Tours

Name: Florence and Julien Location: Plateau Mt-Royal — Montreal Size: 980 square feet Years lived in: 8 months Florence is the founder of Me Myself & Montreal, a blog that provides the best spots in Montreal to visit. She also organizes “discovery” events for its readers. The Montreal apartment she shares with Julien is bright and radiant and the large windows provide the best views of the city, like the Mount-Royal, the city center and the Olympic Stadium.

Name: Edmund Lam, Heidi Donnelly and Arthur (2 years old) Location: Montreal-West; Canada Size: 2,500 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Sometimes it can be difficult to make the transition from downtown living to the suburbs, but when you luck out on a space to call home that screams your name (and meets your budget) you leave running! This is essentially what happened to Edmund and Heidi a little over two years ago.

Name: Abi James Location: Bo Kaap — Cape Town, South Africa Size: 130 square meters (1399 square feet) Years lived in: Owned 2 years Abi’s home is a treasure trove of unique finds collected on travels abroad and sourced lovingly over time. As soon as you step inside, you’re welcomed into a charming haven full of warmth and personality. Abi is an interior designer who works mainly with safari lodges and travels regularly for her work.

Name: Deborah J Stein, painter, designer and owner of Bonbon Oiseau Workshop and James Knudsen, lighting director, production lighting designer and owner of Quazar Productions. (With Maxine and Icky the cats and Pablo the pup) Location: Long Island City, New York Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: Rented 4.5 years Like us, our homes have moods. On a sunny day, they’re cheerful and bright; at night, they can be quiet and contemplative.

Name: Alejandra Bennett and Oliver Katz Location: Beacon Hill — Boston, MA Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; rented Alejandra Bennett and Oliver Katz’s s light-filled Beacon Hill apartment in Boston is a convergence of new and old, near and far. The couple has filled the apartment with hand-me-downs and inherited family pieces, budget solutions and quality staples purchased for their first place together.

Name: Chris and Neil Bellamy Location: Bayside Melbourne — Victoria, Australia Years lived in: Owned 15 years Chris and Neil Bellamy with their two children Denie and Rhys live in a quiet bayside suburb of Melbourne. Chris is a full time artist who also dabbles in interior design and styling. Neil works in building and finance. They designed and built this house together—living in the home while they renovated, with small children in tow. A challenge in itself!

Name: Hopie Stockman and David Branson Smith and Otto the pup Location: Venice Beach — Los Angeles, California Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; renting These California transplants have had to get resourceful in decorating their apartment in a 1920s Venice Beach house. Rose Bowl Flea finds, hand-me-downs and tons of books blend into an eclectic, East Coast-meets-California beach cottage vibe.

Name: Ruth Steadman Location: Crystal Palace, London Size: 550 square feet Years lived in: 9 years, rented This high-ceilinged apartment in a large early-Victorian house is home to writer and psychotherapist Ruth Steadman and her cat Tallulah. Although it’s rented, in the nine years Ruth has lived here she’s managed to create a home that feels truly her own.

Name: Lulu Brud Zsebe and Justin Zsebe Location: Los Feliz — Los Angeles, California Size: 2 Bedroom and 2 Bath Years lived in: 2.5 years – rent Lulu and her husband Justin are lucky to have found an apartment that suits their lifestyle—it’s a space that has been passed on though the hands of friends for the past 13 years. They love the coziness, and have created a dwelling that invites their guests to feel at home.

Name: Meghna Davé and Jake Williams and Lemmy (our pup!) Location: East Atlanta, Georgia Size: 1000 sq ft Years lived in: Owned 1 year Dive into a world of brilliant colors displayed through the ancient form of block printing by Maelu Designs, a sustainable textile company by local Atlanta entrepreneur, Meghna Davé. The bold patterns in the home she shares with Jake are highlighted by a minimal and natural aesthetic, making this space modern with a sense of familiarity.

Name: Joan and Matt LeMay Location: Fort Greene, Brooklyn Size: 850 square feet Years lived in: Renting 2.5 months We cannot get enough of Joan, Matt, and their consistently awesome style. We first met Joan in her Portland studio, and Matt later in New York once their lives merged. Now in their first new apartment together, this creative force has been gracious enough to let us chronicle their style evolution—and after living there for only two and a half months!

