California

Name: Annette and Jason and their two cats, Fitzgerald and Chiquita Location: Los Angeles, California Size: 4000 square feet Years lived in: Rented 3 years I can honestly say that this is one of the most unique houses I have ever photographed. Nestled inside of an old Edison Electric Building, Annette and Jason have made their home in a mixture of long tunnels, small cutout nooks and large expansive spaces with floor-to-ceiling windows.

Name: Alyssa Valentine Location: Echo Park — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,414 square feet Years lived in: Owned 7 years Alyssa works in real estate and it’s no surprise she’s staged her share of interiors. Her natural knack for tastefully blending a variety of styles to give rooms a unique personality is hard to match. Her bright and cheery home, which she shares with her husband and two children, feels both comfortable and refined, with a touch of whimsy.

Name: Angelina Rennell Location: La Selva Beach, California Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: part-time 1 1/2 years The “Spaceship” house is owned by designer Angelina Rennell’s mother, Cynthia. She helped her mom both restore and decorate the space, and it’s 700 square feet of groovy, modern, space age style. Angelina lives in the home part of the year, and she also uses it as a backdrop for photos of her products that she designs with her brand, Beklina.

Name: Jane Location: Noe Valley — San Francisco, California Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 1 year What makes Jane’s home unique is the mixture of items and styles that can only be described as “Happy Californian,” such as the bedroom wallpaper inspired by greenery, the mid-century modern furniture and paintings, and the gorgeous vaulted ceilings that make her smile every day.

Name: Joanna, Audie and son Arlo Location: Silver Lake —Los Angeles, California Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: Renting less than a year Joanna and Audie’s charming 1920s bungalow trades indoor space for a large, private yard (something of a unicorn in the bustling hillside neighborhood of Silver Lake).

Name: Becca and Doug, daughter Audrey and pug Seymour Location: South Bay Area, California Size: 1850 square feet Years lived in: Owned 2.5 years I think I might smile every day if I lived in Becca and Doug’s South Bay Area home. Natural light pours in through big windows, bouncing off white walls and light blond wood floors. But it’s the bold, colorful and stunning pattern that Becca’s infused in nearly every corner of this house that makes it so cheerful.

Name: Alison, Bob, and Angus Masey Location: Highland Park — Los Angeles, California Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 5 years; rented Alison and Bob’s mini Craftsman may be petite, but it’s loaded with warm and fuzzy anecdotes. Whether given or found on the side of the road, every single item inside seems to have fatefully found its way there without being sought out, and each one with a great story to boot.

Name: Frances Walsh Location: Inner Sunset — San Francisco, California Size: 1750 square feet Years lived in: Owned 4 years Before Frances settled into her new apartment in the quiet Inner Sunset neighborhood of San Francisco four years ago, she had lived on the East Coast and had spent a few years working abroad in Russia, exploring Eastern Europe and traveling the globe. The love and excitement for different cultures are visible everywhere through her current apartment.

Inspired by ’60s eclectic style, Mike and Rachel’s Ojai rental sets the mood for creativity as well as peaceful lounging. Full of classics and bohemian charm, be sure to check out their resource lists to achieve a similar style and make it your own!

You most likely don’t live in a spaceship or a spaceship shaped house. But if you wish you did, or want to bring some space age style into your space on this planet, check out the resource lists for this one-of-a-kind spaceship shaped home in California.

Name: Chrissy Phelan Location: West Hollywood, California Size: 1,300 square feet Years lived in: Renting 7 years Hair stylist Chrissy Phelan’s knack for styling goes beyond the buzzes and fades she crafts in her small in-home salon. While she’s lived in her West Hollywood house for seven years, a recent self-motivated design overhaul has given the home a fresh feel, complete with a new light-filled salon room and tons of vintage-eclectic character.

