Apartment

Name: Lindsay Souza, author of the blog The Pursuit of Style, and boyfriend Garrett Location: Capitol Hill; Washington, DC Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented The Capitol Hill apartment that Lindsay shares with her boyfriend looks like a real life manifestation of her popular lifestyle blog, The Pursuit of Style. And indeed, that’s what the apartment has been: a pursuit.

Name: Ara Katz and Chris Ovitz Location: Abbot Kinney Boulevard; Venice, California Size: 1,700 square feet Years lived in: 1 1/2 years Ara and Chris decided to move in together and looked endlessly for a loft, but couldn’t find the right space. They kept coming back to a loft building on Abbot Kinney as the model for their dream home, but every unit was already occupied. Ara constantly kept her eye on the building and after a long wait, a unit was finally available.

Name: Deidre Alexander Location: Wagener Terrace; Charleston, South Carolina Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 4 years; Rented I’m not going to lie.

Name: Kate Clarkson, designer and creator of Moozle Location: Watergraafesmeer, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Size: 70 square meters (approx. 750 square feet) Years lived in: 2.5 years; Owned Kate Clarkson’s colorfully quaint abode catches your eye immediately. This small space feels grand, thanks to her personal touch and lots of quirky accessories.

Name: Brian Cobb and Brad Harris (Benny, greyhound & Chi-Chi, chihuahua mix) Location: Rogers Park; Chicago, Illinois Size: 901 square feet Years lived in: 9 months; Owned Brian and Brad have the eye, the patience, and the motivation that is required from artists who create perfectly harmonious and balanced spaces. They are also able to pull it all together in quick order — just nine shorts months.

Name: Arthur Garcia-Clemente & Kristin Over Location: Printer’s Row, Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Rented When two interior designers move in together for the first time, to a loft space with only a few walls and even fewer enclosed rooms, the chances for design conflict run high.

Name: Chris Apollo Lynn Location: Bouldin Creek; Austin, Texas Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years; Rented Chris Apollo Lynn always smiles when he speaks. A calming personality, he’s equal parts exuberance and enthusiasm, especially about the city of Austin and its community.

Name: Anne and Richard Location: Upper West Side, Manhattan, New York Size: 2,500 square feet, 2 bedroom Years lived in: 2 years; Owned “I think that you go astray when you aim for perfection,” declares Anne when discussing her approach to home decor. Anne and Richard’s relatively new home is filled with a mix of the old and the new, the damaged and the pristine. For Anne, these charming inconsistencies make her home a much more comfortable place in which to live.

Name: Mireille and Simon Location: Alt-Moabit, Berlin, Germany Size: 1,140 square feet/106 square meters Years lived in: 8 months; rented Entering Mireille and Simon’s rambling, open-concept living space, it’s easy to forget for a moment that you’re standing on the top floor of a Deco-era building situated just north of Berlin’s Tiergarten and Brandenburger Tor.

Name: Aimee, Rene and Max Location: Park Slope; Brooklyn, New York Size: 1100 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; Rented Aimee and her husband, Rene, recently readjusted their Park Slope home to accommodate baby Max, the newest addition to the family. Rene’s a chef and Aimee works as an Account Analyst in Apparel Production, so putting together a beautiful, warm home with plenty of style came naturally to this creative couple.

Name: Ralph Martin and Julie von Kessel, their children Lulu (7) and James (3), and Tony the cat Location: Berlin-Kreuzberg, Germany Size: 175 square meters/1,884 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; rented The story of how novelist, journalist and ex-New Yorker Ralph acquired such a spacious, classic apartment in Berlin’s Kreuzberg neighborhood, with a rent that hasn’t been raised in over 20 years, is the stuff myths (and dreams) are made of.

Name: Emily (co-owner of Prototype Vintage Design) and Ian (awesome musician Orthy) with kitties Monty and Marmie. Location: Cherrywood Neighborhood; Austin, Texas Size: 1300 square feet Years lived in: Rented; Ian 8 years, Emily 3 years Want to see the home of a couple that’s perfectly paired in both romance and style?

Name: Mary Lee Location: Austin, Texas Size: 300 square feet Years lived in: 8 months That’s not a typo. Mary Lee’s Austin studio is only 300 square feet, yet it somehow seems so spacious, so open, and so comfortable. Come on in, take a peek and let Mary Lee show you that living in 300 square feet is not only possible, but it’s perhaps all the room you really need.

