Cozy living room with a fireplace, piano, plants, and a large pendant light, featuring a brown sofa and a coffee table.
A Light-Soaked Chicago Apartment Went from Gray to Quietly ColorfulTours
Adam and Alexa focused on “maximizing storage with smart layouts and full-height cabinetry rather than expensive finishes,” and were able to keep Chicago apartment renovation “practical and budget-conscious.”
Feb 10, 2026
This 100-Year-Old Rental Has the Coolest DIY “Cloud” Dining Room Light Fixture Tours
This art-filled apartment is bursting with a colorful, creative spark, thanks to an eclectic collection of paintings, textiles, and photography.
Dec 2, 2025
This “Lifelong Maximalist” Transformed a 120-Year-Old Chicago Rental Apartment Tours
Designer Johnny Coleman loves color drenching and period mixing, and he designed his Chicago rental apartment “as a modern take on the east wing of a country house.” He's also been collecting antiques since he was 14 years old!
Nov 17, 2025
A Renter Made a Basic Apartment Designer-Level Chic (Without Credit Card Debt)Tours
Alex Hinand moved into this “basic in a good way” Chicago rental apartment “with nothing but a coffee table” and “a promise to myself that I wouldn’t go into credit card debt to furnish this home.”
Apr 9, 2025
This Home's an “Homage to the Idea That to Be Trans Is to Be Holy, and Also Hot"Tours
Katherine and Jess’s rental is like the “apartment of your favorite lesbian aunts who always give you books for your birthday.”
Mar 31, 2025
A Chicago Rental Brims with Vintage Charm and an “Excessive Amount” of StorageTours
Lexy instantly fell in love with this rental’s vintage charm.” When I first toured this apartment, the sun was streaming through all the windows, reflecting off the mirror doors in my living room.”
Mar 24, 2025
This Home’s Furniture Is Twice as Old as the Owner (and Absolutely Gorgeous!)Tours
Bumpy and Aubrey try to “avoid buying retail furniture,” instead furnishing their Chicago loft with vintage originals and a couple of famous pieces, too: The sofa was featured in American Hustle!
Mar 20, 2025
See Inside a Chic, Colorful Chicago Apartment That Rents for $1,500 a MonthTours
This McKinley Park apartment is full of art by BIPOC artists, plants, and lots of earthy and grounded colors.
Feb 24, 2025
A Once Dusty Apartment’s Dreamy Glow-Up Includes Murals on Nearly Every WallTours
This Chicago apartment went from “dusty humid roly-poly graveyard” to “dreamy plant-filled bohemian artist’s sanctuary.”
Jan 7, 2025
Chicago Renters Created an “Eclectic Modern Haven” in Their 1920s Factory LoftTours
This historic loft came with restrictions on paint and remodeling, so this renter “embraced creative, nonpermanent solutions, like playing with textures, statement pieces, and utilizing the built-in shelving to craft a homey atmosphere without altering the architecture.”
Oct 22, 2024
This 350-Square-Foot Chicago Apartment Rents for $960 a MonthTours
It’s small but has a mid-century modern fireplace, hardwood floors, and retro bathroom tiles.
Aug 10, 2023
You Won't Believe Where the Sofas in This Stylish Chicago Apartment Came FromTours
The sofas aren't the only incredible free find in this home either!
Mar 26, 2024
This Rental Exudes the Kind of Effortless Cool Everyone’s Trying ForTours
Art and color anchor Curtis Taylor, Jr. and Danielle Taylor’s Chicago rental apartment.
Jan 2, 2024
This Home Has Loads of Historic Charm Like High Ceilings and Large WindowsTours
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.
Dec 15, 2023
Renters Painted Every Inch of This Chicago Apartment – Even the FloorsTours
Bridgette and Steven Haulenbeek have filled their chicago rental apartment with cool art and furniture, some made by Steven.
Nov 20, 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.
Jul 31, 2023
A Chicago Workers Cottage’s Reno Made It Modern but Kept the CharmTours
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.
