Tours

Name: Ana Nelson Location: Tacoma, Washington Size: 925 square feet Years lived in: Owned, 1 year Ana grew up working for her family’s event company, and has always loved vintage items, so when she set out to buy her first house, she knew she would be happiest living in a home from another era. At just 25, Ana purchased a small 1920s bungalow, and has spent the past year converting the home from a dark, run-down space into the bright, cheery cottage that it is today.

Name: Morgan Schemel Location: Utrecht, Netherlands Size: 1000 square feet Years lived in: Rented 2 years My partner and I moved to the Netherlands in January 2015 with two suitcases and some family photos. We had to wait more than four months for the rest of our shipment to arrive and used that between time to explore the local thrift stores and markets for unique pieces to fill our home.

Name: Jill and Warren Location: Roncesvalles — Toronto Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: Renting 4 months As soon as Jill and Warren stepped into their new loft, they were sold! Moving from a newer condo in the downtown core, this space – with a good story and some history behind it – really appealed to them. Initially from the West End, Jill knew the charm of the neighborhood and has now introduced Warren to a new part of the city.

Amy's only lived here for little over a month, but she's created an eclectic space, filled with unique furniture and accessories from antique stores, estate sales, and her travels.

Name: Danielle and Justin McKim and Great Dane Charlotte Location: Charlotte, North Carolina Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, owned Danielle and Justin have a home that could not be more full of their own individual style and personality. Collecting affordable pieces and turning them into magic was once a hobby of Danielle’s that soon became her career as a designer and local storefront owner here in Charlotte.

Name: Margaret Scholley Location: Bangalow, Australia Size: 1453 square feet Years lived in: Owned 7 years Margaret Scholley has been designing residential interiors for over 20 years in Australia, founding Alida & Miller Interior Design, an impressive firm that takes on design and styling projects around the world. In 2013, her daughter Kit (see her house tour!) joined her, and they’re now a mother daughter design duo focusing on interior styling and staging in the Byron Bay hinterland.

Name: Kit Alida Bettison with husband and kids Location: Bangalow, Australia Size: 2368 square feet Years lived in: Owned 3 years Inspired by expansive, light-filled industrial-style New York lofts and the free-wheeling bohemian vibes of the 1970s, this house in Australia is a maximalist’s dream. It’s the home of Kit Alida Bettison and her husband, who have lived in the home for three years, after building it four years ago.

Not exactly known for her minimalist views on decor, Jen's holiday-ready home—and over 100 Christmas trees—is cheery enough to brighten even the biggest Grinch's day!

Name: Meghan and Jesse Arlen Location: Mid-Wilshire area — Los Angeles, California Size: 540 square feet Years lived in: Renting 1 year Meghan and Jesse have made their studio apartment feel like a haven of old world charm. They focus on living a waste-free, conscientious lifestyle, and part of this involves buying older things and repurposing as much as they can. They both greatly value authenticity of objects and especially prize the stories behind each thing they own.

Name: Lucas Ortega Navarro Location: Vicente Lopez — Buenos Aires, Argentina Size: 495 square feet Years lived in: Rented, 1 year After living in a much bigger place (where he never felt at ease), Lucas finally found his home a year ago in this one bedroom apartment over an avenue in the Vicente Lopez neighborhood. The furniture that seemed to be floating all over his old apartment now felt at home in this much cozier place.

Name: Jessica, Andrew, and Gus Ullom Location: Raleigh, North Carolina Size: 1,750 square feet, built in 1965 Years lived in: Owned 2 years From the outside, you would definitely expect a cute new family of three to live here. But you might be surprised at the beautiful creativity happening inside! Jessica and her husband Andrew both work with their hands on a daily basis.

Name: Amy and Jed Rogers, dog: Prancy and cat: Barney Location: Austin, Texas Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: Owned 2.5 years When my husband, Jed Rogers, and I started our house hunt four years ago we knew our list of “must haves” was going to be tough to find all in one home. What we ended up finding? A 1964 one-story home with good bones and lots of potential in a desirable neighborhood.

Name: Irina Melsom and Hans Askheim (and kids Aleksandra, Markus) Location: Bethnal Green — London, UK Size: 1000 square feet Years Lived In: Owned for 4 years Originally from Norway, artists Irina and Hans have shared this Victorian three-bedroom terrace in East London with their daughter Aleksandra and son Markus for four years.

