Apartment

Name: Ben and Abby (and Lucy the pug)Location: Golden Hill – San Diego, CaliforniaSize: 700 square feet (1 bedroom, 1 bath)Years lived in: 2 years, rent In this light-flooded Golden Hill apartment, Ben serves as resident curator. By day, he’s director of La Jolla’s Quint Contemporary Art, one of the hottest galleries in San Diego, making him more than qualified.

Name: Heidi and DavidLocation: Downtown — Portland, OregonSize: 900 sq ft Years lived in: 6 months — rented When Heidi and David relocated to Portland, Oregon from Brooklyn a few months ago, they hoped to find a place in an urban neighborhood, close to the farmer’s market and city life. They found just that in an open live/work loft they share with their cat, Gypsy.

Name: Designer Trent HultgrenLocation: South — Austin, TexasSize: 623 square feet Years lived in: renting, 3 weeks We don’t think we’ve ever seen better evidence that you can design a small home affordably, beautifully and stylishly than with the Austin apartment of designer, Los Angeles transplant and former HGTV star Trent Hultgren.

Standing at the Union Square farmers’ market, the cast iron arches of the former headquarters of Tiffany and Company always made me swoon. This week, I had the pleasure of viewing them from the inside out. The 19th century manufacturing, office and showroom space has been transformed into a monument to large-scale living. The 16-foot ceilings are enough to stop one dead in their tracks.Vicente Wolf thoroughly assumed his role as designer for the 36-unit building.

Name: Joanna and Gerry Location: Park Slope — Brooklyn, New York Size: 1.5 bedrooms (small!) Years rented : Joanna – 8 or so / Gerry – 4 Gerry and Joanna have an affinity for collecting rare oddities. They have resourcefully made the most of their small living space by repurposing furniture and by taking advantage of their tall ceilings to display and store their most loved collections.

Name: Gina, Nathan and Taylor, Winston and Steven (the cats), Lucy (the dog)Location: Santa Barbara, CA Size: 1500 Square FeetYears lived in: 7 Months— Rent Gina Comin has created an eclectic and warm home that she shares with her boyfriend and son, which just happens to be located above her fun and eccentric vintage store Cominichi’s. With artwork, jewelry, antiques and furniture from around the world, her home is both inviting and the ultimate bohemian abode.

A common problem with a solution! Check out the cute and functional space Bridget & Bill created for their daughter Mabel: When we first learned we were having a baby, everyone asked when we were going to move from our 1-bedroom downtown San Francisco apartment. But we love our apartment and were looking forward to sharing the space with our new baby girl. So we decided to stay and carve out a tiny baby nursery from our (relatively) large living room.

Name: Tej SundherLocation: Santa Monica, CaliforniaSize: 1,800 square feetYears lived in: 2 years Anyone who has ever purchased a earlier era home with the intent to transform it to a more modern dwelling can relate to this story. Worn old carpet and pink wallpaper didn’t discourage Tej and his designer friend, Cozette, from seeing the vision of what could be.

Name: Jon H.Location: Long Beach, CaliforniaSize: 880 square feetYears lived in: 7 years 880 square feet seems like ample space for one person to call home. But what if you’re someone with a passion…no, nix that…an obsession for collecting art?

Name: Amy & Keith + cats Biggie & KittyLocation: Downtown Toronto — Ontario, CanadaSize: About 1500 square feetYears lived in: Amy 10, Keith 5 — Rented Welcome to Amy and Keith’s downtown Toronto live/work space. From the moment you enter their vibrant front hall, it’s clear that this is no conventional home. In fact, it wouldn’t be a stretch to think you have stumbled onto a John Waters set!

Name: Jason, Meridith, and their two kids, Wylder and ArloLocation: Clinton, OklahomaSize: 3,000 square feetYears lived in: 1.5 When you think about the state of Oklahoma, hip loft living isn’t usually what comes to mind first. Well, this family isn’t exactly cookie-cutter and they’ve done some serious renovations to make their home top notch. Even though we’re in the middle of showcasing our smallest spaces, this one is anything but.

