House Calls

"We moved from a converted church to a converted school house," says Rachel Hill, who shares this home with her husband. "We both love the character that comes with an old building which is brought back to life and repurposed as a home."

Bronwyn, who rents this 800-square-foot Nob Hill apartment, advises: "Let things evolve slowly. Invest in antiques with soul."

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."

Name: Donna Wilson and husbandLocation: Belfast, Northern IrelandType of home: TownhouseSize: 1000 square feetYears lived in: 10 years; rentingTell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: It’s a rental but I’ve made it my home, adding colour, texture, and layers to make it feel warm, cosy, and homely.I identify as a woman who loves life!

Dana and Andy first fell in love with this condo's vintage charm, and have appreciated all the work they did to make the space a comfortable home for their family, which now includes a young son. "Our condo has been a wonderful, cozy refuge," Dana writes.

"Every piece on the wall contains a memory of either a place, a time, or an experience we don't want to forget," says Serene, of the apartment she shares with her husband, Jude, and daughter, Sophie.

"I'm Italian American, lived in Rome for 10 years, and studied Humanities and Classics at university; these attributes reflect everywhere in my world," explains LeAnne Smith. "I love stone sculpture, architecture, pencil sketches, and gardens."

Carole home's style is very colorful and eclectic. She's inherited centuries-old beautiful antiques from her family and added her own twist with some modernist furniture and great collectibles collected from travels across the world.

"I've just always been attracted to a lot of color and I love it loud and colorful," describes Kimiya Justus, a Berlin-based artist and illustrator.

Karie and Sean have been living in this 1922 bungalow in Norman, Oklahoma, for five years and "don't plan on moving as we love living small and are in an excellent neighborhood."

Julie and her fiancé fell in love with the original details of this house, like the original hardwood and arched doorways. And when it came to furnishing it, they got thrifty: "Our home is about 80% secondhand and 20% new items."

New Zealand design editor Georgina McWhirter's Perth, Australia home is "modern-organic with an artsy twist."

As a Taurus, Reed's home is her castle and she spend a lot of time here, so she's made sure it's extremely cozy, has good lighting, and overall is a place that grounds her when she's in it.

"From DIY to beach finds, there are so many budget-friendly ways to make your space somewhere you're excited to be," explains Kelsey. Some of her favorite budget hacks in her rental apartment include: framing matchbooks for art, hacked IKEA console, custom desk, and more.

"The stained glass that borders my three gigantic windows is a gem in and of itself, and combined with the decorative fireplace, exposed brick, and massive wood sliding doors, the room feels like a historical experience of living in Brooklyn," writes Karys Rhea.

Dorshelle Guillaume is a Haitian American fashion designer and says aesthetics, style, and ambiance are really important. "My home is very cozy, clean, and elevated and I love how everything works well together."

"Living in a studio means that I see everything all the time, so I really need to like everything that's there," explains Upper East Side studio apartment dweller Jamie Mandel.

Lisa and Eddie slowly transformed this space, layering textures of lush rugs and velvet, an antique mirror kitchen backsplash, and moody blue French wash walls to create this 516-square-foot retreat. "The space is small so we had to be thoughtful about the placement of absolutely everything."

Olivia's apartment's interior structure is Craftsman style, with built-in features including a slide Murphy bed, wall shelves surrounding the living room, a stained glass cabinet, antique push-button-style light switches, and a bathroom with a deep tub.

Katharina fulfilled her dream of owning a home as a single woman. "I worked from finishing school until the day the papers were signed to give myself this security for retirement and to protect myself from rising rent costs," she writes.

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

"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.

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.

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."

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.

"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."

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.

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."

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."

"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."

"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."

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!

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Jess and their partner consider themselves practical: "Every piece of furniture serves a purpose in our apartment and helps us stay organized and provides storage," they explain.

This family of four's A-frame cabin hadn't been updated in nearly 40 years. They added modern touches to the home by completely renovating the kitchen and bathrooms while staying "true to the mid-century roots."

