Chicago

Name: Brittany Skwierczynski and Brittany Purlee Location: Wicker Park — Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,070 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Rented Graphic designer Brittany Skwierczynski and photographer Brittany Purlee, art school classmates and friends reunited in Chicago, have collaborated in styling a two bedroom apartment in Wicker Park. This bright, lively space is a direct reflection of both of their creative backgrounds and welcoming personalities.

Renovation by: Laura Location: Oak Park, Illinois My husband Michael and I just purchased this 1892 gothic Victorian home in outlying Chicago’s historic Oak Park. (land of Frank Lloyd Wright and Ernest Hemingway’s birthplace.) I own a jewelry boutique called Gem Jewelry Boutique and Michael is a general contractor. The home is perfect with its nearly 10 foot high ceilings and elegant moulding, original marble fireplace and gothic windows.

Name: Jill Dudones & Chris Campbell Location: Berwyn; Chicago, IL Size: 3,225 square feet; 5 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2.80 lots Years lived in: 2 years; Owned The up-and-coming neighborhood of Berwyn, Illinois is filled with beautiful, historic Chicago-style bungalows. But among them is a special home, a Prairie-style Craftsman house designed by the famed architect George Grant Elmslie, that is unique in its beauty, scale and architectural detail.

Name: Rebecca Crall & Eric Neagu (and Bailey) Location: Ravenswood; Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: 5 years; rented Warmth. It’s the word that best describes the feeling you get the moment you step inside Rebecca and Eric’s Chicago apartment.

Name: Yana Puaca of NoMad Luxuries and Petar Location: Lakeview; Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,385 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; Owned The name of Yana’s lifestyle blog, NoMad Luxuries, also accurately describes the style of the home that she and her husband Petar share.

Name: Brice & Ilene Bloom-Ellis Location: Lincoln Square, Chicago, IL Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; owned Brice and Ilene are two social workers from St. Louis, where they have a home filled with memories of raising a family, many of their favorite objects, and plenty of space. But, finding themselves in Chicago hotels way too often (Brice travels to Chicago regularly for work), these mid-century lovers began exploring real estate on a small scale.

Name: Britain Spinney Location: Logan Square, Chicago, Illinois My boyfriend and I live in a one-bedroom apartment in the heart of Logan square that is about 600 square feet. We didn’t have much time to find an apartment and we had been traveling back and forth from Minnesota to find one. We already loved the location of this place and once we learned the building was a converted old hotel, we both decided this was the one!

Name: Lauren Svenstrup of Studio Sven Location: Andersonville; Chicago, Illinois Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 2 years When Lauren’s House Call was featured this summer, readers were intrigued by her wonderful mix of vintage and modern, so I was thrilled when Lauren gave an enthusiastic “yes” for a full tour. On my recent visit to Lauren’s home, I was inspired by the distinct yet harmonious moods and tones she’s achieved in one relatively small space.

Name: Bethany Petryszak Mudd and Michael Mudd Location: Andersonville; Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,800 square feet Years lived in: Less than a year; owned “It almost feels… a little surreal.” That’s how user experience designer and painter Bethany describes living in the macked-out condo she shares with husband Michael, an IT consultant, along with their two dogs and two cats. “I can’t believe that we live in a place this nice.

Name: Alecia & Jon Zasiebida Location: Near North Side; Chicago, Illinois Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years; rented The first thing you see when you enter Alecia and Jon’s apartment is sky. High ceilings and a wall of windows flood the space with openness, peace, and possibility. And the simple beauty that infuses their home only begins there. Alecia is a graphic designer with a love of simple, minimal style.

Name: Robyn and Drew Location: Logan Square; Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,250 square feet Years lived in: 5 months Robyn and Drew’s vintage graystone apartment is filled with more than just cool-looking pieces, it’s filled with original vintage finds and soul for days. They choose their belongings thoughtfully and they take their time; they scour Craigslist and local vintage stores—they celebrate secondhand furniture for its craftsmanship and unique style.