Name: Sandra Eterovic Location: Inner-city Melbourne, Australia Size: 861 square feet Years lived in: Owned 20 years Sandra Eterovic is a talented visual artist whose work encompasses painting, illustration, textiles, knitting and all-round making of amazing things—as seen throughout her colourful and creative inner-city Melbourne home. Her home is situated in a narrow street and is an old single-fronted Victorian worker’s cottage that she bought 20 years ago.

Name: Lian and Fabien Location: Cape Town, South Africa Size: 1500 square feet Years lived in: Owned 3 years The fresh white floors and puddled curtains were the first thing that made me sigh when I stepped into Lian and Fabien’s beautiful home in the City Bowl. Along with its high ceilings and lovely light, this home immediately draws you in. Lian is a brand strategist and personal style consultant and so creativity is definitely one of her fortes.

Name: Ashley Jones and Laura Fama of Dimepiece LA Location: Downtown — Los Angeles, CA Size: 2,300 square feet Years lived in: Renting 3 years Dimepiece LA is a positive, stylish women’s street wear brand created in 2007 by Laura Fama and Ashley Jones. They’ve been running their brand out of a warehouse space in Downtown LA and just recently remodeled the front end.

Name: Summer Rayne Oakes Location: Williamsburg — Brooklyn, New York Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 11 years When you walk into Summer’s top-floor Williamsburg apartment, the thing you’ll notice first is the plants. And then: the plants. Seriously, there are plants everywhere. Summer’s home exists in a kind of liminal state: neither outdoor nor indoor, it has all the lush richness of a jungle, with all the insouciant style of the most stylish Brooklyn apartment.

Name: Dana Haddad Location: Corktown, Toronto Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: Owned 1 year For as long as she can remember, Dana has had a love for interiors and is known for decorating (and redecorating!) her space. Not expecting to move to Toronto’s East End or to purchase a condo, after walking into this space and seeing the trees in the distance she was sold!

When Maggie and Jose could no longer justify paying such high rent in San Francisco, they decided to pack up and cross the bridge to Oakland.

Name: Michelle, James, and their son Triston Location: Santa Fe — Oakland, California Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: Rented 1.5 years When a family of creatives lives in one open space, creating nooks where each person can work and relax is challenging. But Michelle, James and their son Triston have successfully completed the difficult task of creating a functional live-work space utilizing pieces that are well-designed and beautiful.

Name: Jacob Crafford-Burger Location: Green Point, Cape Town, South Africa Size: 860 square feet Years lived in: Rented 8 months In just over six months Jacob has created a home that is cozy and creative and that very much reflects his personal style. Filled with an abundance of art, plants and strong accent walls, this apartment is full of character. Jacob rents the apartment and luckily his landlord is happy for him to make improvements to the space.

Name: Kirsten and Brandon Dickerson, plus their son and daughter Location: Our homestead know as Green Acres Retreat, just east of Austin in Elgin, Texas Size: 25 acres that includes our personal dwellings: a 1955 Spartan Mansion just under 350 square feet and a 1967 Overlander Airstream just under 180 square feet, as well as an open air vintage barn and Lotus Belle yurts for guests. Years lived in: Full time living in both of the vintage trailers for 1.5 years Green Acres update!

Megan Jorgensen’s Los Angeles home features many colorful, unique items—watercolor paintings, vintage hand-me-downs, and vibrant textiles. Although Megan is lucky to claim some of these one-of-a-kind items as her own, it’s easy to get a similar aesthetic in your own home using these shopping sources.

Name: Bridget Schwartz Location: Adams Point — Oakland, California Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: Rented 7 years Bridget describes her apartment as “luxe bohemian, fairytale discotheque, and hippie princess”—all labels that are hard to define. But after touring Bridget’s bright and eccentric Oakland apartment, the descriptions start to make sense. Her apartment has so many distinct styles, and she is perfectly fine with that.

