Apartment

Creative director, prop stylist, and set designer Melissa Cripe says to "create your own world" in your home. "Send yourself secret messages of love and support through your space and what you choose to fill it with," she says. In her New Orleans shotgun, this mantra manifests in whimsical upcycled furniture, rental-friendly murals, and family heirlooms.

Grace Atwood has written the lifestyle blog, The Stripe, for twelve years now, and is also active on Instagram and has a weekly newsletter. She worked with designer and Elements of Style blogger Erin Gates on decorating this Charleston, South Carolina rental apartment.

It's a fusion of mid-century modern and boho with pops of leafy greens.

Sekile Nzinga is the Chief Equity Officer for the State of Illinois and the founder of The Nzinga Collective, and rents this 1200-square-foot condo in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood.

Renter Sydney Callands finds a way to make her 660-square-foot apartment's odd layout work. "Sometimes it almost feels like I'm Carrie Bradshaw living her best life in the West Village — emphasis on sometimes," she says.

Tessa is a freelance writer and photojournalist who contributes to food and lifestyle publications (like Apartment Therapy!). She shares this rental apartment in Springfield, Missouri with her husband.

Behavioral scientist and science communicator Vanessa Hill shares a look inside her stylish Brooklyn rental AND reveals why she keeps old technology in her bedroom, what kind of mattress she sleeps on (under $500 from Amazon), and other smart secrets to getting better sleep.

"I create moods with scents, colours, sounds, lighting, and so on," renter Tia Dumoulin says of her 800-square-foot apartment.

"I love how even in a smaller space I've been able to create several distinct zones that I can enjoy for different reasons, whether I want to lie in bed and nap, spread out on my couch to read and look out on the street below, or get some work done on my computer at my little bistro table corner," SF renter Lydia says. "I've managed to fit many rooms into one!"

...including an IKEA bookshelf built into a wall!

Senaida's monochromatic studio has "pockets of space for sleeping, doing work, and hanging out" and a genius DIY light fixture to boot. All in 295 square feet!

Misella and Angga run Lumalamp, a handmade origami lampshade business, out of their home, this 700-square-foot apartment they renovated themselves and share with their three young kids.

Washington DC artist Erin Shirley has been growing her plant collection — and her enamel pin business, Aster & Tulips — from her bright and lush apartment just north of DC.

It also has many thrifted finds and original artwork made by renter Jordan Lauf's friends and family.

Sensi editor-in-chief Stephanie Wilson's apartment is "maximalism to the max" and FULL of wild decor ideas — like contact-paper-covered doors, neon-painted door jambs, and a carefully curated bar-cart-turned-bong-cart.

This "contemporary eclectic" apartment blends clean lines with lots of vintage and mid-century modern pieces.

Casting assistant Rosie Dart loves old and antique things, and her 390-square-foot, one-bedroom flat in London's Notting Hill neighborhood is colorful and maximalist despite the small size.

"I wanted something that was a less-murderous 'American Psycho' vibe with a focus on sustainability and minimalism," renter Wayne Burns says of his cool minimalist pad.

Emily Auffrey describes the rental apartment she shares with her family as a NYC dream space. “We truly feel like we moved into our dream NYC apartment. In addition to being the dream home; the area is just absolutely ideal for a family," she writes.

Taylor and her fiancé celebrate the perfectly imperfect in their space. They believe it's important for a home to look lived-in. Their apartment has parquet floors, neat archways, black hexagon tile floors, and intricate art-deco touches — and of course, books lying around, mugs left out from that morning's coffee, and all its familiar dings and quirks.

Renter Heather Luciano's advice when it comes to decorating is to be unabashedly you. "Being yourself never goes out of style," she says. "I know a lot of people who worry about what’s in or trendy when it comes to fashion and design, and I’ve just never lived that way. I have always over-accessorized, lived in color and pattern, and have been shopping for antiques since I was in grade school."

Content creator, blogger, style lover, YouTuber, and Instagram strategist Marikah shares this one-bedroom apartment with her husbae and their baby. The apartment has lots of clever organizing tip and renter-friendly decor ideas, including a very cute nursery nook in the bedroom.

Andrea rents this hospital-adjacent apartment out to medical students and traveling nurses, and she wanted it to feel like home for them, "with an atmosphere more eccentric than the typical rental," she says. Because she sourced the furniture secondhand, she could splurge on special finishes.

Vocalist Dana Williams' latest song, "End of the World," has a warmth and coziness to it. It emphasizes slowing down, as does her rental apartment in Los Angeles' Loz Feliz neighborhood.

Content creator Luna Lindsay has DIYed and painted her rental apartment into a pastel palace... and recently launched a hand-poured pastel candle business called Moonwix.

Erinne moved into this apartment right before the pandemic, and she quickly learned several things: She would need separate zones for working and living, she wanted to love the way her apartment looked from every angle, and she actually loves the color pink.

Inside designer Colby Kern's apartment, high-end splurges, flea market finds, original art, and even a few big box-store scores coexist. The result is a style that exudes luxury without the high price tag.

Richal and Jenny's apartment, which they have lived in for 30 years, is in a pre-war, park-adjacent building built in 1931. Their warm, inviting space retains its original crown moulding and has beautiful chevron flooring in each room.

Bleached herringbone oak wood floors, white-washed wood detailing, high ceilings, and impeccably organized spaces all contribute to the serene atmosphere of this professional organizer's home.

