Tours

When Madison and her fiancé first toured their home, it was in rough shape. With a little TLC, they were able to bring it back to life with vintage pieces they love, along with a few contemporary pieces mixed in.

"If you asked me two years ago if I could refinish hardwood floors, tile a backsplash, or repair holes in the wall, I would’ve laughed," Jessica Youngquist says.

Interior decorator Dani Klarić lives in this large, loft-like apartment in Miami with her boyfriend, Bello. Dani pulls a lot of her home's interior inspiration from the Art Deco era, but you'll also find nods to the 1960s, 1990s, and even some mid-century modern vibes, too.

A love of slick classics paired with minimalist and maximalist design choices — and a desire to wake up to the smell of coffee daily — led Ian to his apartment's design.

Danielle Nava is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and the co-owner and vice president of Toujours Planning. She lives in a stunning historic house she shares with her husband, Andrés, their adorable twin daughters, and their cats, Niko and Ludo.

"I think that every room in my house is a different color — pink, yellow, green, red —  and they all go together," PR and marketing firm owner Nicole Balin says.

Mackenzie was working as a realtor giving a tour of this cozy cottage when she decided to place an offer herself. When her and her husband moved in, they got to work transforming a small one-bedroom cottage into a open two-bedroom lofted space.

Kyle Freeman turned a screened-in porch into her very own adorable one-room, home-away-from-home by adding a sink, mini-kitchen, outdoor shower, and more.

Victoria Ashley is the founder and creative director of Laundry Day, a design-forward glassware and smoking accessories brand. She rents this historic life/work loft in Victoria that's filled with cool, stylish, and intentional furniture and decor objects.

When Missy dahl and her husband, Danny, moved into their Washington home built in 1914, they made sure to keep the historical wooden shiplapping and crown molding.

Maddie Kulig, owner of Philadelphia-based lingerie brand Madalynne Intimates, purchased this cute cottage less than a year ago in Galena, Maryland with her husband, Ryan Kulig.

Raquel Lily is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, and online content creator, and she released her debut full-length album, "Fixations," in early March. She lives in this colorful, musical house in Atlanta.

Francesca owns Francesca Grace Home, a home staging and interior designer company, and her California Craftsman in Los Angeles’ Silver Lake neighborhood is full of vintage furnishings, modern lines, bold colors, and energetic patterns.

Shannon and her partner David have filled their New York City apartment with color and cheeky elements that make them feel at home.

Scientist and educator Laurel Bristow's Instagram is a wealth of easy-to-digest and scientifically accurate information on COVID, vaccines, boosters, variants, and so much more. And her Atlanta condo she shares with her cat and axolotl is full of cool art and "cheeky little items."

Sarah Coleman and her partner had to decorate their Miami house on a very small budget. "Everything we did was stencils and paint because it was the most affordable option. I wanted the gorgeous wallpapers and new shiny fixtures, but we had to do everything little by little and do it creatively, so we weren’t broke all of the time!"

Artist and art teacher Laina Weiss is the creative director of L’or de Seraphine, an artisanal candle brand, and calls home this cozy and colorful East Village apartment, sharing it with her cat, Abby.

Jess Curtis and her family have brought life and color to their self-defined "Frankenhome" that was built in two different parts. "Modular houses have their benefits (well-built, cheaper), but they do not have the character that older stick-built houses have," she writes. "Therefore, I set out to make our home beautiful and special through the magic of paint, wallpaper, furniture, and decor."

Interior designer Nicole Arruda's whole rental studio apartment is proof of how much architectural interest and beauty you can add to a space with just a few details.

Hannah Mestyanek and her husband bring elements of their Southern California upbringing as they start a family in this Chicago condo.

Grace Zhang chronicles her many home improvement efforts personalizing this "boring new construction” 650-square-foot apartment she shares with her boyfriend.

Thanks to light colors, smart storage ideas, and intentional dividing of "zones," Kristy Marhin has done an amazing job of creating a cozy home in just 230 square feet.

Caley Adams is the founder and creative director of Wildes District, an NYC-based design studio that specializes in design for emerging women's and e-commerce brands. She shares a beautiful house on a small cul-de-sac with her husband, Max, and their 1.5-year-old son.

