House

Name: Vera Claire and Sam Cheadle Location: Bayview — San Francisco, California Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned For Vera and Sam, the past three years have been filled with the never-ending process of renovating and personalizing their home. The fact that Sam — the acting handyman and contractor — has no experience with renovating is even more impressive.

Name: Darien Zannis and Matt Johnson, and Rescue’s (Mick) Jagger, Wile E. (Coyote), and Stevie (Nicks). Location: Culver City, California Size: 3,000 square feet Years Lived In: 2 years, renting While parking is a luxury for most Californians, Culver City residents Darien and Matt have no trouble finding a spot very, very close to home. Yes, the couple (and their three adorable rescue pups) cohabitate with their cars…many cars.

Name: Timothy Kolstad Location: San Jose, California Size: 1,888 square feet Years lived in: 27 years (on and off); Owned for 2 years Timothy never expected he’d end up back in San Jose living in his childhood home. He inherited the house two years ago, and since then, he’s worked hard to remodel the space and make it his own, which he says hasn’t been an easy task on a limited budget.

Name: Shari Pelkmans, Mike and Olle Location: Heeze, the Netherlands Size: 1,087 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned Three years ago Shari and Mike bought a newly-built house in Heeze, a tiny town in the south of the Netherlands (and Mike’s hometown). The location is great: a short walk from the town center, but also lots of pretty nature just around the corner.

Name: Alexander Åhnebrink Location: Former French Concession — Shanghai, China Size: 3,200 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting When Alexander moved to China with his wife four years ago, he dreamed of a traditional courtyard home. He was met with reality: finding one that didn’t need serious renovations was next to impossible and they would be settling for a more modern serviced apartment in the city center.

Name: Jenny McCown Location: Brisbane, Australia Years lived in: 20 Months Some years ago I first met artist Jenny McCown when I photographed her home in East Brisbane — a five-bedroom Queenslander with a bright pink door. She has since moved into a more modern (and smaller) two-bedroom apartment on Brisbane River. It is in an enviable location, with a view off her balcony across Jacaranda trees with the river just beyond.

Name: Christopher Gyzemyter Location: Brisbane, Australia Size: 1345 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, owned Christopher — a talented interior designer — was destined to have a beautiful home, whatever space he ended up in. But what’s so lovely about this place is that it’s a reflection of his style, and also a reaction to the bones of the home he bought five years ago.

Name: Andrea, Fernando and their children Delfina, Juan Cruz, Bautista and Benito Location: Villa Adelina — Buenos Aires, Argentina Size: 950 square feet Years lived in: 20 years, owned When Andrea got pregnant with their first child, they moved to this house that belonged to her husband’s family. It was supposed to be for the meantime, while they’d keep looking for their “forever” house.

Name: Claire Plummer Location: Brunswick — Melbourne, Australia Size: 2,034 square feet Years lived in: 15 years, owned It might be surprising to learn that Claire Plummer — a telecommunications analyst by day, mosaic artist by night — is a self-confessed minimalist when it comes to decorating her home. But it’s precisely this conscious decision to keep it simple with furnishings that’s allowed the amazing, one-of-kind mosaic art she creates to shine.

Name: Susanne ter Heerdt and Henri van Veen Location: Arnhem, the Netherlands Size: 1,184 square feet Years lived in: 9 years, owned It’s fascinating how one thing can lead to another. In Susanne’s case she took an upholstery course, resulting in a striking dining chair set. But what’s more: the pretty rose fabric inspired her to create a huge cross-stitch wall hanging. This new passion was born one and a half years ago, and since then Susanne has grown in her craft and style.

Name: Lake Sharp, husband Alex, and two-year-old Nevada Location: Highland Park — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,406 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, owned Lake Sharp is a skilled maker whose hand-thrown pottery, micro-batch textile goods, and exterior and interior design services comprise her business Array. In addition to being a kick-ass artist, she recently co-founded the “friendly, radically inclusive neighborhood gym and wellness center” EVERYBODY.

Name: Darren Sandras Location: Tamboerskloof — Cape Town, South Africa Size: aprox. 1550 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, renting Tucked away in the heart of Tamboerskloof is a row of semi-detached Victorian houses, each with a different colored door. And if you enter the blue door, a surprise awaits you: A beautiful and relaxed home that has come together over time. The fabulous location is what initially drew Darren to his home.