Name: Lauryn Evarts and Michael Bosstick Location: West Hollywood, California Size: 1100 square feet Years lived in: Owned 2 years You may recognize Lauryn Evarts; she’s the founder of The Skinny Confidential and a best-selling author. To say Lauryn’s endeavor has been successful is an understatement: Since launching, she’s also branched out into a fitness & nutrition eBook, podcast, YouTube channel, and more.

Name: Marni Epstein-Mervis and Laine Mervis (and Fitz the corgi) Location: Highland Park — Los Angeles, California Size: 570 square feet Years lived in: Rented, 1 year Marni and Laine’s mini one-bedroom apartment is the physical manifestation of their perfectly complementary marriage. Marni is eclectic and Laine is minimal. Marni runs a creative agency (STRUKTR), while Laine practices law in the city. Marni tends to collect, while Laine is really good at, well, not collecting.

Bright, cheerful, full of patterns and textures—Becca and Doug’s California home is a visual stunner. With items sourced from secondhand shops, the internet, and new things, too, Becca’s style isn’t tough to duplicate. Check out her resource lists for some bright mid-century, bohemian inspiration to bring some joy to your home!

Name: Kim Mahair Location: West Hollywood, California Size: 500 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting Kim Mahair is a food photographer and stylist who was given “first dibs” on her West Hollywood studio apartment after her friend, the home’s previous tenant, moved out. Years of actively coveting the petite studio’s dreamy french windows and charming details paid off.

Name: Carlee and family Location: San Luis Obispo, California Size: 400 square feet Years lived in: Renting 6 years Carlee writes: “My husband and I rented a granny unit studio that was 400 square feet. We were just teenagers when we first moved in and couldn’t afford much, which is why we decided to rent it. The perk was that while it was hideous as all get out, our landlord was willing to let us do whatever we wanted to the place.

Name: Ashley, Matt, and Zucca (the cat) Spinelli Location: Central Haight — San Francisco, California Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: Renting 2.5 years Ashley and Matt moved to San Francisco from NYC, and wanted to live within biking distance of their jobs, while also having the ability to walk everywhere. Fortunately, the Lower Haight is centrally located within easy access to public transportation and urban thoroughfares and surrounded by four of the city’s best parks.

Name: Greg, Nola, Vivian (8 years) and Pepper Talmage (4 years) Location: Mid Wilshire/Miracle Mile — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,550 square feet Years lived in: Renting 5 years This great Spanish style home is located just off a busy street filled with high rises and heavy traffic. But walking into Nola’s apartment, you sense light and serenity. She has made her home a cozy, creative solace from the fast-paced Los Angeles that lies just outside her door.

Name: Kyle and Alex Location: Tenderloin — San Francisco, California Size: 450 square feet Years lived in: 4 years rented After 20+ apartment viewings, Kyle and Alex settled on this 1920s apartment in the Tenderloin neighborhood in San Francisco. They had some basic criteria for their would-be apartment.

Brett and Brandon made renovation decisions with the idea that things should be sentimental, functional and comfortable; three things that result in a beautiful home.

Marni and Laine’s Los Angeles rental is sure to inspire. They’ve mastered the art of mash-up — one a collector with a love of flea market finds and a boho vibe, the other leans toward minimal, negative-space style. If you’re trying to reconcile these two styles, look no further than Marni and Laine’s resource lists!

Name: Christine Martin, David Marino Location: Rockridge area — Oakland, California Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: Renting 3 years Christine and David love their home in the heart of Oakland’s Rockridge neighborhood for a lot of reasons. They’re within walking distance of great shops, restaurants and bars.

Name: Eric Kunau Location: Beverly Hills, California Size: 1000 square feet Years lived in: Renting 2 years Eric’s sunny Beverly Hills apartment combines his love for art, mid-century modern style, and contemporary design to create a bright, welcoming space to call home in his adopted state of California. Originally from Minnesota, Eric now calls Beverly Hills home in this 1000 square foot apartment.

