House Calls

Name: Lee Location: Carroll Gardens – Brooklyn, NY When I moved to Degraw Street seven years ago, it was my first time living in Brooklyn and also my first “full-size” (meaning it had a bedroom door) apartment in New York. A 700 sq ft, 1.

My husband and I are photographers and we had a wedding to photograph in Rosendal, Norway. The first thing we did after booking the wedding was go to Airbnb to look for a place to stay. That’s when we found Signe’s amazing house. There isn’t a single spot in this beautiful home that hasn’t been cared for. Signe is an interior designer, and has been working on a television program in Norway that focuses on interior design.

Name: Cate Grosch Location: San Francisco, California My husband, two young children and our dog just moved to a new place in the Marina. We love the light, the high ceilings and the little nook off the kitchen. We painted the dining room black and added a dramatic fixture from Jonathan Adler. The house has the old charm of a San Francisco flat with an updated kitchen and a pretty open floor plan. Thanks, Cate! • Interested in sharing your home with Apartment Therapy?

Name: Nina Location: Rancho Cucamonga, California I moved into this studio a little less than six months ago to attend graduate school at the Claremont Colleges. This transition marked a huge change for me, not just physically but emotionally as well.

Name: Sofia Location: Waltham, Massachusetts I bought my house about a year ago, on my own. It’s a 1910 New England colonial, which had been rented out for decades. Because of this, the previous owners had neglected to paint over the original wood trim, mess with the steam heat, or do any renovations whatsoever (including the decision not to put something as frivolous as a sink in the main room of the kitchen!).

Name: Christine & Tom of Solares Architecture Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Our home is in Toronto’s Roncesvalles Village near Dundas and Sorauren. We recently did a major renovation of it ourselves – we’re architects! We intentionally bought this house because it fit our criteria for a fully detached major fixer-upper in a family-friendly neighborhood. We love our little street!

Name: Kristine & Bradley of the Playground Agency Location: San Diego, CA We wanted to share our tiny little slice of life with you. we’re a pair of architects/interior designers living in a teeny tiny apartment in the bustling urban neighborhood of East Village in San Diego, California and absolutely adore our home. It’s filled with love, many items we’ve crafted ourselves, as well as the cutest little dachshund in the whole world.

Name: Suzanna Location: Santa Monica, CA Our home is a 800Sqft , 1940’s apartment nestled in the back garden of a house in Santa Monica. I love everything about my place! It’s got beautiful, original thin wood floors, old pane windows that let the light stream in and a lovely secluded balcony to sit out on at any time of the year. My interior design aesthetic fits perfectly with the style of the home.

Name: Anne-Claire Location: Rockville, Maryland We are an international family : my husband is South African, I am French and our 3 year old daughter was born in Dallas, Texas, where we lived before moving to the suburbs of DC. We would have loved to find a Victorian house, or a cool mid-century modern, but we ended up buying a split-level from the 60s. It is not our dream home — it lacks a bit of character, but we love the layout and the location is ideal for us.

Name: Amy Location: Atlantic Beach, Florida This mid-fifties, concrete-block cottage is located in a walkable, beachside neighborhood of eclectic homes in Northeast Florida. Its 900-square feet pack in lots of character: beamed ceilings, a painted brick fireplace, and plenty of built-in shelving.

Name: Brigitte Location: Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, NY I moved into this space in 2008, so I’ve had a solid 6 years to settle in and make it my own. The look was initially far more minimal, but over time became increasingly dense and layered. I attribute this less to my design sensibility and more to my lack of self-control. Whenever I come across a unique piece of art or an interesting object I think, “I can find a spot for that!”.

Name: Jessica & Milo Location: Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, NY My boyfriend and I moved into this space less than a year ago from two separate (much larger) apartments. We knew it was going to be time to downsize when our existing sofa couldn’t even fit through the door! Our new space is around 400 square feet and is technically a studio, though we’ve designed a curtain divider that splits up the space nicely.

Name: Theresa & Marjo Location: Atwater Village, CA The house was built in 1928 and there are so many parts that we want to gently tear down and rebuild. We did, however, decided to renovate the kitchen and that was a 6 week journey partly due to our committing to the idea of an all-white kitchen. It’s the first room in our house that we renovated and has become our proudest home project.

