California

From the bold use of art to the dreamy and dark purple bedroom, this Beverly Hills condo packs in lots of inspiring ideas for decor.

Name: Christina, husband Kele Dobrinski, and three kids Location: Serene Lakes atop Donner Summit, California. About 10 miles from Truckee and just two miles from Donner Lake. Size: 2,800 square feet Years lived in: 1 years, owned Our family is full of adventure seekers who love skiing, hiking and kayaking, so discovering an unloved A-frame cabin tucked away in the off-the-beaten path community of Serene Lakes had a ton of appeal to us.

Name: Casey Mason and Cole Mason, our new daughter Sunny, and our rescue pups Bodhi and Shea Location: Ventura, California Size: 1,466 square feet Years Lived In: 2 1/2 years, owned This is the first house that my husband and I purchased together, so for that reason alone, it is very special to us. When we were looking for our first home, we knew that we wanted a fixer upper. The uglier the better in our minds. As long as the bones are good, we knew that anything cosmetic could be fixed.

Name: Aya Cash and Josh Alexander and Lucy Tammy Cash (the dog) Location: Hollywood Hills — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,000 square feet Years Lived In: 4 years, owned There was nothing easy about buying a house for actress Aya Cash—star of “You’re the Worst”—and her husband, Josh Alexander. “This was the sixth place we bid on in six months. I did not think we were going to get it.

Name: Erika Carlock, and fiancé Joe Location: Los Angeles, California Size: 1,150 square feet Years Lived In: 5 years, renting Blogger and designer Erika Carlock has made a name for herself on Instagram with her love of bright and poppy pastels. The interior of her Los Angeles rental apartment, which she shares with her fiancé Joe, is filled with colorful accessories and dozens of plants to match her dreamy, jungle-y feed.

Name: Shiloh Enoki Location: Echo Park — Los Angeles, California Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Shiloh has lived in Los Angeles for nearly five years in several configurations: She lived in the spare room of a model’s Hollywood Hills house, she rented the bottom floor of a first-time homeowner’s Silver Lake home, and now she lives in this one-bedroom apartment by herself.

Name: David and Jeremy Location: San Rafael, California Size: 954 square feet Years lived in: 1 1/2 years; Owned David and Jeremy purchased their condo just over a year ago, and they have been busy making the home their own with a colorful sense of style—and lots of DIY projects. The home reflects David and Jeremy’s equally vibrant personalities, and the stories behind their place are hysterical.

Name: Steve and Heather Sacks, kids Cameron and Jasmine, and dogs Rockit and Haley Location: Potrero Hill; San Francisco, California Size: 2,400 square feet Years lived in: 5 1/2 years; Owned Walking into Steve and Heather’s home makes you feel like you have escaped to a relaxing, tropical retreat in the middle of a city best known for its cold and foggy summers.

Name: Liz and Josh Carey (+ 3 human children and 2 canine children) Location: Santa Clarita, California Size: 2,400 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, rented Liz and Josh, owners of the well-being shop Mascot, are the youthful heads of a full household. With three children ranging from 14 to 22 years-old and two lively pups, there’s a lot of activity and a lot of opinions to consider.

Name: Anna Korkobcova Location: Lower Pac Heights — San Francisco, California Size: 420 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented The moment you cross the threshold of Anna’s home, you are greeted as warmly as an old friend. I arrived on her doorstep late and battling a cold, for which she insisted on sending me home with her own tried and true remedy.

Name: Ayah Wilson Location: Oakland, California Size: 1,800 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years; Rented To most of us, the process of moving to a new home is a daunting task. Aspects of it are filled with excitement (especially the decorating part!) as well as the unknown (moving rates!).

Name: Danielle Rowe, Patrick Flannery and son Pete. Location: Berkeley
, California Size: 1,380 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years; Rented The home that Danielle and Pete share with their son hits all of the right notes: it is modern but maintains a sense of warmth, lived in but not messy, collected but not cluttered.

