Apartment

Name: Alex Steele and Peter Wallner Location: Piedmont Avenue — Oakland, California Size: 500 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, rented For being in such a busy Oakland neighborhood, Alex and Peter’s apartment feels really calm, serene, and secluded. “We fell in love with its private tree house charm, and how seemingly hidden it was for being so centrally located on a main drag in Oakland,” Alex says.

Name: Salvatore and Amina and Worf and Princess Leia, the couple’s dogs Location: Downtown Los Angeles, California Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting Amina is a firm believer that your home “should be the ultimate happy place.” And the Downtown Los Angeles rental apartment she shares with her husband Salvatore (and pups Worf and Princess Leia) certainly shows that she practices what she preaches.

Name: Amelie Mancini, Rami Metal, and their daughter Babette Location: Crown Heights — Brooklyn, NY Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: Rented, 2 years Before getting pregnant with their daughter, artist and designer Amelie Mancini and her husband Rami Metal called Greenpoint, Brooklyn home. They loved where they lived, but knew that their tiny apartment (less than 400 square feet total) wouldn’t accommodate a growing family.

Name: Liz Sparacio Location: Northern Liberties — Philadelphia, Pennslyvania Size: 2,400 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years, renting Liz resides in a natural-light filled loft space that was origionally part of an old textile factory in the Northern Liberties neighborhood of Philadelphia.

Name: Mona Hamilton Location: Plateau Mont-Royal Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, renting Mona is a 24-year-old retail florist by day and an aspiring web comic artist by night. And she had always lived with her parents in Toronto…until she decided to “kick-start her adult life” by moving to Montreal after visiting in the summer. For her, this apartment allows her to create and curate a space where she can foster her own growth.

Name: Sophie, Guillaume and baby Simone Location: Heart of the Plateau — Montreal Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, owned Avid travelers and a creative couple, Sophie and Guillaume live in their warm renovated flat in the heart of the Plateau with their young daughter Simone. The flat’s architecture is at once rich and minimal, and the couple loves to merge old, timeless design pieces with newly acquired ones.

Name: Suzanne and Oliver Jeffers, and their son Harland Location: Park Slope — Brooklyn, NY Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, renting Originally from Northern Ireland, Suzanne and Oliver Jeffers have called Brooklyn home for ten years. Before moving to their current rental, they were living in a tiny, one-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn Heights. The apartment fit their needs just fine…until they found out their family would be expanding.

You have to see this DIY library wall.

Name: Sandy and Mike Location: Downtown — Los Angeles, California Size: 970 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, renting The Santee Building in downtown Los Angeles was granted historic landmark status in 2001. The former textile factory-turned-modern loft building is now home to Sandy and her fiancé Mike; they’ve lived here for about two years with their friendly labsky (labrador husky mix) Bowie.

Name: Sarah Jacobson Location: Lower East Side — New York, NY Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned “Above all, I believe in comfort—in a home that makes you feel more relaxed the second you step through its doors,” describes Sarah of her style. You can feel and see that sense of comfort in features like the two-person breakfast nook or the living room area, at least once you get over the stunning style of the apartment (specifically the kitchen!).

Name: Claire Swindale Location: Blackheath — Southeast London Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 15 years, owned Claire Swindale is fearless. She spent eight years seeing the world (with a prolonged stint in Nepal) where she trekked around Mount Everest and explored the countryside from the back of a truck.

Name: Rachel Tepper Paley and her husband, Jon Paley Location: Prospect Heights — Brooklyn, NY Size: 1,050 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned Rachel and Jon moved into their Prospect Heights, Brooklyn condo after years of renting in NYC. During their search, they were able to find a lovely and spacious 1,050-square-foot place with one tiny catch: It had NO closets. Like none.

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: Pippa Small Location: North Kensington, London Size: 1076 square feet Years Lived In: 7 years, owned As a successful jewelry designer and business owner, Pippa Small travels a lot. To exotic places like India, Bolivia, Nairobi, and in fact, was just about to dash to New York with her four-year-old twins the day after our shoot. So travel definitely plays a big part in her home, with lots of colors and items that were picked up from all over the world.

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: Christina and Tor Location: Stockholm, Sweden Size: 376 square feet Years Lived In: 2 years, owned Moving the kitchen and opening up a wall in this small apartment are the key design decisions that turned what was originally a studio into a one-bedroom apartment. They’re also the secret to how this tiny, under 400-square-foot space can feel so much bigger. “Best decision ever,” confesses Christina.