Name: Karie & Rob of Shelter Collective Location: West Asheville, NC My husband and I moved into our home about three years ago. We love the location because we are only 2 blocks from a bustling street with coffee shops, restaurants and music venues, 4 blocks from our design studio, Shelter Collective, but it still has a quiet, rural feel because there is a large field and community garden behind our house.

Name: Jessica & Zak Location: Brooklyn, New York My husband Zak and I have a 1200 square foot home in Brooklyn, New York. We are both creative people (I am a designer and art director, he is a cinematographer). We love industrial, modern and traditional styles and our home is an eclectic mix of these things. Thanks, Jessica & Zak! • Interested in sharing your home with Apartment Therapy? Contact the editors through our House Tour & House Call Submission Form.

Name: Ajenda Location: Houston, Texas My husband and I moved into our 700 square foot apartment 6 months ago. We both were used to having space, in the home and out, but we were determined to have a wonderful experience. We love our little apartment and always refer to it as our home not apartment. I strongly believe in thrifting and haven’t paid over $100 for almost anything in our apartment, there is just one exception.

Name: Emily Location: Kettering, Ohio I live in a one bedroom in building with four apartments, an older building on the outskirts of an expensive area in the Dayton, Ohio area. It’s a quiet and nice area, within walking distance of Dorothy Lane Market, a classy 24/7 grocery, a Starbucks and other small shops. Its close proximity to my work, church and friends enticed me, and the affordable rent sold me.

Name: Jeremy & David Location: San Rafael, CA David and I (Jeremy) are a couple who recently purchased a 954 square foot, two bed – two bath condo in beautiful Marin County (twenty minutes North of “quirky” San Francisco) to be closer to our families.

Name: Jaimie & James Location: Evanston, IL Our house is a Sears kit home called The Fairy in the old Sears “Modern Homes” catalog. It started out as a two bedroom, however we made the living room into a large dining room, and made the bedroom in the front a small sitting room. We are located in Evanston, IL the first suburb north of Chicago. It is less than 600 Sq. feet, which is perfect for my husband and myself.

Name: Archana Location: San Diego, CA I’ve lived in this one-bedroom, 600 square foot Hillcrest apartment with my boyfriend and our golden retriever, Teddy, for the last two years. In 2011, my boyfriend and I quit our NYC jobs — he in finance, me in magazine writing — to backpack around the world for 13 months. We kept our final destination open but chose San Diego for its weather, quality of life, and smaller city size.

Name: Jessica Location: Boston, MA My husband, dog, and I live in a 850 square foot apartment in downtown Boston. We relocated about a year ago from San Diego and wanted to find a space in the city so we could walk or take the subway. The apartment faces the Charles River and has beautiful light that comes in during the day — we also get to see some gorgeous sunsets.

Name: Meredith Location: Upper West Side, NYC After a traumatic ending to an 8 year relationship I was looking for a fresh start in the city to be closer to work and friends. Downsizing from a three bedroom house in the ‘burbs to NYC on my solo rental budget was somewhat daunting but oddly exciting. I set out to find the perfect space with my best friend and broker in tow.

Name: Simran Location: West Hollywood, CA I moved into this apartment about a year ago. It’s a great triplex above Sunset in West Hollywood. My landlords live above me, but they don’t rent the third apartment out because they like it quiet. I feel like I’ve really lucked out here—the location is great, there’s a huge yard, I have parking and yes, it is really quiet! It is about 750 sq. ft. and has a nice layout with a central hallway and both front and back doors.

Name: Joyce Location: San Francisco, CA I am an self-made interior stylist in SF, specializing in high-impact and low-cost chic decorating. I try to bring an easy-glam, eclectic aesthetic into my place. Over the years, my apartment has been my design lab, from French Country cozy, Hollywood Regency glam, Mid-century streamline, to the current Asian inspired. I believe that good design is never done. Like people, a home space goes through changes; it grows, evolves, and inspires.