Name: Beth & Mr. King Location: Lincoln Square; Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 7 years (3 as a couple); rented When you live in a place where the foyer looks like it could have been transported directly from a castle, there’s a certain degree of solemnity that might be expected of you. Beth and Mr.

Name: Beth Puscheck, owner of Blue Cottage Hill Location: Villa Park, Illinois Size: 1,300 square feet Years lived in: 6 months; owned Who else lives here: Beth’s boyfriend & their dog, Aaron A professional beautician by day, Beth’s always had an eye for style. And from the moment she and her boyfriend bought their 1926 cottage in the Chicago suburb of Villa Park only 6 months ago, she’s been taking her talent home and completely transforming the formerly uninspired space.

Name: Kelly Furman Location: Graceland West; Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: 5 years; owned Kelly is a colorful person, vibrant in personality and exuberant in spirit. Her home, which she affectionately calls the “tree house,” captures the poise, humor, and grace with which she approaches the world, but it does so with an understated elegance.

Name: Jamie Bayer Location: Avondale; Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; rented If there’s one word to describe Jamie’s apartment, it’s fun. Bright colors, vintage glassware, crafts, collections, and quirk — Jamie knows what she loves, and she has no fear in building her home around it. When I saw Jamie’s recent house call, I was practically drooling, and I knew that I had to see her space in person.

Name: Yana of NoMad Luxuries Location: Chicago, Illinois The great thing about this city is that each and every neighborhood has its own style and energy. We live in the Uptown/Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago and really enjoy the proximity to the lake. We especially fell in-love with the charming details of our condo. When we started looking, we knew we wanted a space that had good bones and vintage character, but didn’t necessarily want to pay for someone else’s style.

Name: Meg, Joe, & Wells Piercy and their toy poodle Jack Location: Uptown; Chicago, IL Size: 2,400 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; owned In Meg and Joe’s living room, there’s a blackboard with a family friend’s delicately drawn reminder to “live life in full bloom,” and the Piercys have certainly taken this advice to heart.

Name: Dave Widmer, CB2 eCommerce Brand Director and Chad Ross, Crate and Barrel Visual Merchandising Team Lead Location: Andersonville; Chicago, IL Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Never hesitate to walk through a bright green front door: I promise you, only good things are waiting for you on the other side. In the home of Chad and Dave every last detail from the foundation to the roof and everything in between was meticulously thought about and designed.

Name: Nick Fanelle & Spiro Georgi Location: Andersonville; Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented There’s no reason you can’t enjoy both the vibrancy of city life and the peacefulness of a rural retreat. Now, if you were to find an urban townhouse on a farm, it might strike you as a bit odd, but bringing the rustic, worn-in feel of the country into a Chicago apartment turned out to be just the thing for Nick Fanelle and Spiro Georgi.

Name: Lindsey Location: West Loop, Chicago In our seven years in Chicago, we’ve moved seven times and this is honestly the most interesting building we’ve ever lived in… We packed up and purged from a 3-bedroom house into a 900-square foot space with our dog, Max. As soon as we unloaded the truck, people began welcoming us into the building and telling us about its history. We were invited to the annual progressive dinner where you visit different units.

A wall of glass and airy arrangements help Liz’s 360-square foot home feel much larger than it truly is. Gray, black, white, ivory, silver, and soft blue give a light, ethereal feeling to this teeny-tiny space, making it feel like an extension of the sky outside. As you can see from the floorplan, Liz made several wise choices in configuring the space to her needs. For one, she was lucky enough to have two large closets, but they “dwarfed” her “already minimal wardrobe.

One of the great things about Chicago is that, unlike San Francisco, New York, or Washington, D.C., affordable and spacious apartments are available in a number of neighborhoods. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t also have our share of studios, small-space dwellers, and appreciation for a compact floorplan. We’ve had some spectacular showings throughout the years, so I thought I’d include a few blasts from the past along with some more recent tours. Top Row: 1.

Name: Nancy Sickbert-Wheeler, Andrew Wheeler, and their dog Bailey Location: Evanston, Illinois Size: 2 bedroom + finished basement Years lived in: 19 years; owned Metal, enamel, and film: all three media require a creative eye, a deft touch, and a sense of possibility.

