Featured Tour

Erik works from home, and needed a bright, airy space that "inspired me while keeping me in a good mood (happy colors) but relaxed."

Julia Arceri says she has a gilt mirror or a crystal chandelier in every room in her house — sometimes both. “They just add such an elegance and grandeur, and they are timeless,” she writes.

"As a first-time homeowner I was excited to make my mark in a way that I was never able to do when renting. I love the simplicity and brightness of Scandinavian design, but also bright colors and pop art," writes Jen.

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

Danielle and her family searched Facebook Marketplace for almost all of the furniture for their small cabin, including a full dining set for only $100! "We also upcycled all of our lighting. We kept most of the lighting original to the cottage and just painted and rewired it," she explains.

Brigette Muller, known as @hummusbirrd on IG and TikTok, may only rent her 560-square-foot NYC apartment, but she’s invested in her own happiness by designing and renovating it to fit her style.

Kate and her husband loved this small unit's natural light, original details (like molding and inlaid hardwood floors), and location, despite not having been updated in many years. "We knew we wanted to keep as much of the original charm as we could, while also updating it to bring in natural elements and modernize the space."

It was small, the kitchen was basically nonexistent, and the bathroom wasn't pretty, but Irene Shamas saw the potential in this studio unit. She worked with Luki Anderson of Studio Officina and EDR Construction to transform this small one-room apartment into a space that can be a living room, dining room, bedroom, office, and more.

When Antoinette purchased this home, the interior needed a lot of work! The biggest challenges were creating functional living spaces in such a small space and finding solutions for the exposed, unattractive features.

As a designer, collector, and artist, Darien Stokes was captivated by the unique architectural characteristics of this one-bedroom loft nestled off the bustling streets of West Hollywood, California.

Interior designer Alvin Wayne has lived in this gorgeous 800-square-foot rental apartment for three years.

"The natural woods, clean minimalism, and considered styling reflect Scandi themes, while the Feng Shui calls to my Chinese heritage," owner Emilie writes. "The neutral palette keeps the focus on the glorious nature vistas from every window and calms the mind."

This tiny one-bedroom apartment was quite outdated. Agathe and her partner did the entire renovation themselves while working full-time, which meant they had to sleep in the kitchen for nearly two months!

Ana shares this tiny studio apartment with her boyfriend, and while there's technically only one actual room for the entire home, her simple but successful room-dividing solution helps make the space much more usable.

Most of the art in Julia's apartment is either of Black women or created by Black women. "I grew up surrounded by Black art so all of my art makes me feel at home," she writes.

Even though Laura Mullaney’s rental apartment is small, she knew the layout had a ton of potential when she first moved in. “I was also super impressed with the amount of storage for such a small space.”

Aaron's favorite "room" is the entire apartment, "because it is a studio that has been designed with intention to give each area a specific use and vibe. Although it is one open space, each section serves a different purpose."

Photographer Breeana Dunbar has shaped this 560-square-foot one-bedroom apartment into the perfect home, including turning part of the living room into a bedroom for her son.

Taylor Jordan says the key with rentals is "to work with and around the things you can't change." In his San Francisco apartment he worked around the original yellow toilet and tub, and in the kitchen he "changed out the cabinet hardware and backsplash for an updated, modern look."

Just a few of the incredible DIY projects writer Caroline Mullen has completed INSIDE her small rental apartment: kitchen shelves, the kitchen floor, a TV console, a bar cabinet, a tool and supply cabinet, and more!

"I filled my home with objects I made, and furniture I gave a second life to (i.e., with paint)," writes Kira. "I worked hard to create a curated environment with a lot of personality on a budget."

When Carissa and her husband moved to NYC from Florida, they had to downsize from a 1,500-square-foot home, so they "had to really process not only the functionality of objects, but also their significance."

"Being a natural light photographer I have this strong appreciation for the conversation the sun has in a space," writes Taylor Baldwin of her 800-square-foot Philadelphia rental apartment.

"We live in a mid-century home that was a bit of a blank slate when we moved in," begins Julie Mak. "It has been a wonderful palette for adding the lively fabrics, patterns, colors, and lines that I love."

Designed by Rosario Candela in the 1930s, Isabel’s apartment building has a rooftop terrace with 360 views of midtown and the East River. But that’s not what sold her on the apartment. “I fell in love with the classic black and white foyer tile marble the instant I walked in the apartment,” she writes.

When Arianna and her husband bought this house, it was "like a big sauna room — it had dark wood paneling walls, worn and stained carpet with musty smells, old-fashioned lighting fixtures, and dirty curtains." But look at it now!