Jacqueline and her husband moved into this home to give their son a space to explore his artistic creativity. With art pieces created by friends and family, they've created an artsy paradise for themselves.

Though just 500 square feet, Jacqueline Clair's studio apartment is a bright corner unit with tons of windows, and features lots of ideas for maximizing a small space.

"I love color," Dominique, who rents this New Jersey apartment with her fiancé, says. "I feel like a lot of homes I see that are on the higher end are so white/gray and boring... It's been a dream to freely decorate and just be ourselves here. I think we did a good job making it cozy but still elevated and adult without being too boring."

Tessa started Tessa Ariane Design, which focuses on affordable design work, in "response to how out of touch the interior design industry can be with what most folks actually need. We are all impacted by our environments, and I really believe we need to prioritize providing solutions for renters, folks in small spaces, and within realistic budgets that don’t leave anyone behind," she says.

Meg Quinn, author of "THE CHEESE BOARD DECK" and the popular website, "Ain't Too Proud to Meg," rented this LA apartment for 10 years.

Scott and Brian's apartment blends many styles. "What started as a mid-century motif evolved into a very unique living space that surpasses a definitive style marker," Scott writes. "We are very much into warm tones and comfort. We have a love for vintage glassware that can be seen in our decorating style... We have a mix of old and new, high-end and low cost."

Amanda Holden, also known as "Dumpster.Doggy" on Instagram, is an entrepreneur, educator, and the founder of Invested Development. She aims to answer the question: “How do I teach dusty investing topics without making my students want to stick needles into their eyeballs?”

Creative director, prop stylist, and set designer Melissa Cripe says to "create your own world" in your home. "Send yourself secret messages of love and support through your space and what you choose to fill it with," she says. In her New Orleans shotgun, this mantra manifests in whimsical upcycled furniture, rental-friendly murals, and family heirlooms.

Vintage seller and interior stylist Carly Sioux is the owner and founder of NO ERA Design, specializing in vintage interiors. And her rental house in New Orleans is both her home and studio.

This family of five's vacation cabin is located among beautiful pine trees. "Great forest treetop views from the front deck are the epitome of relaxation."

Grace Atwood has written the lifestyle blog, The Stripe, for twelve years now, and is also active on Instagram and has a weekly newsletter. She worked with designer and Elements of Style blogger Erin Gates on decorating this Charleston, South Carolina rental apartment.

It's a fusion of mid-century modern and boho with pops of leafy greens.

Sekile Nzinga is the Chief Equity Officer for the State of Illinois and the founder of The Nzinga Collective, and rents this 1200-square-foot condo in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood.

Renter Sydney Callands finds a way to make her 660-square-foot apartment's odd layout work. "Sometimes it almost feels like I'm Carrie Bradshaw living her best life in the West Village — emphasis on sometimes," she says.

Tessa is a freelance writer and photojournalist who contributes to food and lifestyle publications (like Apartment Therapy!). She shares this rental apartment in Springfield, Missouri with her husband.

David Bulckaen, an architect himself, honors the work of the home's original architect in his three-story Belgian house.

This apartment was a white-walled, blank canvas before Robb Wexler moved in. "This gave me the chance to completely transform the space into something very personal, which tells my story."

The renter of this colorful, charming place says anyone can be "a design diva" – even on a budget. Her stylish finds (all under $100) certainly prove it.

Behavioral scientist and science communicator Vanessa Hill shares a look inside her stylish Brooklyn rental AND reveals why she keeps old technology in her bedroom, what kind of mattress she sleeps on (under $500 from Amazon), and other smart secrets to getting better sleep.

"I create moods with scents, colours, sounds, lighting, and so on," renter Tia Dumoulin says of her 800-square-foot apartment.

Interior designer Beth Diana Smith considers herself an eclectic maximalist. "I love several design styles so I love to combine them into an eclectic mix. And as a maximalist, I follow a more is more philosophy, however even in maximalism editing is still important."

"I love how even in a smaller space I've been able to create several distinct zones that I can enjoy for different reasons, whether I want to lie in bed and nap, spread out on my couch to read and look out on the street below, or get some work done on my computer at my little bistro table corner," SF renter Lydia says. "I've managed to fit many rooms into one!"

Any advice for creating a home you love? "Fill it with things that are meaningful, sentimental, and just plain fun!"