Name: Rachel and Ryan Location: Oak Hill — Nashville, Tennessee Size: 3,500 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, owned Umbrellas hang from the ceiling and there’s an entire wall of speakers in the front sitting room. The moment you enter Rachel and Ryan’s house, you’re swept up into their colorful and eclectic world.

Name: Patricia Lopez Location: San Isidro — Buenos Aires, Argentina Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 13 years, owned When Patricia got divorced she did it her way: She left him the house and went looking for a new place where she could unleash her extravagant taste and decorate free from compromises. You see, Patricia’s personality has always been strong. Born into a family of artists, she tried rebelling against her parents by attending college to become an attorney.

Name: Anne Yvonne Stoltze and her Ragdoll cats Teddy (who sadly passed away this summer) and Nigel Location: Treme — New Orleans, Louisiana Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting Anne’s romance with New Orleans began three years ago during a visit for Jazz Fest, a familiar story here in the Crescent City. The unique architecture, lush landscape, and celebratory way-of-life felt just right for this Iowa-born bon vivant.

Name: Julie and Matt Stephenson Location: Culver City, California Size: 2900 square feet Years Lived In: 6 months, owned It’s no secret that sticking to a minimal color palette can help create a sense of order and cohesiveness in design. Inspired by the stark and minimal styles found in Brutalist architecture and Icelandic design, homeowners Matt and Julie fully committed to a strict black-and-white color scheme and it definitely paid off.

Name: Kami Gray, her husband Bryant and dogs Ben and George Location: Mt. Tabor Neighborhood — Southeast Portland, Oregon Size: 2,968 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years, owned Kami and Bryant started dating when they both lived on different floors of the same condo building. After falling in love, they decided to buy a house to live in together. They purchased a home on Mt.

Name: Melinda McSpadden Location: Garden District — New Orleans, Louisiana Size: 1,300 square feet Years lived in: 11 months; the apartment is one of the perks of being a live-in innkeeper The setting for Melinda McSpadden’s life is dripping with Southern charm — lush greenery and a canopy of century-old oaks surround a Queen Anne-style mansion built in 1890 in the heart of New Orleans’ picturesque Garden District.

Name: Jaimee Dormer + Adam Lodynsky Location: Pasadena, California Size: 672 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Jaimee Dormer and her husband, Adam, moved to LA three years ago in search of new opportunities (and better weather) and have since created not just a home — but a truly unique space to work and relax. Jaimee, the founder of Coast to Coast Vintage, allows her love for color and patterns to run free throughout the space.

Name: Samantha Santana and James Lively Location: Jefferson Park — Los Angeles, California Size: 619 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, 2 months, owned When Samantha and James first moved into their historic, 93-year-old Spanish bungalow, they knew they would be doing most of the renovations and remodeling themselves. It was a long haul, especially since their home was inhabited by squatters before they moved in.

Name: Katie Day, her partner and three adorable cats Location: Dayboro — Queensland, Australia Years lived in: 7 months, owned Katie has only recently moved into her cute Queenslander-style home in the country town of Dayboro, a 50-minute drive from Brisbane, Australia. The home was lovingly restored by a local building firm, and Katie’s added her “modern country” style to the space…along with filling the house with three cats and colorful sofas.

Name: Moorea Seal, her husband, and pup Lemon Location: Seattle, Washington Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned When I reached out to Seattle boutique owner, social media extraordinaire, and author Moorea Seal about doing a home tour, she was in the middle of writing her third book, Make Yourself at Home. (The 52 Lists Project was her first hit journal, and 52 Lists for Happiness has been featured by the likes of Oprah.com.

Name: Amy Stewart and Scott Brown Location: Eureka, California Size: 2800 square feet Years Lived In: 17 years; own (well, we used to own it. We just sold the house and we’re moving to Portland.) How do you say goodbye to a house you’ve lived in and loved for 17 years?

Name: Julien Marit, husband Mike, daughters Kibale, Glacier and Salem. And pup Madden Location: Milton — Ontario Canada Size: 2,100 square feet Years Lived In: 12 years, owned “I believe that a home is not just a playground for living but also a composition of all who live there. I love walking into a space that has a story in the design; preferably a personal story,” wrote landscape designer and artist (@c’estjulien) Julien Marit.