Name: Kathryn and Perry Bacalis — Wedding and portrait photography team in Denver. Location: Capitol Hill, Denver, Colorado Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 4 months; rent Kathryn and Perry are the kind of people that make friends with just about everyone they meet. They are warm and welcoming, creative and stylish, just like their home. They recently left behind 1300 square feet of loft living and moved into a 650 square foot apartment in the heart of Denver’s Capitol Hill.

Name: Sara and Mads Location: Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany Size: 75 square meters/807 square feet Years lived in: Two years; rented When they moved into their current ground floor apartment in Berlin’s busy Kreuzberg district after six long months of furnished, temporary rentals, Sara and her husband Mads were eager to put down their roots and make the apartment their own. They initially arrived with a truck of their belongings at 4 a.m.

Name: Linda, pharmacist and fashion and food blogger of NomNomBlingBling, and dog ManduLocation: McLean, VirginiaSize: 903 square feetYears lived in: 1 year; own Working as a pharmacist by day but a fashion blogger in her spare time, Linda describes her home style aesthetic as being much like her fashion sense: a mix between high and low, elegant and modest.

Name: Christine Mitchell and Ted AdamsLocation: Cambridgeport, MassachusettsSize: 850 square feetYears lived in: 1.5 years, rented Style blogger Christine Mitchell of N’East Style has an aesthetic all her own. Inspired by her upbringing in New England, her blog is filled with the lifestyle, fashion and folklore of the region, along with her unique hand-drawn illustrations. Her home reflects both her upbringing and the style she embodies.

Name: Fabienne Séveillac & Kobe Van Cauwenberghe Location: La Chapelle, Paris, France Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 10 months (rented) Thanks to their seventh story walk-up, Fabienne and Kobe are in excellent aerobic shape — a benefit for most, but especially for two musicians who often find themselves holding a sung note for inordinate lengths of time, or boldly scurrying around the neck of a guitar.

Name: Pamela BeecroftLocation: Washington, DCSize: 800 square feetYears lived in: 4 months (at the time of the tour); Rented When the owner of her rental apartment suddenly decided to move back in, Pam found herself scrambling to find a new place to live. With few options (it was winter…not a lot of available apartments) and very little time to search, she was forced to move from a smaller space with plenty of soul and character to a larger and more impersonal place.

Name: Rustam Babayev Location: Saint Petersburg, Russia Size: 335 square feet (31 sq. m) Years lived in: 4 years – owned. A colorful gem of small space living comes today by way of the northernmost largest city in Russia, Saint Petersburg. What may be equally surprising as the location and the cozy dimensions of the studio apartment is the enthusiastically vibrant and international midcentury elements which permeate throughout.

Name: RobertLocation: Mitte, Berlin, GermanySize: 1,000 square feetYears lived in: 1.5 years; rented Lofted high above fashionable Torstrasse in Mitte, with views to Berlin’s famous Fernsehturm in Alexanderplatz and busy Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, scientist Robert lives in a quietly stylish Dachgeschoss (attic level) one-bedroom apartment.

Name: Melyssa & TedLocation: Arlington, Massachusetts Size: 1,000 square feetYears lived in: 3 years; Rented Entering Melyssa and Ted’s home, I expected to walk out back and see the ocean. Not quite a reality for this 19th century carriage house north of Boston, but that vacation vibe mixed with bright colors and quirky touches creates a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere that’s not afraid of a little sand.

Name: Brad and Joe, plus Lilly (dog) and Olivia (cat) Location: East Lakeview — Chicago, Illinois Size: 420 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Owned Brad and Joe’s Lakeview apartment is a wonderful lesson in making the most of a small space. This 420 square foot apartment is home to two men, one sizable dog and a cat — and yet it actually feels spacious, clutter-free and comfortable. Joe and Brad have made great use of every inch of space in their small apartment.

Name: Bert Fox & David Pickett + Sophie the PugLocation: West Lakeview, Chicago, IllinoisSize: 830 square feetYears lived in: 1 year, 10 months; Rented When Bert and David rented their first apartment together, they enlisted the assistance of a friend and interior designer to help them turn it into a home. With a mix of vintage furniture and rich colors, they’ve managed to turn a standard issue Chicago apartment into a comfortable and stylish home.

