When Sarah bought this home, the charm was undeniable, but “some work was needed to bring it back to life.” She freshly painted, updated window treatments, added plants, and more to make the space her home.

Adrienne Breaux

Dec 15, 2023

A $1150-per-Month Chicago Rental’s Sunroom Is Adorned with Plants & Rugs Tours

See inside this one-bedroom Chicago apartment that has a stunning sunroom, purple dining room, and colorful style.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Dec 11, 2023

A Renter Finds a “Fresh Start” in an Organic Modern Chicago Apartment Tours

“The city's vibrancy outside my window mirrored my personal journey of reinvention,” Tarah Trammel says.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Nov 27, 2023

Renters Painted Every Inch of This Chicago Apartment – Even the Floors Tours

Bridgette and Steven Haulenbeek have filled their chicago rental apartment with cool art and furniture, some made by Steven.

Layne Dixon

Nov 20, 2023

A Gut Renovation of a 1910 Home Features a DIY Limewashed Wall Tours

A former reno lacked personality, but this family has added furniture, art, paint, color & more over the last two years.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Oct 25, 2023

This Cozy Chicago Apartment Is Calm, Minimalist Perfection Tours

"I love organic textures because they feel warm and cozy, which is how I want to feel when I’m at home," renter Nadia Sedgley says.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Sep 29, 2023

A Small, $1400-a-Month Chicago Studio Apartment Cost $2500 to Furnish Tours

Rodney Perez decorated their 600-square-foot apartment to be a reflection of themselves.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Aug 2, 2023

This Chicago House Built in the 1800s Is Drenched in Modern Color

Color Month House Tour

Courtney and Colin have totally transformed their Chicago home with lots and lots of color.

Layne Dixon

Jul 31, 2023

East Meets West in This Small Chicago Studio Apartment Tours

See inside this 600-square-foot Chicago rental of a Pakistani American woman who mixed both U.S. and Southeast Asian decor styles.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Jul 7, 2023

A Chicago Workers Cottage’s Reno Made It Modern but Kept the Charm Tours

Designer Michelle Sturgis’ cottage needed love when she and her husband purchased it, but they made sure to keep all the charming details like the original brick wall, railings, doors, and more.

Layne Dixon

Jun 28, 2023

This Chicago Rental Apartment Is the Epitome of Comfortable and Tasteful Style Tours

Maddie Hilbrant and her fiancé both value a warm, welcoming home to come back to at the end of the day.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Jun 27, 2023

This Designer’s Chicago Condo Is Packed with Color and Character Tours

See inside interior designer Jessica Blue’s colorful, maximalist Chicago home with smart storage and decor ideas.

Adrienne Breaux

Jun 21, 2023

A 500-Square-Foot Rental Has the Dreamiest Sofas Found in an Alley Tours

One day Olivia Huffman was driving to work and saw something out of the corner of her eye in an alley: the "dreamiest, curved clamshell sofas" just sitting there, ready for the taking!

Apartment Therapy Submissions

May 12, 2023

This Apartment in a Former Car Wash Has Retro Glass Blocks & a Verdant Courtyard Tours

Kate makes an effort to avoid buying new things for her Chicago rental apartment, instead sourcing "items from thrift stores, antique shops, and second-hand marketplaces. About 80% of the things I buy come from these places, and I love incorporating historic designs into a very modern building."

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Apr 11, 2023

Owners Figured Out the Perfect Blend of Fun and Function in This Small Condo

House Tour

After Shelby toured this 700-square-foot Chicago condo, she loved it so much she wrote the previous owner a handwritten letter. “I was like, ‘I’m ... begging you to let me live here.’” The letter worked. Now she and Collin reside in their small-but-mighty space, curating a sort of maximalist museum dedicated to the relationships that keep them afloat.

Layne Dixon

Apr 6, 2023

This Colorful Chicago Condo Mixes Playful Colors and Patterns Tours

The incredible custom wallpaper in this colorful Chicago condo was designed before the owner ever moved in.

Adrienne Breaux

Mar 14, 2023

This Bookish Chicago Home Is Filled with Art from All Over the World Tours

Abby and her husband, Christian, have been living in their Chicago home for two years, and they have one piece of advice for you: Treat your home like a museum. With rotating pieces of art, they never tire of their rental apartment.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Feb 10, 2023

11 Non-Bulky Essentials I Always Pack for Winter Travel Life

You're going to want a waterproof backpack.

Nylah Burton

Jan 30, 2023

This 130-Year-Old Chicago Condo Is a Mix of Old Architecture & Modern Additions Tours

The kitchen used to have fluorescent lights, Formica countertops, and a wall separating it from the living room area, but Bridget and Sean took down the wall and put in six slabs of black quartz.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Nov 7, 2022

A 460-Square-Foot Odd-Shaped Studio Is Only 3 Feet Wide at Its Narrowest Point Tours

Ainsley's small rental apartment's size and atypical angles offered quite the design challenge: to fit in useful, cohesive items without feeling too cramped or cluttered. But she tackled the challenge beautifully and cleverly.

