Homes Across America

After years of tiny studios and too many moves, renter Michelle Walker turned a 1929 one-bedroom into a pastel, pop-culture-filled retreat with a $150 pink velvet sofa, cat-friendly upgrades, and plenty of fringe.

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.”

This art-filled apartment is bursting with a colorful, creative spark, thanks to an eclectic collection of paintings, textiles, and photography.

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!

There’s eerie and magical wallpaper and candlelight makes the home glow at night. This house is a little bit spooky and very cozy.

"When I first toured this apartment it was absolutely disgusting. A hoarder was living here. Every inch of the unit was covered in furniture and clutter. It smelled bad. But at 23 it was the only apartment I could afford to rent in the city that was in my price range," writes Joyce Caldwell.

The home is extremely bright and colorful, and there is so much South Asian influence everywhere.

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.”

Rachel and John initially worried this purchase was a “colossal mistake.” The kitchen counters were literally just plywood, furniture was painted around, and the house was a bit of a “disaster.” But it was also “weird in lots of good ways.”

Event producer Jovanca Maitland worked with interior designer, Jazzy Matthews, to design a bright home to make her feel inspired, creative and joyful.

"Walking into our current house was like walking into a dream," admits designer Nadia Ramadan. The tall ceilings, woodwork, and built-ins work beautifully with all of the bold design choices and DIY projects that she and husband, Tariq, have incorporated over the past five years.

Vintage seller and interior stylist Carly Sioux is the owner and founder of NO ERA Design, specializing in vintage interiors. And her rental house in New Orleans is both her home and studio.

When artist Josie Azuma and her husband bought this house in 2015, it was in rough shape and too small. They renovated it to be a larger, light-filled, and functional home for their family.

Photographer and technical writer Kimberly Nesmith describes her home's style as "mystical bohemian meets goth meets tropical meets vintage." And during Halloween season it definitely has "Practical Magic" vibes!

Writer Merissa Nathan Gerson is a speaker, spiritual consultant, and sex educator living in this joyful house in New Orleans.

Before Diogo moved in, the 100-year-old Spanish Revival home looked like a frat house. There were couches everywhere, different colors on the walls in every room, and the yard was a wreck.

TikToker Cody Gould’s 740-square-foot rental is packed with concrete walls, reclaimed details, original art, and a green kitchen painted with car paint.

This bungalow in Austin “honors its 1939 roots while feeling fresh, intentional, and tailored for modern living, with a seamless flow between indoors and out” thanks to the brilliant remodel by the homeowner and interior designer Ali Burgoon Nolan.

Though built in 2019, this backyard ADU “immediately felt cozy and lived in because everything in it already had a soul.”

Mother Spooky Witch transformed this formerly basic Austin house into a modern and gothic home.

Plus, photos of Shrek throughout.

The nearby city feels like it's far away when you're in this apartment.

See how an old boat house was transformed into a tiny but cozy and cute backyard tiny home that’s less than 300 square feet in size.

Nathalie and Sean originally rented this charming house, but now own it, and have now had full creative freedom on the decor!

It can be hard to shake that temporary feeling of a rental home. But when Vartan Antonian and his husband left New York City and Los Angeles a year and a half ago, landing in this 900-square-foot, century-old West Hollywood rental apartment, they wanted to put extra effort into their new home. And they would be starting practically from scratch. Vartan, a self-taught interior decorator, and his husband, admit that they barely brought any furniture with them on the cross-country move.

When Heather Pardieu first saw this small Hollywood studio apartment 14 years ago, it was under construction and covered in debris. But she was able to see the small space's potential.

Filled with plants, books, thrifted finds, and meaningful art, Randi Burley's warm 1930s Los Angeles rental proves the best homes evolve slowly over time.

Los Angeles-based writer, comedian, and actor Christina Anthony turned a “small and simple” studio apartment into a “cozy, colorful, vintage, and dreamy home.”

See inside the stunning home of Katie and Cody, the duo behind popular IG account Highboy LA. They share oodles of interior inspiration with their vintage-filled 750-square-foot rental apartment.

From a DIY chic bathroom sink solution to a poured-on-site terrazzo kitchen counter, Gabriel Yuri totally transformed his 1,000-square-foot bungalow in Los Angeles’ Silver Lake neighborhood.

This illustrator's studio apartment is full of bold paint colors, handmade textiles, and a DIY pink velvet couch.

Ola’s biggest challenge in her 720-square-foot Los Angeles studio was making one big open space feel like it had distinct “rooms” — especially finding a place for a home office since she works from home.

From a vibrant yellow bathroom to a kitchen featuring a hand-painted fridge, Grace Hurley uses her architectural background to prove that bold color and thrifted finds are the ultimate cure for a stale and boring studio apartment.

After a fire forced Taylor Jordan out of his San Francisco apartment of 11 years, he wanted to make his new 560-square-foot rental feel like home immediately. It took careful planning, some Etsy finds, and furniture he already owned, and he created a lived-in home in four days.

The vibe of the place is giving plantsy! Artsy! Booksy!

In this 550-square-foot Nob Hill rental a cute window seat offers jaw-dropping city views, and the rest of the apartment is a plant-filled, maximalist wonderland.

See how renter Sarah Elsner created a nook for her bed with a standing shelf and a DIY dried flower bar hanging above her bed that she's been collecting for 20 years.

This 100-year-old San Francisco apartment was completely transformed with bold wallpaper, vibrant color, and playful details.

"I wanted to give my own modern spin on a classic Victorian SF style," writes renter Juliana. "Each room is meant to have a rich color that stands out on its own, but speaks to the other rooms in the house."

Gina’s been renting this micro studio for 7 years, and has made tons of improvements to make it functional, including a very cool custom multi-purpose table she made with her dad.

Gretchen's superpower is finding amazing pieces for her home on a budget. Through thrifting and DIY, she's been able to find stylish items AND make incredible additions to complete her trendy Portland one-bedroom apartment.

Through a mix of oil diffusers and flowers, Candace creates a clean scent when entering her cozy, minimalist home in Portland.

It's tiny, but eclectic, minimal, bohemian, and warm inside.

The hallway is interior designer Martha Roark’s favorite room, precisely because it has so much character. “All the art pieces have so much meaning, and I love walking by to see our collection.”

Emily decorated her rental with a maximalist, light academic slant, with touches of whimsy. (She also made pineapples, skulls, and disco balls work together in one small space.)

The apartment cost $2,300 a month to rent.

Emily and Paul saw the potential in the “funky detached garage full of cobwebs” in the yard of their Portland house, and turned this tiny space into a gorgeous ADU they rent out.

Rachel has been renting this small Portland for three years and has DIYed quite a bit in the space. She refinished furniture, made a pendant light, and even created mirrors, too.