Name: Danielle, Derek, and sonLocation: Somerville, MassachusettsSize: 1,000 square feetYears lived in: 10 (Derek), 8 (Danielle) — own It’s such a refreshing pleasure to visit a home where people are living large in a smaller place, figuring out creative ways to maximize their space.

Name: NinaLocation: Islington — North London, United KingdomSize: 485 square feet (45 square meters)Years lived in: 1 — owned Nina’s one-bedroom Victorian flat and new sense of ownership are a long way (albeit nearby) from living in a tiny shared Brick Lane flat above a curry house back in 2002. While both places certainly had/have their own charms, the biggest shift is from little light and lots of noise to light-filled and sweet serenity.

Name: Ryan, Lorena and Rex (the puppy)Location: Costa Mesa, CaliforniaSize: 1,034 square feetYears lived in: 1— rent Lorena and Ryan O’Malley live in an awesome retro complex that is a spitting image of Palm Springs in the 1950’s. The courtyard is designed around a pool and just outside their doorway they’ve built a succulent garden. The decor is minimally Mid Century and accented with rich earth tones.

Name: Dante McCarthy, her husband Johannes Brugger, and their son AmedeoLocation: West Hollywood — Los Angeles, CaliforniaSize: 1,900 square feet — 3 bedrooms + 2 bathrooms Years lived in: 1½ — rent Dante McCarthy, owner of Cloud Noir furniture and artist gallery, shares a lovely 3 bedroom flat with her husband and son. Their home is the top floor of a Spanish building with colorful tiling, hardwood floors and old stained glass windows.

Name: Midyette FamilyLocation: Tribeca — Manhattan, New YorkSize: 1,300 square feetYears lived in: 10 — owned The Midyettes are an amazing family. They somehow balance the busy schedule of 3 young girls, 2 very demanding jobs, and the everyday demands of Manhattan living. They do it all with the ease and grace that one would expect from a southern belle and a gentleman.

Name: Angela BosworthLocation: Short North — Columbus, OhioSize: 1,000 square feetYears lived in: 4 — owned In less deft hands, Angela Bosworth’s home in a newly built condominium in Columbus’ Short North neighborhood could have been a cold and impersonal space. After all, the building, constructed in 2007, doesn’t have some of the architectural details that older buildings boast.

Name: Hilda GrahnatLocation: Malmö, SwedenSize: 420 square feetYears lived in: 1.5 — rented It’s hard to believe Hilda Grahnat is a student when looking through the photos of her home. Her tiny apartment is not the predictable student digs; it’s so perfectly styled and well-maintained. One of Hilda’s favorite hobbies is shopping for vintage housewares — her home is filled to the brim with these amazing finds. Hilda is an inspiration.

Name: Greg, Brian and their dog Mr. BiggsLocation: Mission District — San Francisco, CaliforniaSize: 1,100 square feetYears lived in: 5 — owned Furthering the line of luxury and comfort, Greg and Brian provide choice accommodations for everyone in their home, not just themselves.

Name: Philip Sumner and Leona LaurieLocation: Downtown — Los Angeles, CaliforniaSize: 2,000 square feet (800 square foot addition is in the works)Years lived in: 7 months — rent Philip and Leona have put their stamp on this converted garment district loft. Within seven short months they have built and defined rooms, installed wood paneling throughout, added wood floors upstairs, painted the walls and re-built the staircase (three times to get it right).

Name: Benjamin CottrellLocation: South Loop — Chicago, IllinoisSize: 900 square feetYears lived in: 3 years — rented When Benjamin handed me his business card I noticed that the title under his name says Life Stylist. Well if Benjamin can make my life feel as stylish and lux as his home, I’m sold! The first thing I noticed when I walked into Benjamin’s one bedroom apartment was the fabric wall.

Name: Irene Capriz & Marcus Foley Location: Hong Kong Size: 3300 square feet — 1 bedroom Type: Warehouse Years lived in: 1 It’s not often that you get to know a home before its inhabitants but this was the case a couple of weeks ago when we set off on our first house swapping adventure. With much anticipation we arrived in front of a rather unattractive, industrial building.