Name: Jeremy and Kim Kasten Location: South Pasadena, California Size: 1,300 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years; Rented My dear friend Jeremy Kasten had his previous loft featured on Apartment Therapy almost six years ago. It was a stunningly sexy apartment in the Eastern Columbia building in Downtown Los Angeles. Two and a half years ago, with a baby on the way, he and his lovely wife Kim were forced to find something bigger for their growing family.

Name: Casey Anderson Location: Highland Park; Los Angeles, California Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Owned With a penchant for unconventional activities (read: dodgeball and tap dancing), and an affinity for Spielberg-ian extraterrestrials, it goes without saying that Casey is one rad kindergarten teacher.

Name: Ben Lee and Vivian Ritchie Handler Location: Los Feliz; Los Angeles, California Size: 2,100 square feet Years lived in: Almost 2 years; Owned Ben and Viv’s ‘70s-inspired home appears to jut out above the narrow streets in the hills of the Los Feliz with confidence. From the outside, the seemingly modest, stream-lined house offers a unique view of the city, including the Griffith Observatory.

Name: Carla Location: Historic downtown; Los Angeles, California Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; Rented You may think living in the heart of a major metropolitan city would be stressful, but Carla proves adapting to city life can be surprisingly serene. Living in a small, but airy studio in Downtown Los Angeles, she resides four floors above the streets and rides her bike to work, successfully avoiding the “joys” of traffic.

Name: Samantha Schulz and Christa Schulz Location: West Hollywood; Los Angeles, California Size: 2 bedroom, 1 bath Years lived in: 1 year, Rented The minute I walked into Sam and Christa’s gorgeous Spanish Deco-style apartment, I felt as though I were visiting a couple old friends. First of all, it is clear they are old friends themselves, a rare and inspiring quality to find in a mother-daughter pair.

Name: Melinda and Mark Fay Location: Eagle Rock; Los Angeles, California Size: 1,800 square feet Years lived in: 16 years; owned Melinda Fay, owner of Good Eye Gallery in Eagle Rock, has a background in therapy and finds the act of curating spaces deeply beneficial to her well-being. Her ability to refine and curate her family’s extensive collection of art is nothing short of impressive.

Name: Logan Sommers Location: Los Feliz — Los Angeles, CA Size: 400 square feet With an eye for detail, visual display artist and former New Yorker Logan Sommers has outfitted his cozy studio apartment with panache. He currently resides in Los Feliz, one of the few quaint and walkable communities situated in the heart of the sprawling expanse that is Los Angeles.

Name: Isaac Aptaker Location: Silver Lake; Los Angeles, CA Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Aside from the fact that it’s oozing with Mid-century charm, Isaac Aptaker’s home in the hills on the east side of Los Angeles has two big things going for it: privacy, and spectacular views of the city.

Name: Vasanti Lackner and her dog, Tango Location: Silverlake; Los Angeles, California Size: 650 square feet + 256-square-foot detached art studio Years Lived In: 5 years; Owned You’re either an artist or a musician if you’re a Lackner, and Vasanti and her mother, Diana, are both fine artists.

Name: David Brown Location: Lower Eastside — Santa Barbara, California Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 5 years; Owned The concrete floor—now honed to perfection—and the roll-up door are the only indications that David’s light and bright studio was formerly a garage. With the help of a skillful design team and an able contractor, David transformed the garage into a studio that epitomizes simple indoor/outdoor living.

Name: Cat and Alex Location: Downtown; Los Angeles, California Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented Cat Li is in the business of fashion, and she doesn’t leave her keen sense of style at the office. Her open and airy fifth floor loft is situated in the center of the bustling city and feels effortlessly cool. Minimal yet striking decor in a cohesive palette of blacks, whites, and metals makes bold pieces feel sophisticated yet casual.

Name: Katie Costick and Andrew Nielson Location: Boyle Heights — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,300 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Our lovely homeowner Katie hails from “across the pond,” and she’s styled her East Los Angeles home with the sophistication and refinement often associated with her English roots.

Name: Jessica Meaney and her cat, Lucy Location: Echo Park — Los Angeles, California Size: 676 Square Feet Years lived in: 15 years; Rented Located on the ground floor of a 1930s, Spanish-style triplex, Jess’ home is a light-filled, happy haven.

