House

Name: Amy Gustafson, Stephanie Ingold and their dogs, Lenny and Marvel Location: Northeast Minneapolis, Minnesota Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 4 years owned for Amy; 2 years rented for Stephanie Amy and Steph have been friends for over a decade.

Name: David and Ashe Pellew and their three children Location: West Coolup; Western Australia Size: 180 square meters (1,938 square feet) Years lived in: 14 Months; Owned One afternoon Ashe and David, along with their three children, drove past an old farm that was for sale in a tiny town in the south of Western Australia. At that moment, they fell in love with its charms and promptly bought it the next day, thus fulfilling a dream that they had had together since they were only 17 years old.

Name: Brian and Dara Packer and their kids, Daphne, Maddox, and Amelia Jane Location: Ellicott City, outside of Baltimore, Maryland Size: 2,500 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Brian and Dara have had plenty of time to perfect their personal style. The couple met in high school and married after college graduation, having attended different schools in the same area. The first home they shared was a condo in the historic Federal Hill neighborhood of Baltimore.

Name: Nick and Julia and their three children Location: Toronto, Ontario Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 8 years Modern, colorful and striking, this renovated home is full of great architectural features, elegant design and clean lines. Nick and Julia love the family- and party-friendly home they were able to create with the help of Solares Architecture, a firm that renovates and builds environmentally integrated homes.

Name: Robert and Jocelyn Rahm and their children, Odessa and Wyeth Location: Portland, Oregon Size: 2,300 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Owned Robert and Jocelyn are the proprietors of one of Portland’s most beautiful home stores, Beam & Anchor, so it’s no surprise that their own space is filled with lovingly crafted furniture, gorgeous textiles, interesting vintage pieces, and thoughtful modern accents.

Name: LonAnne Culver Magnuson, design and organizing consultant, with sons Thomas and William. And Lucy the cat. Location: Brentwood Neighborhood — Austin, TexasSize: 1,848 square feetYears lived in: 10 There’s this intangible, mythical quality that Texas-born men and women ethereally possess. Something about always saying “thank you” and “ma’am.” Pulling off cowboy boots and any article of clothing. Always having a cold beer ready for a guest.

Name: Michael Andrews Paul Svendsen + Alice Martha (dogs), and Monkey (cat)Location: Silver Lake, California Size: 2,000 square feetYears lived in: 3 Michael is the owner of Inheritance, a shoebox-sized shop brimming to the rafters with design artifacts, miscellaneous curiosities, and modern furnishings — all curated with aplomb by its owner who “inherited” the store back in 2008.

Name: Erin Curtis and Aaron Dubrow (and 4 part-time, indoor/outdoor kitties) Location: East Side — Austin, Texas Size: 1400 square feet Years lived in: Owned 1 year What would you get if you mixed a 1920s bungalow, the inside of a vintage boat and a lofty barn with clean lines? The unique look of an East Austin house that has completely won us over. Full of incredibly smart space and money saving ideas, we’re quite impressed with the path the look of this home has taken.

Name: Andrea Koran and Elliott Torres and their daughter, Ella Location: Wilmette, Illinois Size: 980 square feet Years lived in: 16 years; Owned Andrea and Elliott’s home feels like a cozy cottage, or maybe a vacation home by a lake. Considering that Lake Michigan is just two miles away, it’s a lake house that they live in year-round. Graphic designer Andrea and software engineer Elliott both create things at their jobs, so they say that they don’t do much DIY at home.

Name: Sarah and Morgan Dews, their kids Tallulah and Max, and Cosmo the dog and Leroy the cat Location: Ocean Park Neighborhood — Santa Monica, California Size: 1,450 square feet Years lived in: Owned 6 years (and soon to be moving!) Sarah and Morgan are two world travelers whose paths crossed in Barcelona, Spain in 2004. Morgan, who grew up in the states between the east and west coast, fled to Spain in his twenties in search of adventure.

Name: Faith and Hannah Russell Location: South London, UK Size: 1158 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Faith Russell and Hannah Russell aren’t just sisters; they’re roommates, business partners and the co-founders of Layer. What started out first as an Instagram account, then morphed into a popular lifestyle blog, has now evolved into a UK-based online marketplace featuring thousands of vintage and pre-owned furniture items for sale.