Name: Stacey Lipstein Location: Leslieville — Toronto, Canada Size: 950 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, owned Stacey knew that sizing up a 950-square-foot house for a growing family was going to be a challenge, but from the beginning she saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Fast forward a few years and the home is nearly complete (until Stacey’s next design vision), and it couldn’t be more charming!

Name: Pamelyn Rocco, her husband Chris and their daughters Moorea and Harlow Location: Playa Vista, California Size: 3,600 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned Pamelyn and her husband were actually familiar with this house before they ever moved in — they used to live next door! Though it wasn’t exactly their style, she saw the potential and knew with a little design direction it could be amazing. Even more incredible?

Name: Matt, The Stewart House Location: Nashville, Tennessee Size: 730 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned The story behind Matt’s mid-century modern bungalow is as beautiful as the home itself. “This place was built (and named) in memory of my late grandmother. I share my middle name with her (Stewart). She was the most amazing hostess and the money she left me when she passed was the seed money to get the design going on this little haven.

Name: Katie, Anthony, Isabelle and Freya Miller, with dogs Oliver and Tulip Location: Belmont, North Carolina Size: 1,800 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned Katie’s friends are right, walking into her lovely duplex in Belmont, North Carolina is an immensely welcoming experience. Maybe it is the two insistent yet extremely friendly dachshunds that greet you upon arrival, or maybe it’s the comforting furnishings and thoughtful art that permeate her abode.

Name: Kristin Peters and Corey McLaughlin, cats Gracie and Zoey Location: Redwood Heights — Oakland, California Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 13 years, owned When Kristin and Corey first looked at their Oakland home when it was on the market, they walked away from it. Kristin fell in love with the living room views, but Corey couldn’t get past the ugly facade and outdated design.

Name: Stephan Kaspers, Judith Bolk, and their cats Dinkey and Wolly Location: Coevorden, the Netherlands Size: 1,292 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, owned A less adventurous person might have backed away from this house built in 1920 — charming as it was, it was practically uninhabitable and in dire need of updates. But as a little boy Stephan loved rearranging his bedroom, tweaking details to make the space look lovely.

Name: Driss and Bettina daughters Tala (6) and Ziri (4) Location: Amsterdam (Spiegelkwartier), Netherlands Size: 2,400 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, owned Driss and Bettina, originally from Morocco and Germany, met (and fell in love) in Amsterdam at a small, creative advertising agency where they worked. They’ve both been passionate about interior design and beautiful, charming houses.

Name: Courtney Gallagher and family Location: Riverside, California Size: 1252 square feet Years Lived In: 3 years, owned What started as a mild mid-century modern obsession has turned into a full-blown side hustle for mother and resident MCM expert Courtney Gallagher, She uses her successful Etsy furniture store, Not Another Mod Snob, as an excuse to rotate new vintage pieces in and out of her family’s 1951 ranch-style home in Riverside, California.

Name: Jason and Colleen Wachob, of mindbodygreen Location: Dumbo — Brooklyn, New York Size: 1,751 square feet Years lived in: 8 months, owned After back injuries left him in excruciating pain in 2009, Jason Wachob began his yoga practice…and was encouraged by the positive, powerful, life-improving effects. This change sparked an interest in living a more balanced, holistic lifestyle. “It was a real awakening for me,” he confesses.

Name: Ivonne Meyer Location: Woodstock — Cape Town, South Africa Size: 1,550 square feet Years lived in: 10 years, owned After many years of renting a bedroom in this very house, Ivonne luckily had the opportunity to purchase the property when her friend relocated to Namibia and needed to sell. With no furniture of her own to begin with, Ivonne slept in the living room on just a mattress for the first few months.

Name: Caroline Harper Knapp, her husband, and their sons, Knox and Andrew Location: Briargrove — Houston, Texas Size: 2,500 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned When Caroline Harper Knapp moved back to her home state of Texas a few years ago from New York, she knew she would have more space to design a home for her and her family.

Name: Danica and Robin Location: Highland Park — Los Angeles, California Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: 4 months, rented When Danica and Robin decided to move to Los Angeles from Oakland, their apartment search began with location in mind. Sure, it’d be nice to have a large space, but it wasn’t a priority — especially with a new baby and Los Angeles’ tight rental market.

Name: Brandon Bourdganis Location: Ferndale, Michigan Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned “My home is a snapshot of my life…I try to incorporate memories from my family, travels, city, state and friends while making it look very personal and uniquely me.

