House Calls

Coach and facilitator Erinne Brown has been renting this light-filled 451-square-foot studio apartment in Chicago's Printers Row neighborhood for two years now.

Melissa Chang's thoughtful (and smart!) furniture layout, her approach to collecting, and her experiences living even smaller in Tokyo have all contributed to a gorgeous, cozy, functional home, despite being a one-room studio apartment only 250 square feet large.

Ineke Nordt used to rock bright colors in her previous homes, but found that light, natural colors calm her down. Her home in The Netherlands is light, bright, natural, Scandi, and bohemian.

Kabba makes custom men's suits, and since the start of the pandemic transitioned to working from home, meaning his rental apartment had to serve multiple functions.

Miranda has leaned into slow furnishing her apartment recently. "Almost everything has been hunted off FB marketplace, or my neighborhood antique shops," writes Miranda. "This way each piece feels intentional and meaningful and I like to think they each have storied lives to them!"

This cottage was a family endeavor for Leigh and Mark. "My father spent countless hours helping, my mother would come randomly to help paint siding or bring cookies, and my aunts would do the same," Leigh says. "We spent hours chatting about the past and the future, listening to their suggestions (sometimes ignoring their suggestions), and building something that was us, but also them."

The vast majority of pieces Heather and Dennis have collected for their home are thrifted or secondhand.

Dominique's vibe is reflected throughout this home, from "the art that is everywhere to the deep, bold color palette."

Lauren and Dustin say this house, built in 1902, hadn't been updated since the '70s and '80s. The couple spent just over a year on interior renovations, modernizing the outdated space but preserving and honoring much of the historic home's charming architectural features.

This gorgeous house has had a lot of cool residents — like Jungalow's Justina Blakeney — before its equally-as-cool current residents Cristina and Brittany made it their home.

Hilary and Doug share a love of design, fashion, and art, and filled this large house in Detroit, built in the 1930s by George McKnight, with all three when they renovated it for themselves and their two kids, Haze and Sway.

When this couple first moved into this rental, it had white walls, white cabinets, and not a lot of personality. But with paint, peel-and-stick tile, and affordable furniture finds, they've created a colorful and cozy home.

Yasmin and their husband's job is finding vintage treasures (mainly Scandinavian and Italian designs from the 1950s to 1980s), while travelling to places like Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, around Germany, France, and Italy.

Lydia Genner loves color and has never been afraid to incorporate it into a home with paint, art, furniture, or decor.

Designer and vintage Instagram shop owner Giovanna Macejka leaned into a "maximalist 1970s retro vibe that relies heavily on mixing patterns and textures, going bold with color, and creating movement throughout the space."

Sarah bought her 1984 Holiday Rambler travel trailer on Facebook Marketplace and transformed it into a glamorous Texas-themed rental home.

Josie says that limitations breed creativity, and that certainly applies in the home she shares with her partner, Alec. "I have never gotten more ideas for a space than for this tiny apartment."

Lauren Maxey spent several weeks renovating this condo before moving in, including building the mantel and shiplap wall above the fireplace, adding peel-and-stick wallpaper to the bathroom, DIYing a dining banquette, and more.

Color makes Rita feel, happy and peaceful, which was her #1 goal when decorating. "My second goal was staying on budget, so everything may look very extravagant but in reality my furniture is from Target and Walmart!"

Vanessa has transformed a new construction townhouse into a cozy, chic, and personalized home.

Everything in Jessica's apartment is thrifted or found on Facebook Marketplace.

Melanie is a single mom of five, and she and her two youngest kids moved into this home during the pandemic. While it was the smallest space they've ever lived in, they were able to choose pieces that made the space feel bigger and represent their heritage.

Homeowner Nancy Revis was born in the early '70s and LOVES '70s style, so she fills this cabin with secondhand '70s-style finds and reupholstered furniture.

When Madison and her fiancé first toured their home, it was in rough shape. With a little TLC, they were able to bring it back to life with vintage pieces they love, along with a few contemporary pieces mixed in.

When Lindsey Hunt was diagnosed with Ménière's disease, she began a journey to find balance, surrounding herself with healing color and texture.