Name: Jennifer Emerling Location: Pasadena, California Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: Rented 6 months Jenn is a visual storyteller specializing in travel, editorial, and wedding photography. She considers herself a modern day explorer, particularly enchanted by her muse of the American West for its exaggerated folklore and whimsy. Jenn’s home base is a quiet back house in Pasadena, California that started as the perfect blank canvas for her to drench it color and effervescence.

Victoria’s two-bedroom English bungalow is located in the picturesque countryside, and the inside is fitting of its beautiful surroundings. Inspired by traditional English country cottages and whitewashed seaside homes, Victoria added pinks, soft greys, gold and copper throughout the home to keep the rooms feeling cozy and cohesive. She furnished her home on a budget, so Apartment Therapy readers can easily get this warm, traditional look in their homes, too.

Name: Genevieve Wearne Location: Kyneton, Victoria, Australia Size: 70 square metres Years lived in: Owned 5.5 years Genevieve and her husband Sonny made the move from Melbourne to Kyneton, in country Victoria (approx 1.15 hours from Melbourne), almost six years ago.

Name: Mike and Rachel Graves / owners of Summer Camp + Road Trip Location: Meiner’s Oaks — Ojai, California Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 8 months, rented Summer Camp owners and husband and wife team Michael and Rachel Graves live in an adorable three-bedroom home with their daughter Maude. It’s such a perfect mix of vintage classics, bohemian charm, and that fun California vibe.

Name: Jil and Jeff Location: Leslieville — Toronto, Canada Size: 1,250 square feet Years lived in: Owned 2 years Originally from the Canada’s East Coast, Jil and Jeff moved to Toronto in pursuit of career opportunities. They brought along not only their friendly character and Maritime hospitality but also many treasures, such as old barn ladders, driftwood and antiques.

Laura and Nina’s Chicago home is simple and clean on the outside, and the interior is no different. The modern pieces they’ve put in their home create a contemporary and industrial aesthetic that also feels warm and comfortable—not cold and sterile. You can create the same vibe in your home and shop the style using the sources below. Green Cat with Lights — Similar (print sold out, but puzzle can be framed!

Name: Jamee Jones (and his six housemates) Location: Oak Tree — Oakland, California Size: 1,691 square feet Years lived in: Rented 2 years When Jamee greeted me at his doorstep before his Apartment Therapy photoshoot, he had just finished his daily commute from San Francisco, where he works at Urban Outfitters as a social media manager.

Name: Anna and Zan Winchell, and mini-labradoodle, Pennylane Location: Waltham, Massachusetts Size: 2,000 square feet Years lived in: Rented 2 years Anna and Zan’s apartment is one you walk into and immediately know they have had fun designing it and making it their own.

Bridget’s best advice is to buy vintage whenever possible so that the stuff in your home is unique. Because of that, it’s hard to find the original sources for many of the items in her eccentric, vibrant Oakland apartment. However, it’s easy to find a modern take on some of these vintage pieces using the shopping sources below.

Maven Collection founder Laura Hebden has traveled around the world looking for artisan textiles to sell in her shop...and put in her Chicago apartment.

Name: Leesa Cowan, Darren, Ella-Rose 12, Edward 10, Jock the dog, Puss the cat and Rio the rabbit Location: Ceres, near Geelong in Country Victoria (Southwest of Melbourne) Size: 2368 square feet Years lived in: Owned 2.5 years Leesa and Darren were both born and raised in the country, Leesa from a wheat and sheep property in country Victoria and Darren from the outskirts of Sydney.

Name: Andrew Deming and Rachel Gant and Dog, Clover Location: Davis Shores, Anastasia Island, St. Augustine, Florida Size: 1550 square feet Years lived in: 11 Months Rachel and Andrew of YIELD Design Co. open their doors to their beautifully renovated mid-century home in St. Augustine, Florida. What was once an outdated 1950s house is now a peaceful, tropical retreat. Nestled in the tropical flora and fauna of the old city of St.

Name: Bob and Heather Location: Melrose — Oakland, California Size: 2,500 square feet Years lived in: Rented 2 years Bob and Heather define their style as “eclectic weirdo”—something the couple takes pride in. It’s a space filled with odd decor, including a plush, faux-fur-covered chair in the living room, and stair handrails covered in LED lights—and there are plenty of other unconventional decor elements (this is their current living room projection).

