House Calls

Yasemin and her family live in their Berkley home inspired by nature. They use pops of color to bring fun and life to their home and find neutrality through textures found in nature.

As you enter the home, you'll find it's filled with vintage designs that meet modern pops of color inspired by "Moonrise Kingdom."

Talia and her partner bounced from sublet to sublet in Berlin before they finally found their home. When they moved in, it was filled with standard white IKEA furniture that didn't add much life to the home. So they added in pops of color to make the place feel like their own.

When Gwenn and her husband moved into their North Carolina house in 2020, they knew they wanted to add some color. After adding fun wallpaper prints and colors to every wall, they have created a vibrant home that feels cozy yet bold.

Kevin and his partner, Monica, left New York City, and after a tumultuous period of searching during the height of the pandemic, they landed on an 1870 Victorian with a view of the Green mountains of Vermont on the New York side.

Shauna and her family live on a gorgeous hill on a slope with big, beautiful windows that give the feeling of living in a treehouse.

When Trina and her husband purchased their house in Indiana, they started remodeling to create a space that included their own style. This meant embracing the elements of the house they loved and ripping out the old carpet that they didn't love.

Mae's Chicago apartment that she shares with her boyfriend and dog Peach has been assembled with heirlooms from family members. This makes the apartment feel personal and turns the house into a home.

Ryan was downsizing from a large one-bedroom as part of his move from Denver to New York City, and found the challenge of organizing and maximizing this studio space fun and creative.

"My home is my haven," says Emily. "I love coming home and feeling like I’m stepping out of the hectic NYC streets into another world. It’s cozy and transportive."

At first, designer Linda Cava only meant to replace her 10-year-old bedframe. But then she swapped out a bedside table to fit the new bed's style, next decided to trade the old sofa for a larger sectional... and then a mix of paint updates, vintage furniture elements, and more made her small home feel completely refreshed.

Brick walls, a dark blue colored ceiling, exposed copper piping, aged mirrors, and metal — all of these elements create an atmosphere that fully reflects its residents, designers and married couple, Max and Viktor.

Lisa's Dublin home looks practically tropical with floor-to-ceiling windows that show off the nature surrounding it. The open floor plan makes the home appear expansive and modern even in an older house.

Fiona's Downtown Toronto apartment isn't afraid to break every rule. With a shower featured prominently in the kitchen and cool vintage furniture and accessories everywhere, this home highlights its unique quirks.

Sarah's home was built by her grandparents in 1963 as a completely off-grid summer retreat. She inherited it in 2011 and has been slowly adding utilities and her style to it over the years.

Sarah's Silver Lake bungalow is comprised of brilliant pops of color and a gallery wall that spans multiple walls in the living room. And her 16-foot ceilings and large windows let the Cali sun shine into her home 12 months out of the year.

Sam lives in her D.C. home with her husband Ryan and dog Brody. Their home is filled with fun patterned wallpaper and plants they found on Facebook marketplace that thrive in their natural sunlight-filled space.

Samantha isn't afraid to curate a home that she wants to live in. Her home is filled with color and highlights the gorgeous parts of her home that were already there, including the hardwood floors, fireplace, and large kitchen sink.

This is the first time in five years Pin-ya has lived without roommates, so really looked forward to having full creative control over what the space looked like.

Grace's apartment has high ceilings and endless character, and parts of her identify are reflected and celebrated in every corner of her home. "I like softer colors and sometimes muted ones. Most of my apartment has been furnished by Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace."

Taylor has made it her mission to slowly create a home from vintage pieces she loves rather than quickly filling the place the stuff she doesn't need.

Danai lives in her Ontario condo alone and has curated a home that she has painted and wallpapered to give off a bold, inviting feel. Her philosophy is to be big and bold and find items that will be timeless in your home.

August's condo building is circa 1930 and her unit had really not been updated since likely the '70s.

Alex's style is a mix of mid-century meets handmade with lush plant life and flashes of artistic flair.

The kitchen used to have fluorescent lights, Formica countertops, and a wall separating it from the living room area, but Bridget and Sean took down the wall and put in six slabs of black quartz.