Jun 28, 2023
This Designer’s Chicago Condo Is Packed with Color and CharacterTours
See inside interior designer Jessica Blue’s colorful, maximalist Chicago home with smart storage and decor ideas.
Jun 21, 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.
Apr 6, 2023
This Colorful Chicago Condo Mixes Playful Colors and PatternsTours
The incredible custom wallpaper in this colorful Chicago condo was designed before the owner ever moved in.
Mar 14, 2023
This Bookish Chicago Home Is Filled with Art from All Over the WorldTours
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.
Feb 10, 2023
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.
Nov 2, 2022
This 750 Square Foot Chicago Nook Is Filled With Over 1,000 BooksTours
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.
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!
Jul 19, 2022
A Classic Maximalist 600-Square-Foot Chicago Rental Has Wallpaper in Every RoomTours
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.
Jun 14, 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.
May 20, 2022
A 451-Square-Foot Chicago Studio Successfully Sections Off a Small SpaceTours
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.
May 3, 2022
This Condo Draws Inspo from Black Women Singers and Feminist Artists and AuthorsTours
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.
Mar 1, 2022
This 642-Square-Foot Chicago Studio Contains a Creative DIY Moss Art PieceTours
Kevin Coleman shares this 642-square-foot, "Geometric Minimalism" style studio apartment with his dog, Langston.
Feb 17, 2022
This 450-Square-Foot Chicago Condo Has Cool and Clever Small Space TricksTours
...including an IKEA bookshelf built into a wall!
Feb 16, 2022
B&A: This Dated Chicago Condo Now Has the Coolest Built-In Ideas We've Ever SeenTours
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.
Oct 18, 2021
A Small Rental's Redo Includes a More Functional Kitchen & Closet-Turned-OfficeTours
Johanna's rental came with tall ceilings and windows and a spacious floorplan for one person. But the space needed a lot of work!
Sep 6, 2021
This Cool Chicago Cottage Shows How Colorful a Home with White Walls Can BeTours
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!
Jul 20, 2021
This Incredibly Cool and Colorful Chicago Condo is an Attack on NeutralsTours
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."
Jul 9, 2021
This Colorful '80s Maximal House Is One of the Most Unique Homes EverTours
This Chicago home is eclectic '80s maximalism at its finest.
Apr 12, 2021
A Mural-Filled Chicago Rental Has An Amazing Idea For Hanging PlantsTours
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.
Mar 8, 2021
A Cozy Condo Is Home, Home Office, & Now Even Podcast Recording StudioTours
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."
Feb 22, 2021
A 100-Year-Old Chicago Condo Was Given New Life with Paint, Wallpaper, and MoreTours
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.
Dec 17, 2020
This Lived-In Rental Features a Gorgeous Mural & Expert Textile LayeringTours
Interior decorator Sarah Montgomery moved into her West Bucktown 800-square-foot rental apartment and wanted to make it her own.
Nov 10, 2020
An Already Gorgeous Victorian House Has Been Energized With Bold ColorTours
Angela Wator, owner/designer of BASH Party Goods, has decorated this 1896 Victorian house in Chicago with color, pattern, and fun.
Jul 15, 2020
A Colorful Chicago Home Is an Eclectic Jungle Thanks to 90 HouseplantsTours
This small Chicago bungalow is quite literally bursting with life.
May 13, 2020
Fans of Vintage Bathrooms Will Love the Pink One in This Warm Chicago Rental ApartmentTours
This beautiful space also has tons of natural light, high ceilings, and built-in wood elements!
Apr 16, 2020
This Small Chicago Rental Has Great Art, Removable Wallpaper, and Gorgeous DecorTours
Each room has a beautiful, different vibe.
Apr 8, 2020
Glittering Gold Transformed This Chicago Apartment into a Holiday WonderlandTours
You won't find any multicolored Christmas lights in this apartment — Revae's color scheme is strictly white and gold with roses all over.
Dec 17, 2019
This Chicago Loft Masters Classic, Elegant Christmas Decor Tours
This warm, industrial modern Chicago loft is beautiful any day of the year, but decorated for the holidays it's even lovelier.