Scarlett Langdon and Xandice Armah’s home, known as The Gal Palace, is full of their personalities. “When we moved into the flat it was our first time living together, and our first time living somewhere unfurnished where we could properly put our stamp on it,” Scarlett says.

Every detail of this rental appealed to Lauren Meichtry, the designer behind Elsie Home, from the high ceilings, wainscoting, built-in benches off the fireplace, green marble countertops in the kitchen, to the ocean view from the primary bedroom.

Jakia, the CEO and founder of SoleOrganizer, has done a beautiful job of creating an uncluttered, organized home that holds just what she needs.

"The goal for my home has always been to make it feel like the most fun place you’ve ever been in, and I want every room to have a surprise in it once you enter," says TikTok DIY decor star Taylor BeepBoop of her "Pee-Wee’s Playhouse chic" San Francisco condo.

When interior designer and artist Sophia E. Aguiñaga realized she'd be moving out of her Oakland rental apartment, she took the opportunity to pare down and refresh the home's style. She re-homed almost everything and used minimalism, ease, and traveling light as a style guide.

Artist and jewelry designer Sara Amrhein and her husband, Luigi Valerio, completely remodeled this 592-square-foot apartment in Florence, Italy, DIYing much of the work themselves!

"Having lived in a rented 'white box' for a few years where I couldn't put a single poster on the walls, this place turned out the opposite: There's not a single white wall!" says apartment owner Marina Chaccur.

Musician Katie King's 500-square-foot studio in Hillsboro Village is where she spends time writing and practicing — as well as on other creative pursuits, like painting and macrame.

Kristina's apartment is packed with rental-friendly ideas and secondhand finds — almost nothing in her home was bought brand new.

Interior designer Ryan Black incorporated family heirlooms and antique pieces from Asia and Europe along with a mix of modern design elements to create an eclectic, worldly feel in Jean-Francois Alix's newly purchased condo.

Apartment dweller and art advisor Rachel Elliott's apartment is filled with original works, some of which she planned specifically for her space with the artist. Rachel says: "If you have the opportunity to meet the artists you are collecting and collect from emerging artists, do it! These are relationships that can last a lifetime."

The homeowner, Jonali, says they are drawn to neutral textures and tones, and they add eclectic accessories for a bit of fun and color throughout.

"My style is modern vintage, eclectic, maximalist, seriously whimsical, adventurous, nostalgic, queer, unapologetically colorful and femme, bold, energetic, cozy, life affirming, unconventional, and wholeheartedly personal," explains Sarah Hartley.

"My style is sexy and edgy and a little bit frantic, but is also warm and simple and cozy," renter Xenia Polychronis says. "These two 'styles' do not go together on paper, but they go together for me!"

Leonor and Pablo live in this apartment that they have filled with secondhand and sidewalk finds along with beautiful retro furniture.

"My home is a physical diary of the places I’ve been and the objects and memories I cherish, a place to remind me of the incredible beauty I’ve found during the adventures of my life," Ashley Urban, an eight-year resident of Los Angeles says.

These two artists created a versatile home space for art making and showing off their tour posters.

When she and her husband first bought it, Kara Haren's apartment had cranberry painted walls, a kitchen that hadn't been touched in 20 years, and flimsy and cracked windows. In the six years they've lived there, they have renovated each room to feel special and specific to them.

It packs so much style (and so many mementos!) into 578 square feet.

Becca Crawford, who works at textiles and decor brand St. Frank, fell for the high ceilings and charming pre-war details of this Brooklyn Brownstone; it's the perfect canvas for her enviable collection of gorgeous textiles.

Brooklyn resident Lidey Heuck is a recipe developer, food writer, blogger, and the former assistant of Ina Garten — so it only makes sense that she designed the apartment she shares with her fiancé and their dog to reflect her love of cooking and entertaining. 

Ph.D. candidate and creative entrepreneur Taylor Evans and her partner have incorporated color and pattern into their small rental apartment. "It feels playful, yet sophisticated, and I think it reflects our personalities," she writes.  

The wall-to-wall exposed brick is the star of this small home, and Fredd has filled the rest of the space with books, plants, and music.

Renter Jiske Kosian describes her apartment as eclectic, goofy, colorful, original, and Jugendstil (the German iteration of the Art Nouveau movement).

Musician Emma Frank and her husband work from home in this bright rental apartment in Park Slope. "It’s a really nice space to be creative in."

Josua Kärnbo completely transformed this dated, run-down, and small Stockholm studio apartment, turning it into a stylish and modern one-bedroom apartment, and doing it on a budget!

Liz S. and her daughter Olivia share this Pittsburgh rental apartment that's filled with a beautiful yet budget mix of decor from thrift stores and Facebook Marketplace, along with a few splurges like Panton chairs.

Photographer and technical writer Kimberly Nesmith describes her home's style as "mystical bohemian meets goth meets tropical meets vintage." And during Halloween season it definitely has "Practical Magic" vibes!

"I'm most at home outdoors, so our apartment is a nod to nature," says Cathy, who owns this apartment with her partner, Stephen. They even painted their dining nook Pantone's "Pine Green" to match the plants that sit on the windowsill.

Celia runs a YouTube channel and founded the decor shop Sticki Icki, and shares this 760-square-foot apartment with her partner, Sean, and their baby son, Cassius.