Name: Anastasia Antoinette and Jamon Johnson Location: Columbia Heights — Washington, DC Size: 825 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, rented It’s not every day that you’re in the market for a new apartment and stumble upon an architectural masterpiece — which also happens to align perfectly with your profession — but that’s exactly what happened to Anastasia and Jamon when they were looking for their first home together.

Name: Jeff and Sara Jones and their two dogs Location: Waco, Texas Size: 400 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned You may recognize this couple from season three of HGTV’s Fixer Upper. After living in their Fixer Upper home for over a year, Sara decided to go back to school for nutrition…and it forced the couple to get creative with their finances.

Roommates Noël and Giselle have created a home that celebrates creativity.

Name: Ares, her husband and their baby Location: Barcelona, Spain Size: 1,292 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting When Ares was on the hunt for a larger apartment for her growing family, the search was initially a bust. Nothing seemed to be what she was looking for, that is until this unit came across her radar. Which is kind of surprising considering the state of the space when she found it.

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: William Watson (and Lola!) Location: Bowery — New York, New York Size: Approximately 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Will was involved in the art world for several years before starting his own creative agency, Watson and Company. And he moved into his Soho apartment nearly a year ago. He uses his space not only as a place to live, but to paint and spend time with his adorable baby girl Lola when she stays with him.

Located in an old printing house building, massive original windows overlook the city.

Name: Anna Rafferty and her husband Location: Irving Park — Chicago, Illinois Size: Approx. 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, rented I am not exaggerating when I say that Anna Rafferty’s home is the most colorful apartment I’ve ever seen. Every room is so thoughtfully curated with pinks, purples, and the ubiquitous green of plants throughout. And not just these colors, but the neon versions of these colors.

Name: Dolores and Marco Location: Barcelona, Spain Size: 969 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned Dolores refuses to follow trends. As an art director, set decorator and interior designer, she’s able to see her home as a blank canvas. And it’s a bright, light-filled space she’s intentionally filled with elements that feature character and history.

Name: Melissa Sonico, husband Johnny, and son Harrison Location: Redlands, California Size: 1,100 square feet Years Lived In: 2.5 years, renting Writer and jewelry designer Melissa Sonico and her husband Johnny moved in to their two-bedroom home just before their son Harrison (now two years old) was born.

Name: Trudy Crane Location: Old Montreal Size: 1250 square feet Years Lived In: 2 years, renting After working as an executive in the fashion industry for many years, Trudy decided to pursue her dream and switched to a career as a ceramicist. Inspired by nature and the many shades of white, she creates beautiful and organic ceramics under the name of Looks Like White.

Name: Mohammad and Rachael Gorjestani Location: Western Addition — San Francisco, California Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, rented Mohammad and Rachel’s San Francisco apartment is so cozy and serene, it’s easy to forget that it’s right next to a busy intersection at the center of the city. The original hardwood floors add warmth to the space, and the view of greenery in their spacious backyard (a true luxury in San Francisco) is beautiful.

Name: Carly Kuhn Location: Larchmont — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,303 square feet Years Lived In: 1.5 years, renting “I moved into this space about year and a half ago. I was drawn to this space because of the great location. As a New Yorker, I love this Larchmont area that’s really walkable.

Name: Cassandra Hope, Ryan and Penelope Location: Leslieville — Toronto, Canada Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, renting Cassandra grew up loving furniture and design, a passion sparked by her mom who always had one-of-a-kind pieces that were warm, cozy and felt like they were from another era.

Name: Klaas Hogeweg Location: ‘s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands Size: 969 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Gray, beige, white, black. Generally, these colors don’t evoke feelings of warmth and coziness. But if you visit Klaas Hogeweg’s home those are the exact words that come to mind, together with stylish and elegant.

Name: Curry Hackett Location: Howard University/Shaw — Washington, D.C. Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: Renting, 1.5 years The apartment that Curry has lived in for one and a half years couldn’t be anymore perfect for his diverse pursuits, which include graphic design, vintage furniture collecting, and playing the trombone. He’s also the founder of Hackreative, a multidisciplinary design studio specializing in placemaking, visual design, and creative direction.

Name: Rachel Kaplan Location: Adams Point — Oakland, California Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, rented Rachel’s friends know her as the person always wearing the outrageous, colorful, and sometimes stylishly clashing outfits. So clearly, she reflects that boldness of color, pattern, and texture all over her home.