Dec 17, 2019
A Stylish 420-Square-Foot Chicago Studio Shows How to Use Every Bit of Space WiselyTours
Graphic designer Jonathan Black's small Chicago studio is a lesson in how to make the most out of a teeny space.
Dec 19, 2019
A Colorful, Maximalist Chicago Loft Has Maybe the Best DIY Patterned Paint JobTours
This Chicago rental apartment started out as a pretty bland, cold modern canvas, but now it's as colorful, patterned, and maximalist as ever.
Dec 19, 2019
Scott & Jerre’s Creative Chicago LoftTours
Name: Scott Duff, comic/radio host; Jerre Dye, playwright/opera librettist/actor/director, and dog Emmett Location: West Edgewater — Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,350 square feet Years lived in: 8 months; Owned Scott and Jerre’s Chicago loft is just…WOW! It is more dramatic and inspiring than any home you’ve probably seen in a while.
Dec 19, 2019
A Photographer’s Sunny Pre-War Apartment in ChicagoTours
When you're lucky enough to inherit good bones, less is always more. This beautiful rental is a love letter to vintage Chicago city living.
Nov 21, 2019
A Cozy, Warm Industrial Remodeled Chicago LoftTours
Sruthi and Gautam sought to create a cozy home with "come sit here and chill" vibes, something that would fit their family's personality.
Nov 21, 2019
A Watercolorist Creates in a Cozy Chicago ApartmentTours
Carly and Scott have lived in this warm Chicago apartment for just over a year. It is both a haven from the busy city life and a creative space for Carly's watercolor business.
Nov 14, 2019
A 550-Square-Foot Chicago Rental Masters a 'Miami Meets Texas' LookTours
Inspired by vintage tiki and western decor, Perry and Kenny love thrifting and hunting for one-of-a-kind pieces at flea markets.
Oct 4, 2019
An Artsy Compact Chicago Mini LoftTours
Even at just 400 square feet, Jaime's managed to create a chic space that takes advantage of the natural light that it's blessed with, compounded by warm and inviting pieces.
Sep 26, 2019
A Small Chicago Apartment Is Glam, Gorgeous, & Might Inspire You to Add Wallpaper to Your RentalTours
From the glossy and matted black print in the dining nook, to the wallpaper mural behind the bed, to the wallpapered bathroom, Blake has used pattern brilliantly in this apartment.
Sep 17, 2019
An Interior Designer’s Apartment Is Full of Affordable and Stylish (Yet Temporary!) Renter’s SolutionsTours
Along with sharing her beautiful home, Caroline Turner also reveals clever (and often affordable) expert tips on how to make a rental feel like a home and not look like a plain, boring rental.
Sep 13, 2019
A Chicago Garden Unit Is Bright and Full of Vintage FindsTours
"Have you ever looked at an apartment in the pitch black without heat? It's not great."
Sep 6, 2019
The Everygirl Co-Founder’s Modern Chicago HomeTours
Danielle Moss is a co-founder of the popular blog, The Everygirl. Not surprisingly, her home is a modern, dreamy space.
Aug 9, 2019
400 Square Feet Is Just the Right Amount of Space in This Cute Chicago CondoTours
At only 400 square feet, this condo might be on the small size, but it's just the right size for its owner.
Aug 8, 2019
This First-Time Studio Dweller Has DIYed an Organized and Beautiful 400-Square-Foot HomeTours
This may be Emily's first studio apartment, but she deftly squeezed in a private bed area, living area AND room for entertaining in only 400 square feet
Jul 12, 2019
A Chicago Condo Is Modernized, But Its Charm RemainsTours
This Lakeview home needed major renovations, but while the couple wanted to modernize the space, they didn't want to change its architectural charm.
Jun 18, 2019
A Designer’s Modern Mix in a Sophisticated Chicago LoftTours
As a self-described "sensory driven guy," Gil's space isn't just pretty to look at. A mix of textures and materials blend beautifully to stimulate all the senses.
Jun 5, 2019