A love of slick classics paired with minimalist and maximalist design choices — and a desire to wake up to the smell of coffee daily — led Ian to his apartment's design.

Mackenzie was working as a realtor giving a tour of this cozy cottage when she decided to place an offer herself. When her and her husband moved in, they got to work transforming a small one-bedroom cottage into a open two-bedroom lofted space.

Charlotte Violet turned an attic space with gorgeous original Victorian cedar beams in her small UK home into a dreamy bedroom, sunset-watching spot, and home cinema.

When Missy dahl and her husband, Danny, moved into their Washington home built in 1914, they made sure to keep the historical wooden shiplapping and crown molding.

Reed Van Dyck used her time in the pandemic to turn her apartment into a sanctuary for a peaceful night in with her cat and dog. She mixes thrifted and new items to create a space that feels truly hers.

This designer and product photographer's NYC loft only uses colors and materials inspired by the materials/colors you can find in a photo studio: black, white, and wood (plywood birch).

Shannon and her partner David have filled their New York City apartment with color and cheeky elements that make them feel at home.

When the NYC housing market dropped during the pandemic, Kimberly and her partner decided to buy. They worked with an architect to turn a two-bedroom apartment into a one larger bedroom with home office.

Stefanie Turner's grand millennial house in Michigan offers a timeless twist on a historic home. The house has been in her husband's family for years, and she was able to turn it into a unique classic.

Jess Curtis and her family have brought life and color to their self-defined "Frankenhome" that was built in two different parts. "Modular houses have their benefits (well-built, cheaper), but they do not have the character that older stick-built houses have," she writes. "Therefore, I set out to make our home beautiful and special through the magic of paint, wallpaper, furniture, and decor."

Hannah Mestyanek and her husband bring elements of their Southern California upbringing as they start a family in this Chicago condo.

When NYC rents lowered in the pandemic, children's book editor and author Anna Membrino took the opportunity to live alone for the first time. Mirrors, white walls, and lots of plants help make the small space feel much larger.

Jacqueline and her husband moved into this home to give their son a space to explore his artistic creativity. With art pieces created by friends and family, they've created an artsy paradise for themselves.

"I love color," Dominique, who rents this New Jersey apartment with her fiancé, says. "I feel like a lot of homes I see that are on the higher end are so white/gray and boring... It's been a dream to freely decorate and just be ourselves here. I think we did a good job making it cozy but still elevated and adult without being too boring."

Carla and Fraser hand painted the tile pattern on their kitchen floor using stencils to mimic some expensive tiles they found online... and that's just ONE of the many DIY projects they've tackled in their UK home.

Scott and Brian's apartment blends many styles. "What started as a mid-century motif evolved into a very unique living space that surpasses a definitive style marker," Scott writes. "We are very much into warm tones and comfort. We have a love for vintage glassware that can be seen in our decorating style... We have a mix of old and new, high-end and low cost."

Creative director, prop stylist, and set designer Melissa Cripe says to "create your own world" in your home. "Send yourself secret messages of love and support through your space and what you choose to fill it with," she says. In her New Orleans shotgun, this mantra manifests in whimsical upcycled furniture, rental-friendly murals, and family heirlooms.

This family of five's vacation cabin is located among beautiful pine trees. "Great forest treetop views from the front deck are the epitome of relaxation."

It's a fusion of mid-century modern and boho with pops of leafy greens.

Renter Sydney Callands finds a way to make her 660-square-foot apartment's odd layout work. "Sometimes it almost feels like I'm Carrie Bradshaw living her best life in the West Village — emphasis on sometimes," she says.

David Bulckaen, an architect himself, honors the work of the home's original architect in his three-story Belgian house.

The renter of this colorful, charming place says anyone can be "a design diva" – even on a budget. Her stylish finds (all under $100) certainly prove it.

"I create moods with scents, colours, sounds, lighting, and so on," renter Tia Dumoulin says of her 800-square-foot apartment.

"I love how even in a smaller space I've been able to create several distinct zones that I can enjoy for different reasons, whether I want to lie in bed and nap, spread out on my couch to read and look out on the street below, or get some work done on my computer at my little bistro table corner," SF renter Lydia says. "I've managed to fit many rooms into one!"