Name: Kate Sykes Location: Raleigh, North Carolina Size: 840 square feet Years lived in: Rented 2.5 months To find her new apartment, Kate bypassed typical rental search engines and opted to drive around her ideal neighborhood in Raleigh, scouting beautiful facades and “For Rent” signs. That’s how she landed this home just three months ago. How she managed to pull it together so quickly and skillfully speaks to her background in design.

Name: Rosewood Clothing Co. Location: 16 W. Broad St., Richmond, Virgina Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: Rented 2 years With one visit to Rosewood Clothing Co.’s vintage insta-shop, founder Ashley Carruther’s style is immediately enviable.

Name: Irwin Gueco Location: The General Scott — Washington, DC Size: 495 square feet Years lived in: Rented 6 years / Owned 2 years “Your home should tell your story,” says Irwin. And everywhere you look in his home there is a good story, providing insight into Irwin’s personality. Filled to the brim with carefully selected mementos, artwork and furniture, his home feels like a lovingly curated museum. Which is fitting, because he spends his days at a museum.

Name: Kirsten White, Darcy Killeen and Brydie Killeen Location: Dufferin Grove — Downtown Toronto Size: 2,300 square feet Years lived in: 16 years, owned It took over a decade for Kirsten and Darcy to begin their home renovations — other than a few fresh coats of paint. But when you’re a professional designer (and self-proclaimed perfectionist), “it was all worth the wait to achieve exactly what I had envisioned for the space,” explained Kirsten.

Name: Farida Location: IJburg — Amsterdam, The Netherlands Size: 968 square feet Years lived in: 11 years; owned A twenty-minute ride by streetcar will take you from the bustling Amsterdam center to IJburg, a cluster of six artificial islands in the IJ lake. Surrounded by water, it feels like being on an island holiday. Even though it’s still a part of the Amsterdam-Oost (Amsterdam East) borough!

Name: Ariene C. Bethea and Daren Z. Bethea II (and Mini) Location: Charlotte, North Carolina Size: 3,100 Square Feet Years lived in: 9 years, owned There are dreamers and there are doers. Ariene Bethea fits into the latter. Ariene brought her dream to life through her designer furnishings storefront, Dressing Rooms Interiors Studio. She has been called a “design maven,” whose arrival is “changing the face of design in the South.

Name: Jonathan, graphic designer and founder of Pulp and Pixel Location: Rosemont-La-Petite-Patrie, Montréal Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: Rented 1.5 years Graphic designer Jonathan has a great eye for design, and he’s carefully collected decor for his rental apartment that reflects his personality. His home is something like a Rainbow Chips-Ahoy! cookie: mostly plain with pops of color throughout.

Name: Sylvia De Marco Location: Ocean Park — San Juan, Puerto Rico Size: 2,500 square feet Years lived in: Rented 2 years Live a Great Story. The front of Sylvia’s house boldly displays the slogan on a pink wall, with potted plants and bright flowers on the wall ledge. The facade says a lot about what guests will find upon entering. Like her bright and hip Ocean Park neighborhood, Sylvia’s home is filled with an array of colorful furniture, lively plants, and unique art.

Name: Lori Location: Downtown — Detroit, Michigan Size: 1,195 square feet Years lived in: Rented 1.5 years Lori’s downtown Detroit apartment is a good example of a space that appreciates functionality and modernism, but still manages to be a warm, welcoming home. She used her move to this space as a fresh start, and prioritized incorporating local designers’ work into the mix. From art to custom-made furniture, Lori’s love and support of her city is on full display.

Name: Paul Giordano and Simon Mathis Location: New York, New York Size: 625 square feet Years lived in: 15 months, rented This extremely welcoming home in Manhattan is full of vibrant colors, natural textures, and personalized treasures. Though on the small-ish side, big windows let in a lot of light, and charming architectural features like a brick wall add tons of charm. But it’s Paul and Simon’s ability to mesh styles and colors that has created such a warm, eclectic home.

Name: John and Wesley Yates-Parietti Location: Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn Size: 630 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years Before John and Wesley moved into this 1890s Brooklyn townhouse, they say they were each living in separate “windowless dumps.” It took lots of unpacking and plenty of painting, but this small shared space is filled with historic artifacts, collected treasures and the couple’s heart and soul. (No windowless dumps in sight.

