House

Name: Lesley Pennington and her family (husband, a teenager and a dog) Location: Viggbyholm, Sweden (Just outside of Stockholm) Size: 240 square meters Years lived in: 3 years Before the Pennington family acquired this property three years ago, this was the home of a famous Swedish textile designer.

Name: Julianne Rydberg Location: Buskerud, Norway Size: 99 square meters Years lived in: 1 year Welcome to Scandi Week—Apartment Therapy’s seven-day focus on all-things Scandinavia (often defined as the countries of Sweden, Denmark, and Norway). Sometimes it seems like the whole world is obsessed with trying to copy this corner of the globe, from its timeless style aesthetic to its now-famous coziness rituals.

Name: Jar and Kay (and their 5-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter) Location: Quezon City, Philippines Size: 375 square meters Years lived in: Owned 3 months Jar writes: “This is my wife and I’s first house together. We worked closely with our architect [Denise De Castro of DDC-Vida] to achieve a sustainable structure that would cater to a growing family. We were able to incorporate a lot of natural light and ventilation with a pocket garden in the middle of the home.

Name: Mairi and Richard Location: Edinburgh Years Lived In: 1 year, owned The colors and textures of the Scottish landscape are Mairi’s biggest inspiration. “Often I am found escaping to the outdoors and photographing the enlivening flora and fauna that surrounds us,” she says. Mairi transforms this natural inspiration into dynamic abstract patterns for Mairi Helena, a textile and wallpaper company she runs from this colorful Edinburgh house.

Name: Nana Sjöblom and Pat Vermeulen Location: Vevey, Switzerland Size: 170 square meters (1,830 square feet) Years lived in: 1 year; Rented Nana and Pat are inspiring artists living with their two sons, Aïto and Oïva, in a beautiful century-old house in Switzerland. Avid collectors and art lovers, curious about everything from design, illustration and photography to snowboard culture, they needed a big house to shelter their huge collection of treasures.

Name: Isabelle Richard Location: Peseux — Neuchâtel, Switzerland Size: 1,291 square feet Years lived in: 8 years, rented Isabelle welcomed us into her beautiful home perched on a hill above the Lake of Neuchâtel in Switzerland. It is a delicately decorated apartment—a lovely reflection of her poetic inner world.

Name: Monika Pietrusewicz, Nicolas Bouriette and Lila Location: Ipanema — Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Size: 484 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, rented Besides the Pilates equipment, almost nothing in this small home is “new.” Monika and Nicolas buy decor in flea markets, antique stores and second-hand markets. Or they find stuff in the streets.

Name: Simone Raitzik and Ruben Zonenschein, and their sons Paulo and Tom Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Size: 2,368 square feet Years lived in: 21 years, owned After a four-year stay in Europe, Simone and her husband Ruben returned to Brazil and began their search for a spacious house with natural light, hardwood floors, and potential to remodel. When they found their current home in Rio de Janeiro, it was love at first sight, but it was in terrible shape.

Name: Muriel and Jean-Marc Liévin Location: Bordeaux, France Size: 3,013 square feet Years lived in: 17 years, owned Muriel and Jean-Marc’s home studio is nestled in an antique industrial building in the charming city of Bordeaux, France. Their house remodel project started 17 years ago when they moved into the bare and industrial two-story building with their two small children. The street level was a plumbing workshop with a living area on the first floor.

Name: Ulrika and family Location: Norrköping, Sweden Size: 1,507 square feet Years lived in: 10 years, owned Apartment Therapy’s first Scandi Week might be officially over this year, but that doesn’t mean our love of Scandinavian design has ended. And this lovely, light-filled Swedish home of fashion and interior influencer Ulrika (who Instagrams under the handle, @colorelles) is a beautiful look at colorful, organic modern Scandinavian-inspired design.

Interior design, decor, and the environment don’t often collide, but in this colorful Victorian remodel, they do so beautifully.

They used to make kombucha in their small apartment. The success of the company allowed them to buy this beautiful home.

Name: Joey Grana and Gerard Dislaire Location: Mount Washington, California Size: 1,200 square feet Years Lived In: 2 years; Owned A trip to Joey and Gerard’s serene hillside home will take your breath away and may leave you wondering: am I in California, or have I been transported to the French Alps?

This expert update is great inspiration for anyone looking to refresh their own home without doing a complete overhaul.

This photo editor's studio apartment is full of tips for creating a spacious, serene home in a very busy city.

