California

This illustrator's studio apartment is full of bold paint colors, handmade textiles, and a DIY pink velvet couch.

After a fire forced Taylor Jordan out of his San Francisco apartment of 11 years, he wanted to make his new 560-square-foot rental feel like home immediately. It took careful planning, some Etsy finds, and furniture he already owned, and he created a lived-in home in four days.

Ola’s biggest challenge in her 720-square-foot Los Angeles studio was making one big open space feel like it had distinct “rooms” — especially finding a place for a home office since she works from home.

Candace Reels is the founder of the digital community Female Collective, and lives in a 900-square-foot 1920s Los Feliz bungalow that’s styled with a warm color palette and vintage mid-century pieces found throughout the years.

Max and Becca ripped out old carpet, added cork flooring, poured concrete counters, and tackled plenty of other DIY projects in this 900-square-foot house in Casitas Springs to take it from “dated rental” to “artful oasis.”

It wasn’t love at first sight when these sisters found this rental home. But after filling it with seriously cool secondhand-sourced vintage finds, they love the place as if they own it!

With glimpses of both the Hollywood Sign and Griffith Observatory, this Melrose Hill rental apartment was the ultimate canvas for interior designer Lauren Talio.

Lindsay O’Brien’s 450-square-foot Los Angeles bungalow has a built-in bookcase instead of a solid bedroom wall, creating a spacious, open home that feels much larger than it actually is.

Hadley Campagna likes to use warm earthy tones in her Los Angeles house to give the space a “homey feel.” She pairs those warm earthy tones with well-loved pieces to make one seriously cozy rental.

This renovated 1952 house in the San Fernando Valley was transformed for around $100K, and hides two bold color surprises: a red and a green bathroom.

This 675-square-foot Los Angeles apartment is warm and moody, and proves even renters can have designer-level lighting.

When Heather Pardieu first saw this small Hollywood studio apartment 14 years ago, it was under construction and covered in debris. But she was able to see the small space's potential.

The vibe of the place is giving plantsy! Artsy! Booksy!

“Renter-friendly” doesn’t have to mean boring! This family of six’s apartment went from “cookie-cutter” to absolutely unforgettable — and on a budget, too!

In this 550-square-foot Nob Hill rental a cute window seat offers jaw-dropping city views, and the rest of the apartment is a plant-filled, maximalist wonderland.

Han Santana-Sayles is the Senior Director of Artist Collaboration for Meow Wolf, so, yes, her 600-square-foot rental bungalow in Pasadena is full of shapely art and furniture. (There’s even a tapir-shaped desk!)

A matcha bar, hidden projector, and the coolest closet/dining room: These two best friends have crafted a one-of-a-kind rental home in Los Angeles.

This 650-square-foot loft in Hancock Park demonstrates how “design can be both personal and practical without compromising aesthetics.”

When Sophie moved into her cabin, she found lots of hidden treasures from the previous owner that she has since given a new life. Through the power of DIY, Sophie has turned her cabin into a cozy haven for her and her dog Lucy.

Elijah Banks’ 800-square-foot studio apartment in Los Angeles might be a rental, but it's packed with personality, plants, and a giant green shag rug.

With just $5K and a creative vision, Keegan turned a cold, boxy studio in Echo Park into a warm, charming rental home.

Illustrator Danica Andler’s LA home has unmistakable Art Deco, Old Hollywood style, with original tiles, corbels, an ornate fireplace, and other one-of-a-kind details.

See inside a charming 1920s apartment with vintage bathroom tiles, a pedestal sink, a tiny stall shower, and crank windows.

See how renter Sarah Elsner created a nook for her bed with a standing shelf and a DIY dried flower bar hanging above her bed that she's been collecting for 20 years.

Discover how this renter used an IKEA find, a common building material, and hand tools to make a brilliant and stylish DIY room divider in a studio.

Kit and John love this apartment’s vaulted ceilings, French doors, and outdoor space (and more!) so much, they’ve rented it for 14 years.

This 100-year-old San Francisco apartment was completely transformed with bold wallpaper, vibrant color, and playful details.

"I wanted to give my own modern spin on a classic Victorian SF style," writes renter Juliana. "Each room is meant to have a rich color that stands out on its own, but speaks to the other rooms in the house."

Gina’s been renting this micro studio for 7 years, and has made tons of improvements to make it functional, including a very cool custom multi-purpose table she made with her dad.