Name: Virginia and Garrett Cortese Location: Maitland, Florida Size: 817 square feet Years lived in: 6 years, Rented Virginia and Garrett’s lakeside home is a treasure trove of fine art, travel souvenirs, family heirlooms, lush greenery, and their own art—Garrett is a photographer, while Virginia is a graphic designer who dabbles in painting. Their apartment is wonderfully, as Virginia describes it, “modern but eclectic.

Name: Erin Nichols and Danny, daughters Kate and Ava, and dogs Chance and Stella Location: Huntington Beach, California Size: 1,700 square feet Years lived in: 8 years Erin and Danny’s lovely Huntington Beach home feels idyllically Californian: tucked away on a quiet tree-lined street, a short walk from the beach, filled with sunlight, and book-ended by two breezy outdoor areas. It’s an easy place to feel relaxed and happy.

Name: Jaimee and David Morse, their twin sons, and Lana the dog Location: Northeast Minneapolis, Minnesota Size: 1,250 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Rented When Jaimee and David moved to the Midwest from the East Coast, they didn’t expect to come to Minneapolis—and they certainly didn’t expect to stay. They have since fallen in love with the city, their neighborhood, and their home.

Name: Seth and Maureen Conant and their cats, Frank and Lucy Location: Seattle, Washington Size: 2,000 square feet Years lived in: 6 years; Owned Walking into Maureen and Seth’s house transports you to the 1950s. In fact, just walking along their street gives you that feeling! They live in a little enclave of mid-century homes in northwest Seattle, most of which were built by the same architect, Thomas Dunstan, in the late 1950s.

Name: Claes & Melinda Bergman Location: Phoenix, Arizona Size: 1,400 square feet including studio Years lived in: 7 years; owned The incredible thing about Melinda and Claes Bergman’s beautiful home is that they’ve done virtually everything themselves. Remodeled kitchen and bathroom? Check. Flooring? Check. Paint? Check. There isn’t a corner of their Mid-Century modern house they haven’t put some serious and impressive DIY into.

Name: Sarah and Brian Meeks Location: Homewood, Illinois Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; owned Nearly everything in Sarah and Brian’s house – from the credenza they found on the side of the road right down to their three cuddly shelter pets – has been rescued or re-purposed.

Name: Molly and Tyler KingLocation: Echo Park, Los Angeles, CaliforniaSize: 680 square feetYears lived in: 5 years; Owned I first met Molly and Tyler years ago when I tagged along with a friend to their Labor Day barbecue, and since then, I’ve watched them welcome countless friends into their charming Eastside home.

Name: Mary Sprague Profession: Artist and Art/Art History professor (retired) Location: St. Louis, Missouri Size: 4500 square feet Years lived in: 27 years; owned Mary’s home and studio is an aggregation of 50 years of art. An active and longtime member of the St. Louis artistic community, she’s also one of those women you want to be when you’re in your 70s — whip smart, creative and kind.

Name: Neeza and Pierre Location: Helmersbuurt; Amsterdam, The Netherlands Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Neeza is from Malaysia, and Pierre hails from France — two wildly different backgrounds that tastefully meet halfway to create this unique space. Splashes of color to balance out the white floor and walls, placement of beautiful furniture, and special handcrafted accents are just a part of the unique beauty of this home.

Name: Marisa Vitale and Peter James Location: Venice Beach, California Size: 1250 square feet Years lived in: 3 Years; Owned Marisa and Peter are a couple of world travelers with a serious case of wanderlust. Beloved souvenirs abound throughout their sunny, airy, one-story, Venice Beach home. Their home’s newest decor, however, speaks not to globetrotting, but to an entirely different sort of adventure, -that of first-time parenthood…times two!

Name: Austin White, Monica Rodgers and children, Manon and Shaw  Location: Kingston, Rhode Island Size: 1,850 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; owned It all started with a ship captain in the 1920’s. He translated his passion for the seafaring life into a nautical-inspired Arts and Crafts home.

Name: Jenna & Lexxa Location: Baker Neighborhood; Denver, Colorado Size: 630 square feet Years lived in: 13 (Jenna) & 17.5 (Lexxa); Owned Jenna Miles, the owner of Denver’s “modern mercantile” shop Hazel & Dewey,  and her partner, Lexxa, are the happy residents of a two story renovated colonial in the city’s quaint Baker District neighborhood. I first met Jenna in her shop, filled with the most incredible kitchen items and hostess gifts.