Name: Siria Alvarez and Emmanuel Perez Location: West Harlem — New York, NY Years lived in: 3 years, renting Siria and Emmanuel were lucky to score a Harlem apartment with great bones: High ceilings makes the space feel spacious, a heavy but glorious fireplace is a bold focal point, and a dark-wood hallway is a striking statement. But it’s how Siria and Emmanuel have furnished the space that makes it so inspiring.

Name: Ottoline de Vries, Michiel van Soest, and children Caroline (10) and Tom (8) Location: North London, UK Size: 1938 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, renting Ottoline de Vries founded the London-based Dutch design company (named Ottoline) in 2010, growing it into a prominent purveyor of fabulously patterned homegoods like wallpaper, furniture, lampshades, throw pillows and art.

Name: Joost Janszen and Martijn Location: Amsterdam, the Netherlands Size: 861 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned When Joost and Martijn checked out this apartment three years ago, they fell for the bright living area with its lovely canal view. It’s the perfect backdrop for the colorful interior, filled with their own creations and beautiful vintage finds.

Name: Jack Schmitz, Christopher Thompson, and their Frenchie, Edie. Location: Hell’s Kitchen — New York, NY Size: 675 square feet, plus terrace Years lived in: Almost a year, renting For creative couple Jack Schmitz and Christopher Thompson, the search for their first apartment together ended up working out far beyond their expectations.

Name: Alea Lovely Location: Greenpoint — New York, NY Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 8 months, renting The apartment of Alea Lovely more than lives up to her name. A creative whose expressions vary from photography to painting and beyond, Alea infuses her space with a sense of what motivates and inspires her. This includes plenty of art, lush colors and textures, and details influenced by places, people, and things she adores.

Name: Nisha Mirani and Brendan Kramer Location: Upper West Side — New York, NY Size: 500 square feet Years Lived In: 9 months, renting We recently moved to New York from Los Angeles to be closer to family and to live a car-free lifestyle. I work full time on Sunday/Monday from home and Brendan helps on nights and weekends, so our apartment search was as much of a studio search as an apartment hunt.

Name: Leti, Julian and Helenita Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina Size: 1,184 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned When it came to starting the project of renovating their apartment for their new family, Leti and Julian were all in. They worked with an architect to help with the layout of the space, but the couple was very hands on: “We chose every material in this apartment.

Name: Carles Ruiz Carrión Location: Barcelona, Spain Size: 1,184 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, renting While sharing the place you live with the place you work might sound exhausting, for interior designer Carles Ruiz Carrión, it’s a perfect match. When he was looking for a space to run his design business out of four years ago, he spent a year searching for just the right spot.

Eclectic, functional and DIY'ed to the max.

Name: Laura Lane, Nic Rad and Samo the dog Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn Size: 1972 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned Laura’s a comedy writer, author and the co-creator of This Is Why You’re Single (a comedy sketch show, podcast and book). Nic is an artist and podcaster (Victori + Mo gallery represents his work). Are you thinking that the home of two incredible creatives must be an incredibly attractive, one-of-a-kind space? You’re right.

Name: Stella Rose Saint Clair and cats Inch, Filbert, and Beeboo Location: Bushwick — Brooklyn, New York Size: One bedroom Years lived in: 2 years, rented Pink covers nearly all the walls of this Brooklyn rental, the home and fashion studio of designer, stylist, model, and cat-mom Stella Rose Saint Clair (yes, that’s her real name).

Name: Rachel Hornaday Location: East Williamsburg — Brooklyn, NY Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 7 years, renting The colorful jungle space that is Rachel Hornaday‘s third-floor Brooklyn apartment is actually a museum filled up with all of her beloved collaborations, collections and curiosities. The photo stylist by day/artist all the time has decorated her three-bedroom home in a comfortable way that tells the story of a creative always willing to be inspired.

Name: Trish Martin (And Harriet the Greyhound) Location: Preston — Melbourne, Australia Size: 645 square feet Years Lived In: 1 and a half a years, owned Trish Martin started her vintage journey during her early days as a blogger eight years ago. In this time she opened an online store, two brick-and-mortar vintage shops in Melbourne, an online magazine called The Vintage Post, and eventually sold them all to become a digital marketing specialist.

