House

Name: Hilary Padget and Anthony Harrington Location: The Heights — Jersey City, New Jersey Size: 1050 square feet interior (plus 230 square foot garage) Years lived in: 2 years, owned This isn’t the first time Hilary and Anthony’s home has appeared on Apartment Therapy. Way back in 2008, they were the winners of our fourth Small Cool Contest, with this 460 square foot Brooklyn studio featuring a very stylish and smart lofted bed.

Name: Steve and Beth Parnell Location: Manchester, UK Years lived in: 2 years, owned “Our home incorporates our love of pattern and color and also retro style—I like to call our interior style Eclectic Modern Retro!” describes Beth Parnell, founder of Dotty Dishes. “When we moved from London to Manchester two years ago, this was the only house we viewed.

Name: Adam and Jessica Location: Lynhurst, Minneapolis Size: 2,600 square feet Years lived in: 10 years, owned Nestled along a popular creek that snakes its way through Minneapolis is a two-story stucco house that resembles many of the houses in this stucco-rich city. Once inside, however, you’re greeted with a colorful array of art, furniture and knick-knacks that just feels, well, cool. Jessica, Adam, their daughter and cat live and play here.

While maintaining the integrity of the building's original architecture, Jim and Molly gave a modern face to areas like the kitchen and bathrooms.

Name: Ellen Macomber, Kevin Fannon, and their son Donald Location: Central City — New Orleans, Louisiana Size: 2,400 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned Ellen Macomber had given up on the idea of becoming a homeowner in New Orleans. The mixed-media artist, born in New Orleans and raised in a small Cajun town in South Louisiana, was discouraged by a housing market that had skyrocketed after Hurricane Katrina. “I figured we’d just rent forever,” she said.

Name: Kristin Nicholas. I live here with my husband Mark and teenage daughter Julia Location: Western Massachusetts Size: 3500 square feet Years lived in: 20 years, owned Our home was built in 1751 in western Massachusetts on a south facing knoll. It sits alongside an abandoned apple orchard that backs up to a small mountain populated with all kinds of wildlife. In the orchard during the growing season, our flock of sheep and lambs graze and rest, graze and sleep.

Name: Kate Reynolds with her husband Rem and their two sons Bobby and Oscar Location: Windsor Terrace — Brooklyn, NYC Size: 3,150 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned Kate Reynolds really loves textiles. As one of the founding partners of Studio Four NYC, she—along with the rest of the company—”shine a light on the stories behind textile, wallpaper and rug design.

Name: Peter and Jana Deeble and their four kids Location: Long Beach, California Years lived in: 7 years, rent to own For 14 years, Long Beach resident Peter Deeble was a math teacher who had a side hobby of designing and building furniture. In the beginning the work was just meant as a way to furnish his and his wife’s (to whom he’s been married for 15 years!) home.

If you were (like me) delighted by the dark and dramatic UK home of Nicola Broughton we toured last spring, prepare to be doubly delighted. Because while the home we got a look at in her house tour certainly came close to decor perfection, Nicola has recently revamped some of the rooms—making her vintage-filled home even moodier and lovelier than before.

Name: Seana Location: Charlotte, North Carolina Size: 2,600 square feet Years lived in: Own. I am a first-time home owner! Seana does not claim to be a design expert, but she could have fooled us. As a corporate professional she spends her days in a more formal atmosphere, so her first house provides a unique canvas to express her creativity.

The house was a shell when they bought it, and they applied for a special first time home-buyer loan to allow them to rehab the existing structure.

Name: Megan Workman & Sam Peake, Delia the dog, and Eliot the cat Location: Central City; New Orleans, Louisiana Size: 1,439 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Real estate agent Megan Workman was searching for a house for a client two years ago, when something unexpected happened. When she entered the side door of a small Central City Victorian and stepped into a bright, beautiful hallway, she thought, “I must make this hallway mine.

Name: Ben and Viv Yapp, and their two little sons Covey and Arlo Location: Bristol, UK Size: 1,450 square feet Years lived in: Owned 1.5 years Having been in London for over 10 years, my husband and I finally decided to leave our little flat and moved to the countryside in Bristol.