Name: Liz, Andrew and pets Stella, Layla and Helen Location: Neuilly-Sur-Seine (border of 17th arrondissement, Paris) Size: 65 square meters (about 700 square feet) Years lived in: 1.5 years, rented Finding an apartment in Paris is a dream for many. It’s easy in the process to get lost in the romance of parquet floors, french doors and views of Parisian rooftops. So easy, in fact, that many of us forget that day-to-day living needs sometimes trump those Parisian fantasies.

Name: Georgina, Gideon, Hunter and Case Location: Cape Town, South Africa Size: 2583 square feet Years lived in: Owned 3 years Situated in the bohemian and arty suburb of Observatory, Gideon and Georgina’s home is filled with warmth and creativity. This young family home has many personal touches and custom-designed elements thanks to Gideon. Although Gideon specialized in landscape architecture, he likes to call himself a design generalist.

Name: Gilles, Ismérie and Alexie Location: Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie, Montreal Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 3 years Ismérie, founder of The Little Spot and owner at L’Atelier du coin de la rue (“The workshop around the corner” a creative space for DIY passionate Montrealers), opened up her family home for us and shared their little universe.

Name: Alma Andreu Location: Valencia, Spain Size: 645,835 square feet Years lived in: Renting 6 Months Alma has a sparkling personality and a sweet, minimal home, and over the years she’s worked different gigs—but writing is her passion. While working as a teacher, she began writing stories for kids. Her tales proved so popular that she decided to write professionally. Her blog is Soy la Forte and her first book is coming out next October.

Name: Hannah and Jean Puechmarin Location: Brisbane, Australia Size: Two bedroom house Years lived in: Rented for one year If a passer-by looked at this home, all they would see is a house with peeling paint. But don’t we always say that it is what’s on the inside that counts? My husband Jean and I (along with our puppy, Arthur) were on the hunt for a home with character.

Jil and Jeff’s home showcases many rustic, nautical and Scandinavian-inspired pieces, like the vintage wood crate at the sofa’s side or the coffee table made from a slab of wood. If you had your eye on some of the items in their expansive Toronto loft, you can get some of the items—or something similar—using the sources below.

Name: Franke Chung, Jason Wark, Neko the cat, and Ozzy the dog Location: Streeterville — Chicago, Illinois Size: 640 square feet Years lived in: Rented 1 year Many folks who live in studio apartments might agree — they function quite efficiently… until you have company over. That’s when there’s a sudden shift in the equilibrium. There’s one too many bodies in here.

Name: Teresa Robinson Location: Portland, Oregon Size: 1,150 square feet Years lived in: Owned 8.5 For Teresa Robinson, maker of the gorgeous jewelry line, Tiro Tiro, a home of one’s own is best filled with things that bring a feeling of warmth. With an eclectic mix of vintage and modern furniture, as well as a healthy dose of DIY, Teresa’s home of nearly nine years captures that feeling in every room.

Name: Jonny and Aimée Mendez Location: Albany Park — Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: Rented for 1.5 years Jonny and I were married in May of 2015. One of our deepest joys over the past year has been creating our home together. Soon after we were married, we really considered the questions, “How do we want to feel in our home?” and “How do we want others to feel when they enter our home?

Name: Krysta Jabczenski and Joel Leshefka Location: Tucson, Arizona Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: Owned for 2 years (We remodeled this property earlier this year.) For Krysta and Joel, Tucson is more than just home. The two artists and shop owners relocated to Krysta’s native Arizona from the Pacific Northwest, and planted roots in the blossoming creative community in the area.

Name: Coco Dávez Location: Chueca nieghborhood — Madrid, Spain Size: 193 square feet Years lived in: Rented since February Coco welcomes me smiling in her studio, in an old royal state apartment in the heart of the high Chueca neighborhood in Madrid. Her paintings are full of colors, and fill the small, bright studio space. An artist since she was a child, painting for Coco is a way to relax, to play and to remain connected with that inner child inside us all.