David and Mitzi spend their summers on Shuswap Lake. "We are foodies, book lovers, and travelers, and we enjoy hosting family and friends. We are active and outgoing; we love nature, and so a summer home on the lake is a dream come true," Mitzi writes.

Xiomara (with her husband, Frank, and dog, Scooter) is on a quest to tour all the states in North America (including Alaska) while working as a professional organizer helping clients "go from chaos to calm in their homes."

Travel YouTuber and author Damon Dominique rents this small studio/loft apartment in Paris that he describes as "Sex and the City cocktail hour meets Parisian museum."

Jenny and her partner are New Yorkers that moved to the South of France with their 12-year-old daughter and bought a neglected stone house to renovate; it features exposed stone walls, wood ceiling beams, antique brick walls, and more.

When Mark and his wife purchased their home five years ago, they decided to go with a modern, minimalist approach with some bold choices. Extending their kitchen island into their dining table has become not only a cool style choice, but also a conversation piece.

Coming from Italy, white walls don't scare Anatolia. She loves to add bright pops of color to her neutral backgrounds to enhance her space.

Ruth and her 17-year-old son moved close to the beach in the pandemic, where they made it a priority to visit the beach every day and eat dinner together five nights a week. Their San Francisco home mixes bohemian styles with beachy vibes for a clean, welcoming aesthetic.

Monica Johnson is a psychologist and the host of the podcast, Savvy Psychologist, and has infused this apartment with color and different elements that inform their identity and interests as a person.

When Tyler and Sam moved to Colorado from New York, they fell in love with the gorgeous views of mountains everywhere. They took this inspiration into their own home with natural pieces and paintings of mountains for a beautiful, welcoming space.

Tiffany and her cat, Jinju, have turned their small New York studio into a gorgeous home by mixing styles and creating a layout that gives her space for all of life's necessities.

After losing her mom, grandfather, and aunt fairly close to one another, Ruthie used her apartment as a space where she could honor and remember them with photos and knickknacks that bring happy memories.

Caroline Danehy, Chief Brand Officer and co-founder of sustainable clothing and lifestyle brand, Fair Harbor, accomplished a dream when she found this 500-square-foot, one-bedroom walk-up apartment in an old building with history and charm.

Aude and her cat, Charlot, live in their triplex in Montreal. Focusing on keeping the original architecture with archways showing off the living room, Aude has kept the beauty of the space while adding in her own style.

It's a 1950s cottage with original hardwood floors, plaster walls, arches, crystal doorknobs, wavy glass windows, built-ins, and chunky baseboards all nestled within a cozy two-bedroom, one-bathroom footprint.

When Brandon started working with designer Amber on his North Carolina home, he didn't let any traditional decorating "rules" get in his way. They worked together to create a space that is clean and modern but lets his personality shine.

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.

Mumi Mihanovich, the creative director of fashion label Jazmin Chebar, used her work in fashion as inspiration for the bold Argentinian apartment she shares with her family. "For example, I was inspired to choose the colors of the carpet in the living room by a woolen scarf I loved," she says.

Alley and Ty's communal spaces "lean Scandinavian and minimalist, with the intent of fostering a calm space to recharge and connect."

Amanda Hicks says her two-level rental apartment is tiny, but just perfect for herself and her dog, Harlow. "I've surrounded us with books, plants, and positive vibes," she writes.

Because Jung Hi Han's rental is just a large rectangle, she had to figure out how to arrange the furniture to make different areas. "I used an IKEA bookcase to separate my 'bedroom' from the entry, along with wallpaper to visually create a bedroom. I used the gallery wall in my 'living room' to separate that space, and the two Tara McPherson prints to section off my 'dining room,'" Jung Hi explains.

Zubaida is originally from Bangladesh and is currently completing her MBA at NYU. She and her cat, Mushu, live in a one-bedroom apartment in Hell's Kitchen, which is carefully curated with cute, unique objects in every corner.

Dotun's Crown Heights apartment is filled with bright yellows and oranges that bring the space to life. Inspired by Early West African graphic design and pop art, Dotun believes in bringing in pieces from your travels to make a space your own.

After going through a breakup and having to move out, Hayley committed to making her next life chapter about celebrating herself, starting with living alone for the first time. She found her home on the Upper East Side and began curating a collection of clean neutrals that keep her home looking pristine.

LaToya Skinner, the owner and creative director of Lola Earl, a Sacramento-based interior design firm and retail home decor store selling sustainable, handmade, and vintage home decor and furniture, describes her home's style as cozy and soulful.