Name: Wesley & Levi Janssen; their kids James (6), Anders (5), and Julia (1); and the family dog Logan. Location: Mid City — New Orleans, Louisiana Size: 1,690 square feet upstairs; 1,200 in raised basement apartment Years lived in: 4 years, owned It was the second-to-last last day of Wesley Janssen’s maternity leave when a “for sale” sign in front of a stately raised-basement Art and Crafts style home caught her eye five years ago.

Name: Laura Burkitt and Ben Sarner Location: Queen’s Park, London Size: 1,229 square feet Years Lived In: 18 months, owned Laura Burkitt, a lifestyle and event stylist, bought this two-bedroom flat in Queens Park, London with her boyfriend a year and a half ago. “We bought the apartment as we wanted a garden flat, and decided to do an extension and renovation to make more of the space.

Name: Ryan and Katie Royle Location: Dundas — Ontario, Canada Size: 1,300 square feet Years lived in: 1 Year, owned When Ryan and Katie first looked at this home, it was like a set on That ’70s Show. Nasty shag carpet, wood paneling, weird blocked off rooms. It had it all…and this couple didn’t want any of it. But after enlisting the help of local designer, Krista of KMSalter Design, they were able to have their dream home.

Retro Halloween masks, handmade spooky DIYs, glitter, pom-poms, tassels and a ton of faux trees — crafter and blogger Jen Perkins doesn’t just set a few fake tombstones out on the lawn and call it a day. When it comes to Halloween decorating, every inch of her home (inside and out) is splashed with spooky decor. This is the third year in a row we’re showing off what her home looks like in October.

Name: Anne and Coen Location: Dordrecht, the Netherlands Size: 1,367 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned The old city of Dordrecht is filled with many quaint buildings, like a warehouse built in 1750 that was used to store bed sheets and towels for a nearby hospital (that has long since disappeared). Unlike the hospital, the warehouse is still around but is now home to Anne and Coen.

Name: Audrey Morissette her husband Francois and baby William Location: Blainville, Quebec Size: 2,380 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, owned Audrey Morissette established her store Boutique Vestibule in 2014 in the Mile End of Montreal. Vestibule is an original lifestyle concept shop that offers decorative accessories, clothing brands, jewelry and many local products carefully chosen, all in a minimalist, feminine and timeless style.

Name: Sara, Damien, Vincent (7) and Lawrence (5) Location: Bentleigh East — Melbourne, Australia Years lived in: 2 years, owned Sara and Damien purchased their home in Bentleigh East three years ago, and it’s been a great first family home for the couple and their two children. In fact, the process of renovating the house actually sparked Sara’s interest in interior design — so much so that after completing the reno she embarked on a “back to school” journey!

Name: Kate and Matt Williams, their children Daisy and Joseph, and their whippets Mimi and Olive Location: Mistley — Essex, UK Years lived in: 3 1/2 years This Georgian home dates back to 1710 and sits on one side of the scenic High Street of Mistley village on the Stour Estuary in Essex. The air is scented with the salty smell of the river and the malty hops brewing in the large red-brick brewery nearby.

Name: Kim and Patrick + daughter Fiona + dog CeCe Location: Brighton, Michigan Size: 2,000 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, owned Built in 1940 — with a mint green exterior and eggplant shutters — Kim and Patrick’s Cape Cod style house is steeped in history. “There has only been one owner prior to us and the land for the home was originally parceled from the lot belonging to the house next door.

Name: Meg and Julia Rigano Location: Fox Park — St. Louis, Missouri Size: 2,126 square feet Years lived in: 6 months, owned Five years ago, hosting a party at this address would have been unheard of — the century-old home was falling apart and on the market for less than $40,000 at the time. But in recent years, St. Louis investors have been quickly buying up homes like this one to flip.

Name: Alex McCabe, her boyfriend Bobby, and their three dogs Freddy, Jimmy and Gerald Location: St Kilda — Melbourne, Australia Size: 1,345 square feet Years lived in: 8 years, owned About half of the furniture in Alex McCabe’s house is vintage. There’s a “deliciously worn” 1970s brown leather lotus couch, a 1950s Danish dining table set and some super comfortable vintage armchairs.