Name: Lauren, Danny and their dogs, Mr. Belvedere and Junebug Location: Mount Washington — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; Rented Salon owners Lauren and Danny’s comfy cottage is like the brick-and-mortar equivalent of a breath of fresh air. High ceilings and interesting, multi-level mid-century architecture allow natural light to flood in from every direction, bouncing off the simple white walls.

Name: Tyler Parker (a photographer) and Kelsey Harper (a custom floral designer) and their 2-year-old, Harrison Harper Location: Eagle Rock — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: 1 years; Rented Tyler and Kelsey have been thoroughly enjoying their East Los Angeles home. Making room for a baby on the way while raising a 2-year-old, they’ve somehow managed to create a home that is not only beautiful but incredibly functional as well.

Name: Caroline and Eduardo Location: North Beach — San Francisco, California Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented Stylist and model Caroline and her boyfriend, Eduardo, have taken a sunny San Francisco flat and made it all their own, enhancing it with items collected on their travels—like the giant papier-mâché rhino head from Mexico in the kitchen—and references to their cultural backgrounds.

Name: Fay Wolf Location: Silver Lake — Los Angeles, California Size: 660 square feet Years lived in: 4 years; Rented Apartment Therapy’s resident organizational expert Fay Wolf is living proof that being highly organized doesn’t have to mean being sterile and rigid.

Name: Travis and Jessica Kiger and their two children Location: Fullerton, California Size: 2,400 square feet Years lived in: 6 years; Owned Jessica and Travis’s charming 2-story home is a historic Southern California landmark—built in 1923—that looks as though its roots are deep-seated in a Grimm fairytale.

Name: Tracy Bunkoczy Location: Silver Lake — Los Angeles, California Size: 850 square feet Years lived in: 3 months; rented Tracy recently downsized and relocated to Silver Lake to get a fresh start. With this move, she has gained a second floor walk-up apartment flooded with ample natural light, gorgeous architectural details, and an incredible view from her little deck.

Name: Sara and Rich Combs Location: Joshua Tree, California Size: 1,241 square feet Years Lived In: 8 months; Owned You may remember Sara and Rich from our House Tour of their Colorful, Calm & Sunny California Haven in San Francisco. Today, we have the pleasure of sharing their latest collaborative interiors project: their vacation home in the Mojave Desert dubbed The Joshua Tree House.

Name: Megan and Leif Location: Longfellow — Oakland, California Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years; Rented Hailing from Wisconsin via Chicago and Portland, Megan and Leif now find themselves in Oakland with a home that pays homage to their past interlaced with the sunny muse of their present. With Leif working from home as a writer and Megan an aspiring creative director, the couple have created a space that strikes a balance between practical and inspirational.

Name: Isaac Orloff and his dogs, Sammy and Roo Location: Dogpatch — San Francisco, California Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 2 months Animator Isaac Orloff and his two pups, Sammy and Roo, have found a home in the Dogpatch neighborhood of San Francisco. Having kept an eye out for an apartment in the city that was affordable, dog-friendly, and stylish for years, Isaac was able to land this triple-threat abode just two months ago.

Name: Kenya Moncada and Conner Jay and their dog, Hugo Location: Marina District — San Francisco, California Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; Rented When Kenya and Conner aren’t traveling for work, they can be found at home in their top floor Marina District apartment in San Francisco.

Name: Bill and Kristina Sager and their dog, Wisco Location: Fletcher Hills, California Size: 2,400 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Creative duo Kristina and Bill breathed new life into their San Diego area Mid-century modern home while also lovingly preserving its gorgeous original character. Both Wisconsin natives, the couple met while working together in advertising in Milwaukee.

Name: Jennifer Maxcy and her husband, son, and their dogs, Doug and Daisy Location: Newbury Park — Ventura County, California Size: 1,143 square feet Years lived in: 7 months; Owned Stylist and maker Jennifer Maxcy of The Ranch Uncommon employs the same vision and design ethos in her home goods collection as she does in styling her personal abode. Her approach celebrates unique finds, pairs vintage with new, and favors the handcrafted and repurposed.