Name: David Handschuh & Megan Ross + Arrow the dogLocation: Bucktown — Chicago, IllinoisSize: 1,500 square feetYears lived in: 1½ — rented One of the things I love about shooting House Tours is seeing all the places people call home. From two flats to high rises, I’ve seen every kind of permutation of living quarters possible. Or, at least I thought so. David and Megan’s tour was my first time in a converted storefront space.

Name: Michael Stout, Joshua Lekwa & Walter ReplogleLocation: Bushwick — Brooklyn, New YorkSize: 1,100 square feetYears lived in: 8½ — rented What do you get when you put a designer, a comedian and an architect in an industrial loft with a notorious reputation? Inspired living!

Name: Ann DeOtte & Bart Kaufman Location: Capitol Hill — Seattle, Washington Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 1 — rent Large windows with treetop views, high ceilings and gorgeous wooden floors; Ann and Bart certainly lucked out with their home in one of Seattle’s oldest buildings. But an open plan space has its own set of issues. The first is figuring out how to let the architecture shine while still creating a sense of coziness in Seattle’s damp and dismal days.

Name: John WorsekLocation: Wicker Park — Chicago, IllinoisSize: 1500 square feetYears lived in: 10 — Owned I photographed John’s house a few days after the blizzard, when side streets were still impassable and beat-up chairs sat in what few parking spaces were available. Five seconds after walking in his Wicker Park duplex, I’d completely forgotten about the weather.

Name: Chris ZeppieriLocation: Boston, MA   Size: 550 square foot apartment + 140 square foot bedroom/workshop We’ve often lamented, “If we only had the space for a workroom” while imagining an ideal space to work on DIY projects for both personal and professional reasons. Space (or there lackof) has always a consideration, but no longer an excuse, after seeing Chris’ workshop inside his one bedroom Boston apartment.

Name: James & Briony Location: Azabu Juban — Tokyo, JapanSize: 550 square feet — 1 bedroomYears lived in: 1 I met Briony at the check-out counter of IKEA in Tokyo last August, I spotted her effortless style from a distance and she had that ‘lust for life’ twinkle in her eye.

Name: Jennifer + Nello Santillana, and their greyhound LolaLocation: Belmont Heights — Long Beach, CASize:1,000 square feet — 2 bedroom + 1 bathroomYears lived in: 2 — rent Jennifer and her husband Nello have an incredible 2 bedroom flat in a lovely Spanish building in Belmont Heights, a residential area of Long Beach. They recently adopted Lola, the 3 year old Greyhound, who will kiss and lick you instead of sit, and is about 3/4 of Jennifer’s size.

Name: Chad Rogers and Starla the Chihuahua Location: Beverly Hills, California Size: 1,694 square feet — 2 Beds 2 1/2 Baths Years lived in: 1 Who watched Bravo’s “Million Dollar Listing?” I watch the show religiously and couldn’t wait to see what property Chad Rogers listed next. Now that Chad has sold millions of dollars of luxury real estate and has seen some of the best designs, he wants to share his own perspective on design and what makes a home.

Name: Joel & McKenzie Taplin, and their 14-month-old daughter GereLocation: Monohasset Mill — Providence, Rhode IslandSize: 2,700 square feetYears lived in: 11 — rented, then owned One of over 30 live/work spaces in the Monohasset Mill building on Providence’s West Side, Joel & McKenzie’s loft evokes a feeling of cozy farmhouse minimalism despite its expansive size.

Name: Lauren YoungLocation: Lakeview — Chicago, IllinoisSize: 1,500 square feetYears lived in: 10 — Owned When guests enter Lauren’s home, they always pause briefly in her gorgeous, richly-hued foyer. Not only to take off coats and say hello, but because the room — the only one in the apartment that’s not neutral — demands it of you.

Name: Nan Lawson and Michael JonathanLocation: Silverlake — Los Angeles, CASize: 1 bedroom flat, on the bottom floor of a converted craftsman style homeYears lived in: 1 year and 7 months — rent Last month I randomly stumbled upon the website of Nan Lawson. I was instantly attracted to and amused by her drawings and sketches. She has a knack for simplifying a genre of hipster cool in her prints, which she sells on Etsy.