Name: Joy Wilson, aka Joy the Baker Location: Bywater — New Orleans, Louisiana Size: 1,700 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, owned “New Orleans, you beast. You wild, unpredictable, crazy fun, wholly overwhelming place. New Orleans isn’t just a city… it’s a spirit and culture. It’s a lady and a trouble-maker. It’s palpable and irresistible, and will not be ignored. New Orleans, you excite me. New Orleans, I’m hungry. New Orleans, I love you.

Name: Lisa Palmer, husband Rob and son Quinn Location: Fenton, Michigan (a suburb of Detroit) Size: 5,300 square feet (including basement) Years lived in: 16 years, owned Lisa Palmer is a seeker of all things vintage, lover of nostalgia, and fan of making her home a place where anyone can walk in and feel loved by it. On the professional side, Lisa is a serial entrepreneur (16 years in) who has a knack for developing products and building lifestyle brands such as her most recent Lillybee.

Name: Courtney, Paul, and (daughter) Redding Location: Corktown — Detroit, Michigan Size: 2,000 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, owned After living in Brooklyn for 10 years, Courtney and Paul relocated to Detroit in 2016 and took a chance on buying a house…without ever walking inside. The couple discovered the property through family: Paul’s cousin moved back to the Motor City a few years before them and found this duplex. Now they all currently live in it!

Name: Haley Lertola Location: True North — Detroit, Michigan Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 1/2 year, renting Haley Lertola owns an event planning and design company, Detroit Cultivated, where she’s “committed to disrupting the Detroit event industry by creating inspired experiences that incorporate sustainable practices. One of the goals of each event is to transport guests to a truly original setting.

Name: Aurora Lady and Ben Pringle Location: Pasadena, California Size: 830 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, rented “Our home is our everything — it’s our retreat, our workplace, and our safety net,” Aurora Lady says of the Pasadena apartment she shares with her partner Ben. It’s a place where Aurora can create, where Ben can work on his music, and where the couple can just chill out. But to Aurora and Ben, it’s more than just an apartment.

Name: Caitlyn Cartlidge Location: Frederick, Maryland Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned This house was a dump when I bought it. Stained wall-to-wall carpet and garish high-gloss paint, zero appliances in the kitchen, missing most of its doorknobs, and with a barely usable bathroom whose walls matched the color of the anti-freeze in the pipes pretty well.

Name: Amelia Stockdale and Kayne Assan Location: Busselton, Western Australia Years lived in: 2 years, renting After returning from traveling and living all over Australia two years ago, Kayne and Amelia were lucky enough to be offered this beach shack to rent in Busselton through a friend. Busselton happens to be Kayne’s hometown, and at first this rental was supposed to be a temporary visit before their next adventure.

Name: Elsie Tuttle, Leslie Salisbury, Tierney Furlong Location: Tower Grove South — St. Louis, Missouri Size: 1,626 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned Elsie’s home has made something of a name for itself. Called the “Humphrey Homestead,” after its street address in St.

Name: Karlijn, Daniel and their cat Harrie Location: Utrecht, the Netherlands Size: 1,076 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned Karlijn is a teacher at a school for children with special needs. It’s a very rewarding job, though at times it can also be pretty challenging. When a day has been especially strenuous, she loves to unwind in the lovely home she shares with Daniel and their cat Harrie. In fact, decorating the house they bought three years ago has become quite a passion.

Name: Naeem, Cecelia and their two daughters, Amelia and Sophia Location: Mowbray — Cape Town, South Africa Size: 1,076 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned Naeem and Cecelia had to put in new floors, ceilings and walls in this Victorian cottage, the first house they’ve owned together as a couple. “It was a challenge but also great, because we started with a blank canvas,” writes Cecelia.

Name: Amanda Jaffe, Kate McCann, Carina Romano Location: Fleischmanns, New York Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: Less than a year, owned Sometimes friends get together and profess their love of the same tall mountains and winding roads. For Amanda, Kate and Carina (me!), these confessions and conversations resulted in buying a dream getaway together in the ever-inspiring Catskill Mountains.

Name: Anna, Jason and Freddy Location: Ballard — Seattle, Washington Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, owned After buying their Seattle home five years ago, Anna and Jason spent about two years updating elements that likely hadn’t changed in decades — all new windows, refurbished kitchen counters, new paint throughout — and the list goes on.