Name: Adrianne Hawthorne Location: Lower Pacific Heights, San Francisco Size: 400 square feet Years Lived In: Renting 1.5 Adrianne’s studio apartment, perched high up in a Lower Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco, is an oasis of color and unique details. The thoughtfulness of each item placed in her home isn’t surprising; Adrianne works as a visual designer by trade!

Name: Kendall Leigh Location: Echo Park — Los Angeles, California Years lived in: Renting 4 years Kendall’s collection of antique oddities and memorabilia from her childhood is the perfect mix of charming and alarming, giving her home-sweet-home a bitter twist.

Name: Mackenzie Kirk, Hannah Kirk, and Rachel Wyatt Location: Mount Washington — Los Angeles, California Years lived in: Rented, 1 year Sisters Hannah and Mackenzie seem to possess a quintessential sisterly bond that allows for creative exploration and unrestrained authenticity when decorating their hilltop home.

Name: David Kean Location: Glendale, California Size: 2,600 Years Lived In: 4.5 years, owned We first got a peek at David’s mid-century ranch-style home after witnessing his ridiculously satisfying kitchen and bathroom makeovers. While David has made sure to keep the architecture in his home true to mid-century standards, his abundant collections of modern art and fine antiquities are somewhat counter to the minimalist movement of the mid-century era.

Name: Mark Shapiro Location: Venice, California Years Lived In: 4 years, owned For podcaster Mark Shapiro, the house hunt was daunting — and long-lasting. It took 12 months of scouring the city for him to find this “tree house” in Venice in 2010. And..it was love at first sight. When Mark opened the front gate to the property, a majestic coral tree immediately caught his eye. Inside, a slanted wood ceiling and tall windows reminded him of the ski chateaus from his childhood.

Name: Jenee Yuen Location: San Francisco, California Size: 400 square feet (maybe a little larger?) Years Lived In: 8 years, renting One of the fun things about living in an old San Francisco apartment is that sometimes, depending on your particular landlord, you get a little bit of creative control to “adjust” your living space as you see fit. Jenee did just that when she took out the carpet in her living room and refinished the beautiful hardwood floors that were hiding underneath.

Name: Carol and Lee Estes Location: Rancho Bernardo — San Diego, California Size: 1900 Square Feet Years Lived In: 20 years, owned Carol Estes is an interior designer who recently built a substantial Instagram following simply by sharing photos of her own home’s eclectic interior.

Name: Holly Location: The Mission — San Francisco, California Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting The first thing you notice when you open the door to Holly’s apartment in San Francisco’s popular Mission neighborhood is the light in the hallway that runs two-thirds of the length of the space. Windows all along the right side — some stained glass — make it feel very airy and ethereal.

Name: Lucia and Paige Location: Highland Park — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, rented Roommates Lucia and Paige have a decorating motto when it comes to treasures from thrift stores: If you want it, you get it! That’s how they were able to create a pretty home even though they don’t have a big budget. The roommates say they complement each other perfectly: Paige is good at solving problems and Lucia is the handy one.

Name: Carolyn Rebuffel Flannery and husband Location: San Rafael Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned When we first saw the fabulous bungalow home at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac, we were smitten. The interiors were mostly original and there was a giant blue farm sink in the kitchen, original to the house. Regretfully, the sink was completely impractical but we are turning it into a potting sink in the garden.

With a gorgeous outdoor space to lounge in, this rental apartment is much more than a studio, even though the rent is the price of a studio.

Name: Kachet Jackson-Henderson Location: Sacramento, California Size: 450 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting As a creative consultant, the writer at The Kachet Life, and the founder of The Blog Bloc, Kachet Jackson-Henderson needs a home where she can live, unwind, and work in. Though only 450 square feet, this Sacramento studio apartment is just the space.

Name: Janet Varney, her boyfriend Brandon, and dogs Scott and Whitley. Location: Hollywood Hills — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 14 years, owned Colorful with patterns and textures, actress Janet Varney‘s home is also airy and relaxing…surely a much-needed respite from her busy career. She was the voice of Korra in the animated television series “The Legend of Korra.