When Jill and Charlie Bent bought their Cambridge home, the kitchen hadn’t been updated since 1920. Cosmetic changes made the space function aesthetically for the family, but the space had its fair share of structural issues, leaking ceilings, and ant infestations every spring. After compromising their comfort for half a decade, the couple decided to hire a contractor, Monarch Carpentry, to renovate it.

Name: Thomas and Amy Fitzpatrick, Aislinn, Sean and cairn terrier Jack Location: Highlands; North Carolina Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: less than a year; owned The Fitzpatricks live at 4,000 feet in the quaint mountain town of Highlands, North Carolina, a vacation respite for some 15,000 visitors each summer. But for Thomas and Amy, they enjoy the surrounding natural beauty year-round in their 1950s home which they’ve been transforming since they moved in last year.

Name: Taylor and Steph Location: Santa Cruz Mountains, California Size: 560 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned Some people dream of living off the land, going off grid, building a home by hand — getting closer to nature and being more sustainable. Taylor and Steph (Find them on Instagram: @nomadic.roots) have done just that.

When Elise and Ben bought their Mount Washington house, the kitchen looked like this. They used this sad kitchen for five years until they finally updated it. The end result is modernized, but still captures the spirit and integrity of the storied older house. Using IKEA cabinets to keep the costs down, they were able to upgrade and personalize the look with Calcutta marble and Schoolhouse Electric hardware for all the cabinets.

Project by: Ana Braunstajn Interior Design Location: London, Ontario, Canada This is a 1960s four level, side-split home that was very much out of date. The project encompassed two stories, and everything was to be updated, from the ceiling fixtures all the way to the baseboards. The idea here was to bring this out of date house into 2015. I started this project in January 2015. Inspiration: I would call this style “Florida beach house.

Name: Margaret Sche and Gabe Belgara Location: Uptown — New Orleans, Louisiana Size: 1,300 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Rented Theirs is a Texas love story. Margaret can thank her mom for insisting she join her for some live country music and two-steppin’ on that fated Friday night when she met Gabe at Blanco’s. The beloved Houston dance hall—now closed—was one of Gabe’s favorite honky-tonks, and sparks flew when the two met.

Name: Katie (15) Location: Sumter, South Carolina This past summer we moved into a new house which means new rooms for the kids. This go round my daughter is fifteen and while I had some ideas for the room her plans were a little different, so I let her be the boss. Her original plans for the room had always been coral and aqua so when we spied some aqua Zebra sheets at Macy’s we had out inspiration.

Name: Susie Jones, housemates Bindy and Kerry, and Ruby the dog Location: Collingwood — Victoria, Australia Size: 94 square meters (1,012 square feet) Years lived in: 2 years; Owned by Susie Susie Jones bought her home in the inner north of Melbourne in Collingwood a few years ago, and it definitely reflects her personality and that of her housemates. While it showcases her love of vintage and nostalgia, Susie’s home is sprinkled with a little bit of fun and humor, too.

Name: Michel Biehn Location: Old Medina — Fes, Morocco Size: 150 square meters (1,614 square feet) Years lived in: 6 years; Owned “Eight years ago, I needed to refresh my life, before becoming too old,” says Michel, the larger-than-life French expatriate textile expert, author, chef, hotelier and owner of Le Jardin des Biehn, who has taken up residence in the Old Medina.

Name: Alpavi and Utpal Patel Location: Ahmedabad, India Size: 6750 square feet Years lived in: 25 years; Owned Our stories are never our own; they are a mix of the people who came before us and of those who will come after. Alpavi and Utpal’s home is a perfect example of this threshold: a space between the past and the future, an intensely personal journey of bridging the two—with love.

Name: Andrea Crickmore Location: Byford, Western Australia Size: 200 square meters (2,153 square feet) Years lived in: 3 years; Owned I didn’t even have to get to the door of Andrea’s home to know that it was going to be something completely different from any other home I have photographed before.

Name: Michael and Courtney Glantz and sons Logan and Beckett Location: North Barrington, Illinois Size: 2,800 square feet Years lived in: 7 years; Owned The home that Courtney Glantz of A Life From Scratch shares with her husband and two sons is quite literally her dream home.