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."

Scott went to school for interior design in Florence, Italy. Therefore, when it came to designing his home, he did not shy away from 1970s Italian design that pairs well with the history of his Philly home.

Rebecca lives with her husband, daughter, and dog in their Australian home. After doing some big home renovations, they've curated a clean, classic space with a posh aesthetic.

After losing her mom, Billie moved back into the apartment her mom had bought for herself many years ago. Faced with living alone in her childhood home, Billie decided to make some renovations to update the space and make it feel like her own.

Sol and Zule are two sisters who live together in Buenos Aires, and they've designed their home to be a space where colors and patterns are celebrated and brought to life.

Caroline has been living in her Spanish apartment for a year and a half. As a yoga teacher, she prioritizes having a space where she can practice and that feels like her. "You know when a place so fully fits with who you are and your lifestyle that it practically feels like an extension of yourself? That’s how I feel about my casita."

Deborah has always loved art and the color orange. "I'm just naturally drawn to this color and I feel so at peace when I am surrounded by it. It's warm and has soul and spice to it. It's probably too much for some people but it makes me happy, so I've embraced it in the color palette of the apartment."

As graduate students, Meredith and her roommate were looking for additional ways to create more individual space for both of them. By using a large floating bookcase as a divider, they were able to separate their dining room and living room.

After her uncle's passing, Sophia inherited his Manhattan apartment, and her grandmother lives only six blocks away. At first, it was difficult for her grandma to come visit. So Sophia decided to decorate the space with her grandma's art to bring joy into her home.

Melanie is living on her own for the first time in Brooklyn with exposed brick, in-unit laundry, and walking distance to the park. She's decorated her dream home with art made by her mother and feminist pieces that highlight women and the women's movement.

Crystal, her husband, and two daughters embrace the fun with their neon lights, fun patterns, and bold colors in their Texas house. Crystal has also spent years creating the perfect closet that holds all of her most prized possessions.

Daphne works as an artist and sells vintage pieces and art online. She uses the same eye to curate her vintage collection that she does in decorating her home, adding pieces that give her apartment a unique and tasteful aesthetic.

After previously being featured on Apartment Therapy, Lexi had to show off their new Chicago home. They believe in a thrifting mindset when it comes to curating a space. "The weirder it is the more I need it."

Brooke has created a home that reflects their Aquarius personality showing off their "romantic-moody" side.

Sean's living room flows right into the kitchen, and because it's all open it has that "wow factor," with Danish furniture, stainless steal custom-fit countertops, and Burmese teakwood table with black Danish stools.

Lily and her husband Evan combined his minimalism with her love for vintage to create "mediumalism." And thus, a new home trend is born.

As an editor and voice actress in Los Angeles, Lauren needed a home that she could find comfort in and also use as a work space. By soundproofing her closet, she was able to make use of her home space for recording projects and auditions.

Crystal's Philly home uses black and white to keep consistent with her love for minimalism. But she's not afraid to add in pops of bold color that keep her apartment beautiful and homey, even making some of the art in the space.

After living in sixteen different apartments with roommates, Coralie took a huge step and moved in on her own for the first time. She found a one bedroom in Fort Greene that she has decorated with art of her favorite artists and books while staying true to her neat and tidy minimalist roots.

Interior designer Pierrick wanted to find a rental apartment where he could make some significant improvements, and he did so in this small Montreal studio, transforming it into a minimal, restful, neutral space.

When Senaida first moved into this rental apartment, it was really bland. But she used renter-friendly hacks and black paint and tape to transform her home into "moody modern minimalism."

Rekha has made her small studio feel much bigger by adding thoughtful care into each detail of her home.

Claire's LA condo mixes old and new styles through pieces that feel like they're from another century. "I fell in love with the arched windows in the Spanish-style building, the abundant natural light, and the crown molding," she says.