Name: Max Shay, Emily Billings, and their cat, Snowboots Location: South End — Boston, Massachusetts Size: 655 square feet Years lived in: Rented 5 months As you may remember, a couple years ago, Max and I left our city life behind for rural New England where we moved into an old farmhouse with plenty of room to roam.

A 19th Century Chicago home and studio to two artists.

Name: Erika Brulé Location: Jingletown — Oakland, California Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: Rented 2 years When Erika saw photos of the Oakland loft she now calls home, she immediately signed the lease without even looking at the space in person. She knew it would provide her with all she needed: a spacious area where she could indulge in crafts and DIY projects, expansive walls where she could hang art she loves, and industrial elements like exposed pipes and brick.

Name: Rian, Zeanne and their son Christo Location: Newlands Village — Cape Town, South Africa Size: 250 square meters Years lived in: Owned almost 3 years What was once a dark house with low ceilings has been transformed into a light and airy home with an understated elegance. Zeanne and Rian bought this 1970s house almost three years ago and had to gut it to create the beautiful space you see today.

Name: Sienna and Javod Location: Willow Glen — San Jose, California Size: 1,300 square feet Years lived in: Rented 2.5 years Sienna and Javod are inspired by vintage pieces, whether it’s while window shopping at local antique markets, shopping for vintage treasures online, or inheriting family heirlooms. When paired with a penchant for DIY, crafting and art, the result is a beautiful home filled with geometric patterns, textiles and mid-century furniture.

Marie-Laure and Sébastien’s boho-inspired home in France takes inspiration from nature, such as the pine trees in their backyard and the nearby ocean. If you’ve been looking for more Bohemian-style pieces for your home, check out the links below to shop the style.

Name: Robyn Kleffman, John Morley and their dog Daisy Location: Seabright — Santa Cruz, California Size: 350 square feet Years lived in: Rented 6 months If John could have it his way, he’d fill his home with comfy La-Z-Boy furniture, but Robyn has completely different tastes, citing Consort, Coup D-Etat, DWR, and Anna Karlin as some of her dream sources.

Sienna and Javod’s San Jose home is filled with art, mid-century modern furniture, and geometric patterns. Though a lot of the items were made by Sienna or purchased second-hand, you can get items with similar patterns and styles online using the links below.

Name: Lisette van de Graaf Location: Gothic quarter — Barcelona, Spain Size: 968 square feet Years lived in: Owned for 7 years I met Lisette at a magazine opening party and she immediately caught my attention because she seemed like a well-traveled person with plenty of stories to tell. Born in Dutch Antilles and raised in Madrid, she hasn’t stopped traveling and exploring since.

Name: Caryn, Edward, and their two sons Kai and Beckett (plus their two pitbulls Dexter and Nuggett) Location: Santa Cruz, California Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: Owned 11 years Caryn and Edward bought their beach cottage on the west side of Santa Cruz, California 11 years ago to raise their growing family. The family is happy to call the quiet street with beach views their home, though the inside isn’t quite as hushed as the street scene outside.

Name: Sydney Krause and Fabrice Bouty Location: Plateau — Montreal, Canada Size: 1,147 square feet Years lived in: Owned 4 years Sydney and Fabrice are a perfect example of how two people with very distinct personal styles can cultivate a harmonized and well-designed home. Fabrice is originally from France and gravitates towards more classic design while Sydney enjoys color, unique lighting and a good vintage find! When Sydney moved in a few years ago, the place was entirely different.

Name: Justin and Anna Spaller + Cat, Oscar Location: Savin Hill — Boston, Massachusetts Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: Rented 1 year Two years ago, Justin and I had no idea we would end up living in an old Boston neighborhood, let alone in a beautiful 19th century Victorian home. At that time, we were Midwest natives turned Brooklynites, planning a big farewell to the city that never sleeps after four years.

Name: Meghan Bogden Shimek Location: Oakland, California Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: Rented 6 months Meghan’s live-work Oakland loft is very personal and full of inspiration, found in her beautiful fiber weavings, work by her creative friends, or vintage furniture that brings her joy. Though she’s lived in the space for less than a year, Meghan is already enamored with the amount of space the loft provides her, both to create and share with her 5-year-old son.