Name: Rachel Yacapraro, blogger at Taffeta and Cedar, and Brian Willard, Visual Effects Artist at Radar Studios Location: West Town; Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: 9 years; Owned Warmly considered and lovingly maintained, Rachel and Brian’s flat has the broad, open feel of a loft, while retaining the flow and privacy of a traditional apartment. Luckily for this couple, Rachel and Brian share a similar clean, modern aesthetic with a vintage twist.

Name: Jaclyn Simpson, of Jaclyn Simpson Photography Location: Lincoln Square; Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented Jaclyn is exactly the kind of wedding photographer you want with you all day during your big celebration: warm, generous, funny, and absolutely genuine. Her live/work space is filled with personal pieces and DIY projects galore, creating an earthy/quirky combination that is distinctly her own.

Name: Katie (artist/blogger) & Toby (music producer/motion graphics designer) Location: Edgewater; Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 12 years; rented Katie and Toby’s home was one of the first Chicago tours featured on Apartment Therapy — back in 2006!

Name: Tim Speicher, Director of Marketing and Communications at Victory Gardens Theater in Lincoln Park, and Ellenkate Finley Location: Lincoln Square — Chicago, Illinois Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: almost 9 months; Rented You know a tour is going to be different when you’re warmly invited to check out a cozy crawlspace/adult fort underneath a completely DIY lofted bed!

Name: Taryn & Sanford Parker (and their dog Iris and cat Tron) Location: Logan Square; Chicago, Illinois Size: 2,000 square feet Years lived in: 3.5 years; owned It’s almost unimaginable. You buy a house, and a few days before you’re slated to move in, some hooligans break in and burn the interior, and you are faced with a gut rehab of what you thought would be a virtually move-in-ready space.

Name: Vana Chupp of Le Papier Studio Location: Mount Prospect, Illinois Size: 400 square feet Years lived in: 7 months; rented When Vana and her husband, both trained as architects, decided to move her office back into their house, they knew they were going to have to create a space where they could both be comfortable (he’d be using it occasionally, too) as well as a space that would keep Vana recharged and inspired.

Name: Knoed Creative, a branding and graphic design studio co-owned and operated by Kim Knoll & Kyle Eertmoed Location: Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,000 square feet Years occupied: 1 year; Rented When I first walked into Kim and Kyle’s Graceful Home during our recent tour, I was completely smitten with their sleek style.

Name: Shaun Sperling & Matt Leyes Location: Andersonville; Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 3 years Matt and Shaun’s loft is a study in the type of creative freedom that comes from having a loft space, loving DIY projects, and joyfully merging two design styles.

Name: Tim Naus Location: Albany Park, Chicago, Illinois Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 4 years; Rented Tim had to rescue the model building from being demolished, so he found his way into the abandoned school and grabbed the plastered to-scale model of Independence Hall. A similar one rests in the Smithsonian American History Museum, but this one was completely original, a true treasure.

Name: Amy Haiar and Todd Donahue Location: Avondale/Logan Square — Chicago, Illinois Size: 2,400 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Owned What happens when two creative directors have carte blanche to design a new home from the ground up? In the case of husband-and-wife duo Todd and Amy, colorful, interesting, and beautiful things happen. Amy and Todd purchased their newly-constructed Smart Tech home a little over a year ago.

This weekend’s assignment is all about the kitchen: cleaning, organizing, and getting everything in order so you can cap off the weekend with a fantastic meal. While the kitchen got some much-needed attention, my to-do list diverged a bit from the assignment, leaving me with a bundle of green-themed tasks. Since we just moved in, our kitchen was already in pretty good order.

Name: Andrew Samuel and Anne Greenwald Location: Ukranian Village; Chicago, IL Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 3 months, rented I visited Drew and Annie’s apartment on the first snowy day of the season, when everything outside was still and white. Annie was out of town, but Drew, who used to work at several independent record labels and who now works at Intelligentsia Coffee, played the perfect wintertime host, serving up warmth, conversation, and great music.