Name: JacquelynLocation: Financial District — Manhattan, New YorkSize: 712 square feet — one bedroomYears lived in: 1 month Jacquelyn’s goal for the design of this apartment was to infuse it with glamour — a home and a “life filled with beautiful objects, imbued with femininity and opulence.

Name: Aaron and Rob + pets, Jan and Ira Katz & Simon Le BoneLocation: Gold Coast — Chicago, ILSize: 700 square feetYears lived in: 3 — owned I met Aaron through a mutual friend a couple of months ago and when he mentioned that he lives in the Astor Tower condominiums, I’m afraid I overreacted. I LOVE Bertrand Goldberg’s buildings and so of course I started pestering Aaron about a house tour. After a bit of cajoling, he agreed.

Name: Mary Visconti and Tom CaldwellLocation: the Loop — Chicago, IllinoisSize: 2,000 square feetYears lived in: 4 — Owned As a lifelong Chicagoan, I’ve often been curious about the Manhattan Building, the 1891 landmark that’s the city’s oldest surviving steel frame building. Designed by William Le Baron Jenney, the 16-story historic skyscraper features gorgeous bay windows and a prime view of the Harold Washington Library.

Name: Evan Harrison, Greg Gasawski & their schnauzer BugLocation: Downtown — Los Angeles, CaliforniaSize: 850 square feetYears lived in: 2 — rentEvan (who is currently seeking new work with a designer or showroom) and Greg (a law student at Southwestern Law) submitted their home to the Small Cool Contest on Apartment Therapy earlier this year.

Name: Douglas McClellan and Matthew LeeLocation: Lakeview — Chicago, IllinoisSize: 900 square feetYears lived in: 2 months — rented When Douglas and Matthew were looking for their first apartment together, they knew it had to be amazing. As design fanatics, they wanted a home that had enough architectural appeal without sacrificing size or location.

Name: James WurmLocation: Pilsen — Chicago, IllinoisSize: 860 square feetYears lived in: 1+ — rented In just over a year, James has transformed this storefront space into a livable, exciting stomping ground for cooking, socializing, and sharing.

Name: Dave AlbinLocation: Logan Square — Chicago, IllinoisSize: just under 5,000 square feet — 4 floors, but only 2 bedroom & 3 bathsYears lived in: 15 — own Dave basically lives in the urban home of my dreams. Having turned a vintage two-flat into a single dwelling, Dave tricked out his home with every bell and whistle imaginable.

Name: Sharon, Chris, Julian and Larry (the dog)Location: Greenwich VillageSize: 1080 square foot 2-bedroom coopYears lived in: 1 Sharon is a fashion designer and her husband Chris is a developer and contractor. So, she wanted to go for a completely individualized look and he wanted to ensure re-sale potential. The result is great bones, and solid materials, with the most gorgeous and romantic flourishes.

Name: Tim LallyLocation: North Center — Chicago, IllinoisSize: 1,250 square feetYears lived in: 15 years — owned Knowing that Tim is a landscape designer, I had a hunch he would have beautiful outdoor spaces. And, of course, I was correct. What I didn’t know is that inside his home would be just as beautiful and tasteful as outside. Tim’s apartment has the typical layout of a classic Chicago two-flat.

Name: Kate & CameronLocation: Carroll Gardens — Brooklyn, New YorkSize: 850 square feet — 1 bedroomYears lived in: 10 months Kate and Cameron are very in sync when it comes to style. They married a year ago, and moved into this great apartment soon thereafter. Buying furniture was easy as they both knew they wanted simple and efficient pieces.

Name: Emily Location: Ukrainian Village, ChicagoSize: 1,000 sfYears lived in: Just over one year When I wrote the post about Emily’s welcoming guest room earlier this month, I knew I had to see the rest of her apartment. Luckily, Emily was willing to have us all over for a House Tour! And just as I expected, the rest of her home is decorated with her cute, light, bright, and mostly DIY shabby chic style.

