Tours

Name: Sarah Bishop Location: Cape Town Size: 463 square feet Years lived in: Owned, 6 months Situated just off bustling Long Street in the heart of Cape Town, you’ll find a small Moroccan-inspired oasis. As an entrepreneur, Sarah travels between London and Cape Town for work and needed a comfortable place to live when in South Africa. So she purchased this apartment six months ago with her business partner; they take turns sharing the space between them.

Textures, clever DIYs and lovely macrame fill this modern home in the Netherlands.

Name: Anne, Dave, Pascale and Liam Lowell Location: Orinda, California Size: 2,000 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, owned After living in San Francisco for 20 years, Anne, her husband and two children moved north over the Bay Bridge to Orinda — a small town in the lush hills of the East Bay. It was the better schools that convinced the couple to make the move over the bridge. They found and nestled down in a beautiful house surrounded by leafy trees.

Name: Danielle Walsh and Greg Brownstein Location: Laurel Heights — San Francisco, California Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting Traveling is fun, but can also be hard work — especially when you’re a senior editor at a travel magazine. So your home needs to be something you love coming back to; a place you can take a vacation from vacation.

Name: Margot and Luc Location: Utrecht, Netherlands Size: 538 square feet Years lived in: 2 years (I moved in with Luc a year ago, he has lived here for 2 years) Margot and Luc’s travel-inspired apartment will fill you with wanderlust the second you step through the door!

Name: Nolan and Natalie Smith Location: Plaza Midwood — Charlotte, North Carolina Size: 1,136 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, renting In the times of meeting your mate online, Natalie and Nolan did it the old-fashioned way — through mutual friends in Nashville, Tennessee. The couple has now made a home in Charlotte, North Carolina, in a “plain” apartment they’ve added tons of color and life to.

Name: Kari Lopez and Vien Do Location: East Village, Manhattan Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned Kari and Vien moved up a few floors recently. First, the couple lived in a studio apartment on the third floor of this building for about a year and half. But now they occupy a light-filled one-bedroom unit on the 12th floor (with a balcony!).

Name: Erin and Mike and their two kids (ages 6 and 3) Location: Riverdale — Toronto, Ontario Size: 2,000 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years, owned This three-story, century home in Toronto is filled to the brim with stylish thrift hauls, DIY projects, and chic details. The combination of all those fixings make this house a pleasure to visit. It’s clear that Erin and Mike have put their hearts into making this the perfect luxurious family home for their small family.

Name: Melissa Morgan Location: Pleasanton, California Size: 380 square feet Years lived in: Renting 4 years Melissa’s been renting this tiny 380-square-foot rental for four years — a long time to try and squeeze your life and stuff in just one room. Does she ever get sick of small space living? “All the time!” she admits. “At least a few times a week I crave more space to have a sofa, a bigger bathroom to take a bath, and a bigger kitchen to cook anything I want.

Name: Michelle and Alex Gage Location: Havertown, Pennsylvania Size: 2000 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned “Everything needed to go!” That’s how interior designer Michelle Gage describes the Havertown house she and her husband bought three years ago. Because it’s in the suburbs, they were able to get more for their money — 2000 square feet — but Michelle reports that though large, it was, well, hideous. And she means all of it.

Name: Lisa Martin Location: Ville-Marie, Montreal Size: 540 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, rented Her travels in South America — seeing the colorful culture and world-renowned traditional crafts — have heavily influenced Lisa Martin’s Montreal apartment. Though small (just under 550 square feet), the space feels light and airy, thanks to clean white walls and a minimal aesthetic (and the small bits of color sprinkled throughout).

Name: Estefania and Chris Palomarez Location: Cleveland Heights — Oakland, California Size: 550 square feet Years lived in: 8 months, rented Estefania says she had a plain looking apartment a few months before their house tour. But she and her partner Chris pushed themselves to work their way down each room, painting the walls and building pieces that suit their style (and are functional).

Name: Margherita Terrone Location: Montreal Size: 860 square feet Years lived in: 6.5 years, owned Maggie is NOT a fan of the “dull modern beige and white interiors that dominate design blogs,” as she describes. As art director for Werkliv, she layers color and texture to create vibrant spaces on a daily basis. Not surprisingly, she applies this design philosophy to her own home. Here, she’s achieved a fresh contrast to dull beige — and without spending a lot of money.