We dare you NOT to smile while looking through this stunning and stylish home.

Name: Kathryn Elkins and Anthony dal Forno Location: Brunswick, Melbourne, Australia Size: 1800 square feet Years lived in: 15+ years; owned Kathryn and Anthony find themselves in Brunswick, the heart of one of Melbourne’s most eclectic spots, spoilt for choice with delicious food, some of the world’s best coffee, and boutique shops. Fierce supporters of Australian artists and crafters, they’ve have amassed an enviable collection of art and design objects made locally.

Tim Sheehan knew he was in for many years of hard work when he bought an abandoned New Orleans property six years ago. The grounds included a two-story 5,500 square-foot Greek Revival home and a ramshackle guest house, both in need of major renovations. The outdoor space started taking shape to become what it is today, a communal quad where Tim gathers regularly with friends, when he started using the yard as a staging ground for his many projects in 2012.

Name: Jennie Hoekstra, Luke Hoekstra, Jude (9), Neve (7), Wilder (4), Marmalade (the cat), Miki and Mandu (Australian Zebra Finches), and a flock of semi-retired hens. Location: Kemble — Ontario, Canada Size: 1,665 square feet Years Lived In: 6 months, owned In the spring of 2017 a lovely four-acre lot came up for sale in the rural village where we live. We knew the property well and loved it, but understood that it was on an unmaintained road with no hydro, so building would be tricky.

This family of six has turned an outdated, 100-year-old house into a beautiful, functional, and fun home.

And her home studio is like an explosion of pink and sparkles at the end of the dark hallway.

Name: Peggy Wong of Blue Pool RoadLocation: Downtown Los Angeles, CASize: 800 square feetI met Peggy a couple of months ago at a blogger meet up in Venice. She was introduced to me as a former art director at Martha Stewart and she gave me her card for the company she’s started on her own, Blue Pool Road. When I got home and looked up her work, I was amazed: Light, simple, graphically subdued but in no way boring. Then I saw her house.

High ceilings and large windows will make you fall for this floating home hook, line and sinker.

This Lakeview home needed major renovations, but while the couple wanted to modernize the space, they didn't want to change its architectural charm.

After buying the house, this couple had a 30-day remodel marathon putting in all new hardwood flooring, painting just about every surface, replacing light fixtures and more.

Name: Anna SpiroLocation: Brisbane, AustraliaSize: 2,370 square feetYears lived in: 1 year, ownedOver the past few weeks we’ve been getting a glimpse into some of Australia’s most exciting interior designers’ homes. This week we take a look at Brisbane based interior designer and blogger Anna Spiro’s home.

If you've ever dreamed of making olive oil from your own olive trees outside of a rustic but breathtakingly beautiful house in the Spanish countryside, well boy is this tour for you.

This home is an utter treasure trove of art and objects collected over time.

Entertaining is in this couple's DNA, and it's what inspired their home's renovation a year ago.

The ten-foot ceilings, original pocket doors, exposed brick, and amazing natural light make this 1900s charmer simply irresistible.

An adventurous family remodeled this 115-year-old Victorian house to have comfy, modern farmhouse vibes. And they did most of the work themselves!

Name: Risa Boyer Leritz, Nick Leritz, their 3-year-old daughter Harper, and two catsLocation: Alameda — Portland, OregonSize: 1720 square feetYears lived in: 2.5 — ownedThe process of buying a house is already tough on the nerves, let alone going into escrow on a serious fixer-upper — sight unseen — in a city almost 1,000 miles away from home.

They installed new hardwood flooring, totally renovated the kitchen, painted every wall and ceiling, and completely renovated this '50s Spokane house.

These self-proclaimed "crazy cat people" joke that their biggest home challenge is "remembering that we don't actually own it." Click for the DIY kitty porch.

This couple merged different styles, decades, and objects to create a place that fit with their personality.

A world-traveling pediatric doctor has filled her home with vibrant colors and collected treasures.

Lionel bought this property for himself, but met Ingrid a year later. They DIYed the entire renovation themselves, from painting furniture to a full kitchen makeover.

This home's inspired by earthy and colorful Mexico City style, '60s and '70s architecture books, and Abigail Ahern's dramatic and moody use of color.

This coastal cozy home has lots of bright whites, wood tones, natural and woven materials, and soft places to land after long days at the beach.