When Olivia moved into her Virginia studio apartment, it was her first time living on her own. Since moving in, she's hosted many Friendsgivings, dinner parties, and brunches, bringing her friends together in a small, cozy space.

When Jennelle moved into her place for the first time, she realized buying everything at once would be expensive. So instead, she slowly collected things from the curb, Facebook Marketplace, and places within her budget to create a beautiful New York apartment that nods to her parents who immigrated from Jamaica.

The dark, unpainted wood and the compact size of this little studio apartment gives the space the cozy, homey feel that Paige is striving for in their space. "I couldn't be happier."

When Wendy and Fred Butterworth moved into their home, they knew updating everything would be out of their budget. So instead, they started to look at how they could embrace the style that already existed in the house.

Jason Odd and Kristina Sostarko are both visual artists and the founders of Inaluxe, and their art studio is based at their home, this 1950s four-level house in Australia's Grampians Region they purchased six years ago.

When Noor moved in with her partner, they had to learn to combine styles. By blending pops of color with classy neutrals, they created a beautiful blend of their interests, which thankfully includes rainbow-colored stairs!

Chandler and Lucy were living in California when they decided to move to NYC for the first time. Though they initially were looking for one-bedrooms, when their friend saw a great studio on the Upper West Side, they submitted their application and trusted that it would work!

Linda and Marc painted rich colors on a few accent walls, incorporated a collection of fantastic furniture finds, and even added walls to some rooms, all to create personality and functionality to this new build house in The Netherlands.

Civil engineer, ceramicist, and design and art lover Katarzyna Kowalska worked with architects Kalina and Robert Juchnevic, founders of blok585m2, to maximize the space of her 355-square-foot apartment, located in a four-story apartment block designed by a famous Polish architect couple in the 1960s.

Fenella and her family moved into their Melbourne home under a year ago, and they've been busy at work at colorful, unique pieces that give their house character. Fenella says she could spend hours scouring Etsy for items that bring their home together in an interesting way that speaks to her style.

Nina Haines, founder of the Sapphic book club Sapph-Lit, painted cabinets purple, installed marble contact paper to countertops, added a squiggle-shaped painted accent, and more in her Brooklyn rental. “There are colors and patterns and kitschy touches everywhere. My friend once commented that it looks like Lizzie McGuire threw up everywhere," she says.

Stylist and professional organizer Iris Miyasaki and her partner Erin refreshed their Seattle condo for two months, taking out the ugly dated carpet, and redoing countertops, backsplash, light fixtures, and hardware.

Alexandra Rodriguez bought this single-story house built in the 1970s two years ago. Even though there was a major amount of gutting, updating, grading of the driveways, landscaping, and remodeling of the interior rooms, Alexandra has kept it true to its original ranch style form.

"The bare plaster walls in living room walls felt cozy with a fire on and I loved seeing the history of where a door was, or where the room had once been divided. We decided to leave the newly stripped original doors and upstairs floors and stairs raw wood as I never like the finish of oils or varnishes."

After losing their mother, Sarah decided to move closer to her sister in South Australia. When an old church went on the market, she and her family decided to convert it into a home featuring their eclectic tastes and warm, welcoming energy.

After spending a "less than romantic" weekend in Paris years ago filled with rainy and chilly weather, Gemma and Jordi decided to give it another go when they moved into their Paris apartment, adding plants and artwork that gave their home that "I'm in Paris" feel.

Emma Chasen and fiancée Carolyn Chernous' home is a mix of eclectic, maximalist, Art Deco, retro-inspired styles, and a TON of hand-painted DIY colorful murals.

This is Hill Stark's fourth renovation in the last seven years.

Kayla works in HR at Apartment Therapy and has turned her home into her sanctuary. Working with a small space and budget, she used the color palette of her neighborhood to bring to life her gorgeous bohemian home.

Lucy was about to sign the lease on a Brooklyn apartment when she found her dream home in Manhattan. She switched gears and moved into this small studio during the pandemic, getting a big discount. She has thrifted and stooped many of her apartment treasures to create a stunning New York City home.

Rachel and Ethan are a Texas couple living together for the first time in this duplex. With rent prices going up in Austin, Rachel and Ethan have saved money by scouring local vintage stores and Facebook Marketplace to make their home as unique and stylish as they are.

Tara's house isn't your typical Florida home. It's filled with gorgeous busts and colors that bring to life English and French style that will have you feeling like you've entered a museum.