Sarah Crowley

Nov 2, 2022

A Chicago Apartment's Gallery Wall (and Whole Art Collection) Is Incredible Tours

Along with incredible art, Alex uses "warm, neutral colors (off-white, ochre, amber, wood tones) as a foundation to play with shapes, textures, and patterns. Jute rugs, boucle, ornate frames, and varying wood tones help tie together the design and blend old and new."

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Nov 2, 2022

A Social Worker's Small Chicago Home Doesn't Shy Away from a Gallery Wall Tours

Christy lives with her two cats in Chicago. Her walls are covered in art and objects that remind her of the people and places she loves. She's transformed a 750-square-foot apartment into a cozy home.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Oct 19, 2022

This 750 Square Foot Chicago Nook Is Filled With Over 1,000 Books Tours

Jamie and Mike moved to Chicago for grad school and never left. Now their home has given them a place to make the most of their small space while adding in items that bring them happiness.

Caroline Mullen

Sep 21, 2022

A Whimsical Chicago Bungalow Is Bursting With Color and Pattern

TOURS

Becky Bloom's historic 1924 Chicago bungalow has a purple living room, orange fireplace, green kitchen, floral bedroom, and a lot more color and DIY pattern!

Sarah Crowley

Jul 19, 2022

A Classic Maximalist 600-Square-Foot Chicago Rental Has Wallpaper in Every Room Tours

Johnny Coleman is an interior architecture BFA candidate at Columbia College Chicago and a bargain hunter. He was able to furnish and decorate this rental apartment with mostly upcycled and revamped furniture.

Sarah Crowley

Jun 14, 2022

How My Local, No-Frills Walking Trail Helped Me Heal from a Breakup Life

A love letter to the average walking path.

Sarah Magnuson

May 28, 2022

B&A: A Chicago Fixer-Upper's Layout (and Staircase) Was Beautifully Opened Up Tours

Tim and Ravi's condo is located on the top floor of a building built in 1897, so it needed a lot of work. The remodel lasted two months and was completed in January 2020.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

May 20, 2022

Everything You Need to Know About “Duplex Downs"Real Estate

It's a house style that's all over Chicago.

Sarah Magnuson

May 15, 2022

A 451-Square-Foot Chicago Studio Successfully Sections Off a Small Space Tours

Coach and facilitator Erinne Brown has been renting this light-filled 451-square-foot studio apartment in Chicago's Printers Row neighborhood for two years now.

Sarah Crowley

May 3, 2022

This Condo Draws Inspo from Black Women Singers and Feminist Artists and Authors Tours

Sekile Nzinga is the Chief Equity Officer for the State of Illinois and the founder of The Nzinga Collective, and rents this 1200-square-foot condo in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood.

Adrienne Breaux

Mar 1, 2022

This 642-Square-Foot Chicago Studio Contains a Creative DIY Moss Art Piece Tours

Kevin Coleman shares this 642-square-foot, "Geometric Minimalism" style studio apartment with his dog, Langston.

Sarah Crowley

Feb 17, 2022

This 450-Square-Foot Chicago Condo Has Cool and Clever Small Space Tricks Tours

...including an IKEA bookshelf built into a wall!

Sarah Crowley

Feb 16, 2022

There's a Place Called the “Bungalow Belt,” And You're Going to Want to See It Real Estate

Have you heard of this spot in the Midwest?

Jennifer Billock

Nov 13, 2021

B&A: This Dated Chicago Condo Now Has the Coolest Built-In Ideas We've Ever Seen Tours

When Annabell Ren and Steven Karvelius moved in to this unit in a 120-year-old historic four-flat in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood, the interior was dated and there was very limited storage space. But it had potential.

Adrienne Breaux

Oct 18, 2021

If You Like Chicago's Access to the Outdoors, Try Moving to This Smaller City Real Estate

It's cheaper, too.

Sarah Magnuson

Sep 8, 2021

A Small Rental's Redo Includes a More Functional Kitchen & Closet-Turned-Office Tours

Johanna's rental came with tall ceilings and windows and a spacious floorplan for one person. But the space needed a lot of work!

Adrienne Breaux

Sep 6, 2021

A Chicago Condo Has an Incredibly Organized and Inspiring Custom Spice Rack Tours

It also has loads of natural light, a custom-made bay window seat, and a private deck space transformed into a relaxing oasis.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Aug 9, 2021

This Cool Chicago Cottage Shows How Colorful a Home with White Walls Can Be Tours

Sara and Garrett own this house, but it serves as inspiration for renters, too; it's full of incredible colors against a backdrop of crisp white walls!