Name: Alix Flood & Nick Benson, with kids Henry and Hope Location: Jamestown, Rhode Island Size: 2,355 square feet Years lived in: 4 years; owned For Alix and Nick, moving into their home in the quaint seaside village of Jamestown four years ago was a “dream come true.” Nick had admired the Edwardian house ever since he was a young boy, when his family spent summers in the picturesque island community.

Name: Sophie Crocket, her partner Scott and kids Casey and Callum Location: Lymington; Hampshire, UK Size: Three-bedroom house Years lived in: 6 years The pink flamingos standing sentry outside the front door give a clue to what lies inside this tiny 1960s red brick cottage tucked away in the English countryside.

Name: Annie Elliott, CEO Bossy Color Interior Design Location: Woodley Park, Washington, DC Size: 2700 square feet Years lived in: Owned 8.5 years With a business called “Bossy Color” one naturally has a strong point of view when it comes to design. Enter Annie Elliott, the energetic designer behind Bossy Color Interior Design based in DC.

Name: Laura Shaeffer, Andrew Nord, Jasper and Sebastian Location: Hyde Park, Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: 9 years; Owned Laura and Andrew’s modernist townhome is a part of a community near the University of Chicago campus. It has 2 floors, a basement, and a huge backyard accessible by the other houses in the community. Their house is HOME Gallery, an intersection between a living space, an art gallery, a community engagement center, a playground, and a school.

Name: Keith and Paige Location: Belmont Heights, Long Beach, California Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 1 years; Rented The day of Keith and Paige’s tour I am embarrassed to say I was running late, plenty late. Making my way from a shoot in Laguna to Long Beach, I called from the 405 (Hello, Californians!) to see if I needed to reschedule.

Name: Page Evans, daughters Peyton and Katherine, and Angus the Lab Location: Georgetown; Washington, DC Size: 1,800 square feet Years lived in: 8 years; Owned Page and her two daughters moved into this two bedroom in the heart of Georgetown eight years ago — they were downsizing after a divorce. Upon moving, Page, an art consultant and writer, set out to bring the small, 19th-century house up to date.

Name: Joanne and Brian King Location: Bay Spring; Barrington, Rhode Island Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 35 years; owned It’s a perfect summer evening. There’s a mellow breeze and a blanket of soft golden light. The Kings are sitting on their deck with drinks and a cheese tray watching sailboats race in Narragansett Bay. A couple sitting in a parked car takes in the scenery from across the street.

Name: Kelsey and Mike Sheofsky (and Louella and Bird Sheofsky) Location: Mission; San Francisco, California Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: 2 1/2 years; Rented Kelsey and Mike make their living by creating beautiful outdoor spaces for their pop-up lodging service Shelter Co. They bring the same effortless style, laid back attitude and appreciation for travel to their San Francisco home, which they share with their perpetually chatty 7 month old Louella and their dog Bird.

Name: Christina Nickerson, Owner of Olmay Home, and her husband, two daughters, and their dog Location: Hancock Park, Los Angeles, California Size: 5,000 square feet Years lived in: 15 years I’ve always been surprised that the classics, things like great jeans, a beautiful white mug, a plain dark chocolate bar, someone who makes a good martini — which you would think would be so easy to locate — can be so hard to find.

Name: Maria and Eric Location: Jordaan — Amsterdam, The Netherlands Size: 200 square meters Years lived in: 5 years; Owned Welcome to Maria and Eric’s historical Amsterdam home with a modern twist. The two purchased this four-story abode five years ago and renovated the whole structure from top to bottom. Maria put it lightly when she said that renovating is “not an easy task in a foreign country.

Name: Scotti Sitz, creator of GARDE (lifestyle, gift, and home accessories shop) Location: Hancock Park; Los Angeles, California Size: 2,600 square feet Years lived in: 4 months Scotti’s home reminds me of the classic California Spanish-style interiors you find in Malibu or Santa Barbara. The home (and its inhabitant) carry such elegance and beauty without being overly fussy.

Name: Stiles and Lauren Christner Location: Englewood, Colorado Size: 624 Square Feet Years Lived In: 2 Texas born and bred, Lauren and Stiles embody the small town warmth and southern spunk so often found in the Lone Star state. Lucky for us, the same can be said about their beautiful starter home in Denver, Colorado. Stepping through the threshold of this home, one might initially find it hard to determine the age of its residents.