Kevin Coleman shares this 642-square-foot, "Geometric Minimalism" style studio apartment with his dog, Langston.

...including an IKEA bookshelf built into a wall!

Senaida's monochromatic studio has "pockets of space for sleeping, doing work, and hanging out" and a genius DIY light fixture to boot. All in 295 square feet!

Misella and Angga run Lumalamp, a handmade origami lampshade business, out of their home, this 700-square-foot apartment they renovated themselves and share with their three young kids.

Natasha Husein's apartment has a lot of pre-war character, including original moldings, two fireplaces, and beautiful hardwood floors, which she's decorated in a Happy Coastal Bungalow style. "It's not a traditional California coastal, nor is it totally beach bohemian. It's sort of an eclectic mix, but it's totally me," she writes.

Washington DC artist Erin Shirley has been growing her plant collection — and her enamel pin business, Aster & Tulips — from her bright and lush apartment just north of DC.

It also has many thrifted finds and original artwork made by renter Jordan Lauf's friends and family.

Sensi editor-in-chief Stephanie Wilson's apartment is "maximalism to the max" and FULL of wild decor ideas — like contact-paper-covered doors, neon-painted door jambs, and a carefully curated bar-cart-turned-bong-cart.

"Without a designer budget, I relied on estate sales, local vintage sellers, and good old Craigslist," homeowner Cindy Ngo says about decorating her space. She became so savvy at finding designer dupes for less that she started her own company, Ink + Porcelain.

This "contemporary eclectic" apartment blends clean lines with lots of vintage and mid-century modern pieces.

Illustrator Adriana Vawdrey's house is a "living sketchbook" and creative experiment.

Nicknamed "the Bicoastal Bus," this skoolie's style is Palm Springs meets Miami.

Casting assistant Rosie Dart loves old and antique things, and her 390-square-foot, one-bedroom flat in London's Notting Hill neighborhood is colorful and maximalist despite the small size.

"I wanted something that was a less-murderous 'American Psycho' vibe with a focus on sustainability and minimalism," renter Wayne Burns says of his cool minimalist pad.

Emily Auffrey describes the rental apartment she shares with her family as a NYC dream space. “We truly feel like we moved into our dream NYC apartment. In addition to being the dream home; the area is just absolutely ideal for a family," she writes.

Traveling interior designer and witch Marissa Lada's van features a cedar wood interior, a few pop of colors, and some magickal things like crystals, wind chimes, and an herbal apothecary.

Inspired by spaces within Europe like in France, Denmark, or Italy, Stephen and Christina's entire home has been gorgeously remodeled.

Taylor and her fiancé celebrate the perfectly imperfect in their space. They believe it's important for a home to look lived-in. Their apartment has parquet floors, neat archways, black hexagon tile floors, and intricate art-deco touches — and of course, books lying around, mugs left out from that morning's coffee, and all its familiar dings and quirks.

Stephanie Lalley, who is the Design Director at Lucy Interior Design, turned this unloved, nearly tear-down cabin into a stunning and bright retreat for her family of four.

Content creator and small studio renter, Imani Keal, is on a mission to get people with small spaces to paint them black.

Renter Heather Luciano's advice when it comes to decorating is to be unabashedly you. "Being yourself never goes out of style," she says. "I know a lot of people who worry about what’s in or trendy when it comes to fashion and design, and I’ve just never lived that way. I have always over-accessorized, lived in color and pattern, and have been shopping for antiques since I was in grade school."

Content creator, blogger, style lover, YouTuber, and Instagram strategist Marikah shares this one-bedroom apartment with her husbae and their baby. The apartment has lots of clever organizing tip and renter-friendly decor ideas, including a very cute nursery nook in the bedroom.

Amanda and Dan moved from California to Pennsylvania in April 2020, eventually buying this farmhouse with lots of architectural character.

Andrea rents this hospital-adjacent apartment out to medical students and traveling nurses, and she wanted it to feel like home for them, "with an atmosphere more eccentric than the typical rental," she says. Because she sourced the furniture secondhand, she could splurge on special finishes.

Actress Hayley Orrantia, who is also a singer and songwriter, loves interior design, and also buys, flips, and renovates homes alongside her father in Nashville, Tennessee.