Sarah Crowley

Jul 20, 2021

This Incredibly Cool and Colorful Chicago Condo is an Attack on Neutrals Tours

Vintage fashion and home decor seller Barbie Roadkill says her Chicago condo's style is: "Golden Girls' meets Lydia’s house in 'Beetlejuice' meets a box of crayons."

Adrienne Breaux

Jul 9, 2021

A Chicago Loft Is an Interesting Mix of Industrial & British Period Drama Style Tours

Gizelle was raised on PBS period dramas, but until she gets to live in a traditional English manor home, she's furnished her industrial modern Chicago loft with antiques to blend in British colonial design inspiration.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Jun 13, 2021

This Colorful '80s Maximal House Is One of the Most Unique Homes Ever Tours

This Chicago home is eclectic '80s maximalism at its finest.

Sarah Crowley

Apr 12, 2021

A Mural-Filled Chicago Rental Has An Amazing Idea For Hanging Plants Tours

There are colorful and cool murals, 50+ house plants, cool secondhand furniture finds, and a plant hanging idea that'll make you want to grab a ladder today.

Sarah Crowley

Mar 8, 2021

A Cozy Condo Is Home, Home Office, & Now Even Podcast Recording Studio Tours

These podcasters and founders of an events company consider the dining room table as the anchor oftheir home... and it's now has become their podcast recording studio, too. "In many ways, this is the space where we can still bring people together and now instead of feeding their mouths, we are feeding their spirit with inspiration."

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Feb 22, 2021

A 100-Year-Old Chicago Condo Was Given New Life with Paint, Wallpaper, and More Tours

Designer Julie Mitchiner didn’t want to take away from the character of this classic Chicago home or its great architectural bones, but still wanted to make it their own. She accomplished this feat with paint, wallpaper, and other DIY design elements.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Dec 17, 2020

A 500-Square-Foot Chicago Apartment Features All Kinds of Rental-Improving Ideas Tours

Kelsey has spent the last three years collecting things so that her small space can naturally feel cozy, especially in the Chicago winters.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Dec 8, 2020

I Have 90+ Houseplants—Here’s How I Keep Every One of Them Alive Plants & Yard

It's not 24 hours with a watering can in hand, promise.

Adrienne Breaux

Nov 17, 2020

This Lived-In Rental Features a Gorgeous Mural & Expert Textile Layering Tours

Interior decorator Sarah Montgomery moved into her West Bucktown 800-square-foot rental apartment and wanted to make it her own.

Lauren Jones

Nov 10, 2020

A Small Chicago Apartment Has Skylights in the Kitchen and 70+ Happy Houseplants Tours

Larayne's hobby and passion have been houseplants for 7+ years. "I find joy and happiness through caring for plants, and find it very meditative."

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Nov 2, 2020

A Cozy 500-Square-Foot Chicago Apartment Was Furnished for Less Than $1000 Tours

She spent less than $1000 to decorate the entire space over three or four months.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Sep 10, 2020

4 Sources for Architectural Salvage in Chicago Home Projects

Architectural salvage shops are increasingly popular destinations for designers, collectors, and remodelers, and for the home decorator looking for unique furnishings, there’s no better place to start a search. In part, salvage stores hold such wide appeal because the items there carry the forgotten tales of the past, and invite collectors to imagine creative reuse ideas.

Carolyn Purnell

Jul 17, 2020

An Already Gorgeous Victorian House Has Been Energized With Bold Color Tours

Angela Wator, owner/designer of BASH Party Goods, has decorated this 1896 Victorian house in Chicago with color, pattern, and fun.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Jul 15, 2020

Peek Inside Michael Jordan’s Home Where the “Breakfast Club” Practiced Real Estate

The property is where Jordan hosted "The Breakfast Club", where teammates Scottie Pippin, Ron Harper, and Randy Brown met for early morning workouts and meals prepared by Jordan's chef.

Kenya Foy

Jun 29, 2020

A 400-Square-Foot Studio Uses Removable Wallpaper for a 'Disco-Meets-Deco' Vibes Tours

Lori's building was constructed in the late 1920s, so she thought it would be fun to give her small studio apartment a disco-meets-deco flavor.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Jun 20, 2020

This Chicago Apartment Is a Perfect Mix of Modern, Classic, Eclectic and Colorfu Tours

It includes an eclectic mix of modern, mid-century, traditional, and bohemian pieces that represent the couple and fits their needs perfectly.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

May 16, 2020

A Colorful Chicago Home Is an Eclectic Jungle Thanks to 90 Houseplants Tours

This small Chicago bungalow is quite literally bursting with life.

Sarah Crowley

May 13, 2020