Welcome to Beth from San Francisco; a blogger trying out for a place on the Apartment Therapy editorial team as a House Tour Contributor. Enjoy her work!Name: Katie KuhnLocation: San Francisco, CaliforniaSize: 500 square feetYears lived in: 2 years — rented After graduating from University of Virginia in 2003, Katie moved from Charlottesville to San Francisco where she’s had several positions as a buyer for retailers like Banana Republic, Pottery Barn and GAP brand.

Name: Alicia PeatLocation: San Francisco, California (Inner Richmond District)Size: 1,000 square feet (2 bedrooms and 1 1/2 bathrooms)Years lived in: 3 years Alicia tells us the story of her colorful San Francisco home in her own words: “My house. Even after 3 years, it is still pretty awesome to say ‘my house;’ as in I own it. I knew the moment I walked in that this was the place.

Name: WillLocation: Cabbagetown, Toronto, OntarioSize: 1,300 sq. feetYears lived in: owned for three years Six years ago, Will arrived in Canada from the U.K. with a few suitcases of clothing. Since then, Will has built up his ideal home with personal objects and furniture that combine elements of his homeland and adopted city. His self-described style: “landed gentry with a North American twist.

Name: Julie Michiels and Iker GilLocation: Marina City, ChicagoSize: 725 square feet + 225 square foot balconyYears lived in: 5 Designers and architects always have the best apartments, but rarely do they get to live in one of the iconic buildings that informed their careers. Julie and Iker are among the lucky ones and call the Chicago landmark of Bertrand Goldberg’s Marina City home.

Name: Jim WilliamsLocation: Andersonville, ChicagoSize: 1,000 square feetYears lived in: 2 Garden apartments in Chicago can often be dark, cavernous spaces. They are — after all — a few steps below street level. By keeping his wall colors and furniture in light earth tones, Jim has managed to make this garden apartment seem bright and open.

Name: Nick, Bryan & Otto, aka Blend StudiosLocation: Milwaukee, WisconsinSize: 1,350 square feetYears lived in: 1 When you consider how much time we spend at work – it makes sense that we want to love our work space. If you’re lucky enough to be entrepreneur and in charge of your own studio, that’s exactly what you can do.

Name: Dana HughesLocation: Sydney, AustraliaSize: 100 square meters [1075 square feet]Years lived in: 8 months After discovering Dana’s beautiful blog Yellowtrace a few months back, we have been addicted to the impressive interviews, features and photography. Through her interior design work, it was clear Dana had an amazing eye — it’s thrilling to see how her style is reflected in her own Sydney apartment that she shares with her husband.

Name: Joe LocherLocation: MilwaukeeSize: Two spaces, 3,000 sq ft eachYears lived/worked in: 1 year What do you get when you take three creative artists, an old cream city brick hardware company building, abandoned industrial hardware, redwood forest scrap wood and passion for design? You get an amazing work-live space that inspires more of the creativity that built it.

Name: Annie RocchioLocation: Echo ParkSize: 700 square feetYears lived in: 10 months We were thrilled to find out that Annie lived in our backyard of Echo Park (making this House Tour right around the corner). As we strolled up to her complex, we instantly felt like we were in Palm Springs, 1962. Thanks to the management company that owns Annie’s building, they overhauled it, taking it back in time (but in the best way possible).

Name: Lauren Location: Upper West Side, Manhattan Size: 800 square feet studio rental converted to a temporary one-bedroom Years lived in: Less than a year After a couple of years of ‘roommating’ in New York City, Lauren leaped out on her own and rented a studio apartment. Fortunately, it was large enough to put up some temporary walls and create a generous looking one-bedroom. Within a couple of months, it looked like it had been lived in for years! Lauren is a talented designer.

Name: Jay & MelissaLocation: Manchester, New HampshireSize: 1,250 square feetYears lived in: Owned – 6 yearsWho else lives there: Dogs Brady and Cali and Cats Mama, Tony, and Pepper Jay and Melissa made an offer on this two family on Manchester’s South side six years ago only to find out through Melissa’s mom that the home had been built by her grandfather in 1950.