Name: Carlos J. De Jesus and Andrew W. Fallon Location: East Lakeview — Chicago, Illinois Size: 550 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, renting How do two people with slightly different style backgrounds and interests come together and design a home for themselves that explodes with attitude and fun? That was the challenge that Carlos De Jesus and Andrew Fallon faced when moving to this East Lakeview, Chicago, apartment a couple years ago.

Name: Zane and Aldo Location: London, UK Size: 860 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned We lived together in Australia before moving to London in 2014 on a work transfer. We were only going to be here for two years, but we fell in love with the city and decided to stay. Aldo works as a Senior Designer in a prominent architectural firm, and Zane became COO of the tech consultancy 101 Ways. We were already living in Borough and knew we wanted to stay here.

Name: Katherine Steinberg Location: Carroll Gardens — Brooklyn, NY Size: 825 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned “Sleep on any major changes before committing,” is Katherine Steinberg’s sage advice. And after taking on a full-blown renovation when she moved into her Brooklyn apartment over two years ago, she’s had a lot of experience with making big updates in her home, everything from moving the location of a staircase to picking out wallpaper.

Name: Alina Fassakhova, Artem Churikov and cat Usha Location: Upper West Side — New York City Size: About 400 square feet Years Lived In: 14 months, renting Working and living in a small space is already a challenge. Add to that a messy (artistic) profession requiring oil paints and large canvases, and it becomes truly challenging to balance work and personal life in one space.

Name: Cortney Moore and Tyler Moore Location: Studio City Neighborhood — Los Angeles, California Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Since getting married back in 2011, we’ve moved at least once a year. We hopped around Nashville for a few years before moving out to Los Angeles, and have moved twice since we’ve been here. We both love to go out and be social, but we cherish our time at home as well.

Co-host of the podcast and HBO special "2 Dope Queens" just added another impressive line to her resume: homeowner. And in New York City, no less.

Name: Tes Hash Davison and Daniel Davison (And Lamb!) Location: Pilsen — Chicago, Illinois Size: 950 square feet Years Lived In: 4 years, owned On a recent work trip to Chicago, I stayed at my good friend’s house and was blown away by the style and design of the apartment. I got to sleep in the adorable attic guest room and am obsessed with the hot pink bathroom!

Name: Kristyn Location: Pleasanton, California Size: 406 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting I love that my apartment has the unique charm of a Victorian home but has been renovated to be comfortable and modern. My landlord is a contractor and did a beautiful job keeping the Victorian characteristics as he updated it. Living across the hall from one of my lifelong friends, Melissa [whose home we toured before!

Name: Shannon Buckley; husband, Nick Huertas; and 3 cats Location: Andersonville — Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, rented Looking at their apartment, it’s hard to believe Shannon and Nick only moved to Chicago one year ago. Leaving Boston, the East Coast, and a number of dark, dreary apartments behind, they were determined to find a home with outdoor space and lots of natural light.

Name: Cyndi Ramirez-Fulton and Adam Fulton and dog Rocky Location: West Village — New York, NY Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, renting Cyndi Ramirez-Fulton knows about self-care and spaces where you can relax. She’s the founder and CEO of Chillhouse, a nail salon/spa/cafe that’s “a destination for modern self-care” on the Lower East Side.

Name: Chris McGovern Location: NoMad — Manhattan, New York Size: 925 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, owned In a city full of high-rises often with floors of identical apartments, Chris was keen to find a space that was both architecturally unique and required some renovation to put his own touch on it. He gravitated towards loft spaces throughout his search. In 2017, he purchased a loft in Manhattan on the border between Chelsea and NoMad.

Name: Arielle Assouline-Lichten Location: Greenpoint — Brooklyn, NY Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, renting Architect and designer Arielle Assouline-Lichten has a badass, burgeoning design career. After studying at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, she founded the multidisciplinary design firm Slash Projects in 2013, which specializes in both physical and digital spaces.

It's important to remind everyone you can really achieve big changes despite the small square footage.

Name: Chad Burton, Burger Kim, and Terrence the cat Location: Queen West — Toronto, Canada Size: 500 square feet Years lived in: 7 months, owned As creatives whose vision is often outside the box, this couple has completely (and colorfully) transformed a bleak condo into a vibrant masterpiece. Chad Burton has a career as a stylist and fashion editor, while Burger works as Canada’s visual merchandiser for Gucci.