Name: Kristina Sostarko and Jason Odd, Kibi the dog, and Denni the rabbit Location: Victoria, Australia Size: 72.51 square meters (780 square feet) Years lived in: 5 years; Owned I have been a longtime fan of the colorful, graphic prints and artwork created by Kristina Sostarko and Jason Odd, the duo behind inaluxe. The couple originally met at art school in the ’90s and then both worked in the music industry in Melbourne.

Name: Holly and Ryan, daughters Stellan and Kinley, and German Shepherd Dublin Location: Peterborough — Ontario, Canada Size: 1,300 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned When you walk into this family home, you are overcome by a sense of happiness. It’s one of those spaces where you can feel the amount of love and care that has been put into it. It also happens that the people who live in the home are just as warm and welcoming as the physical space itself.

Name: Steve and Debbie Cotton and their dogs, Baxter and Kiko Location: Western Cape, South Africa Size: 1,800 square feet Years lived in: 5 years; Owned Debbie and Steve have a keen eye for color and a unique style which is evident as soon as you enter their lovely house. Full of personality, warmth and quirky touches, the space makes one feel at home right away.

Name: Tara and Thierry Broucqsault, their son Henri, dogs Lola and Junebug, Maverick the cat, and Bobby the Gecko Location: Santa Barbara, California Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 11 years; Owned Set high above the street, Tara and Thierry’s charming cottage is a place where family, pets and guests can truly feel at home.

Name: Stephen di Renza Location: Old Medina — Fes, Morocco Size: 56 square meters (600 square feet) Years lived in: 4 years; Owned After years of dwelling in various locations — New York, Paris, London, Hanoi— it is in Morocco that American-born Stephen Di Renza came to a halt and settled.

Name: Ida Floreak and partner, cats Chuck and Bruce, and Harry the dog Location: Uptown — New Orleans, LA Size: 2,000 square feet Years lived in: 4 years; Rented Ida’s sunny house in Uptown New Orleans has a lot of great features: a mix of vintage and new furnishings, plenty of art and plants, DIY projects, and happy pets.

Name: Tom and Allison, their son, Gordon, and their dogs and tortoise Location: Culver City, California Size: 2,000 square feet Years lived in: 8 years; Owned One look inside the home of Tom and Allison of California Rediscovered and you quickly realize that you are in the presence of DIY masters.

Name: Adrienne and Benjamin and their children, Jeanne, Sacha and Rose Location: Belleville — Paris, France Size: 200 square meters (2,153 square feet) Years lived in: 12 years; Owned When they’re not playing electro-Balkan music with their band, Djam Orkestar, Adrienne, a passionate socio-anthropologist, and Benjamin, a fashion-loving lawyer, keep the magic and fanfare going in the old printing factory they revamped into a multifaceted duplex.

Name: Nick McPhail Location: Silver Lake — Los Angeles, California Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Rented With the price of rent quickly increasing every year in Los Angeles, artist Nick McPhail was lucky to grab this perfect little home all for himself. Complete with a backyard that houses an organic garden and a ceramics studio, this home embodies the ideal of a live/work space.

Name: Silvia Michielotto, Jean-Pierre Mongard and Valeria Concari Location: Old Medina — Marrakech, Morocco Size: 110 square meters (1,184 square feet) Years lived in: 2 years; Rented Crises can sometimes turn out to be good; you can make new decisions, reboot the hard drive, explore new possibilities and do things you could not do before. Friends Silvia, Jean-Pierre, and Valeria did just that.

Name: Bradley Sabin and his dogs, Cooper and Romeo Location: Mid-City — New Orleans, Louisiana Size: 720 square feet Years lived in: 8 years; Owned Artist Bradley Sabin may live alone, but he is always in the company of friends. His 720-square-foot shotgun home, located in Mid-City New Orleans, is filled with artwork. “The art is very personal,” he explains. “I’m surrounded by things people I know made, so I feel like I’m with my friends.

Name: Natalie Slyman and Nate Bethel Location: St. Louis, Missouri Size: 1,300 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented Natalie and Nate are one of those couples whose styles go together so effortlessly. They met while working at the same resale shop, and they’ve been together over six years.

Name: Renee Mouritz and Adrian Testa and their dog, Sammy Location: Yallingup, Western Australia Size: 128 square meters (1,378 square feet) Years lived in: 10 years; Owned Renee, a passionate Australian conservationist, and Adrian, a chiropractor from New York, built themselves a home near the coast of Western Australia to serve as a retreat from the busy-ness of the rest of the world.