Name: Joshua Alvarenga (and his cat Valentino)Location: Hollywood – Los Angeles, CASize: 700 square feetYears lived in: 1 year – rented One of my favorite things about a home is when the owner brings out the best in the architecture and original design of the structure. Joshua has collected furniture and personal treasures that are wonderful and cozy but that also allow us to enjoy the Spanish style of the building itself.

Name: Julie Chamberlain and Jesper Kaalund Location: Haut Marais, Paris, France Size: 710 square feet (66 square meters) Years lived in: 2 years, rented At 37 weeks pregnant, Julie Chamberlain doesn’t do much dancing these days, but that doesn’t stop her from listening to her favorite tunes. One morning last month, independent Canadian music streamed from her laptop, providing a restful soundtrack just right for readying her beautiful one-bedroom apartment in Paris for a new baby.

Name: Kelly and MichaelLocation: Hyde Park, Chicago, ILSize: 1,480 square feetYears lived in: 3 years; rented The last word that one probably wants to use in reference to one’s home is “clinical,” but according to Kelly, that’s what the space felt like when she and her husband Michael moved into their university-provided housing three years ago.

Name: Elizabeth Krueger & Brent SandersLocation: Ukrainian Village — Chicago, IllinoisSize: 1,250 square feetYears lived in: 1.5 years — rented The downturn in the housing market has left many high end, new construction apartments and condos sitting empty.

Name: Brian & Kerry Grabowski Location: Jamaica Plain — Boston, Massachusetts Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 4.5 — owned Entering Brian & Kerry’s loft, the first thing you see is the courtyard. It’s hard to miss an entire wall of windows that reaches up to the 18-foot ceilings. “In the winter, it’s like living in a snow globe,” Brian reminisces, “…when it actually snows.

Name: Dean Fisher (and Bunny, a corgi-beagle mix) Location: Logan Square — Chicago, Illinois Size: 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom Years lived in: 1.5 — rented One of the first things Dean said to me was, “I love old things.” A glance around her apartment will confirm this statement, as the eye readily falls on vintage furniture, taxidermy, and old copies of National Geographic. The place is full of antique treasures, but make no mistake: this is no fusty lair.

Name: Christopher Location: Van Vorst Park — Jersey City, New Jersey This month we’re all about renting on Apartment Therapy so when this quick peek inside an amazingly well-designed rental arrived by email, we were thrilled to get it up on the blog.Christopher writes: My home is where I am most myself. I use it as a design laboratory for my Interior design career. I enjoy playing with eclectic style, tonal values and unexpected quirk that brings a smile to my family and friends.

Name: Heather Chontos, Kodie (12) and Zana (3), and dog MarvinLocation: Clinton Hill — Brooklyn, New YorkSize: 1000 square feetYears lived in: 3 years — rent If this post title seems to have a lot of adjectives to describe the home, we felt it only fitting consider the creative woman renting this space happens to wear a lot of hats herself.

Name: ScottLocation: Ottawa, CanadaSize: 1200 square feetYears lived in: 6 years; rented Scott is a lucky guy; the place he calls home is one of the most beautiful and iconic apartment buildings in Canada’s capital. Hovering on the edge of the downtown core, The Windsor Arms was built in the Art Nouveau style and features leaded stained-glass windows, Belgian tiles, wood-burning fireplaces and an enviable entrance hall.

Name: SarahLocation: West Village — NY, NYSize: 650 square feetYears lived in: 2.5 — rented Sarah is one of those enviable people who make the act of creating a very stylish home look effortless. While all of us who work on our homes know how much time, effort and research goes into a space that looks comfortably chic, when it’s done with this much panache, all thoughts of hard work fall away… Sarah describes her apartment as classic modern.

Name: Chris and ErinLocation: Carlisle, MassachusettsSize: 680 square feetYears lived in: only 4 months — rented I’m used to getting crushes on the homes I photograph for Apartment Therapy. But this one? This home I WANT. It fits in so perfectly with my recent obsession with the idea of living in a smaller space. Chris, a woodworker with his own shop, and Erin, a yoga instructor, massage therapist and writer with her own studio, scored this amazing rental on Craigslist.

Names: Jenny Carlson, a Ph.D. candidate in anthropology at the University of Texas and an improviser with Damned Avalanche, and Collin Cannaday, a multimedia content producer who runs a podcast, “You Should Be Watching.”Location: Allandale Neighborhood — Austin, TexasSize: 800 square feetYears lived in: 1 year — rent Jenny and her boyfriend Collin are like most of us: they love a home with built-in personality and charm.