Name: Bliss Lau Location: Lower East Side —New York, NY Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: Less than a year, owned Jewelry designer Bliss Lau’s wearable creations are minimal—simple forms that are elegant and architectural—but they aren’t plain. Her necklaces, bracelets, body chains, and rings feature luxurious details. It’s a style combination seen in the minimal and modern home she shares with her husband Evan and their new baby Soa.

Name: Emily Kellerman Location: Ditmas Park — Brooklyn, NY Size: 450 square feet| Years Lived In: 3 years, renting Prop stylist Emily Kellerman’s small studio apartment is proof you don’t need a ton of space—or separate rooms—to live beautifully and well. We first saw a sneak peek of her small 450-square-foot Brooklyn rental apartment in a house call, but I wanted to see more.

Name: Ainsley Gardner, Brandon Stewart, and Betty Cat Location: Chelsea — New York City Size: 737 square feet Years Lived In: 1 year, renting “One of the challenges of living in a newer rental is trying to bring character to the space without making permanent changes,” explained Ainsley Gardner, who’s been sharing this rental apartment in Chelsea with her partner Brandon and their cat, Betty.

Name: Chelsea Poling and cat Piper Location: Santa Monica, California Size: 1,450 square feet Years Lived In: 1 year, owned “I love the location of my home; I am less than a block from the Santa Monica Beach. I make it a daily task or indulgence to go to the beach every day, whether it be a walk on the beach, a dip in the ocean, or quiet meditation,” wrote Chelsea Poling, the founder and CEO of the online wellness boutique Rose Botanica.

Name: Fiona Morrison, owner of Wolf Circus Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Size: 850 square feet Years Lived In: 1 year, owned While she was still at British Columbia’s University of Victoria, entrepreneur Fiona Morrison founded Wolf Circus, “a line of demi-fine jewelry thoughtfully designed and hand fabricated in Vancouver, BC.

Name: Mary and Tom Eirich Location: Watertown, Massachusetts Size: 1,100 square feet Years Lived In: 2 years, owned We had previously lived in Belmont, Massachusetts, for 30 years and had decided, as empty nesters, to move to the north shore, not far from the ocean. After a few years of being further from our children (and, eventually, grandchildren) and also missing the conveniences and cultural benefits of being close to the city, we decided to look at real estate closer to Boston.

Name: Justin Elizabeth Sayre Location: Los Angeles, California Size: 400 square feet Years lived in: 4 years Born in Pennsylvania, writer, performer, and comedian Justin Elizabeth Sayre made a name for himself in the downtown New York cabaret scene paying homage to cultural icons like Judy Garland, Cher, and Elizabeth Taylor (hence his middle name).

Name: Cécile Gariépy, her boyfriend, and their lovely dog, Marjo Location: Rosemont La Petite-Patrie, Montreal Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned After her studies in cinema and working as a film director for five years, Cécile Gariépy moved to Paris to pursue a master’s degree. Her life in France was very academic, and creative Cécile started drawing illustrations.

Name: Lea Nguyen and Ugo Rioux Location: Ville-Marie, Montreal Size: 420 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting After an extensive search, Lea, a freelance writer and journalist, and her boyfriend Ugo, a science assistant in a college, left their respective beloved Montreal hoods of Little Italy and Villeray to move in together in Ville-Marie borough. The apartment did not look anything like it does now when signing the lease, but they saw the potential.

Name: Elyse DeLisle and Amanda Goelz and their cats Pig and Poe Location: On the road; Currently in Palm Springs, California Size: 240 square feet/ 34-feet long Years lived in: Owned — We began renovating the trailer in Spring 2018 and started living in it in July 2018. There were two things Elyse and Amanda wanted to do together: renovate a home and travel. They were living in Melbourne, Florida, when they decided to buy a fixer-upper.

Name: Kaitlyn McGowan and Evan Walker Location: Downtown Gainesville, Florida Size: 1,400 square feet Years Lived In: 16 months, renting Our home is a 1930s-ish converted duplex that I share with my partner of four years, Evan, and our cat, Rasputin, or Poots as we call him. Located downtown in a college town, our place has seen some interesting, fun, and scary renters.

Name: Elizabeth Podlesnik Location: Queen Anne — Seattle, Washington Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting Back in June, this former personal stylist-turned-photographer got an itch to redecorate. Like, seriously redecorate. “I sold everything on Craigslist and Offer Up, and started from scratch,” Elizabeth told me. I was slightly jealous of the adventure she’d just been on. From scratch, you say? Swoon. I really do have a thing for blank slates.