Name: Genevieve Danger Berrick Location: Echo Park — Los Angeles, California Size: 900(ish) square feet Years Lived In: 1 year, renting Family legend has it that when Genevieve was 3 years old she firmly informed her mother that she would no longer be wearing pink. And she stood by her word until she rediscovered the color and its place in her east side home. “I decided to really lean into my enjoyment of it.

Name: Becky Elfes-Terjung and Cliff Lance Location: Piedmont Avenue — Oakland, California Size: 400 square feet Years lived in: 6 years; rented When Becky took on a job as a display artist at Anthropologie, she would constantly bring home leftover scraps from work. This is where her love of plywood grew, as it provided her with a blank canvas that allowed her to be as creative as possible.

Name: Lilly Giraldo Location: Seabright — Santa Cruz, California Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting I currently live in a two-bedroom apartment in the Seabright neighborhood of Santa Cruz. I moved to Santa Cruz fresh out of college and I remember thinking, “When I grow up I want to live in Seabright,” and 20 years later (and after kind of growing up), I found this lovely apartment.

Name: Andreea Cristina, husband Bryan Gaul, and two cats and one dog Location: Los Angeles, California Size: 850 square feet Years Lived In: 6 months, renting As a beauty blogger with over a million Instagram followers, Andreea Cristina of Simply Andreea rarely stays in one place for very long. Having both sponsorships that take her around the world and a professional soccer player for a husband means a lot of traveling and not a lot of time spent at home.

This modern-inspired California house draws inspiration from an effortlessly laid-back style.

Name: Bitsie Tulloch and David Giuntoli Location: Hollywood Hills — Los Angeles, California Size: 3,600 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned Actors Bitsie and David have spent the bulk of the past few years filming the television show Grimm and living most of the year in woodsy, sometimes-foggy Portland, Oregon. With Grimm finished, the pair are happy to have a new sunny Hollywood Hills home to spend time in.

Name: Pratiksha Tandon, husband, and 17-month-old daughter Location: Foster City, California Size: 1,350 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting I am an architect and an interior designer married to a data scientist currently living in the Bay Area, California. We moved to the Bay Area from Connecticut a year ago to be close to family. The thing that made us fall in love with this house were the big gorgeous windows on all three sides with beautiful views of green outside.

Name: Nancy, Ken, and their little canine, Monty Location: Berkeley, California Size: 670 square feet Years lived in: 22 years; Owned Nancy says her home is a haven—it’s colorful, cozy, bright, and full of memories. Though the bright green walls help, it’s her collection of meaningful pieces that truly makes her Berkeley condo a home.

Name: Troy Solomon and Ian Mofford Location: West Hollywood, California Size: 800 square feet Years Lived In: 3 years for Troy, 2 years for Ian, renting I first learned of Troy Solomon (aka ABearNamedTroy) from his Instagram, where his brazen feed strikes a colorful balance between fierce and playful, a strong aesthetic that is reflected in the apartment he shares with fiance Ian Mofford.

Name: Alle Fister and Don Popkes Location: Playa Del Rey, California Size: 4,500 square feet Years lived in: 6 years, owned Alle Fister—owner of Bollare, a communications firm that works with well-known beauty and fashion brands—met Don Popkes 10 years ago. Six and a half years ago the couple got married and bought this house, their first home and a total fixer upper.

Name: Chuck Jones Location: South Pasadena, California Size: 900 square feet Years Lived In: 3 years, renting Covered in stucco and overgrown vegetation, this pre-fab piece of history sat unknown to locals and lost to time until purchased in 2006 by Sergio Santino. Since uncovering this mid-century marvel—built by renowned industrial designer Henry Dreyfuss and architect Edward Larrabee Barnes—Sergio’s childhood friend Chuck Jones has resided here.