Name: Deepali and Naveen Kalia, Annika, 8 and Akhil, 2 Location: Hillsboro, Oregon Size: 1,800 square feet Years lived in: 12 years, owned Deepali and Naveen began their life together in a traditionally Indian way — through an arranged marriage. She had just finished studying fashion design in India at NIFT, and moved to Oregon to join Naveen who works at Intel.

Name: Anna Lane, her husband Chris and their two children Noah and Rose Location: Los Angeles, California. Size: 1,700 square feet Years lived in: 7 years, renting When Anna and her husband moved into this house, she was determined to create a homey, warm place to live. The previous tenants of this rental had a vastly different design style than Anna, but she painted, bought furniture from flea markets, did some gardening and even updated the floors.

Name: Andrea Howe Location: Seal Beach, California. Size: 2,300 square feet Years lived in: 7 years, owned When Andrea Howe and her family started searching for a house, nothing they found was what they were looking for. This house had one thing going for it though: “The decision of purchasing this one was the tree in the backyard,” says Andrea.

Name: Helga Stentzel, her husband Kirill and their boys Misha (8) and Timmy (3) Location: West London Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned Helga Stentzel, or @made_by_helga as she’s better known on Instagram, lives in London with her husband and their two boys Misha and Timmy. Originally from Russia, Helga came to London to study graphic design at Central Saint Martins a decade ago.

Name: Sonia Gil and her partner Tony Vazquez Location: Miami Beach, Florida Size: 2,000 square feet Years Lived In: 2 yrs, owned It’s not hard to see why Sonia’s Miami Beach home is her pride and joy. The renovation of this 2,000-square-foot home was a labor of love, but the end result is a sleek, modernly styled space that exudes a cozy warmth. And it’s the perfect home for Sonia and her partner Tony.

Name: Melissa Hon Tsai and Gary Tsai Location: South Pasadena, California Size: 3,101 square feet Years Lived In: 1 year, owned Melissa Hon Tsai is an interior designer and architect who favors a modern, minimal aesthetic. But when she designed and built her family’s three-bedroom home from the ground up, she had to marry her own modern taste with her neighborhood’s mid-century modern appeal.

Name: Denise and Andy Palma (+ kids Layla, Hailey, Lily and Mia) Location: Huntington Beach, California Size: 1,289 square feet Years Lived In: 3.5 years, owned Entrepreneur and design guru Denise Palma’s happy Huntington Beach home is everything sunny California dreams are made of. Denise, who shares her home with her husband Andy and four girls Layla, Hailey, Lily, and Mia, first launched her beloved boho home goods site Eclectic Goods last summer to the internet’s delight.

Name: Beatrice Fischel-Bock, CEO & Co-Founder of Hutch, her dog Ellie (and a roommate, her friend Lizzie, not pictured) Location: West Hollywood, California Years Lived In: 2 years, renting It was love at first sight when Beatrice saw this West Hollywood rental home in 2015. “It had so much character and was perfect for what I was looking for. I really wanted a place that had some integrity, and especially a place that was very California,” she describes.

Name: Chantal Berkelmans, husband Pieter, their daughters Annabel and Lois Location: Eersel, the Netherlands Size: 6,458 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, owned (and self-built) For a long time Chantal believed she wasn’t creative or handy. She always felt envious of people who seemed to make the loveliest items (seemingly without much effort). When Chantal was pregnant with her first child, she remembers a period when she was terribly ill and could only lie in bed all day.

Name: Emily Ley, husband Bryan, toddler twins (Caroline + Tyler) and first-grader (Brady) Location: Tampa, Florida Size: a little under 4,000 square feet Years Lived In: almost 3, owned It was becoming a mom that led Emily to the life she leads today: A designer, author, and the creator of the wildly popular Simplified Planner.

Name: Tanya List, hubby Ry and daughter Reid Location: Muskoka — Ontario, Canada Size: 1500 square feet Years Lived In: 4 years, owned You saw a sneak peek of Tanya’s beautiful home in a house call last year, and now you can get a longer look and read more about her home. Tanya writes: We moved from Toronto to Muskoka about four years ago. The city was lovely, but once we had Reid, I craved moving home to my hometown of Muskoka.

Name: Erin and Creighton Barrett Location: Charleston, South Carolina Size: 3,600 square feet Years Lived In: 2 years, owned “Initially the first thing that sparked our interest in this particular house was the ’70s style ‘sunken’ living room,” admits Erin Barrett. “This is something that my husband has always wanted and was super excited about. It sort of sealed the deal for us.