This home's style is: "eclectic, usually dusty, mostly reused/ pre-loved, makeshift, and sometimes dangerous (sit on old stools at your own risk)."

From giant mural wallpaper to layers of plants, bold romantic colors and multiple art galleries, this home has us swooning.

Name: Natasha Nyberg and Brad Sammut; children Lisette and Maxine; cats Matilda and Pickle; dogs Greta, Lotte, and Mr. Chips Location: Garfield Park; Grand Rapids, Michigan Size: 2,200 square feet Years lived in: 5 years; Owned Natasha and I met through Instagram. She began following my account and when I scrolled through her feed, I saw images of a very cool home: rich colors, objects with stories, and a refreshing indifference to trends.

Name: Christine and John and Gertie the dogProfessions: Christine is an art teacher and John, also an artist, is studying to be a nurse. They also run an Etsy shop, Poison IcebergLocation: Ann Arbor, MichiganSize: 960 square feet, ownedYears lived in: 2 1/2; owned While flipping through this year’s Small, Cool contest entries, I came across Christine’s Perfect Location.

Name: Elizabeth Bear and her husband Location: Denver, Colorado Size: Approx 4300 square feet Years Lived In: 8 years, owned My college sweetheart and I got married in July 2009, both second marriages; previously we had agreed to sell the homes we were each living in and purchase one together.

Name: Beth Brown and family Location: Buckhead — Atlanta, Georgia Size: 4,000 square feet Years lived in: 2 years,owned Stepping into interior designer Beth Brown’s home is like walking into a luxurious boutique. Not surprising, considering she grew up visiting her mom’s chic Buckhead jewelry store, Tassells, which sells inspiring wearable objects.

Name: Susan Gregg Koger and Eric Koger, with dogs Winston and Blue Location: Noe Valley — San Francisco, California Size: 3 bedrooms, 3 baths Years lived in: 5.5 Susan and Eric Koger have come a long way from the cramped dorm room where they founded ModCloth in 2002. High school sweethearts turned college entrepreneurs turned retail power couple, their current home may be a bit bigger than their original digs, but the spirit behind things hasn’t changed.

Name: Erin Davis and Ben SmithsonLocation: Casa View — Dallas, TexasSize: 1,498 square feetYears lived in: 6 months — owned We first met Erin and Ben this past Fall when they submitted their “Peacock” living room in our Room for Color Contest and we wanted more! Erin, who is no stranger to the interior design world, shows us how she and Ben flexed their decorating muscles in their newly purchased Cliff May home.

Name: Allison Shaw Location: Denver, Colorado Size: 1,000 square feet Years Lived In: 1 When I arrived to tour the fabulous Allison Shaw’s home last month, she was in the final stages of prepping her latest venture: Brick & Mortar, a traveling dry goods general store housed in a Vintage 1964 Aristocrat Trailer. Allison and her equally fabulous business partner, Tran Wills, are two of the biggest supporters of local design in Denver, making both their homes and business fun and enticing.

Name: Sara & Jason and 3 furry children: Ash, Ronin, and KumaLocation: Kansas City, MissouriSize: 1,700 square feetYears lived in: 3 — owned When it comes to displaying collections no one quite takes the job as seriously as the residents of this house. What started as a passion and a hobby of collecting vinyl toys and artwork from artists around the world has turned into a way of life for these folks in The Heartland.

Designer and paper artist Helen Ward shares this incredibly fun UK home with her family.

Names: Harry, Brenda and their two sonsLocation: Wicker Park — Chicago, IllinoisSize: 2000 square feetYears lived in: 11 total, 4 post-reno — owned Brenda and Harry have been friends of mine for a long time now which means I’ve been lucky enough to share in many of their “life events”. That translates to a busy decade or so, including a wedding (fantastic!), a first baby (joyous!), a second baby (doubly joyous!

He's basically trying to live in a tree house.

Location: Echo Park – Los Angeles, California Size: 2200 square feet Years lived in: 8 months Kathleen and Bradford live at the top of the hill in Echo Park. You drive up and up and up and then when you get to the very top you walk down a set of stairs to reach their front door. Their house is very private with an incredible view. I will admit I am a bit (ok a lot) jealous.

Name: Amy & David Butler Location: Granville, Ohio Size: 4,500 square feet – Post & Beam Modern Circa 1969 Years lived in: 8 Years What a wonderful treat! We’re thrilled to be able to share this peek inside the home and studio of textile designer, Amy Butler and her husband, David.