Name: Aubrey Veva Smith of Aubrey Veva Design Location: Salt Lake City, Utah I want to welcome you to our quaint little home located in the Avenues near downtown Salt Lake City, UT. This is where my husband Bryan, our baby girl and I live. This 1,000 sq ft rental has comfortably been our place of home for 3 years now and I have just about design devoured every square inch of it.

Name: Michelle & Jeff Location: Upper West Side, NYC I am a journalist and my husband is a photographer, and we live with our two cats, Amélie and Lester. We bought this 650 square foot apartment in 2012. It is in a townhouse built in the 1890s, features a large living room and high ceilings, and is located right across the street from the beautiful Riverside Park. We always loved this part of town and were very happy when we found this place.

Name: Amie, Emma, and Francesca Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada This (500 sq ft) apartment was the first one we looked at on our one day of searching and we knew that we had to have it (especially after we saw the next apartment on our list). We really lucked out with a dishwasher, in unit laundry, AC, and a great landlord.

Name: Candace Location: Los Angeles, CA My boyfriend, Jason and I live in a 1920’s 1 bedroom / 1 bathroom apartment near Hancock Park in Los Angeles. We love our quiet, family-oriented, tree-lined, charming neighborhood built with so much character. As a full-time interior designer, I am constantly in decorating mode and it was important for me to focus on combining both of our styles, Old World charm mixed with French Art Deco accents.

Name: Emily Location: NYC When I first saw how much light this studio received, I knew I wanted to keep a clean and open space to utilize all the sunshine. There is a curtain divider to create a little privacy when desired. The walnut book case is designed by me and hand cut by my father, we do a lot of collaborative furniture projects for fun. The large teak dining table is refurbished with new legs.

Name: Christopher & Sara Location: Richmond, Virginia Christopher Hildebrand, an industrial designer, and his wife Sara Moriarty, after years of living in quirky but cramped older homes, decided to design and build a home to their own specifications. Originally planning to restore an early 20th-century cottage in Richmond, Virginia, the couple realized there was no hope of salvaging the existing structure on the hillside site.

Name: Heather & Matt Location: Sante Fe, New Mexico We live in the tiny village of Madrid, NM, just south of Santa Fe. It’s a community of 400 people with over 50 art galleries, so, our friends are artists, and the house that my husband Matt and I built with our own 4 hands, while growing our family over the past 5 years is full of our friends’ art. We live on a mountain top, overlooking our village and Santa Fe on 8 acres.

Name: Paula & Paul of Film & Furniture Location: Islington, London, UK Having run a high profile branding and design studio Form for 23 years in an office studio in London’s Shoreditch, we decided to shake up the way we work and the kind of work we do to have a better work/life balance. We waved goodbye to all our staff, rented out our office and decided to take a sabbatical.

Name: Fanis Location: Financial District, Manhattan, New York This is my sanctuary…a studio in the heart of the Financial District, in New York city, about two blocks away from the new Freedom Tower. I moved to the Big Apple, 2 years ago, after a remarkable career for my age on TV & Digital in Europe. Sometimes when everything goes right, you have to go left. When you reach your own high peak, you certainly have to recalculate. And that’s exactly what I did.

You know we love to celebrate small abodes, and we especially love it when our readers show us just how much style they can cram into a home under 1000 square feet. These petite House Calls prove once and for all just how much large living you can do in a small space.

Name: Jeremy Stadelman Gauthier and Douglas Gauthier Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota I take up residence in the Soo Line Building in Downtown Minneapolis with my husband, Douglas, and our chorgi, Ms. Nola. We arrived here in August from Northern California and, well, we haven’t looked back. Along with everything else Minneapolis has to offer, we’re learning to navigate an eight mile skyway system downtown, connected to our building.

Name: Andy Location: Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn, New York My home is a 600-sq. ft. parlor floor apartment in a mid-1800s townhouse in Brooklyn Heights. It has two bedrooms—I use one as an office—and a spacious, newly renovated backyard. I actually was raised in the upstairs duplex apartment (my family has since moved away), and two years ago, after 14 years of living in the San Francisco Bay Area, I moved into this former rental unit.