Name: John and Laura Frame Location: Wrightwood, California Size: 2,500 square feet Years lived in: 30 years; Owned I’m a fan of sculpting mastermind John Frame, so touring his home was an honor, which makes it difficult for me to write this feature without giving you an essay-style rundown of his poignant, otherworldly carvings and stop-motion animations.

Name: Courtney Halverson and Eric Neujahr Location: Echo Park — Los Angeles, California Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Rented I discovered Courtney and Eric’s home via Instagram. Courtney, an actress and the blogger behind Pretty Little Fawn, would post occasional photos that led me to believe her passions included not only fashion but extended into home decoration and interiors.

Name: Allen Loeb and Nate Clark Location: West Hollywood — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,450 square feet Years lived in: 4 years; Owned When my friend Jason Martin told me about Allen and Nate’s gorgeous West Hollywood home, I jumped at the opportunity to photograph it. This home is one that is stylish but warmly minimal. Each room has a personal touch that expresses their personalities but still feels both refined and functional.

Name: Joyce Chen and her fiancé Location: West Oakland—Oakland, California Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented When Joyce moved into her now-fiancé’s West Oakland loft a couple of years ago, she knew it would be a challenge to have the space embrace both their styles. The loft previously had a personal gym and bar area in the living room and didn’t quite give off the warm and homey vibe Joyce wanted in their home.

Name: Sarah and Morgan Dews, their kids Tallulah and Max, and Cosmo the dog and Leroy the cat Location: Ocean Park Neighborhood — Santa Monica, California Size: 1,450 square feet Years lived in: Owned 6 years (and soon to be moving!) Sarah and Morgan are two world travelers whose paths crossed in Barcelona, Spain in 2004. Morgan, who grew up in the states between the east and west coast, fled to Spain in his twenties in search of adventure.

Name: Erin Nichols and Danny, daughters Kate and Ava, and dogs Chance and Stella Location: Huntington Beach, California Size: 1,700 square feet Years lived in: 8 years Erin and Danny’s lovely Huntington Beach home feels idyllically Californian: tucked away on a quiet tree-lined street, a short walk from the beach, filled with sunlight, and book-ended by two breezy outdoor areas. It’s an easy place to feel relaxed and happy.

Name: Laurel Martinsky Location: Santa Barbara, California Size: 500 square feet Years lived in: 5 years; Rented Perched up in the hills above Santa Barbara, Laurel’s flower-filled home evokes the English country garden aesthetic of which she is fond. When she moved to the studio in 2011, instead of buying new pieces, Laurel worked with her existing collection of beloved furniture, taking on the challenge of making larger-scale pieces work in the one-room, multi-functioning space.

Name: Melissa (“Mel”) Nichols, Jake Durrett and Apple the adorable dachshund Location: Cole Valley/Upper Haight — San Francisco, California Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; rented Jake and Melissa have lived in four apartments together over the last seven years. But they love this apartment so much—located in a neighborhood close to Haight street, Golden Gate Park and tons of great food—they almost can’t see themselves living anywhere else!

Name: Kristine Renee Location: Sacramento, California Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 1.5; rental You don’t have to step foot into Kristine’s Sacramento apartment to see how bright and breezy the whole space feels. The natural light bounces off white furniture and accessories. Rustic design details mingle with flirty patterns and family treasures.

Name: Harben Porter and Ryan Moses and Bowie the cat Location: San Francisco, California Size: 550 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Rented Harben and Ryan found their apartment on Craigslist and decided to take a chance on a post that did not include any images. Luckily for them, the place looked perfectly charming and quirky on sight.

Name: Lynne Sutherland, kids Ava and Wyatt, cats Felix and Fiona, and dogs Charlotte and Tuesday Location: Santa Barbara, CA Size: 2,000 square feet Years lived in: 9 years; Owned Lynne’s home is oriented to the sun—in more ways than one. On the day of our visit, we found the house flooded with the most glorious mid-morning light. The energy of the household was light, too, and that’s intentional.

Name: Elise and Ben Flashman and their two boys, Buster and Casper Location: Mount Washington, California Size: 1,300 square feet Years lived in: 6 years; owned Ben and Elise met in college at University of California, Santa Cruz where their spirits united between being creative artists and working at the Bargain Barn, a truly amazing second-hand, donation-based store that ranged in items of pure trash to pure gold.