Name: Emily Billings, Max Shay, and cat, Lorelei Location: Woodside, California Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: Seven months, renting I can’t help but read real estate and rental listings the way the rest of the world reads the daily news. I have a knack for finding homes my partner, Max, and I could only afford if we subsisted solely on rice and beans.

Name: Kate Richards, her husband, and 13 feathered or furry animals Location: Los Angeles, California Size: 1,500 square feet Years Lived In: 10 years, owned Sure, Kate Richards of Drinking with Chickens may like to occasionally imbibe with poultry, but behind the scenes this self-taught cocktail blogger, color-embracing artist, self-proclaimed professional drinker, and insanely hilarious Instagrammer works hard to maintain her charming life.

Name: Tracy Bunkoczy Location: Koreatown — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,170 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned A massive leak in her last home—a beautiful Silver Lake rental apartment— forced design executive Tracy Bunkoczy to move a year ago.

Cindy is a jewelry designer and fiber artist and shares this bright North Hollywood home with her husband Matt.

Name: Kristine Claghorn and Mark Harrison and SETI the cat (stands for “Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence”, of course) Location: Silver Lake — Los Angeles, California Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Kristine and Mark knew they were meant to be together when they both bonded over their separate rock collections. She’s a creative producer and artist, he’s a documentary editor, and their cat, SETI, is an expert at being adorable.

Name: Kit Warchol Location: Eagle Rock — Los Angeles, California Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: Rent control baby! It’s no surprise Kit Warchol is a writer/Head of Content for the female-focused website Career Contessa. Citing Joan Didion’s Slouching Towards Bethlehem as an inspiring force behind her home’s overall aesthetic, her sophisticated ’70s-style bohemian home is lined with books and peppered with meaningful mementos.

Name: Krista and Daniel Location: Little Italy — San Diego, California Size: 1400 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, renting Krista runs Hand Meets Sky, “an online boutique specializing in authentic turquoise jewelry and jewels for the modern, boheme bride.” She’s an Apartment Therapy reader who submitted the home she shares with her partner Daniel. In her own words: Daniel had been living in the building for over eight years or so.

Name: Peter and Jana Deeble and their four kids Location: Long Beach, California Years lived in: 7 years, rent to own For 14 years, Long Beach resident Peter Deeble was a math teacher who had a side hobby of designing and building furniture. In the beginning the work was just meant as a way to furnish his and his wife’s (to whom he’s been married for 15 years!) home.

Name: Zoe Peters Location: Mill Valley — California Size: 231 square feet Years lived in: 3.5 years Nestled under trees on the far edge of family property in Mill Valley is a charming cottage Zoe calls home. Near Mount Tamalpais, it’s the perfect home base for a nature lover. And it’s got a history packed with artistic spirit; the space used to be her brother-in-law’s grandmother’s art studio.

Name: Lee Tilghman Location: Koreatown, Los Angeles Years lived in: 8 months, renting When Lee Tilghman moved from New York City to Los Angeles a little over two years ago, she initially rented another apartment. But the building this Koreatown apartment is located in had great bones, Art Deco details, “amazing light and was central to everything I wanted to get to in LA,” says Lee. So she made the move to where she lives now!

Name: Sam E., Stephanie Libanati and Lorena Jimenez Location: Lower Bottoms — Oakland, California Size: 1,610 square feet Years lived in: 8 months; Rented When Sam E. was looking for an apartment earlier this year, she felt so lucky when she hit it off with Stephanie and Lorena on the day they met.

Sticking to a limited color palette isn’t the only way to design a home that looks inviting and pulled together. Caroline and Jayden are the colorful couple who live in the cozy Atwater Village home shown here an they saw absolutely no hue limitations when they designed their place.

Name: Ujjaini and Adit Location: Los Angeles, California This is such a great example of thoughtful and practical design. Ujianai and Adit built a great backyard that is not only inspired by their enviornment, but designed to help it. From Ujjaini and Adit: When we bought our house two and a half years ago, we knew the backyard needed work. We were lucky to make a large enough outdoor space and good weather to enjoy it all year around.