Shaelynn lives with her husband and their two cats in their Montana condo. He loves Japanese design and architecture. And she is drawn to a Scandinavian sleek look. Together they brought the designs that bring them happiness to form one uniform home.

As an engineer, Hayley is used to innovative thinking, and she used that when designing her studio apartment. She transformed the entryway into her closet and was able to create the feel of a one-bedroom apartment by turning a walk-in closet into a bed nook.

Along with incredible art, Alex uses "warm, neutral colors (off-white, ochre, amber, wood tones) as a foundation to play with shapes, textures, and patterns. Jute rugs, boucle, ornate frames, and varying wood tones help tie together the design and blend old and new."

Sam's San Francisco apartment reflects his love of design and furniture. With art covering the walls, the shelves, and even a few mannequins, the home is an ode to color and design.

Yvette has lived in her current apartment for 26 years. She loves the traditional style of Victorian homes, but it's not often seen in the Netherlands. But through moody lighting and old family photos, she has created her own style of home that fits her personality.

Asia's studio apartment in Culver City feels much bigger thanks to her backyard patio. She has curated art from her travels plus art of her own making to brighten her home. And her backyard is filled with beautiful tropical plants that thrive in the Los Angeles heat.

This is Shatina's first time living alone and the first time getting to do whatever she wanted "creativity wise and to truly create an oasis of peace and comfort."

Jenn and her partner are both artists who wanted to turn their home into a funky combination of their two aesthetics. Through pops of color, gorgeous floating shelves, and tons of house plants, they have achieved their dream home.

Ine's apartment is filled with gifts from friends that bring the people she loves into the space she loves. Through visualizing the home she wanted, she was able to piece together an apartment that brings people together.

Andrea is a DIYer and because of the need to maximize space, she created a Murphy bed, Murphy table, shoe chair with storage, TV console, and small shelf and stool in my bathroom, to name a few!

After moving from place to place growing up, Mandy wanted to make her San Francisco place a full-time home. She believes that your dream home takes time, and you should give yourself time to curate the space that you'll love coming home to.

Christy lives with her two cats in Chicago. Her walls are covered in art and objects that remind her of the people and places she loves. She's transformed a 750-square-foot apartment into a cozy home.

Logan signed the lease on her Upper East Side apartment before ever stepping foot inside. She knew from the photos that it was her perfect home. She has turned the smaller one bedroom into "the space her soul needs."

Victoria's studio apartment looks over Central Park. Since it's her first time living alone, she curated a space that brings joy and happiness. Between her tropical decor and flamingo decorations, she has turned her place into a New York City beach home.

Robyn lives on her own, so she makes her home lively with things she loves to make it feel full. She believes in building a home that makes you happy.

Drew grew up in this Minnesota home, which uses Victorian-era inspired design to create a comfy, home feel. He decorated with the art of his late mom, step mom, and local artists to feel connection to family and community.

Name: Athena Location: Fairfield, Connecticut The basics: 6 months, owned | 1,201 square feet Athena’s home was the ugliest on the block (her words!) but after a thoughtful renovation it is a total suburban stunner. With a kitchen that’s to die for and rustic touches throughout, you can tell that it was a labor of love.

Our reader-submitted House Calls offer just a taste of their homes and style. Though only some go on to become full House Tours, we love these little glimpses into spaces all over the globe.

Collette's house is no stranger to guests. With children and grandchildren coming over for frequent visits, Collette prioritizes having a space that invites visitors in. She uses color to bring in a fun, homey feel that she loves.

Arif and his husband believe that maximalism isn't just filling every square inch of your home with random objects. They take time to select what brings them happiness so their home is a safe haven of joy.

Nicola's philosophy on interior design is simple: "Color and pattern makes my eyes happy. Bland and boring depresses me." Her home is filled with big, bold patterns and colors that catch the eye.

Dana and her husband moved into their Jersey City apartment in the pandemic when they were spending tons of time at home. They wanted to curate their home with vintage items that reflected the historic brownstone they live in.