Name: Jon and Nina Hans of Weekday Studio Location: Downtown Los Angeles, California Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 2 years We first got a peek at Jon and Nina’s home in their house call. It’s a clean, simple sanctuary in a busy Downtown LA area—but it isn’t boring in the slightest. Bold contrasts add drama while design details stand out in a space without a lot in it but that has a lot going for it.

Name: Ana Kamin, freelance photographer, writer and blogger and Patrick Kamin, software engineer Location: Haight Ashbury — San Francisco, California Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 3.5 years rented When Patrick and I moved from Germany to San Francisco in 2012, we were lucky to find this little gem—an apartment on a rooftop of an old Victorian in Haight Ashbury—just next to Golden Gate Park.

Name: Carly and James Petersmeyer Location: Los Angeles, California Size: 1,250 square feet Years lived in: 2 years owned Carly and James, both creative artists, couldn’t wait to finally own their own home to be able to do whatever they wanted with it. Two years ago, they got their chance when they snatched up this West LA home that had plenty of space to play with.

Name: Katy Goodman and Todd Wisenbaker Location: Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; rented So having 15 guitars may not sound minimal, but I’m convinced indie rockers Katy Goodman and Todd Wisenbaker of the band La Sera are nailing efficient living.

Name: Laura Hyman Location: Santa Fe; Oakland, California Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Rented When Laura’s sister described her Oakland loft’s style as “feminine industrial,” Laura thought it was spot on. The bright and spacious live-work loft utilizes cool and tranquil colors that add an overall warmth to a huge space that can easily feel cold and sterile.

Name: Jennifer & family Location: San Francisco, California Years lived in: 11 The kitchen is the heart of interior designer Jennifer’s home and the place where her family catches up between work and school. It’s also where we’re eating Burmese takeout for lunch because when you cook for five, like Jennifer, you’re allowed to do that. Spacious, beautiful, and generally filled with good food and good people, it’s not a bad place to spend an afternoon. Or a morning.

Name: Ryan and Amber Flynn Location: Downtown — Fashion District; Los Angeles, California Size: 3,500 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; rented When Ryan and Amber Flynn first moved to Los Angeles in 2011, they spent a month crashing on the floor of their friends’ downtown loft. The space was impressive: a former munitions factory, the loft boasted 20-foot ceilings spanning two industrial stories.

Name: Shannon and Mike Parry, Asha (5) and Bodan (1) Location: Mar Vista — Los Angeles, California Size: 990 square feet Years lived in: Owned 5 years Walking into Shannon and Mike’s Mar Vista home is a unique experience of high design coupled with sustainable functionality; a rare combo that Shannon pulls off effortlessly. Shannon runs the Sustainable City Program for the city of Santa Monica and Mike is a cinematographer/filmmaker.

Name: Maria, Boris, and a dog named Fish Location: Fashion District, Downtown Los Angeles Size: 1500 square feet Years lived in: Rent for 1 year Maria and her boyfriend Boris share a sunny, industrial loft in the Fashion District of Downtown Los Angeles. A large and open space, the couple had to create rooms in a floor plan without many existing walls or distinct areas. They combined styles to craft cozy hangout spots all over the beautiful apartment.

Name: Kerry Clarkson, and daughter Azure Location: Santa Barbara, California Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: Rented 1 year, 8 months It’s been well over a year now since Kerry left Lima, Peru, deciding to stay in Santa Barbara after a visit. That meant leaving a lot behind and starting over with very little in the way of material items and furniture.

Name: Kelly Lamb Location: Los Feliz—Los Angeles, California Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: Owned 1.5 years Kelly is an artist, ceramicist and designer living in the Hollywood Hills end of Los Feliz. While she remodels the main house, Kelly has been living in the property’s guest cabin. What I loved most about this guest house is how it encompasses the quintessential Los Angeles vibe: bohemian, warm, welcoming and completely drenched in natural light.