Name: Alex Geriner of Doorman Designs Location: New Orleans, Louisiana I’m a furniture designer, craftsman, and entrepreneur who lives in the quaint bustling neighborhood of Uptown New Orleans. My one bedroom apartment is an 1,100 square foot “shotgun” style layout nestled on the second floor of a bright and sunny Victorian home. The place was a diamond in the rough that needed some work when I moved in two years ago but it was love at first site!

Name: Valerie & Andew Location: Marina Del Rey, California My husband and I rent a 840 square foot loft in the Arts District, of Marina Del Rey, California. We surprisingly found our home on Craigslist and moved in right before we got married. We both love the space because it is clean, bright, and airy, with wooden beams and hardwood floors, which add the right amount of warmth.

Name: James and Shanna Location: Northgate Park, Durham, North Carolina When I moved from Los Angeles to Durham, North Carolina for a job at Merge Records, I was excited to be able to have an entire place of my own. I rented this two-story bungalow near downtown and a block from a park, and started outfitting it with mid-century finds from Craigslist and thrift stores.

Name: Dominic Location: West Hollywood, California I always wanted to have my own place and after having the roommate experience, I’ve decided to get a place of my own. I wanted to be close to work and also in the neighborhood with interior design resources so I chose West Hollywood, California. After seeing many one bedrooms and studios, I found a decent size, large studio apartment. I wanted to showcase my design eye and express my creative insights.

Name: Balki B. Location: Toronto, Canada This is my 400 square foot apartment in downtown Toronto and I love small space living! My space is practical and functional for my needs. The mirrored closet has more than sufficient storage space for me. In addition to clothes, it houses an extra folding chair, my laser printer, some documents, and much more! I would say that my most prized item is my beautiful fiddle leaf fig. (I’ve named her Carla!

Name: Lacy Reed-Cox and Ed Reed Location: Austin, Texas We (me, my husband, and our loud cat Simone) live in a one-bedroom, 700 square foot apartment in Austin, Texas. We like the cleanness of modern and mid-century modern lines, so the furniture we own is almost all modern, but to make it homier, we’ve layered on whimsical/bohemian stuff using textiles, rugs, and art. So 80% modern, 20% quirky, maybe, is the best way to describe it?

Name: Bryant Smith Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana I live in a 1955 Atomic ranch house, located beneath stately live oaks in balmy Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I bought this 1,160 square foot home just over two and a half years ago and was delighted to see that most of its original character had been left intact: blonde brick, oak tile floors, wall of windows, sliding glass kitchen cabinets, phone recess, attic fan, car port, metal-rimmed laminate counters, etc.

Name: Allison Schmidt Location: Culver City, California Tom and I met in art school, fell in love, bought our home and have been remodeling it ever since. We decided to add a second story and turn a basic 1952 bungalow into our version of a craftsman home. And we decided we could do it ourselves. We wanted to try to use as many recycled and vintage pieces as possible so we began seeking out swap meets and salvage yards.

Name: Natalie Slyman Location: Saint Louis, Missouri I live in the upstairs of a two family flat apartment in the Tower Grove neighborhood of Saint Louis, Missouri. The flat was built in 1914 and still obtains its original woodwork, light fixtures, gold radiators and character. We get so much space for price in this city and I love that we stumbled upon such a beautiful place in a wonderful, thriving neighborhood.

Name: Taylor Gulbins Location: Hoboken, New Jersey My girlfriend and I share a 900 square foot apartment in Hoboken, New Jersey. We moved into the space together five months ago. It is the top floor of a four-story walk up, and has a ton of character and the kind of old-fashion charm that you just can’t find in new construction buildings. Our story with this apartment began with a tough sell.

Name: Jana Roach Location: Fort Collins, Colorado I moved to Fort Collins in search of a rental home with vintage character and charm, and found it in this cozy two bedroom, 1,000 square foot minimal traditional ranch style home. My style is a mix of eclectic, vintage, and new, which has morphed from so many different beginnings! I run a large vintage pop-up market in three states, so my inspiration is often gleaned from our vendors.

Name: Karen Goodman Location: Natick, Massachusetts (just outside Boston) My husband, two cats and I have lived in this 114+ year old home for almost four years. Records show it was first deeded in 1900 but we suspect that it was built earlier. It’s small, but just the right size for our little family — just over 1100 square feet. Over the years as the home was updated, it was also stripped of a lot of its vintage charm.