Chicago, that cold and blustery city, somehow always manages to have the warmest, friendliest citizens around. and nowhere is that more evident than in our 2013 House Tours. These stellar spaces run the gamut from rustic to modern to bright but what they all have in common is how welcoming they feel. Check ’em out. 1. Sarah & Brian’s Salvaged Stories 2. Meg & Andy’s Radical Possibilites 3. Anne & Leo’s Cozy Cosmopolitan Loft 4. Kate & Chad’s Art-Filled Dwelling 5.

Name: Stephen Stocker and Antwann Nourse Location: Andersonville, Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 2 years Two items I spotted at Stephen and Antwann’s home: A book by Nate Berkus and a painting of the Superman “S”. So what do you get when you cross Superman with Nate Berkus?

Name: Kim Knoll and Kyle Eertmoed, graphic designers at Knoed Creative Location: Ravenswood Manor; Chicago, Illinois Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 7 years; Owned Kim and Kyle know a thing or two about space. As graphic designers who started their own company, Knoed Creative, they spend endless hours thinking about how forms and language communicate across visual dimension.

Name: Andy Location: Chicago, IL My brick and timber loft in the West Loop was recently remodeled. My friend helped with the design work. The style is mostly industrial with a bit of MCM in the mix. . Much of the furniture is vintage. Some items were purchased at local shops and fairs and some I came from my family. They’ve been in the dry cleaning business since 1907 and we were able to use items from the original plant. My building is was built in 1910 so it worked out perfectly.

Name: Matt Leyes, owner and esthetician for The Men’s Grooming Parlor Location: Andersonville; Chicago, Illinois Years lived in: 5 years Matt knew there were men out there who wanted professional grooming services, but didn’t want to end up in a pink robe sitting next to five women in a typical salon waiting room.

Name: Sabreen & Terrence Madden Location: Lakeview; Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,250 square feet Years lived in: 4 years There’s no better project for a newly married couple than to build a nest together – a place where the new commitment can grow with shared experiences. Finding the right place that represents both spouses can be tough, but Sabreen and Terrence found their perfect place in this historic loft, housed in the once popular Belmont Theatre.

Name: Johanna Lowe, food and prop stylist, and Derek Richmond, food photographer; together, they are the co-founders of Richmond Lowe Studio. Location: Logan Square; Chicago, Illinois Size: 3,000 square feet, with an additional 2,000 square feet of outdoor space Years lived in: 7 months; Rented Could there be a more perfect pairing than a food and prop stylist and a food photographer?

Name: Elizabeth Tulipana, founder of Anticipation Events + Bad Loo Loo Location: Bucktown; Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented Putting together a space that functions as both a home and base for her event planning business and Etsy shop came naturally to Elizabeth. A lover of all things vibrant and patterned, her spacious one bedroom apartment reflects her dynamic spirit and boundless creativity.

Name: Hallie Glennie Location: South Loop, Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,000 square feet Years Lived In: 2 years; Owned From the rustic wood ceilings crisscrossed by painted red duct work to the castle-sized windows surrounded by floor-to-ceiling exposed brick, her loft is the real deal — that sleek, urban look that suburbanites (like myself) often try to emulate with faux brick panels and prepackaged beadboard, but can never quite capture for lack of authenticity.

Name: Eric, founder of Fair Coast Goods & Upholstery, and Kellie, advertising account manager Location: Roscoe Village, Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,300 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years (own) Eric and Kellie’s wonderfully bright and modern loft is punctuated by a serendipitous story (bad pun intended!). You see, shortly after moving into their loft, which is a converted pencil factory, Eric launched his own business making handcrafted leather goods.

Name: Rosie and Kara Volcano Location: Wicker Park, Chicago, IL Size: 1,000 square feet (2 bedroom coach house) Years lived in: 1; rented Volcanos are fiery and dynamic, leaving ribbons of blazing light in their wake. Kara and Rosie Volcano certainly fit this bill. Warm, welcoming, and downright radiant, they are an on-the-go-couple who are just as fearless in their home design as their personal pursuits.