Name: Dustin Lancaster and Maya Brenner, kids Jack and Sadie, and dog Roxy Location: Silver Lake — Los Angeles, California Size: 2,700 square feet (house) Years lived in: 6 months; Owned Hard-working entrepreneurs Dustin and Maya can now add their beautiful six-month home renovation to the long list of productive ventures they’ve accomplished in the last year.

Name: Paul and Katie Alexander and their daughter, Mabel Location: De Beauvoir — Shoreditch, London Size: 850 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Owned Katie and Paul searched for a flat in London that was close to both their work in the city and the nightlife of Shoreditch, and they ended up finding the perfect compromise: a lovely flat in the leafy De Beauvoir neighborhood a stone’s throw from the exciting city life.

Name: Lauren Wells and Breeze Braunschweig Location: St. Roch — New Orleans, Louisiana Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: 6 months; Owned Lauren and Breeze are the kind of friends who only need each another to have a good time. On a Saturday afternoon in late November, the women, sitting together on a church pew in Breeze’s living room, are laughing so hard over inside jokes that Lauren has her hand over her mouth because she just can’t stop laughing.

Name: Jaclyn Johnson and David Kaul and their dog, Noah Wiley Location: Los Feliz — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years; Rented It’s been well over a year since I last visited Jaclyn Johnson, founder of Create & Cultivate, at her incredible little home in Los Feliz. Since then, her now-fiancé, David Kaul, has moved in, and they are enjoying their engagement in their home’s beautiful mix of feminine and masculine styles.

Name: Kiana and Steve and their kids, Mathilda and Milo Location: Chelsea, Quebec Size: 2,400 square feet Years lived in: 6 years; Owned This beautifully renovated house in the woods is a playful and welcoming space brimming with its owners’ personalities.

Name: Gawie and Karen and their children, Mila and Gabriel Location: Cape Town City Bowl, South Africa Size: 600 square meters (6,458 square feet) Years lived in: 5 years; Owned Karen and Gawie share their beautiful two-story home with their two teenage children. Nestled on the slopes of Table Mountain, this magnificent home has a lush garden and incredible views across Cape Town to the sea. Architect Wynand Wilsenach designed their house and Karen took care of the decorating.

Name: John and Shauna Stanton and their daughter, Isla Location: Guildford — Surrey, UK Size: 1,064 square feet Years lived in: 17 years; Owned There’s something fascinating about the homes of artists—I love the way the style and character of their art is expressed in the way they decorate and inhabit their spaces. The home of Guildford-based artist Shauna Stanton and her family is every bit as colorful and quirky as her beautiful, vibrant paintings.

Raya is inspired by natural materials, classic colors, found objects, and timeless modern design.

Name: Alexander & Carla Zidarevich and their dogs, Sadie and Rocco Location: Willard-Homewood; North Minneapolis, Minnesota Size: 1600 square feet Years lived in: 6.5 years; Owned After moving to Minneapolis from Michigan, Alex and Carla lived downtown in a modern space that they quickly outgrew. The couple discussed their home aspirations and agreed their ideal would be something historic with tons of personality. Not long after, they found it: a 1924 Dutch Colonial in need of some love.

Name: Kerstin and Andy, their children, Iggy and June, and Yella the dog Location: West Preston — Melbourne, Australia Size: 170 square meters (1,830 square feet) Years lived in: 8 years; Owned I recently stumbled across Kerstin via Instagram, thanks to a comment she left on a mutual friend’s photo.

Name: Seth Rodewald-Bates & Elisabeth Davies Location: Carrollton — New Orleans, Louisiana Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; Owned Tucked into a long, narrow lot in the Carrollton neighborhood of New Orleans, not far from where the mighty Mississippi bends, is a sight you don’t expect to see among the shotguns, cottages, and bungalows: two giant steel boxes primed in Rust-Oleum orange-brown and stenciled with white numbers once used to identify cargo.

Name: Bec Smith and Kit Warhurst, their 3 1/2-year-old Alfie, and Peggy the cat Location: Preston — Melbourne, Australia Size: 122 square meters (1,313 square feet) Years lived in: 5 years; Owned Bec and Kit moved slightly north of Melbourne five years ago after many years of renting in the inner-city. Their new location has afforded them a great family home filled with the treasures they’ve collected over their years together.