Name: Amélie Location: Brussels, Belgium I was born in Brussels from French parents but was lucky to grow up in different countries and to discover new cultures. My childhood and teenage years were spent in the sunshine of Morocco and Cyprus, while I became more and more curious about art in New York. Seeking my roots, I studied communication and advertising in the City of Light: Paris; where I also started my first job as a communication officer in an art gallery.

Name: Debbie Saslaw Location: Brooklyn, New York I have lived in New York with roommates for ten years, most of which were spent in a rent-controlled Williamsburg apartment that had every problem imaginable: bedbugs, mice, leaky ceilings, fires in the building, sketchy neighbors, a revolving door of couch-crashers, etc. I held onto it for a long time because of the price, and never thought I could find another deal in the same neighborhood.

Name: Julie & Adam Location: Canmore, Alberta, Canada We live in a 1200 square foot [including attached garage] three story townhouse in the charming little tourist town of Canmore in the Canadian Rockies. We feel very fortunate to call this pretty little corner of the world home; the outdoors are a huge part of our lifestyle and are so excited to raise our son, Morris, with a love for the mountains. When we bought this home nearly three years ago it was a great blank canvas with good bones.

Name: Ariana Location: Paris, France We live in the 7ème arrondissement of Paris. It’s civilized to the point of distraction- if I walk home alone at night, the worst that could happen is an old lady might hit me with her Hermès bag. Our apartment is 70 square meters in an art deco building, with an additional 14 square meters spread out over two balconies. When we wake up every morning, we see the Eiffel Tower, Trocadero, and La Defense from one window.

Name: Maeve Location: East Village, New York Our 733 square foot apartment is occupied by three recent college graduates (including myself!). Apartments in the city tend to get a very bad rap for being too small, so we really lucked out when we stumbled upon our two (read: converted from one) bedroom space. I have my own room and my roommates share the other, and we have more than enough space.

Name: Kevin Location: Singapore Living in an urban concrete jungle the likes of Singapore means it is unlikely one can experience a slice of nature close to home. Yes, perhaps man made greenery abounds in the city, but natural landscapes are lacking in our space constrained island nation. I have always been fascinated about the idea of lumberjacks and mountain lodges. And I am a huge fan of the mid-century era, where fashion and design were at its purest.

Name: Kristin Sears Location: Bushwick Neighborhood, Brooklyn, NYC Bushwick was recently on Vogue‘s list of the coolest neighborhoods in the world, and I’m lucky enough to call it my new home. I am from Kentucky and recently graduated from school in Savannah, Georgia… needless to say it was going to be a big adjustment moving to New York City. That’s the main reason why I chose Bushwick and my apartment in particular: It feels like home… all 300 square feet of it.

Name: Stephanie Location: Point Dume -Malibu, California My husband and I decided to relocate to Malibu, California a year ago so that our young children could grow up close to the ocean. Having spent a lot of time in Sweden as a child, I have developed a strong affinity for nordic design. Scandinavian homes have a pure, understated elegance that is centered around clean lines, warm functionality and minimal ornamentation.

Name: Duffy Stone Location: Austin, Texas This is a red barn-style, 1930s home located in East Austin, Texas. I rent the home and have loved mixing in bright colors and modern found objects into the old bones and architecture of the home. I love the old wood floors and high ceilings that make the small home feel bright and open. There are two large porches I love to hang out on with friends and a hammock pavilion!

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: Charlotte Brown Location: Upper West Side, New York City What I love about my 300 square foot Upper West Side apartment is how it encompasses warmth and is a home where tranquil is infused with curiosity. And I am surrounded by the design and creativity that influence me everyday. My aesthetic was to create a classic home that time travels to the simpler Victorian time period with a modern twist.

Name: Christine Hamilton Location: Dallas, Texas Nearly two years ago our little family moved from a tiny Manhattan apartment to an 1850 square foot 1950s ranch style home in Dallas, Texas. We live in a neighborhood called Lake Highlands and it is filled with lots of young families, which is great for our 3-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son. We renovated the kitchen and living areas a few months after moving in. It was an undertaking, but completely worth it.