Name: Sara Tunstall, Digital Producer, and Becky Kastelic, Art Director Location: Wicker Park; Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Rented Longtime roommates Sara and Becky make cohesive cohabitation seem effortless. Friends since college, these ladies combine carefully selected additions from estate sales and big box stores together with favorite pieces from their childhood homes to give this historical space a sense of depth and timelessness.

Name: Marti Palermo and Jarrod Routh Location: Lincoln Square; Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; rented There’s a real effortlessness about Marti and Jarrod’s home: a fresh, comfortable simplicity that immediately puts one at ease. I felt right at home on a Sunday afternoon with sunlight streaming through the windows, Wild Belle on the stereo, and a cold glass of beer.

Chicago is a city known for its many distinctive neighborhoods. No matter your price point, your social scene, or your living needs, the city offers something for everyone. But because of this diversity, it can sometimes be difficult to know just what your pocketbook is in for. My main caveat is that these are medianAs a final note, I looked only at single-family homes or condos, not two-flats or three-flats that could potentially be converted into single-family homes.

Name: Brian Cobb and Brad Harris (Benny, greyhound & Chi-Chi, chihuahua mix) Location: Rogers Park; Chicago, Illinois Size: 901 square feet Years lived in: 9 months; Owned Brian and Brad have the eye, the patience, and the motivation that is required from artists who create perfectly harmonious and balanced spaces. They are also able to pull it all together in quick order — just nine shorts months.

Name: Ashley Location: West Town; Chicago, IllinoisSize: 1,800 square feetYears lived in: 2 years; RentedAshley had quite a project on her hands. She had just finished her residency, and moved out of a three-bedroom apartment that was shared by a total of four roommates. With only a handful of furniture pieces in tow, she went searching for more space, and found a former embroidery factory that had been recently renovated in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood.

Name: Arthur Garcia-Clemente & Kristin Over Location: Printer’s Row, Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Rented When two interior designers move in together for the first time, to a loft space with only a few walls and even fewer enclosed rooms, the chances for design conflict run high.

Name: Irina (and Lummi) Location: South Loop; Chicago, Illinois Size: 975 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; owned Coleridge, influenced by an opium-induced dream, wrote of “a stately pleasure-dome” that Kubla Khan established in Xanadu. In this space, verdant gardens mingled with caves of ice, and the sweet scent of incense floated above the sun-dappled hills, inspiring “deep delight.

Name: Laura Shaeffer, Andrew Nord, Jasper and Sebastian Location: Hyde Park, Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: 9 years; Owned Laura and Andrew’s modernist townhome is a part of a community near the University of Chicago campus. It has 2 floors, a basement, and a huge backyard accessible by the other houses in the community. Their house is HOME Gallery, an intersection between a living space, an art gallery, a community engagement center, a playground, and a school.

Name: Hillary Schuster, graphic designer and aspiring wedding stylist, and Michael Kiser, freelance writer, photographer, brand strategist, and founder of Good Beer Hunting Location: Ravenswood; Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years; Rented Curios collected and lovingly composed unify the style of Hillary and Michael, a Chicago couple who balance home space with work space, and ephemera with plenty of classic, quality pieces.

Name: Kate Korroch, adjunct faculty at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and art and culture critic, and Chad Jewsbury, front end web developer at GrouponLocation: Ravenswood; Chicago, IllinoisSize: 800 square feetYears lived in: 9 months; Rented Art leads the way in Kate and Chad’s colorful and curated Chicago home. Working with a simple, open layout, with white walls as their canvas, the couple bases their apartment design on what matters to them most.

Name: Danielle Moss (and Buddy) Location: Lincoln Park; Chicago, Illinois Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: almost 1 year; rented Danielle Moss leads a hectic life. As a co-founder of The Everygirl, a popular website dedicated to career-driven women, the owner of her own graphic design and photography business, and the writer behind the blog Breakfast at Toast, it’s a wonder that she has time to think about interior design at all.

Back in 2009, FLOR launched this Lincoln Park location as their first foray into brick and mortar retail. Since then, FLOR has launched stores in a number of other cities across the country. Now they’re turning their attention back to home base and giving their Chicago store a new look. The new layout feels more modern while also giving the store a homier vibe.  Gone are the old white concrete floors and walls lined with tiny samples.