Name: Taylor and Isabella Crockett Location: Central Phoenix, Arizona Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 9 Months; Owned While the housing market in Phoenix was one of the first to crash, it’s also been the first to rebound. Before the first quarter of 2012, if you were quicker than the investors, you could snag a foreclosed home in an historic neighborhood for less than $100,000.

Name: Philip Oakley, his wife Olivia, and their two cocker spaniels, Joe and Jarvis Location: St Leonards; Sussex, UK Size: 6,000 square feet Years lived in: Owned 4.5 years, lived in 3 years Philip and Olivia’s home is a great hulk of a building painted top to toe in gunmetal grey. From the outside, it looks almost hermetically sealed. The front door blends in to the wall, and most the windows are shuttered.

I first saw Shira Gill’s home through an Airbnb link that my friend forwarded to me, and I was instantly smitten. Shira, the owner of a professional organizing business called Simply Sorted, keeps her home exactly how I would (and sorta do). Her decor is minimal and clutter-free without being boring, an impressive feat with two little girls.

Name: John and Liz Tavarez Location: Fairview Place; Phoenix, Arizona Size: 1,004 square feet Years lived in: 7 years; Owned Liz and John live in a Sears Craftsman assembled in 1926. Their neighborhood, Fairview Place, was granted Historic Designation in 1994. It’s the oldest house in their neighborhood by two years. In Phoenix, this is considered incredibly old. In fact, generally speaking, a home built before 1960 is considered old.

Name: Johanna Lowe, food and prop stylist, and Derek Richmond, food photographer; together, they are the co-founders of Richmond Lowe Studio. Location: Logan Square; Chicago, Illinois Size: 3,000 square feet, with an additional 2,000 square feet of outdoor space Years lived in: 7 months; Rented Could there be a more perfect pairing than a food and prop stylist and a food photographer?

Name: Sarah Bernard, husband James, and stepson Edward (on weekends) Location: Notting Hill, London Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; rented Sarah’s home has a modern, graphic style and a laid-back vibe that makes guests feel immediately at home in their colorful surroundings. Nothing is staged or forced.

Name: Lori and Jeromy Murphy, accesibility consultant with ACI, plus their two daughters Location: Heights Area; Houston, Texas Size: 2,480 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Owned Lori and her husband Jeromy are both architects. These days, she looks after the kids and he’s an accessibility consultant, but the house they built together has every bit of the ingenuity and style you would expect from the home of two designers.

Name: Cori & Jake Roberts Location: West End; Glasgow, Scotland Size: Three story town house Years lived in: 3 years; owned I can only conclude that Cori, her husband Jake (a film editor) and their three beautiful boys, Milo, Jonah and Louis, have effortless style running through their veins. Cori was born in Sweden, and with a photographer for a mother and artist for a father; their home was a hive of creativity.

Name: Rachel, Zach & Skye Location: Little Italy, San Diego, California Size: You’d think that we would know that since Zach’s dad is the architect, but we have no clue. Big enough for the three of us! Years lived in: 11 years If you want to live in one of the coolest concrete lofts in San Diego, it doesn’t hurt to be related to the architect.

Name: Tyler and Lolly Lux Location: Kensington, London, United Kingdom Size: 560 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, rented The morning of my photo shoot at Tyler and Lolly’s west London mews home, the couple were visited by an unexpected guest, in the form of a pigeon who somehow managed to fall down their chimney into the living room. “We woke up and could hear this strange flapping noise” Lolly told me when I arrived several hours later.

Name: Dan, Jill, Grey and Taavi Ritacco and their dog Apple Location: North Kingstown, Rhode Island Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: almost 3 years; owned Written in chalk above the bathroom door are the words, “Artistry + Function + Simplicity = This Home.” It’s a fitting mission statement for Jill and Dan Ritacco’s small Rhode Island cape, which was gutted and revitalized by the couple themselves.

Name: Cyndi Coon Location: Tempe, Arizona Size: 1,800 square feet Years lived in: 13 years; owned Cyndi’s home, a ranch-style house built in 1958, is a stunning ode to all things found, reclaimed, and vintage. It’s a home you can stare at for hours: peering into glass-fronted cases, admiring collections of ceramics, and wondering at the story behind each object. It’s about as far away from childproofed as you can get.