Name: Des Ellis Location: Houston, Texas Size: 1,440 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, rented and owned Some people have an effortless style, amazing taste and the gift of knowing how to put all the pieces of their life together perfectly. Des is one of those people. She’s the buyer and general manager at Manready Mercantile, a “one-stop shop” that sells American-made goods for the home and closet.

Name: Sara, Kyle, and Monty the dog Location: Forest Hill, Toronto Size: 750 square feet| Years lived in: Renting 10 months. (They lived in the one-bedroom unit directly next door for 5 years.) This space proves that we should never judge a home by its exterior. Built in the late 1960s by architect Uni Prii, this apartment building was described as “space age” by Spacing Toronto. However, Kyle and Sara have created a home that leans far more toward cozy vintage than futuristic.

Name: Kallie Seniff Location: Logan Circle in Washington, D.C. Size: 456 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, rented Kallie’s colorful studio apartment couldn’t be more representative of her personality. She’s an energetic, thrifty person and she found a way to combine these traits into a home so stylish that it makes me wild with envy.

Name: Kaitie, Tyler + cats (Jolene, Bruce, and Robin) + dog (Trae) Location: East Nashville — Nashville, Tennessee Size: 1,540 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, owned California natives Kaitie and Tyler wanted a change of pace, and Music City fit the bill. So they put down roots in Nashville about two years ago. At the time they were house hunting, real estate in Nashville was selling quickly.

Name: Niki Azevedo and Bennett Harrell Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn— New York Size: 452 square feet Years lived in: Renting 6 years Niki’s 450 square foot Brooklyn apartment is a reflection of the years she’s lived as an artist in New York City. From DIY wallpaper, to rescued portraits of Jesus on the cross, to a mounted deer head, Niki’s personality shines throughout the space. “I am never giving up this apartment,” Niki says.

Name: Lisa Diederich and Samuel Stephenson Location: Inglewood — Nashville, Tennessee Size: 1,248 square feet Years lived in: 6 months, renting Sam and I recently moved from Sydney, Australia to Nashville, Tennessee and have spent the past few months settling into our home and our businesses here in Music City. After five years in Sydney, we both felt it was time for a new adventure, and Nashville was calling!

Name: Kenny and Robbert Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands Size: 969 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, rented Robbert and Kenny are quite the complementary pair — Robbert’s practicality balances out Kenny’s flair for the dramatic — and their Utrecht attic apartment wonderfully reflects that balance. Located on one of the main canals of Utrecht, this building was once a warehouse and dates from the 15th century.

Name: Jory Dayne Location: Tenderloin — San Francisco, California Size: 525 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, rented The bustle of the street scene just outside Jory’s doorstep is a contrast to the warm, serene studio apartment he calls home. A flood of light pours in through bay windows, reflecting off the cluster of plants in the corner.

Name: Vicki and Ross Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Years lived in: 8 years, owned Vicki and Ross moved into their home in the inner-city suburb of Carlton eight years ago. Their building was originally part of an adjoining hotel — and it housed a hand ball court sitting in the back. (The first Inter-colonial Hand Ball Competition was played there against New South Wales, in fact!) You can still see some of the original paint markings on the walls in their gorgeous courtyard.

Name: Sarah and Dan Location: Fort Greene — Brooklyn, New York Size: 350 square feet Years lived in: Renting 4.5 years Sarah and Dan live in a beautifully preserved brownstone apartment in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn. The pre-war space features an abundance of architectural charm, like high ceilings, a floral ceiling medallion, and a gorgeous fireplace. The couple describes their style as modern and minimal, but above all, they value comfort.

Every ounce of artist Hillery's place is dripping in warmth. There are stacks of cozy blankets to curl into and Mali the dog appears perpetually huggable.

Name: Tomoko and Michael Yates and cat Mochi Location: Clinton Hill — Brooklyn, New York Size: About 400 square feet Years lived in: 3.5 years, renting Tomoko and Michael met in Austin (in fact, you might remember the Austin house tour we did of his old apartment), but moved into their Clinton Hill apartment about three and a half years ago. The couple, respectively from Japan and Texas, describe their home’s style as simple and cozy.