Name: Amanda Holstein and dog Auggie Location: San Francisco, California Size: 550 square feet Years lived in: 1 year Amanda is the voice behind the blog Advice from a 20 Something. And seeing what a smart job she did designing her San Francisco studio apartment, it would seem she’s got great advice to give! The small space she shares with her dog Auggie is full of interesting furnishings, yet feels bright and airy.

Name: Mike, Amanda, and Declan (5 years old) Location: Los Angeles, California Size: 1,700 square feet Years lived in: Owned 9 years Amanda, an elementary school teacher, is a master of planning. She pulled off a modern remodel of this Mar Vista house thanks to lots of dream boards and spreadsheets. And she created a sophisticated home that’s also fun and functional for five-year-old Declan.

Name: Margaux Rust, Drew Daniels, Juniper and Gypsy Location: Echo Park; Los Angeles, California Size: 1000 square feet Years lived in: Rented 1 year We first got a peek at Margaux and Drew’s home during their House Call last fall, but since then they’ve already rearranged and refreshed their space (as they often do). The house was built around 1910, when the neighborhood was filling up with large Arts and Crafts or Victorian homes.

Walking into Rory's house is like walking into an adult Disneyland...if your version is a wonderland of wild colors, impeccable attention to detail and over-the-top accents.

Name: Brian Mitchell and Ericka James Location: NoPa— San Francisco, California Size: 1,450 square feet Years lived in: Owned 1 year When Brian bought this house in the NoPa neighborhood of San Francisco, there wasn’t much left of the two-story structure. Some might have passed up the opportunity, but he saw healthy architectural bones and potential. Within a year, the house transformed into a beautiful, modern California mid-century home.

Name: Sheeva Sairafi Location: Los Angeles, California Size: 3 bedroom/2 bathroom Years lived in: Owned 1 year Sheeva Sairafi’s bright and colorful Spanish Colonial style home reflects her inspiring vision for making a global impact. In 2014 Sheeva left a coveted corporate retail position to start her own socially conscious global home decor company, Local + Lejos.

Name: Jaya Williams, Maggie Shafran, Steph Sloan Location: Silver Lake — Los Angeles, California Size: 1250 square feet Years lived in: Rented 8 months Jaya writes: “Maggie and I met during undergrad at Pitzer College in Claremont, California and Maggie and Steph grew up together in Sun Valley, Idaho. We all three got together after we graduated in 2014 and moved to Los Angeles and have had this amazing sister-best-friend-wife dynamic.

Name: Caroline and Jayden Lee Location: Atwater Village — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: Rented 2.5 years Caroline and Jayden are the hard-working dynamic duo behind Woodnote Photography and Coco Carpets, two companies that combine a love for travel with an eye for all things beautiful.

Name: Megan Jorgensen Location: Highland Park — Los Angeles, California Size: 2 bedroom Years lived in: Rented 6 months Megan Jorgensen is an artist whose carefully edited collection of unconventional knick knacks has followed her from Minneapolis to California and everywhere in between. From antique tools to mini figurines—and her own paintings and textiles—her artistic assortment is displayed throughout her home in thoughtful vignettes.

Caroline Lee is the founder of perhaps the most fun rug retailer in the world, Coco Carpets. She lives with her husband Jayden in the charming Los Angeles suburb of Atwater Village and boasts a wardrobe that is as colorful as her rugs and as vibrant as her personality. We coaxed the carefree Caroline into sharing some of her favorite wardrobe staples, which are helpful reminders that work and play do not have to be mutually exclusive. Your very favorite outfit:: Most often found in?

Name: Vanessa Matsalla Location: South Oceanside, California Size: 1800 square feet Years lived in: Owned 2 years The words “California Cool” come to mind when you see interior designer Vanessa Matsalla’s South Oceanside house. An earthy color palette mixes with natural textiles and textures. But contemporary—and even quirky—elements are sprinkled throughout the home, making for a dynamic space.

Name: Kelsy and Travis Hodge, with their children Elodie (6) and Paloma (1.5) Location: Santa Barbara, California Size: 980 square feet Years lived in: Rented 4.5 years The bright yellow wreath by the front door and pom pom garland hanging in the picture window are the first hints of the visual treat waiting for us within the Hodge family’s 1920s California Bungalow. Inside, their home has a cheery and comfortable vibe.