Discover how this family of four turned a "plain white box" into a lived-in, warm, and cozy rental home.

To bring in personality and charm to this rental, Sonja used “a lot of color, paint, art, and features that can be removed if/when needed ... so basically nothing can be a permanent change.”

"I took a sort of fearless approach to color — some rooms are drenched, like my living room, and some rooms are totally color-clashing like my office," Charlotte writes of her home's style, which is best described as "coastal Connecticut meets Austin Powers meets Topanga Canyon."

In just 400 square feet, this renter carved out a sun-drenched, personality-packed home that’s equal parts cozy and stylish.

After the roller coaster of driving cross country to start their new life in LA., William and Kevan’s goal was to create a “collected, layered, laid back home through blending styles and design periods.”

TikToker Claire Randolph’s rental apartment has a fantastic 90-degree view of Los Angeles.

In studio apartments, you have to get creative when hosting!

Once a “dark, dusty heap,” every room in this house now bursts with thrifted and family-made furniture and hidden art tucked into the crevices of the pecky cedar walls.

"I am NOT a relaxed person and need to be stimulated or doing something with my hands at all times, so this house perfectly fits how my brain feels," admits fashion designer Haley Boyko.

As soon as Camille walked into this Pasadena rental apartment in a building built in 1929, it was love. “The stained glass bay window, large bedrooms, in-unit laundry room, and, of course, the original tile bathroom are what sealed the deal for me."

One hundred-plus years of history was erased by cheap paint and $10 boob lights, but now this rental apartment feels like being transported to the South of France.

For 20-plus years, Shannon has covered her home's walls with sparkly silver tinsel to create an incredibly cheery holiday display, and she spills all her secrets on decorating for the holidays!

Johnny LaZebnik painted each room of his North Hollywood home, as well as refinished a dresser, nightstands, and kitchen table. He built shelving, cleaned things found off the street, and repaired vintage furniture. “Several of the old lamps I've rewired myself, and I taught myself how to gild things with metal leaf.”

Professional skateboarder Nicole Hause and her girlfriend have made a gorgeous home in their 1950-era rental apartment.

The studio’s in an almost 100-year-old building in the heart of Hollywood and while only 485-square-feet big, is a "total dream: exposed brick, stunning windows that swing open, the original built-in 1920s vanity.”

This cinematographer’s 700-square-foot apartment stuns with brick details, warm paint colors, and a double drenched pink bedroom.

Juan De Anda “built shelves into the awkward spaces in walls, had custom storage seating made to measure, and even turned hinged doors into sliding barn doors.”

Los Angeles-based writer, comedian, and actor Christina Anthony turned a “small and simple” studio apartment into a “cozy, colorful, vintage, and dreamy home.”

Jasmine Espinoza actually grew up in this building and was able to get a deal on this small but cozy studio apartment: $1,500-a-month rent!

The large bay window and the flood of natural light immediately sold Emily and her partner, Andrew, on this 700-square-foot Los Angeles house.

This Arizona native lucked out with this rental dream spot: a 1920s Spanish duplex with a private patio, an avocado and lime tree, and an original fireplace mantel.

Ariana Govan has been renting this ADU in Los Angeles' Cheviot Hills neighborhood for six months. Originally from New York, she knew she was crafty enough to make the small space work.

Tour this small San Fran studio apartment in a 1906 Edwardian building with ornate molding and gothic door hardware.

This prop stylist’s apartment went from a “vintage California cottage” vibe to an “eclectic contemporary space.”

For the last three years, this couple has painstakingly renovated every single room in this house “from drywall to entirely rebuilding rooms and spaces to thoroughly reflect our personalities.”

The couple completely redid the kitchen, combined two of the bedrooms into one, opened up two main doorways, rehabbed floors, updated lighting and shelving, and added fresh paint.

This Scandi-inspired rental has mid-century modern touches like a gas fireplace, warm wooden floors, and huge windows.

The living room is giving bookshelf envy.

Lydia and Matt rent this Echo Park house for $3,600 a month and have packed it with color, art, plants, and personality.

Celebrity interior designer Francesca Grace describes her own home’s style as a “maximalist treasure trove,” an “antique lover’s dream,” and like “if a hotel was a home.”

These parents switched the couch and dining table to create more space for parents and baby to play.