Name: Catherine Masi Location: Santa Barbara, California Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, rented Designer Catherine Masi’s small studio apartment is in the historic Eastside of Downtown Santa Barbara. The area is beautiful and full of history — and so is the building she lives in.

Name: Cheyenne Cannon Location: West Oakland — Oakland, California Size: ~250 square feet (part of a 2-story, 4-bedroom house) Years lived in: 1.5 years, rented Though Cheyenne doesn’t get to claim an entire apartment to herself, her small workspace and bedroom provide the bright light, privacy and inspiration she needs. She lucked out when the private second floor bedroom opened up.

Name: Elyse Location: Ville-Marie — Montreal Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 6 months Elyse’s apartment is a museum of small objects that are decorative rather than strictly functional. In fact, she calls it her “tchotchke heaven.” The bright light pouring in through big windows and the clean white walls prove to be the perfect gallery for her collection.

Name: Leo and Daniel Location: Dolores Heights — San Francisco, California Size: 1,250 square feet Years lived in: Rented 2.5 years Leo and Daniel consider themselves fortunate to live in a stunning, spacious San Francisco apartment overlooking the city’s skyline. Daniel’s parents own the building, so he and his sister (who lives in the unit above the couple) got first dibs.

Name: Jesse Roebuck and Alastair Emmett Location: Ipswich, Queensland Years Lived In: 1, owned Jesse and Alastair made the move from an inner-city Art Deco apartment to Ipswich when they purchased their first home. They found a beautiful “Queenslander” style cottage, and quickly made the house a home in just under a year. Choosing a house with character and charm was just the first step of this vintage luxe home.

Name: Christina and Matt Location: Novi, Michigan Size: 720 square feet Years lived in: 3 years Just married, these newlyweds are both in creative fields: Christina is a talented wedding photographer and Matt is a copywriter. Their creativity is on full display in their apartment, like Christina’s photographs, which are sprinkled around each room. They also got creative to transform a plain, cookie cutter space into a bright, airy, romantic home.

Name: Tim and Ren Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands Size: 1076 square feet Years lived in: Renting 2 years When you enter Ren and Tim’s light-filled Amsterdam apartment, you can physically feel yourself relax as the hustle and bustle of city life is shed at the door. Part Nordic, part mid-century, their apartment boasts clean, simple lines and minimalist aesthetics.

Name: Maaike Mekking and Michael Aveling (and Alma, Rosa) Location: Sydenham, London Size: 758 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, owned Art director/Photographer Maaike Mekking and her husband Michael Aveling live in this cute little Edwardian cottage in South East London with their two young daughters Alma and Rosa.

Name: Austin Carrier, Alex Mutter-Rottmayer, and their dog Ziggy Location: Sonoma, California Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned Austin and Alex say their apartment is like the scene in Alice in Wonderland in which the Mad Hatter is calling for people to change seats. It’s very likely that the couple’s wine country apartment is already styled completely different than how it looked during this house tour.

Name: Jared Frank Location: Casa Larissa in Silverlake, Los Angeles Size: 1000 square foot apartment Years lived in: 7 years, renting Jared Frank is the interior designer behind Topsy Design, and floats between New York and Los Angeles transforming residential and commercial spaces. He chanced upon Casa Larissa — a one-of-a-kind apartment— when attending an estate sale. The previous tenant, fresco artist Lance Klemm, used the space as his canvas.

Name: Debbie and Devin Location: Lansing, Michigan Size: Approximately 1600 square feet (including the studio space in the attic) Years lived in: 3.5 years, renting Debbie and Devin met on the East Coast before moving to Chicago, where we toured their apartment and first saw this creative couple’s home style. From photography, to jewelry making to music, their Chicago home displayed their handiwork, and so does their current home in Michigan.

Name: YC Chen, Kennie and Jami Location: Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong Size: 1,020 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years, owned YC Chen is the Creative Director and founder of hoo, an interior design company in Hong Kong. YC and his wife Kennie moved into this two-bedroom apartment in Pok Fu Lam over two years ago with their son Jami, who was a toddler at the time. The most important thing for them was to create a space that is totally stylish and child-friendly.