Name: Alison and Jay Carroll and dog Lefty Location: Los Feliz — Los Angeles, California Size: 1200 square feet Years lived in: 2 years Alison and Jay are a creative husband and wife team who find inspiration from around the globe. As recent Los Angeles transplants from San Francisco, the couple and their dog, Lefty, enjoy soaking up the Southern California sunshine in their cozy Franklin Hills apartment.

Name: Catherine Cachia and Lionel McDonald, their daughter, Winnie, and Griffey the dog Location: East Danforth — Toronto, Ontario Size: Approximately 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Instagram and mid-century modern couches brought Catherine and I together. Last summer, she left a comment on one of my pictures saying we had the exact same couch. I thought that was a big coincidence for a considerably vintage piece of furniture. Was she also in Ontario?

Name: Jen Clark and Kirstie Innes-Will, George and Bob the dogs, and Ruby the cat Location: Preston; Victoria, Australia Size: 200 square meters (2,153 square feet) Years lived in: 2.5 years; Rented When I first entered the home of graphic designer Jen and her partner, Kirstie, a senior editor at Black Inc. Books, I was greeted by their two dogs: the photogenic and well-behaved greyhound, George, and a small, white terrier called Bob.

Name: Neryl Walker and Tim Haynes and daughter, Ivy Lee Location: Balaclava; Victoria, Australia Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 10 years; Owned Neryl and Tim’s 1950s house is the perfect backdrop for their various collections of vintage nostalgia, magazines, packaging, furniture, flea market finds, and artwork created either by the couple or their friends. They have kept many of the original 1950s features plus some of those added in the 1970s.

Name: Luke and Sophie Doyle and their dog, Chester Location: Melville, Western Australia Size: 450 square meters (4,843 square feet) Years lived in: 3 years; Owned Sophie is a marketing adviser for an agricultural company by day, but it is her role as Creative Director for her business, Design Horde, that is her true passion.

Name: Ben and Heidi Yardley and their cat, Nico Location: North Melbourne; Victoria, Australia Size: 2500 square feet Years lived in: 5 years; Rented Heidi and Ben’s home is located down a quaint cobblestone lane that’s slightly overgrown with trees and shrubs. As you enter through the gate, it’s like stepping back in time or traveling to Europe.

Name: Tony and Sarah Howell and their sons, Oliver and Reeve Location: Gracetown, Western Australia Size: 320 square meters (3,444 square feet) Years lived in: 16; Owned Between the dense natural bush and one of the main surfing breaks in South Western Australia lies a home full of peace and serenity. Sarah, who owns a home decor business sourcing treasures from around the world, and Tony, regarded as one of Australia’s best chefs, have built a home that is as beautiful as it is inviting.

Name: Alana and Joe Hearn Location: Newport, Rhode Island Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: 6 years; Owned The first thing you see when you enter the living room of Joe and Alana’s 19th century Newport home is a dynamic multimedia painting of a woman. Head thrown back, pink mouth wide open, eyes crinkled shut—you can almost hear her laughing. Her hair, made of repurposed piano keys, sticks straight out as if an electric current is running through her.

Name: Elizabeth and Jeremy, their dog, Wally, and their cats, Milo and Patrick Location: West Los Angeles, California Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Rented If you wake up on an overcast Sunday morning in Los Angeles and are wondering where you can score a fresh slice of homemade pizza and a carefully crafted cappuccino, then please allow me to direct you to the home of Elizabeth Berger and Jeremy Roth. When I arrived at their West L.A.

Name: Julie and Michael Martino Location: Doubleview, Western Australia Size: 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms Years lived in: 17 Years; Owned Julie and Michael’s home is truly one-of-a-kind. Designed by a Swiss architect and built by a Polish migrant in the ’90s, it is full of quirky features—all of which Julie has embraced with her beautiful knack for mixing antiques and roadside junk finds with modern, handmade pieces. The result is a home brimming with soul and personality.