Name: Lauren and Alex Chapin Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: Owned 4 years Lauren, of Circle G Designs, shares this Pittsburgh home with her husband Alex. Though their tastes tend toward a more modern feel, Lauren believes in respecting the architecture of a house, so their home is a blend of their style and classic elements, the result of which is a simple, classic yet contemporary space.

Lauren and Alex’s Pittsburgh home is mid-century modern, but also features lots of traditional elements. In order to highlight some of these classic details, the couple chose to fill their home with traditional furniture and modern accents—a combination that represents their tastes. If you love both classic and modern pieces, use the shopping sources below to get the look in your home.

Name: Dana Leviston, Mahlie (9) Leon (8) Location: Yarraville, Melbourne, Australia Size: Approximately 700 square metres Years lived in: 11 Years, Rental This house was built in the 1950s and renovated in the ’70s. It came to Dana’s family through her father first; he bought the house in 1992 . (There was only one previous owner before their family.

Lisette’s beautiful, restored flat in Barcelona tells stories of her travels throughout the world with very minimal decor. She has vintage pieces acquired while working in the fashion industry in Hong Kong, and showcases furniture she found while living in Amsterdam. Though some of these items are unique finds, you can find similar styles online using the sources below.

Jane’s San Francisco home is inspired by her surroundings from architecture, retail spaces, and nature (plus some mid-century modern)—a style Jane calls “Happy Californian.” If you’re inspired by these things, as well as clean lines and craftsmanship, check out the shoppable links below. Teepee — Similar: Etsy Table lamp — Similar: Zinc Door Credenza — Similar: Overstock Mini globe — Similar: World Market Brass duck — Similar: Jet.

Name: Marta Garrido Location: Terrassa — Barcelona, Spain Size: 807 square feet Years lived in: Rented for two and a half years Marta lives in Terrassa (a little city near Barcelona) with her two cats, Mandarino and Valentina, and her husband Jules. I met her through her Instagram account @undiagris (it means “a grey day”) but that’s just the opposite of the spirit she radiates.

Caryn and Edward’s Santa Cruz home is full of rich and vibrant colors, just like Caryn’s art pieces. The house style is a mixture of boho-chic and mid-century, plus some beach style thrown in throughout (the end of their street has a perfect view of Santa Cruz and the beach). Use the sources below to get the look in your home and shop some of the items found in their beautiful house.

Meghan Shimek’s Oakland live-work studio is full of inspiration, whether it’s her own inspiration that translates to beautiful weaving, or art created by her friends. Check out the links below to get some of these unique items or something similar in your home.

Name: Alison Gilbert, Jon Polikowski (+ kids Ruby and Noah and dog Baxter St. James) Location: Mount Washington — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,456 square feet Years lived in: Owned 4 years With two 5-year-old twins and a peppy pupster (Mr. Baxter St. James, if you please), it’s a wonder how Alison and Jon flawlessly renovated their Los Angeles post & beam home in just two years.

Name: Jordan and Ryan (Flower, Bowser, Pony & Rocket) Location: Nashville, Tennesee Size: 1500 square feet Years lived in: Owned 2 years Jordan and Ryan bought their Nashville home a couple of years ago. After extensive renovations, their sweet 1905 bungalow is now a charming refuge for them and their four pets. Jordan started her own creative agency, Rare Assembly, and deals rugs and antiques under the web moniker of Hot Child Studio.

Name: Adrienne Moran Location: West Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Size: 968 square feet Years lived in: Owned 2 years Adrienne’s sweet apartment is in an old biscuit/cookie warehouse in the inner suburb of West Melbourne, not far from the city. While many warehouse developments lose a sense of history when sliced up in the design process — this block of apartments thankfully retained the beautiful original wooden floors and beams.

Name: Kristen Coates and Michael Paddon Location: Historic Downtown — Newport, Rhode Island Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: Rented 3 years Kristen Coates wears many creative hats: gallery and store owner, artist and curator. When she is at work, her mind is focused on bringing art and beauty into the homes of her customers and clients. When she returns home to the apartment she shares with her boyfriend Michael, she isn’t interested in spending time decorating.