Prepare to drool over the arched doorways, original crown moulding, mid-century furniture, vintage fabrics, retro tile, and neat artwork.

Senaida's monochromatic studio has "pockets of space for sleeping, doing work, and hanging out" and a genius DIY light fixture to boot. All in 295 square feet!

Natasha Husein's apartment has a lot of pre-war character, including original moldings, two fireplaces, and beautiful hardwood floors, which she's decorated in a Happy Coastal Bungalow style. "It's not a traditional California coastal, nor is it totally beach bohemian. It's sort of an eclectic mix, but it's totally me," she writes.

It also has many thrifted finds and original artwork made by renter Jordan Lauf's friends and family.

"Without a designer budget, I relied on estate sales, local vintage sellers, and good old Craigslist," homeowner Cindy Ngo says about decorating her space. She became so savvy at finding designer dupes for less that she started her own company, Ink + Porcelain.

Illustrator Adriana Vawdrey's house is a "living sketchbook" and creative experiment.

"I wanted something that was a less-murderous 'American Psycho' vibe with a focus on sustainability and minimalism," renter Wayne Burns says of his cool minimalist pad.

Taylor and her fiancé celebrate the perfectly imperfect in their space. They believe it's important for a home to look lived-in. Their apartment has parquet floors, neat archways, black hexagon tile floors, and intricate art-deco touches — and of course, books lying around, mugs left out from that morning's coffee, and all its familiar dings and quirks.

Renter Heather Luciano's advice when it comes to decorating is to be unabashedly you. "Being yourself never goes out of style," she says. "I know a lot of people who worry about what’s in or trendy when it comes to fashion and design, and I’ve just never lived that way. I have always over-accessorized, lived in color and pattern, and have been shopping for antiques since I was in grade school."

There's a fisherman-themed living room, a rec room designed to look like a retro basement, and adorable kitchen details for kitties. I'm not kidding; I want to live here.

Andrea rents this hospital-adjacent apartment out to medical students and traveling nurses, and she wanted it to feel like home for them, "with an atmosphere more eccentric than the typical rental," she says. Because she sourced the furniture secondhand, she could splurge on special finishes.

Vocalist Dana Williams' latest song, "End of the World," has a warmth and coziness to it. It emphasizes slowing down, as does her rental apartment in Los Angeles' Loz Feliz neighborhood.

This penthouse suite in Toronto is a perfect mix of sunny, airy, eclectic, and mid-century.

Homeowners Jennifer and Calvin recently expanded their kitchen, and the payoff was big: Sleek black cabinetry, moody black hex tile, banquette seating, all drenched in light from the newly added windows? Yes please.

Erinne moved into this apartment right before the pandemic, and she quickly learned several things: She would need separate zones for working and living, she wanted to love the way her apartment looked from every angle, and she actually loves the color pink.

"If I love it, I include it in my home," says homeowner Joy Angela Russell. "I love earthy colors: cognac, cream, olive, mustard, turquoise, and black. I collect art and love a hand-painted wall or two or three."

Anthony Cane, the mastermind behind this simple-yet-genius converted shotgun house lives in one half and rents out the other half. His favorite part is the loft bedroom, which feels (and looks) a bit like a treehouse.

A few months of layering their place with things they love and need gave Aparna and her husband's small rental apartment a warm makeover and became incredibly personal.

From the light pouring into the apartment to the natural textures and neutral colors, Sara and her wife's condo has majorly zen, calm, boho vibes — especially the relaxation room.

The surroundings of this Arizona home look a little bit like Mars, its owners say, and the reddish orange desert inspired the Southwestern-meets-modern design choices on the inside.

Richal and Jenny's apartment, which they have lived in for 30 years, is in a pre-war, park-adjacent building built in 1931. Their warm, inviting space retains its original crown moulding and has beautiful chevron flooring in each room.

This owner of this historic home wonderfully blends old and new. She says when decorating a historic home, you should keep a running list of items you’re looking for — and measurements: "You never know when you’ll stumble across the perfect fit."

The cabin was built in 1987 by a local musician, and Caley and her family fell in love with the "extremely unique home."