Name: Troy Vanderheyden Location: Hollywood — Los Angeles, CaliforniaSize: 750 Square FeetYears lived in: 2 months — rent Whenever my friend Jeff Eyser is behind a project I always know it will be well executed with charm and a sense of humor. When he was hired by the producer of his network, Troy Vanderheyden, he was given literally three weeks to completely renovate and decorate the apartment.

Name: Marcia PatmosLocation: Boerum Hill, Brooklyn — New YorkSize: 750 square feetYears lived in: 13 — owned Three shades of gray (from pearly to charcoal) that define and ground, personal art hand-picked to delight, and an island forever banished to unlock a room’s worth of living potential, all in a thoughtful, smart, economical and collaborative facelift that reshaped the space, but not the spirit, of a Brooklyn brownstone.

Name: Beth and Brian JonesLocation: Costa Mesa, CaliforniaSize: 1,350 square feetYears lived in: 1 — Rent (interiors were originally designed by JR Walz) Style blogger Beth Jones and her husband Brian live in an unassuming multi unit condo in Costa Mesa. By “unassuming” I simply mean that from the outside you would never know that this creative eclectic interior exists in there. They have exposed raw wood beamed ceilings with plenty of vintage charm and a huge open patio space.

Name: Kay McGowan of Mohr & McPherson and A Curated WorldLocation: Somerville, MassachusettsSize: 1500 square feetYears lived in: 4 — rented When it comes to eclectic furnishings and housewares from around the world, Mohr & McPherson is a Boston institution. One of the forces behind that institution is Kay McGowan, the general manager for the past 15 years. This woman knows her imports.

Name: Klemens Affandy and Robert DelaneyLocation: Grange Park— Toronto, CanadaSize: 1250 square feet; 2 bedroom + denYears lived in: 4 — owned While Klemens and Robert’s 15th floor condo offers stunning views of the surrounding neighborhood and Toronto’s downtown, it’s their interior that really shines. This bright and spacious space embeds tranquil Eastern elements within a modern, urban envelope.

Name: Jess ConstableLocation: East Lakeview — Chicago, IllinoisSize: 725 square feetYears lived in: 1 year — rented Jess has striven to turn her plain-Jane rental into a lovely comfortable home. Along the way, she often referred back to Summer Thornton’s house tour, which we posted way back in 2008. (Further proof that traditional elegant style is timeless.) Jess is one busy lady.

Name: Sabrina SotoLocation: Upper West Side, New YorkSize: 1200 square feet, 2 bedroom, 2 bath rentalYears Lived In: 7 months Sabrina, an HGTV designer and personality, just moved to NYC from Washington DC for her new show. She downsized from a sizeable house to a brand new 2-bedroom luxury rental, basically starting over from scratch.

Name: Chris, Master of Public Policy Candidate at Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of MichiganLocation: Ann Arbor, MichiganSize: 390 square feetYears lived in: 2 months, rented As a busy grad student, Chris takes a no-nonsense approach to decor. His space is tiny at only 390 square feet, but feels much more spacious because of his take-no-prisoners approach to clutter and excess.Because of his minimal style, Chris appreciates and is intentional about each item in his home.

Name: Daniel and Mercedes Location: South Park — Downtown Los Angeles, CASize: 978 Square FeetYears lived in: 2 — Rent Daniel and Mercedes Curran live in a renovated downtown loft building, where they have built a cozy home that celebrates the charms of postwar and midcentury classics. They have a knack for shopping and sourcing great pieces on a budget and they are not afraid to use every square foot of their loft.

Name: JaneLocation: Upper West Side, New YorkSize: 3 bedroom, 3 bathYears Lived In: 8 years Jane and her husband have very different approaches to design. While they both have a vested interest, Jane leans heavily towards form and her husband is a big fan of function. Together, however, they have achieved greatness. Jane is a designer by profession, so she took the lead seven years ago to create one home out of two apartments — one above the other.

Name: Noemi Location: Berlin, Germany Beyond a lush garden courtyard, a tall twisting staircase leads to the top floor of a 19th century apartment building. Ivy-framed windows open wide as cool summer air drifts through elegant rooms inspired by the historic abodes of German philosophers, English writers, and even French queens.