Name: Johnny & Stacie SlocumLocation: St. Paul, MinnesotaSize: 1300 square feetYears lived in: 2.5 You may remember Johnny and Stacie’s loft from a house call that we published in January. We were thrilled when they agreed to share some more photos of their converted warehouse space with us. It simply is a home that makes us happy – cheerful, sunny and special – we’re glad to take a longer look.

Name: Emily & NateLocation: Jamaica Plain, MassachusettsSize: 700 square feetYears lived in: 1½ years – rented As an avid fan, Emily (a graphic designer) knows her Apartment Therapy stuff. Within minutes of walking through her door, Emily tells me that she’s pretty sure that the layout of her place is exactly the same as another house tour I recently posted. And funny enough, this other tour was also home to a Nate.

(Welcome to Ann & Dabney from St. Louis, a tag team of bloggers trying out for a place as Apartment Therapy House Tour Contributors. Enjoy their work!)Name: Ann & Dabney Location: St. Louis, MissouriSize: 3700 square feet (including home & workspace)Years lived in: 6 months When we were looking to move to Saint Louis, we looked at a lot of houses in the city, but it was in an old butcher shop turned hardware store turned office that we found our perfect renovation project.

(Welcome to Smith from Chicago, one of the bloggers trying out for a place on the Apartment Therapy editorial team as a House Tour Contributor. Enjoy her work – comments welcome!

Name: George and Sara AyeLocation: Logan Square, ChicagoSize: 1300 square feetYears lived in: 1.5 George and Sara are a very creative Chicago couple. He is a creative director and she is a design researcher. In addition to their full-time work, they teach design innovation at the School of the Art Institute, and run a small travel apparel company called Hubwear. Whew! We love it when people are passionate about design.

Name: Evan B HarrisLocation: Portland, ORSize: apartment is about 500 sq ft, attic studio space is about 1000 sq ftYears lived in: 3 Today we are invited into the home of Northwest artist Evan B Harris. The small space that he lives in exudes a dreamlike quality that is reflective of both his art and personal style. Throughout his home and studio space are thoughtful vignettes that tell stories with artfully arranged keepsakes and collected objects.

Name: AlexOccupation: owner of dog-walking company Loyal CompanyLocation: U Street Corridor, Washington DCSize: 1,200 square feetLived in: rented for 4 yearsOther Occupants: Louis, a 4-year old Italian greyhound >> Each room of Alex’s shotgun apartment has its own decor theme: the Diane Vreeland-inspired red living room; the green room; the calm bedroom; and the “bruised” hallway. The long, shotgun apartment layout lends itself well to different decor in each room.

Name: K & R’sLocation: Kalk Bay, Cape TownType: Apartment Size: 900 sq.ft.Years lived in: 7 months, renting. >> R & K have created a peaceful retreat in the beautiful town of Kalk Bay. It feels like a weekend getaway, yet they live here full time.

Name: SteveLocation: Sydney, AustraliaSize: 650 sf (including mezzanines) Years lived in: Rented for 6 years, owned 6 month >> Normally we write a short blurb about our own impressions of a home we’ve been invited to house tour.

Name: KellyOccupation: self-employed, consults from homeLocation: Adams Morgan, Washington DCSize: about 450 sq.ft.Lived in: rented for 2 years >> found chair.> Kelly combines found objects and store-bought items with her own artwork and finishing touches. None of the furniture in Kelly’s studio cost more than $200. Kelly is not afraid to make bold changes to her decor and furniture and is constantly replacing places and making them over.

Name: AdamLocation: Dupont Circle, Washington, DCSize: 625 sq ft condYears lived in: 7 years, ownedResidence Type: condo building designed by architect Harry Wardman in 1916 Adam shares his condo with his two cats, Jonas and Ezekiel (named after the Indigo Girls’ song). Always a neat-freak, Adam had to make some concessions when he adopted his two cats. Adam designed a cat tunnel, which leads the cats from the hall to their litter box in the closet….

(Welcome again to Monique, one of the finalists in our San Francisco Blogger search. Comment away!) Name: Monique and RichardLocation: San Francisco (located between the Mission and Castro Districts)Size: 840 sq. ft. Years lived in: 5 months Monique and Richard moved into their first apartment together back in September.