Name: Katherine Hysmith and Josh Gantt and their cats, Eleanor and Maxwell Location: Belmont, Massachusetts Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 4 years; Rented When Katherine Hysmith, The Boston Globe contributor and founder of the food blog The Young Austinian, left her native Texas to pursue a graduate degree in gastronomy from Boston University, she brought her Southern roots with her.

Name: Amandine Isnard & Mihalis Gripiotis and Aristos Location: Williamsburg; Brooklyn, NY Size: 2,800 square feet Years lived in: 7 years; Rented Amandine is the Head of Product Development for Eve Lom, a European niche luxury beauty brand, and Mihalis is a journalist and the founder of the art-house film production company IFFI Productions. Their Brooklyn house was decorated to look like a film set, and as a result, has been used as a studio for various film projects.

Name: Kersten & Kim McFarland and their children, Christian and Grace Location: Maylands, Western Australia Size: 170 square meters (1,830 square feet) Years lived in: Two years; Owned When Kim and Kersten first stumbled upon their 1950s cottage, they could see its potential right away. The location was enviable, boasting both a nearby river and views of the city, and they knew with some careful planning, they could turn the small, dark house into the light, bright family home that it is today.

Name: Allie & Travis Hackett-Camacho and their dog, Brody Location: Lynn-Highland Park; Oakland, CA Size: 1,300 square feet Years lived in: 3.5 years; Rented Allie may look familiar to Apartment Therapy readers, as her twin sister Caitlin’s home—Caitlin & Dave’s Oakland Apartment of Wonder & Oddities—was recently featured.

Name: Shena Troia & George Peake Location: Marigny; New Orleans, Louisiana Size: 2,200 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Owned Just three years ago, Shena and George’s New Orleans home was the embodiment of urban blight. The house, built in 1850 as guest quarters for the Masonic Lodge next door, was on the city’s list of neglected properties slated for demolition. Graffiti covered the exterior walls, weeds were growing out of the roof, and all but two sets of doors were missing.

Name: Miranda Lake Location: Uptown — New Orleans, Louisiana Size: 2,400 square feet including the studio Years lived in: 15 years; owned Stepping onto the grounds of Miranda Lake’s New Orleans home feels like being transported into the whimsical world she depicts in her artwork.

Name: Jen & Dave Figueroa and their two rescue greyhounds, Ike and Louise Location: Austin, Texas Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Owned A little over a year ago, Jen and Dave bought a house that was in desperate need of some love. The house sits on a cul-de-sac in a neighborhood in South Austin, and when they bought it, it had old carpet, beige walls, and all the hallmarks of a fixer-upper.

Name: Rebecca and Gareth Smith and their dog, Penny, and cat, Bobby Location: Etobicoke; Toronto, Ontario Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Owned Rebecca and Gareth were a classic case of opposites attracting, but over the years they have learned to adapt to each other’s lifestyles and tastes—and it actually turns out that they have a lot more in common than they realized at first glance.

Name: Katie Vie & Loren Wooten and their dog, Mathy Location: Asheville, NC Size: 1,400 square feet, including an unheated garage Years lived in: 6 months; Owned Though Katie designed this house and Loren crafted many of its details, they maintain a fluid relationship with it, saying, “This home is not our ‘baby’ — it’s not precious to us in that way. Instead, it’s our creative project where it’s okay if things aren’t perfect.

Name: Emma and Cody and their dog, Chuck Location: Herne Hill — Geelong, Australia Size: Three-bedroom house Years lived in: 2.5 years; Owned As soon as Emma and Cody bought their home in Geelong, they immediately painted the walls white, and tore down the wall between the kitchen and living space, opening it right up. What they were left with was a perfect blank canvas.

Name: Laura Evans and Blaine Perry and their cat, Honey Location: Asheville, North Carolina Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented Historic divided-light windows, crystal door knobs, a brick fireplace, and picture rail molding are just some of the architectural details in Laura and Blaine’s all-white, all-natural 1920s-era home. Their edited decorating style leaves few layers to hide behind, imparting a meaningful weight to each element.

Name: René Mitchell, daughters Adeline (7) and Ruby (6), and puppy Lola Location: Bend, Oregon Size: 2,000 square feet Years lived in: 12 years; Owned Bend is an idyllic town in Central Oregon, about a three-hour drive from Portland. The area is known for sunny weather, beautiful high desert scenery, active outdoor lifestyles, and craft brewing.