Name: Seth and Natalie Brookshire Location: Presidio Heights; San Francisco, California Size: 2,700 square feet Years lived in: Seth for 10 years, Natalie for 3.5; Owned Walking up to this residence you’ll be greeted by Seth, an architect, and Natalie, a floral designer. The modern, light filled space you step into feels like a hidden treasure, and for good reason. The place was designed from the ground up by Seth, and every detail was carefully considered, with flawless results.

Name: John Trefry and Laurel Watson Location: Lawrence, Kansas Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; rented When I first visited John and Laurel’s house less than a year after they’d moved in, I was struck by its warmth and homeyness, qualities that brought me back for a tour. John is an architecture instructor and founding partner of the work.

Name: Amy Haiar and Todd Donahue Location: Avondale/Logan Square — Chicago, Illinois Size: 2,400 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Owned What happens when two creative directors have carte blanche to design a new home from the ground up? In the case of husband-and-wife duo Todd and Amy, colorful, interesting, and beautiful things happen. Amy and Todd purchased their newly-constructed Smart Tech home a little over a year ago.

Name: Marco Pecota & Ilse Gudino Location: Toronto, Canada Size: 2,700 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, owned Imagining what the combined efforts of an industrial furniture designer/horror magazine publisher/film maker and a professional flamenco dancer could do with a boxy mixed-use building couldn’t even come close to the dramatic reality that is Marco & Ilse’s multi-level loft.

Name: Chris MacDonald (tattoo artist) & Meg Tilston (furniture designer) Location: Toronto, Canada Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 7 years; owned Tattoo artist Chris McDonald and furniture designer Meg Tilston knew they’d found the perfect home when they first saw this tiny cottage in Toronto.

Name: Mark Salvie, plus roommates Rob and Jeff and dog Bubs Location: The Heights; Houston, Texas Size: 2,188 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Owned Mark is the guy with all the cool stuff. Everywhere you turn, there is something interesting to look at. The thing about Mark’s house, though, is that it doesn’t feel cluttered or crowded. It is, as Goldilocks would say, just right.

Name: Kristen Philipkoski, Kourosh Karimkhany, and daughter Frida Location: Pacifica, California Size: 2,000 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years; rented When Kristen Philipkoski, a science writer turned fashion blogger, spotted this 70s beach house in Pacifica, just 15 miles south of San Francisco, she knew she had to have it.

Name: Tim Eddy and Hannah Fuller Location: Tahoe, California Size: 196 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; Owned Hannah grew up in a home her parents built (her father is a boat builder), so it was only natural for her to follow in their footsteps. Tim, on the other hand, has never built anything but fires.

Name: Cinda & Mark Boomershine Location: Atlanta, Georgia Size: 3 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath Years lived in: 7 years An architecturally traditional home filled with bright color and bold contemporary art is just the first of many contrasts that make up Cinda and Mark’s style.

Name: Eva Schone Location: Hyde Park; Austin, Texas Size: 850 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; rented Eva Schone, the founder of Trophyology (and an architect on hiatus), describes her style as “light, cozy, and green with a sense of clarity.” It’s true. Upon entering her sun-drenched two bedroom garage apartment, Eva’s decisions and delights are perfectly clear, without the appearance of a lot of work or fuss.

Name: Taryn & Sanford Parker (and their dog Iris and cat Tron) Location: Logan Square; Chicago, Illinois Size: 2,000 square feet Years lived in: 3.5 years; owned It’s almost unimaginable. You buy a house, and a few days before you’re slated to move in, some hooligans break in and burn the interior, and you are faced with a gut rehab of what you thought would be a virtually move-in-ready space.

Name: Eva & Jason Hume Location: Mt. Tabor; Portland, Oregon Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: 4 years; Owned It’s been four years since Eva, Jason and their French bulldog Santo settled into this perfect little nest in the heart of southeast Portland, Oregon. The neighborhood is made up of an array of eateries, jam-packed coffeehouses, vegan bars, offbeat clothing stores, and vintage oddity shops.

Name: Jim & Doris Location: Honolulu Size: 14,000 square feet Years lived in: Owned It’s always fun to get a sneak peek into really spectacular homes, and today’s tour certainly fits the bill. Tucked away on the island of Oahu, Jim and Doris created a retreat from everyday life that’s as remarkable as it is immersive. As you move through the rooms, it’s hard to believe this house is located in the USA.