Name: Scott Location: Mar Vista – Los Angeles, California Howdy. We have recently finished remodeling a 2bed/1bath into a 2bed/2bath. We live in the upper apartment of a duplex we own. We love Mar Vista because it is close enough to Venice to have access to the beach lifestyle without the tourists and craziness. Our farmers’ market is the best in the area and at the end of the street. We travel a lot and will eventually rent the place out, so we decided to stay neutral in color.

Name: Matt & Annie Location: Boston My name is Matt. I live with my fiance, Annie, in the heart of Back Bay in Boston, Massachusetts. As a couple, living in a small space (405 sq/ft) can have its challenges. Both Annie and I have a passion for interior design. We worked hard to make sure our small living space was functional while staying true to our classic (with a twist) style. Our little abode has come a long way since we moving in and continues to be a work in progress. Thanks, Matt!

Name: Sabrina Location: Chelsea, NYC After 4 years of living in a dorm and renting light deprived apartments sharing with roommates, I finally am living in my very first home in NYC. I was blessed to find a cozy 450 square feet first floor walk-up studio in a prewar building in Chelsea. I love the 9 foot ceilings, exposed brick wall and natural sunlight from two large windows. I fell in love with the space as soon as I walked in, it felt like home.

Name: Emily Adams Location: La Mesa, California I live in a pocket of San Diego, California called Mount Helix. It’s a very quiet, peaceful and lush area with lots of trees and wildlife (including flocks of bright green wild parrots!). I live in a studio guesthouse attached to a very modern style, white stucco home, owned by a retired couple from the Netherlands. My unit is a mere 170 square feet (smaller than most hotel rooms in fact).

Name: Goursaud Location: Nancy, France This French house call submission didn’t come with much text from the homeowners, but it’s filled with such a mix of vintage finds, tongue-in-cheek accessories and color we just had to share! Bold modern art and strong wall paint colors mix with earthy wood tones in vintage and modern furniture. These chairs mixed with a life-sized cactus statue and anatomical art makes us think dinnertime is quite playful in this home! Thanks, Goursaud!

Name: Jesse & Fernando Location: Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, New York We love the relaxed, garden-filled neighborhood of Carroll Gardens. We were lucky to find this 1.5 bedroom apartment with a little garden. We kept the decor minimal, because we wanted to give the prewar architecture and its unique details to have room to breathe. The den also functions as Jesse’s home studio.

Name: Joshua & Rachel Location: Notting Hill – London, UK Today, we have a quick peek inside the family home of the the couple behind “The Artful Project” a new UK-based online source for photography (tagline: fill your home with art). It’s a lovely, sunny updated space located in Notting Hill. Both Joshua and Rachel have an established history working in the art world. They are a young, dynamic husband and wife team and have two young children.

Name: Melissa Milakovic Location: James Bay in Victoria, BC, Canada We met and fell in love in Edmonton and within weeks, Ramzy was told he was being posted to Victoria, BC. Newly in love we decided to head to the West Coast together to see what it was all about. With very little time to find a home, we found this amazing townhouse in the heart of James Bay, one of the most sought after neighborhoods in Victoria, only one block away from downtown and the ocean.

Name: Kent & Darcie Location: Caswell Hill neighborhood, Saskatoon, Canada Our house is a very unique home in one of the most exciting and rejuvenated neighborhoods in our city. Built in 1912 by a successful farmer for his wife and eight children, the house retains the character of a Craftsman-style home while also enjoying all of the modern day comforts due to extensive renovations performed over the past seven years.

Name: Soffia Location: Alftanes, Iceland Our home has to be comfortable for all of us who share it, that includes mom, dad, a 8 year old girl, a 4 year old boy and our two labradors (16y and 7y). I think we are a mix of country/industrial, or somewhere in between. Its filled with DIY-projects and second hand objects and furniture. The open floor plan suits our family well. Style: Comfy and cozy is what we like.

Name: Ashley Location: Margaret River, Western Australia We live in a three bedroom, 1 bathroom small home in Western Australia. Built in the early 90s, with a combined open plan living space we carefully turned the interior brick from icky brown to a creamy white and updated with art, plants and furniture we adore. We have been on a journey to simplify our home for a while.