Name: Nathan Lump and Charles Runnette Location: Park Slope — Brooklyn, NY Size: 900 square feet plus terrace Years lived in: 1 year, 2 months, owned Where does Travel + Leisure magazine’s editor-in-chief Nathan Lump live when he’s not combing the world to find fabulous far-flung locales? In an airy, comfy Park Slope apartment he recently renovated with his husband Charles Runnette, a fellow killer content creator who works at the Mustache Agency (and a traveler, too).

Name: Erin Walsh Location: East Nashville — Nashville, TN Size: 724 square feet Years lived in: 4 months, renting “It’s not easy mastering the art of being minimal and warm, but I think Erin’s East Nashville rental apartment does it. And even more impressive, she did it in just four months! This is a tour greatest hit, but I think it’s worth another look.

A lot fits into this 550 square foot Philly rental: a drool-worthy fireplace, brick walls, hip furniture and tons of plants.

Name: Ruth Snell Location: Austin, Texas Size: 1,300 square feet Years lived in: Owned 6 years Ruth Snell and her family have lived in their bright, 1300 square foot home for almost six years. As you enter her organized entryway, you wouldn’t guess that controlling family clutter is her biggest challenge. Ruth’s best advice for a tidy home? Practice picking up daily, have a place for everything, and keep baskets around to collect items that need to go back to their homes.

Name: Teri Clar and Patrick Choquette, plus their dog, Nami Location: Arlington, Virginia Size: 925 square feet Years lived in: 3.5 years, Rented (1 of them including Patrick!) Ombre bedroom accent walls in Crushed Velvet and a moody, modern den in Hale Navy? Check and check. Welcome to the home of interior designer and business owner Teri Clar. Teri resides in in Arlington, Virginia with her fiancé, Patrick and their dog, Nami.

Name: Paula-Jane Buckland, son Rocket (9 years old) and Dixon Location: Coburg North — Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Size: 3229 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, renting Paula-Jane and her son Rocket moved to Melbourne from Adelaide about four years ago.

Name: Anne, Christian and dog Watson Location: Sant Gervasi – Barcelona, Spain Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, rented Anne was studying in Amsterdam when she fell in love with her now husband Christian. When he asked her to move to Barcelona, she didn’t hesitate. But finding the perfect apartment didn’t come easy for the couple, who first squeezed themselves into a tiny rental while waiting for the right property.

Name: Salma and her husband Naghi Location: Farmington Hills, Michigan Size: 2,250 square feet Years lived in: 4 years Blending the new with the old and taking advantage of every vertical space in her house for displaying artwork, Salma, an interior designer, has created a colorful attention-grabbing home. “Our house was built in 1967, before it was built, the whole subdivision was a farming community. The land the house sits on was once a cow farm!

Name: Kelly and Colton Jarisch, baby Silas, and Shiner. Location: Tarrytown — Austin, Texas Size: 1,530 square feet Years lived in: Owned a little over 2.5 years Kelly and Colton’s small cottage home just west of downtown Austin is a case study for renovations done right. Their reno began as a series of DIY projects to remove the previous owner’s design decisions, but Kelly and Colton soon found themselves in the midst of a whole house renovation — for the first time.

Name: Lauren Wilson Location: Farmington Hills, Michigan Size: 1,850 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, owned Interior designer — and mom to three kids — Lauren Wilson says it’s hard to believe that she’s been in her family home for five years. When she moved in, she envisioned an open space that she and her husband could create and build on their own. However, the space was anything but the open-concept she dreamed about.

Name: Courtney Webster and Brandon Aguiar Location: Providence, Rhode Island Size: 950 square feet Years Lived In: 1.5 years, rent Courtney Webster (who’s behind the lifestyle blog jeune amour) and her artist husband Brandon Aguiar fell in love with this Providence apartment’s 15-foot high white walls, giant loft windows, exposed brick and the open living space.

Name: Philip, Amanda, Jasper and Boogers the cat Location: Downtown Nashville, Tenneessee Size: 1,400 Square Feet Years lived in: Own- 3 Years Constructed in the 1800s and the oldest building on the block, it was love at first sight when Philip, Amanda and Jasper moved to Nashville about three years ago. The Knoxville natives wanted all the perks of downtown living: the luxury of walking to work or to restaurants and stores, just steps away from their front door.