Judy and Mark purchased their 850-square-foot beach bungalow a year ago after spending years living on the East Coast.

Ariane Walder and their partner Zach moved full-time into a vintage 1970s RV that they originally planned to paint white and bright, but then decided to keep the "epic original wood paneling and play up the '70s disco vibes with our own original twist."

Jasmine grew up in California, went to school in New York, and has traveled all over the world. She wanted her home to reflect the many places that have influenced her as a person.

Mariangeles has lived in her studio apartment for the past five years. Her home is filled with creams, whites, blacks, and grays to create a clean and minimal aesthetic.

Carli's brick home in Michigan is filled with colorful artwork in her own style. "Each room has gotten a makeover — some just paint, others light fixtures, and some major overhauls," Carli writes.

After her divorce, Calvena wanted to focus on finding herself and her happiness. She created a home is filled with pieces that are female forward that bring her joy.

As a fashion accessory designer, Courtney is used to taking on creative projects and making art. With her studio apartment in Manhattan, she uses thrifted furniture and brings it back to life with a fresh coat of paint to add a finishing touch to her home.

Lois' home is leopard print everything. From the couch to the bedroom to the statue of a leopard, she uses prints as neutrals to bring maximalism to life in her UK home.

When Hege gut renovated her 1920s home, located in an old power-transformer building, she opened up the space with large floor-to-ceiling windows and by using lots of light wood and white surfaces to maximize light, along with storage solutions to maximize space.

When I moved into my Colonial Revival-style building, I was a freelance editorial assistant and was simply striving to pay rent on my own!" exclaims fashion stylist James Bianca. "Despite having very little money, I had a hardy wish list, which included a full kitchen, a working fireplace, south-facing exposures, and outdoor space."

Jen brings her Latina background into decorating her home by using colors that she loved seeing on a trip to Mexico City. She believes in creating a space without fear of judgment, and through that, she has been able to curate a home filled with items and designs she loves.

"As a retired person I knew I wanted a unit that fit me and my needs perfectly," writes Gwendolyn Hillesheim. "I took the time to assess my wants and prioritized four things."

Michele keeps the '70s style of her California house alive by bringing in items from vintage and garage sales. By using the elements of her house that give it that vintage feel, she adds in her own modern flair.

Melanie is a "hobby designer" who uses items in new, creative ways. She suggests finding items from flea markets and finding a new use for them to give your home a designed feel.

When Lily and her husband bought their first home together in Brooklyn, they knew it would need to be gut renovated. This gave them the chance to open up the space and make it their own. Now with they've created a clean, modern space that still has a place for a disco ball.

When it comes to Isabelle's New York studio apartment, she has one piece of advice: measure everything! Her home mixes vintage a traditional styles with pieces that pop like her leopard print chair.

Sara and her Frenchie Cashew live in the suburbs of Detroit. Sara has been passed down art and other items that she fills her home with to bring her closer to her loved ones.

When Paul made the moved from renting to owning, he wanted to create a space that was filled with his favorite books and art. Now his home is a place where no matter where he looks, he finds happiness.

The size of Dana Miller's Upper West Side studio apartment isn’t huge, but there’s a separate kitchen, a loft, 11’ ceilings, and huge French windows that open onto gardens.

Lauren brought her love for the '60s and '70s into her Brooklyn apartment through color, using orange as the main hue. The small studio features an orange mirror and couch and lots of cute retro decor elements to complete the look.

Katie has turned her Harlem apartment into a home by adding in her Alaskan roots and finding beauty in small spaces.

Jamie's Chicago loft brings in elements that have been picked slowly over time. She advises that people take their time when picking out everything for their home so it can reflect their live adventure.

After living in a small apartment in Manhattan, Jesse decided to make the move to Brooklyn to find more space and in-unit laundry. Now Jesse has a larger home that provides a breath of fresh air from living in New York.

Along the Delaware River, sits Barryville General Store — a cute traditional, small town store. But upstairs is a small country retreat that is cozy and clean.