Did you know that Chicago has the third highest population in America only behind New York and Los Angeles? The Windy City is certainly a whirlwind of activity for vacationers looking for culture, history, and a slice of big city life (including their famous deep dish pizza, no doubt). The Museum of Science and Industry, the Museum of Contemporary Art, a vibrant dining and bar scene, and even the home of our current President await your next (or first) visit!

Name: Terri Falvey (Advertising copywriter, freelance graphic designer, daydream comedy writer) and Adam Penly (Software engineer, musician, amateur photographer) Location: Albany Park; Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,200+ square feet (townhouse w/ partially finished basement) Years lived in: 1.5 yearsYou know how some couples are simply fun to be around and some homes are simply happy homes?

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.

Name: Sarah and Brian Meeks Location: Homewood, Illinois Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; owned Nearly everything in Sarah and Brian’s house – from the credenza they found on the side of the road right down to their three cuddly shelter pets – has been rescued or re-purposed.

When I shot Andrew’s Vintage Berwyn Bungalow house tour, the kitchen was in the early stages of being torn apart for a rehab. It took almost two years but Andrew finally put the finishing touches on his new kitchen and is ready to share it with the world. Before I show you the “after” photos, let’s take one more look at the dated old kitchen that Andrew inherited when he bought his house: Those cabinets! That ceiling fan! Oof!

Name: Courtney Davis, Michael Rohd, Nina Rohd, and LolaLocation: Evanston, IllinoisSize: 1,200 square feetYears lived in: 3 years; owned When they purchased their house three years ago, Courtney and Michael knew that they were signing themselves up for a lot of projects. After many renovations, fix-ups, and a hefty dose of elbow grease, their home has become a fresh, bright, and open space.

Name: Brad and Joe, plus Lilly (dog) and Olivia (cat) Location: East Lakeview — Chicago, Illinois Size: 420 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Owned Brad and Joe’s Lakeview apartment is a wonderful lesson in making the most of a small space. This 420 square foot apartment is home to two men, one sizable dog and a cat — and yet it actually feels spacious, clutter-free and comfortable. Joe and Brad have made great use of every inch of space in their small apartment.

Name: Craig ShimalaLocation: River West, Chicago, IllinoisSize: 990 square feetYears lived in: 3 years; Owned Most people tend to shy away from labeling themselves as hoarders, but Craig has made the fact that he “doesn’t throw anything out” a central part of his aesthetic. Showcasing an impressive collection of vintage nautical-themed knick-knacks, Craig’s cozy Chicago apartment manages to embrace the collector within, while managing to remain uncluttered without.

Name: Bert Fox & David Pickett + Sophie the PugLocation: West Lakeview, Chicago, IllinoisSize: 830 square feetYears lived in: 1 year, 10 months; Rented When Bert and David rented their first apartment together, they enlisted the assistance of a friend and interior designer to help them turn it into a home. With a mix of vintage furniture and rich colors, they’ve managed to turn a standard issue Chicago apartment into a comfortable and stylish home.

Specialty: Home store totally focused on fun and quirky itemsPrice Range: ($) Budget to ($$$) High-EndIt’s hard to classify Judy Maxwell Home. It’s kind of a gift shop but it’s also a house of curiosities. It’s an art gallery where you can also pick up a lifesize talking Power Ranger. Oh, and you might run into owner Joan Cusack, too.Before going into Judy Maxwell I knew just two things about it.

Name: Kelly and MichaelLocation: Hyde Park, Chicago, ILSize: 1,480 square feetYears lived in: 3 years; rented The last word that one probably wants to use in reference to one’s home is “clinical,” but according to Kelly, that’s what the space felt like when she and her husband Michael moved into their university-provided housing three years ago.

Name: Elizabeth Krueger & Brent SandersLocation: Ukrainian Village — Chicago, IllinoisSize: 1,250 square feetYears lived in: 1.5 years — rented The downturn in the housing market has left many high end, new construction apartments and condos sitting empty.