TV manifesto. She lives in the seaside town of St Leonards on Britain’s south coast in a converted Victorian Sunday school with her two lurchers Ernie and Peggy.
Name: Sarah Bernard, husband James, and stepson Edward (on weekends) Location: Notting Hill, London Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; rented Sarah’s home has a modern, graphic style and a laid-back vibe that makes guests feel immediately at home in their colorful surroundings. Nothing is staged or forced.
Name: Alison Hotchkiss Location: Mission; San Francisco, California Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Rented Event Planner Alison‘s home is a reflection of her finely honed aesthetic, cultivated both by years in the wedding and event industry and her travels throughout the world. When quizzed on her resources she was as likely to drop the name of an exotic locale as a big box store.
Name: Lori and Jeromy Murphy, accesibility consultant with ACI, plus their two daughters Location: Heights Area; Houston, Texas Size: 2,480 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Owned Lori and her husband Jeromy are both architects. These days, she looks after the kids and he’s an accessibility consultant, but the house they built together has every bit of the ingenuity and style you would expect from the home of two designers.
Name: Cori & Jake Roberts Location: West End; Glasgow, Scotland Size: Three story town house Years lived in: 3 years; owned I can only conclude that Cori, her husband Jake (a film editor) and their three beautiful boys, Milo, Jonah and Louis, have effortless style running through their veins. Cori was born in Sweden, and with a photographer for a mother and artist for a father; their home was a hive of creativity.
Name: Rachel, Zach & Skye Location: Little Italy, San Diego, California Size: You’d think that we would know that since Zach’s dad is the architect, but we have no clue. Big enough for the three of us! Years lived in: 11 years If you want to live in one of the coolest concrete lofts in San Diego, it doesn’t hurt to be related to the architect.
Name: Tyler and Lolly Lux Location: Kensington, London, United Kingdom Size: 560 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, rented The morning of my photo shoot at Tyler and Lolly’s west London mews home, the couple were visited by an unexpected guest, in the form of a pigeon who somehow managed to fall down their chimney into the living room. “We woke up and could hear this strange flapping noise” Lolly told me when I arrived several hours later.
Name: Zoie Kingsbery Coe, founder of Kid & Coe Location: Marylebone, London Size: 1000 square feet Years lived in: 6 years; owned The location of Zoie Kingsbery Coe’s central London home is hard to beat. Situated in a tranquil and beautiful old mansion block, the apartment is tucked away, yet right in the heart of Marylebone with all the buzz of the city just moments away. The flat is the London home of Zoie, her husband and their two kids.
Name: Jesica Ryzenberg Location: Alamo Square, San Francisco, California Size: Studio, 450 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; Rented When the door to Jesica’s apartment swings open, you are greeted enthusiastically and welcomed in wholeheartedly (even when you happen to show up on the wrong day).
Name: Bryan & Sarah Farevaag Location: Brooklyn, New York (Prospect Park South) Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 3.5; rented Bryan and Sarah Farevaag are creative powerhouses who live and breathe good design; Bryan is Deputy Art Director of Digital at O Magazine, and Sarah is an Interior Designer.
Name: Dan, Jill, Grey and Taavi Ritacco and their dog Apple Location: North Kingstown, Rhode Island Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: almost 3 years; owned Written in chalk above the bathroom door are the words, “Artistry + Function + Simplicity = This Home.” It’s a fitting mission statement for Jill and Dan Ritacco’s small Rhode Island cape, which was gutted and revitalized by the couple themselves.
Name: Amy Desmond of Victory Market Vintage & Handmade Location: Andersonville, Chicago, Illinois Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 4 There are charming apartments and then there’s Amy’s apartment, which is so charming it should come in locket form.
Name: Kim Knoll and Kyle Eertmoed, graphic designers at Knoed Creative Location: Ravenswood Manor; Chicago, Illinois Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 7 years; Owned Kim and Kyle know a thing or two about space. As graphic designers who started their own company, Knoed Creative, they spend endless hours thinking about how forms and language communicate across visual dimension.
Name: Cyndi Coon Location: Tempe, Arizona Size: 1,800 square feet Years lived in: 13 years; owned Cyndi’s home, a ranch-style house built in 1958, is a stunning ode to all things found, reclaimed, and vintage. It’s a home you can stare at for hours: peering into glass-fronted cases, admiring collections of ceramics, and wondering at the story behind each object. It’s about as far away from childproofed as you can get.
Name: Oliver (graphic designer), Sherrie, and Cookie (a four-year-old Pekingese) Location: Bronx, New York Size: 525 square feet Years lived in: Under 2 years; Rented After living and volunteering abroad, Oliver and Sherrie had to start their home from scratch. Their experience in a third world country had a big influence on the way they approached furnishing their apartment.
Name: Andrew Samuel and Anne Greenwald Location: Ukranian Village; Chicago, IL Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 3 months, rented I visited Drew and Annie’s apartment on the first snowy day of the season, when everything outside was still and white. Annie was out of town, but Drew, who used to work at several independent record labels and who now works at Intelligentsia Coffee, played the perfect wintertime host, serving up warmth, conversation, and great music.
Name: Mike Rugnetta & Molly Templeton Location: Bed Stuy, Brooklyn NY Size: 1,350 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years; rented Molly Templeton is better known as her internet personality Mememolly, and Mike Rugnetta is a composer, programmer and performer who hosts PBS’s web series Idea Channel. This ultra media-savvy duo are often busy at work (so busy that Mike had to miss the portrait shot), so when they retreat back home they want their place to feel playful and fun.
Name: Elena and Judd Location: Amsterdam Oost (East) Size: 83 square meters (about 893 square feet) Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Elena’s Italian heritage and Judd’s Wisconsin roots combine with their love of architecture, vintage street finds, and mid-century details to create a fantastic masterpiece of a home. Welcome to Elena and Judd’s beautiful Amsterdam space!
Name: Seth and Natalie Brookshire Location: Presidio Heights; San Francisco, California Size: 2,700 square feet Years lived in: Seth for 10 years, Natalie for 3.5; Owned Walking up to this residence you’ll be greeted by Seth, an architect, and Natalie, a floral designer. The modern, light filled space you step into feels like a hidden treasure, and for good reason. The place was designed from the ground up by Seth, and every detail was carefully considered, with flawless results.
Name: Michelle, Juliette & Nicolas Sauzier Location: SOMA; San Francisco, CA Size: 1,266 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Michelle and Nico are one of my favorite couples in San Francisco. They met in a very kismet-type of way: Michelle spotted Nico, a French expat with his own interior architecture and design business (Design By Nico), in a friend’s photo and was instantly smitten.
Name: John Trefry and Laurel Watson Location: Lawrence, Kansas Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; rented When I first visited John and Laurel’s house less than a year after they’d moved in, I was struck by its warmth and homeyness, qualities that brought me back for a tour. John is an architecture instructor and founding partner of the work.
Name: Amy Haiar and Todd Donahue Location: Avondale/Logan Square — Chicago, Illinois Size: 2,400 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Owned What happens when two creative directors have carte blanche to design a new home from the ground up? In the case of husband-and-wife duo Todd and Amy, colorful, interesting, and beautiful things happen. Amy and Todd purchased their newly-constructed Smart Tech home a little over a year ago.