Name: Kym Pesola Location: Lower Pacific Heights — San Francisco, California Size: 400 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting “I wouldn’t say ‘no’ to a real dining table and more space, but it’s actually cozy to gather around on the floor and the sofa when friends come to visit.” In one sentence, media relations manager Kym Pesola sums up big pros and cons of studio apartment living: the intimacy it can offer and the lack of space.

Name: Franca, Thom, and their dogs Herman and Truusje Location: Nuenen, The Netherlands Size: 1,775 square feet (including the third/attic floor, not shown) Years lived in: 23 years, owned The town of Nuenen in the south of the Netherlands may have a familiar ring to art lovers. It’s where Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh lived for a couple of years in the period when he created his famous “The Potato Eaters.

Name: Kota Kobayashi Location: Clinton Hill — Brooklyn, New York Size: 575 square feet Years lived in: Owned 2.5 years Kota’s grandfather’s life hobby was Bonsai, the Japanese art of growing trees in containers. From him, Kota’s mother got a passion for gardening. Not surprisingly, Kota has a love of plants, as well. “The fondness for the green is in my blood. I could not help myself but to be surrounded by plants.

Name: Lindsay Hollinger, kitty Hewson Location: Joshua Tree, California Size: 1236 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, Owned Walking into Lindsay’s home is like walking into a desert landscape of whites and cacti and hues that just make you feel good. Lindsay felt these same good vibes when she first visited the desert, deciding to make it her home. The dreamy desert look came naturally once she moved in and began to decorate.

Name: Soogee, husband Tae and their three kids Location: Okemos, Michigan Size: 2376 square feet (including the basement) Years lived in: 3 years Soogee wears a lot of hats. The mom of three kids, she also helps her husband run a couple of family businesses. The couple are also avid foodies, and they enjoy making delicious Asian- and European-inspired cakes and pastries. She’s also a decorator and realtor!

Name: Shauna Glenn and Jeff Jones Location: Fort Worth, Texas Size: 4,111 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned If Alice (of Wonderland) had a house in the 21st century, this is what it would look like. With each room drenched in bright colors and bold patterns, you can’t help but feel happy walking around this home. Shauna and Jeff have picked up items from their travels around the world, adding statement pieces to each room to give them character.

Name: Joel and Jessica Nickerson and their two daughters Location: Denton, Texas Size: 2,000 square feet Years Lived In: 8 years, owned Jessica has filled each room of her home with unique finds, DIY elements, and vintage pieces to create a warm and welcoming environment. On her blog, House Homemade, she shares her passion for creating a cozy home and demonstrates how to recreate her favorite DIY pieces.

Name: Mallory Guraya Location: The Marina — San Francisco, California Size: 500 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting For over a year, Mallory has called this adorable little studio in the hip Marina neighborhood her home. The broadcast producer was born and raised in California and has East Indian roots. Her style gravitates toward bold colors, rustic trinkets, and dhurrie rugs, while adding touches of the Golden State through beach accents like seashells.

Name: Christine Knapp and Brooke Osecki Location: Maplewood — St. Louis, Missouri Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: Owned 1.5 years Most university students facing a three-month lease in a summer sublet would barely bother tacking a poster to the wall. Not Christine Knapp. I have never known her to live in a place more than a week without thoughtfully making it her own, even if it meant working within a student budget.

Name: Raquel Lynn and Adam Korbesmeyer (plus Mango the Pomeranian ) Location: Silver Lake — Los Angeles, California Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Originally from Ohio (and after a short stint in New York), Raquel and her husband Adam found their way to Los Angeles two years ago. Situated in Silver Lake, this recently renovated apartment is in a great location, but the couple needed this space to be more than just a home base for exploring Los Angeles.

Name: Elle Ruhstaller and Alex Ristevski Location: Piedmont Avenue — Oakland, California Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting Elle can’t really pinpoint a specific style for the Oakland apartment she shares with her partner Alex. “It’s a mash-up of what I like most from many different eras,” she said of her apartment’s decor.

Name: Liesel and Pieter Crafford and their children, Jack and Gabi Location: Vredehoek — Cape Town, South Africa Size: 315 square meters Years lived in: 13 years, owned Liesel and Pieter fell in love with this house the moment they saw it, although what you see today is very different to how it originally looked. It was once the home to a mosaic artist, and nearly every single wall was a different, vivid color.