Name: Robbie LaughlinLocation: Hollywood near Runyon Canyon — Los Angeles, CaliforniaSize: 1,000 square feet, 1 Bedroom + 1 BathYears lived in: 6 years — Rent Robbie Laughlin, the E! News host, lives in an ideal mid-sized one bedroom home at the foot of Runyon Canyon. His building boasts classic floor plans and gorgeous city views. Tucked minutes away from the hustle of the city in the heart of Hollywood, this apartment’s location truly is the best of both worlds.

Name: The YardLocation: Long Island City, New YorkSize: 650-square-feet — 1-bedroom condo Modern Spaces has taken brokerage and marketing of new condos at the Yard to a new level. The model apartments benefit a long list of local artists and a female furniture design duo who transform salvaged wood scraps into signature pieces! Nightwood, the deconstructed furniture and textiles company, is very into modern rusticity.

Name: Giovan and Chloe PolancoLocation: Fashion District — Los Angeles, CaliforniaSize:865 square feetYears lived in: 1.5 years — rent Giovan and Chloe have embraced their downtown converted loft for all its natural light and a spacious floor plan. Using a bit of creativity and elbow grease, these two have creatively added DIY charm to their home by building their own closet and coffee table. Their style is a mix of vintage and estate sale chic put to good use in an urban loft.

Name: Jay Michael Location: Lincoln Square — Chicago, IllinoisSize: Approximately 300 square feet (this particular model) Jay Michael and his construction manager (and long time friend) Diana Tokat led me on a recent tour of this small yet mighty Lincoln Square model apartment in one of Jay’s converted rental properties. The idea is simple: show prospective renters how beautifully and efficiently one can live in a small, rented space.

Name: Kelly ReemtsenLocation: Downtown — Los Angeles, CaliforniaSize: 3600 square feetYears lived in: 11 years — rented When you enter Kelly’s loft you are taken aback by its enormity, the wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, great lighting, bright colors, incredible art and mid-century charm. Kelly is an artist in Los Angeles who has lived in her space for over a decade and is one of my dearest friends.

Name: Rich and Emily and their daughterLocation: Somerville, MassachusettsSize: 2000 square feetYears lived in: 3 — owned I tend to be a little Jamaica Plain-centric with my house tours so it’s always fun when I scooch on over to the other side of the river for a house tour. Rich and Emily’s Somerville home was well worth the trek! Their condo includes the second and third floor of a two-family house.

Name: Michael Yates, furniture designer and founder of Michael Yates DesignLocation: South — Austin, TexasSize: 800 square feet studioYears lived in: Rent 6 years It’s evident upon walking into the studio of furniture designer Michael Yates that this is a guy with a whole heap of style.

Name: Michael and ShannonLocation: Upper West Side, New YorkSize: 400 square feet one bedroom rentalYears Lived In: 5 years “We’ve always had a thing for the relaxed library [look],” explains Michael, a travel photographer, as he gives me the grand tour of his and Shannon’s home. You may recognize this well-curated (small!) apartment as one of the ‘teeny-tiny’ category finalists in this year’s Small Cool Contest.

Name: Antonio Ballatore + Chewie, the 6 year old English BulldogLocation: Downtown — Los Angeles, CaliforniaSize: 3,300 square feetYears lived in: 10 months — rent To win a show such as HGTV’s Design Star you must have an extremely rich point of view and a unique vision. I also believe what makes a successful interior designer is the ability to find what is special about the client and integrate that into the design.

Name: Meg and DanLocation: Jamaica Plain, MassachusettsSize: 925 square feetYears lived in: 1 — owned Meg and Dan, professional classical musicians with the Jupiter String Quartet, travel frequently for their work. So an uncluttered, streamlined home is all the more important. In fact, they were remarkably relaxed about the fact that we scheduled our photo shoot only hours before they had to head to the airport for an international work trip.

Name: Vince StroopLocation: Flower District — New York, New YorkSize: 700 square feetYears lived in: 4 years — rented There is a magical place that exists amongst the grit and hustle of New York City where the scenery demands you take a breath and stop to smell the roses. It is sweet, fresh, and totally unexpected. Walking down 28th street you find yourself strolling straight into New York’s garden district.

Name: David and MartaLocation: East Village, Downtown — San Diego, CaliforniaSize: 820 square feetYears lived in: 5 years — rented This loft in downtown San Diego has a soaring 35-foot ceiling and exposed rafters and pipes, which bring a raw edge to David and Marta’s pared-down style. The space also makes a stylish backdrop for the surf and California-themed prints David designs as Orange & Park.