The tall ceilings and natural light make this already spacious and gorgeous house seem even bigger.

Not only did this couple do much of the house's renovation work themselves, the entire neighborhood pitched in. Their style? Reverent and resourceful!

Name: Sara Barge, Shelby Goodwin, and Stephanie Gutierrez of Foster ATX Location: Austin, Texas Size: 1,344 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, renting After a five-week backpacking trip, Sara, Stephanie, and Shelby left Europe exhilarated by all they’d seen and done. At the time, they were convinced that kind of joy, excitement, passion for life—it was temporary.

Name: Audra White, a roommate, and a catLocation: Portland, OregonSize: 1200 square feetYears lived in: 1 year, renting My roommate and I live here with my cat, Baggy. We found the place through a friend of mine that was moving out after living there for years. She’s an interior designer as well and did a lot of work sprucing the place up while she lived there, so we can thank her for our hardwood floors and pastel paint colors.

Name: Kennesha Buycks, her husband, and children Location: Seattle, Washington Size: 2,000 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, renting To only call Kennesha Buycks a “designer” would be missing a lot of what she does. “I am an encourager. A storyteller. A life-breather. A creative. An influencer. A stylist. A gatherer. But, most of all? I am a woman who loves connecting with the hearts of others through home,” she writes on her popular blog, Restoration House.

Name: Katie Riddell, her husband Hamish, 9-year-old daughter Sophie, and Matilda their rescue dog. Location: South Eastern suburb of Melbourne, Australia Years lived in: 16 years Katie Riddell is a former lawyer-turned-interior decorator and lives in a three-bedroom, late 1960s renovated brick veneer home with her husband Hamish and daughter Sophie. Their home is filled with treasured items collected on travels, or created by their daughter or Katie.

Name: Abi Dare Location: Horfield, Bristol Size: 1000 square feet Years Lived In: 4 years, owned Minimalism isn’t exactly a new design concept these days, but there’s a really valid reason why stylist and blogger Abi Dare is drawn to neutral colors. “I have a condition called synaesthesia, which is when one sense merges with another rather than being experienced separately,” Abi says.

Name: Kate, Nick, Otis, and Zephyr, with dog Bucket Location: Frankston South — Melbourne, Australia Years lived in: 3 years, renting Kate—who runs the Instagram account The Little Beastie—has a love of interior design, decor, and craft, all of which can be seen throughout the rental home she shares with her family.

Name: Dan and Prue and 2 young children Location: Coburg, Melbourne, Australia Size: Around 1,075 square feet Years lived in: 10 years, owned Dan and Prue’s home is a work in progress. They purchased the house 10 years ago and have renovated over time slowly—room by room—when they have had the spare time. Impressive, as many parents know there isn’t a lot of spare time to work on big projects when there are two young children around!

Name: Leslie and Gilbert, kids, and pets Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan Size: 2,600 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned Leslie and Gilbert moved to Michigan a couple of years ago and were excited to find a fun mid-century modern house next to some wooded land. They love music, learning, and nature and wanted to be able to bring all of those things together into their home.

Name: Bari and Kevin Ackerman (grown daughters Anna and Emily live here only part time). Pets include Kevin’s saltwater aquarium fish. Location: Scottsdale, Arizona Size: 3,400 square feet Years Lived In: 8 years, owned We moved to Arizona in December 2011 with our two daughters who were in 8th grade and sophomore year of high school at the time. Because we hadn’t sold our house in California yet, we stayed with my parents for a bit. When the house sold in January, we began hunting.

Apartment Therapy's Lifestyle Editor calls her style: Rock ‘n Roll Bohemian Goth!

Name: Cindy EppingLocation: Portland, OregonSize: 1,800 square feetYears lived in: 2 years We had the fortune of visiting Rip City during its most beautiful week this summer and this renovated midcentury vacation home/part-time residence owned by Cindy Epping of One Stop Modern (remember her Eichler tour?

Note: I’ve redone this great tour from last year to put all the text into the slideshow so that you can cruise through it in one go. I’ve added pics too. Let me know what you think.

Small or large, one room or ten, a home renovation is a big undertaking that often involves a few unavoidable hiccups along the way. When I visited Dustin & Maya’s Eclectic Silver Lake Home, I was surprised to learn that they had completely renovated and designed their spacious house in just six short months. I picked up a few tips for you renovating readers when I visited the busy hands-on couple.