House

Name: Dan & Sarah Herchenroether Location: Newport, Rhode Island Size: 1,176 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years Dan used all his experience as an architect and whole lot of elbow grease to transform a small cottage on a quiet street away from the tourist hustle and bustle of Newport, Rhode Island from drab and dated (think tons of wood paneling) into a sweet and contemporary family home.

Name: Jonas Location: Brookside, Kansas City, MissouriStyle: Dutch Colonial Years lived in: 4 On the drive to photograph Jonas’ home, I had geared myself up for the “nice but non-creative” that is usually found in neighborhoods of this age. His home resides just south of Kansas City in an area that’s trying to make a shift from old money to new young blood.

Name: Nathan & Hannah (Foxy, our long-haired Chihuahua)Location: St. Louis, MissouriSize: 1362 square feetYears lived in: 5 Eero Saarinen’s Gateway Arch is the tip of the mid-century iceburg in the Saint Louis area. Case in point: Tucked in among more expected suburban homes, is the gem of Ridgewood, a time capsule of a subdivision, peppered with modern ranch homes built as affordable and efficient homes in the the 50s.

Names: Jen, Michael, Eva & Esme Location: Lexington, MassachusettsSize: 3,000 square feetYears lived in: 2 Remember the story of the city mouse and the country mouse? The country mouse envies her sister’s riches, but eventually chooses a life of safety and ease in the country over the wealth and danger of the city. The fable aptly describes artist Jen’s search for the ideal home.

Name: A Very Modest Cottage Location: Elkhorn, Wisconsin, on the grounds of Tereasa and David’s summer camp Size: 10 x 10 square feet Type: Half-sawn log cabin from a prohibition-era motor cabin court Years lived in: Guest cottage on our summer camp for 3 years Tereasa Surratt advises people to “look for the abandoned souls,” and once you know the story of this cottage, you’ll understand exactly what she means.

Name: Jenn SkiLocation: Bedford, New HampshireSize: 2,400 square feetYears lived in: 2½ years — ownedWho else lives there: My husband Al and cat FloydThe mid-century modern aesthetic gets lots of air play here on Apartment Therapy and seems to be the coveted style among hipsters. This interior design style which often includes sparse furnishings and straight lines is often austere.

Name: Jennifer (of The Little Things), James, Laine and Harley Johner (plus 2 dogs, a cat and a bunny)Location: Acreage (30 minutes north of Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada)Size: 1,544 square feet (main floor)Years lived in: almost 4 years You might remember Jennifer’s lovely turquoise and yellow kitchen we posted a couple of months ago. After seeing this room in the house, we couldn’t wait to see more and Jen was happy to oblige.

Name: Rene & JerryLocation: Jamaica Plain, MassachusettsSize: 3200 square feetYears lived in: Almost 4 If a house can have good karma, this Victorian Mansard’s got it. Before the current owners, Rene and Jerry, bought this beautiful Jamaica Plain home, the previous owners made a bold and rare move. They skillfully returned this glorious single family home, which had been chopped into three units over years, back into the cohesive single family home that it longed to be.

Name: Sebastian & SarahLocation: Noordhoek — Cape Town, South AfricaSize: 2,360 square feet homeYears lived in: 2 (unrenovated) and 1 (as you see it) Meeting Sarah and Sebastian in their wonderfully colorful home was a breath of fresh air — a home where you instantly fall in love with the building and its inhabitants. It’s inviting and interesting without overwhelming your senses — casual chic at its best!

Name: Jay & MelissaLocation: Manchester, New HampshireSize: 1,250 square feetYears lived in: Owned – 6 yearsWho else lives there: Dogs Brady and Cali and Cats Mama, Tony, and Pepper Jay and Melissa made an offer on this two family on Manchester’s South side six years ago only to find out through Melissa’s mom that the home had been built by her grandfather in 1950.

Name: Alison & Jeff AllenLocation: Minneapolis, MinnesotaSize: Rental House, 1,200 Square FeetYears lived in: 1 year, 4 months We’ve seen a great number of homes over the years. Some big, some small, some round and some without walls. This home nestled in the northern nook of the Midwest is one that instantly feels like home and oozes family and comfort while still feeling fresh in their retro, Mid-Century stylings.

(Welcome to Elizabeth from Milwaukee, one of the bloggers trying out for a place on the Apartment Therapy editorial team as a House Tour Contributor. Enjoy her work!)Name: Michael & DanijelaLocation: Milwaukee, WisconsinSize: 1300 square feetYears lived in: 2.5 Newlyweds Michael and Danijela still seem a little surprised by their home and location. Young, design-loving, tech-savvy, Eurocentric professionals, they might seem more at home in a hip, downtown warehouse convert.

(Welcome to Abby from Toronto, one of the bloggers trying out for a place on the Apartment Therapy editorial team as a House Tour Contributor. Enjoy her work – comments welcome!

Name: Chris & HeatherLocation: Acton, MassachusettsSize: 2,700 square feetYears lived in: 4 I first met Heather and Chris when they contacted me for a fresh eye to help them pull together their playful family room. The moment I entered their house I had two thoughts: This is absolutely a future Apartment Therapy House Tour, AND this woman is so talented at design, I can’t imagine how I’m going to be a value added here.

Name: Kristie and familyLocation: Nashville, TennesseeSize/Type: 3000 square foot 1939 4 bedroom Cape CodYears lived in: 8 You may recognize a few of the views of Kristie’s Nashville home from this House Call post that we published last September. The comment thread was filled with requests to see more of this unique, true-to-its-roots house, so we are kicking off the 2010 house tours with a just that – enjoy the longer look!

Name: Acido DoradoLocation: Joshua Tree, CaliforniaSize: 1,350 square feet About a year ago, we were contacted by architect Robert Stone about a project he had just completed out in Joshua Tree, an unique ebony washed pavilion specifically designed as a vacation destination with a “new desert aesthetic”. He called it Rosa Muerta. But we just remember it as possibly the most unique place we’ve ever stayed in.