Name: Hope & Pete Colling Location: Terra Linda, California Size: 1955 sq ft. Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Pulling up to Hope and Pete’s home I can’t help but notice that I’ve entered a place where all of the homes are perfectly landscaped in gravel and native plants and maintain a uniform sense of modern, minimalist design. It’s almost Stepford-ish in its perfection, if the Stepford wives took their cues from Dwell magazine.

Name: Karen LaShelle (nonprofit director) and Deborah Esquenazi (documentary filmmaker) Location: Cherrywood; Austin, Texas Size: 2,100 square feet Years lived in: 9 years; owned It’s been five years since we first toured Karen’s house in Austin. Since then, her 2 bedroom/1 bath house has undergone some big and meaningful changes.

Name: Nancy Sickbert-Wheeler, Andrew Wheeler, and their dog Bailey Location: Evanston, Illinois Size: 2 bedroom + finished basement Years lived in: 19 years; owned Metal, enamel, and film: all three media require a creative eye, a deft touch, and a sense of possibility.

Name: Stephen Turner Location: The Beaulieu River; Hampshire, UK Size: 6 meters long, 3.6 meters wide Years lived in: 9 months At the head of a creek somewhere in the South of England, a weird and wonderful structure bobs up and down on the tide. It is a giant wooden egg, polished smooth by the wind until it shines like silver. A round window on the top and a hatch on the side are the only clues that this may be something more than an otherworldly sculpture dropped down in a remote salt marsh.

Name: Nick Fanelle & Spiro Georgi Location: Andersonville; Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented There’s no reason you can’t enjoy both the vibrancy of city life and the peacefulness of a rural retreat. Now, if you were to find an urban townhouse on a farm, it might strike you as a bit odd, but bringing the rustic, worn-in feel of the country into a Chicago apartment turned out to be just the thing for Nick Fanelle and Spiro Georgi.

Name: Dave Widmer, CB2 eCommerce Brand Director and Chad Ross, Crate and Barrel Visual Merchandising Team Lead Location: Andersonville; Chicago, IL Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Never hesitate to walk through a bright green front door: I promise you, only good things are waiting for you on the other side. In the home of Chad and Dave every last detail from the foundation to the roof and everything in between was meticulously thought about and designed.

Name: Meg, Joe, & Wells Piercy and their toy poodle Jack Location: Uptown; Chicago, IL Size: 2,400 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; owned In Meg and Joe’s living room, there’s a blackboard with a family friend’s delicately drawn reminder to “live life in full bloom,” and the Piercys have certainly taken this advice to heart.

Name: Matt and Mel Location: Fairfax, Virginia Size: 816 square feet Years lived in: 10 mos; Renting Is it ever the case where you visit the home of designers and find that their space isn’t the coolest one on the block, filled with creative design and a beautiful harmony of eclectic trinkets? Never! And the graphic home of designer and animator Matt and Mel is thankfully no exception.

Name: Gigi Eligoloff, editor of Gransnet, her husband John and their children Kit and Delphi Location: Barnes; Southwest London, UK Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 1 and half years; owned When the money for Gigi’s kitchen fund was stolen, she didn’t despair. She got straight onto Gumtree (UK’s answer to Craiglist) and tracked down another kitchen at a fraction of the price.

Name: Beth Puscheck, owner of Blue Cottage Hill Location: Villa Park, Illinois Size: 1,300 square feet Years lived in: 6 months; owned Who else lives here: Beth’s boyfriend & their dog, Aaron A professional beautician by day, Beth’s always had an eye for style. And from the moment she and her boyfriend bought their 1926 cottage in the Chicago suburb of Villa Park only 6 months ago, she’s been taking her talent home and completely transforming the formerly uninspired space.

Name: Jake Pedziwiatr and Bridget Mahoney Location: Whittier, Denver, CO Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; owned Around town, Bridget is know as one of Denver’s best barbers. To her friends and Instagram followers she is known as the queen of power tools, master of weekend DIY projects, and just a plain bad-ass.

Name: Abigail Ahern, her husband Graham Scott, Mungo the miniature schnauzer, and Maude the Welsh terrier Location: Dalston; London, UK Size: 2,200 square feet Years lived in: 13 years Imagine if Vermeer and Rousseau got to share a canvas, the Dutchman filling it with his trademark dark interiors, soft light filtering in through a window, and the Frenchman adding lush ferns, copious flowers, birds and animals peeking through the foliage.