When Elise and Ben bought their Mount Washington house, the kitchen looked like this. They used this sad kitchen for five years until they finally updated it. The end result is modernized, but still captures the spirit and integrity of the storied older house. Using IKEA cabinets to keep the costs down, they were able to upgrade and personalize the look with Calcutta marble and Schoolhouse Electric hardware for all the cabinets.

Project by: Jacqueline Palmer Location: Oakland, California With exposed beams, a spiral staircase and 1,200 square feet Jacqueline had a pretty fantastic starting point. She was able to mix really well chosen pieces of different styles to create a home that is welcoming and stylish.

Name: Eric Stauble and Patrick Maziarski Location: Mid-City — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Owned Welcome to the very creative home of Eric Stauble and Patrick Maziarski, who are both immersed in the creative design world. With an eclectic mix of custom-designed, reupholstered and vintage pieces, this home offers the best of indoor and outdoor living.

Name: Jeni Wu Location: Nob Hill — San Francisco, California Size: 685 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented After years of roommates and carpeted studios, Jeni finally got the chance to move into her own apartment, and she couldn’t wait to add her personal style. She works as a home decor buyer and as an interior designer with her own styling business, Wunder Design, so it’s only natural that her space is as stylish as the homes she puts together for clients.

Name: Tara and Thierry Broucqsault, their son Henri, dogs Lola and Junebug, Maverick the cat, and Bobby the Gecko Location: Santa Barbara, California Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 11 years; Owned Set high above the street, Tara and Thierry’s charming cottage is a place where family, pets and guests can truly feel at home.

Name: Tom and Allison, their son, Gordon, and their dogs and tortoise Location: Culver City, California Size: 2,000 square feet Years lived in: 8 years; Owned One look inside the home of Tom and Allison of California Rediscovered and you quickly realize that you are in the presence of DIY masters.

Name: Nick McPhail Location: Silver Lake — Los Angeles, California Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Rented With the price of rent quickly increasing every year in Los Angeles, artist Nick McPhail was lucky to grab this perfect little home all for himself. Complete with a backyard that houses an organic garden and a ceramics studio, this home embodies the ideal of a live/work space.

Name: Genevieve Bandrowski and Ashley Campbell Location: Cleveland Heights — Oakland, California Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; Rented When Genevieve moved back to Oakland nearly two years ago, she wanted her now-roommate Ashley to see the creative spirit that Oakland has to offer. Since then, they have created a lush sanctuary inspired by the many Bay Area makers they admire.

Name: Melanie Abrantes (and her boyfriend Rick Gibb) Location: Potrero Hill — San Francisco, California Size: 500 square feet Years lived in: 6 months; Rented We recently shared Melanie Abrantes’ fantastic Oakland studio, and today we’re getting a glimpse into her San Francisco apartment. Melanie’s playful personality is seen in every inch of the 500-square-foot home.

Name: Emma Fineman Location: Oakland, California Size: 238 square feet Years lived in: 17 We recently shared artist Emma Fineman’s stylish Memphis-inspired studio, in which she paints as well as designs textiles and apparel for her women’s clothing brand, Weft + Hide. Today, we get a glimpse into her cozy, temporary living quarters in her childhood home, filled with plants, textiles, and mementos from her travels.

Name: Dustin Lancaster and Maya Brenner, kids Jack and Sadie, and dog Roxy Location: Silver Lake — Los Angeles, California Size: 2,700 square feet (house) Years lived in: 6 months; Owned Hard-working entrepreneurs Dustin and Maya can now add their beautiful six-month home renovation to the long list of productive ventures they’ve accomplished in the last year.

Name: Stephanie Fauerbach Location: Marina District — San Francisco, California Size: 850 square feet Years lived in: 4.5 years; Rented Though making a temporary space feel rooted isn’t easy, Stephanie Fauerbach has put together a collection of mementos and inspiring pieces that make her apartment feel like a home.