Name: Jackie Blair Location: Lake Orion, Michigan Size: 882 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, rented Jackie is a photographer and social media creative who loves to travel. She lives in a townhouse condo with her son and her new puppy. By keeping her condo neutral and simple, she has turned it into a peaceful hangout spot where they can all play and relax. Though living in the rented space comes with its challenges, Jackie strives to add the family’s personality wherever possible.

Name: Claire and Kasey Location: Mission District, San Francisco Size: 675 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting Claire and Kasey chose this apartment because of the light; it’s warm and abundant. “When we came to look at the listing it was mid-day and I didn’t have to do more than open the front door to know that I wanted to live here.

Name: Pelin Binnet, Tim Kimball and their three cats Jiggy, Catherine Deneuve, and Henry Kittinger Location: Downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 6 months, renting Pelin (creator of the design, retail and beauty blog The Dapper Post) and Tim have a history with the building they currently live in. After arriving from Turkey, it was in this building that Pelin first lived.

Name: Fritha and Tom Quinn Location: Bristol, UK Size: 1000 square feet Years lived in: 7 years, owned Lifestyle blogger Fritha Quinn — also known as Tigerlilly Quinn — lives in a two-bedroom Victorian terrace with her husband Tom and their two adorable children Wilf and Mabli. The couple bought this home seven years ago when it was in a bit of a state, and since then have slowly taken time to renovate and make it their own.

Name: Meg and Joe plus Lady and Benny (Dachshunds) Location: Royal Oak, Michigan Size: 1,350 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned Embracing the quirks — uneven floors, for instance — of an almost 100-year-old house is a challenge for people in the profession of precision. Like Meg and Joe, who are both graphic designers in the Metro Detroit area.

Carla is a shop owner, photography historian, writer and editor with a passion for art and her black roots.Her colorful Seventh Ward home is bursting with history.

Name: Carly Berlin Location: West Village, NYC Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting Part home, part professional art studio, Carly’s long and narrow West Village apartment is outfitted minimally but filled with warmth and personality. Carly has a gift for seeing the beauty in the smallest of details, and her ability to set up her home from that perspective means she’s made a million small but successful decisions.

Name: Lisanne and Romy Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands Size: 430 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting (Romy moved in half a year ago) Lisanne and Romy share a tiny apartment — only 430 square feet! — in the heart of historic Utrecht. With space maximization in mind, these roommates purchased appropriately sized furniture. Elements that match the women’s personalities fill the cozy Dutch canal apartment.

Name: Meg Woodcheke and Conor Acomb Location: Oakland, California Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: Rented 8 years by Conor (Meg moved in 2 years ago) Meg doesn’t find much fun in buying furniture sets for her apartment, which she shares with her boyfriend Conor. “I think the real joy is in finding pieces from here and there and making them work together,” she says.

Name: Suzanne Bryan and Peter Carlstrom Location: San Francisco, California Size: 258 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned The basement level of Suzanne and Peter’s San Francisco house is where their garage is located, but there was also a basement room when they purchased it three years ago. Well, the word “room” is a little too generous for what the space was before.

Name: Shelbie Engelgau, Blake Cox, MJ Tantingco, Myles Huff (and fifth roommate Brian, who isn’t featured in the tour) Location: Oceanview — San Francisco, California Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 4 months, rented Shelbie’s move into this San Francisco apartment required no driving: She and her roommates only had to schlep their furniture up a small flight of stairs from the unit below into this newly remodeled four-bedroom upstairs unit.

Name: Li Ward and husband Dan Location: South End — Boston, Masschusetts Size: 1,380 square feet Years lived in: 10 years, owned Li Ward and her husband Dan initially met through their work as computer science professionals, but after a decade in the industry, Li decided it wasn’t the right future for her. Around 2009, Li took the plunge into full-time freelance photography after seeing a West Coast friend succeeding at the same thing.

Name: Ruthie Schulder, her husband and twins. Location: Brooklyn, New York Size: 2,500 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned A house becomes a retreat from the world and a place of comfort when you add meaningful things to it. The elements that reflect what’s important to you and your family. Ruthie and her husband’s Brooklyn house had space on its side when they purchased it.

Name: Kirk and Anna Nozaki, Naomi, and pups Keiko and Buster. Location: Ojai, California Size: 1,800 square feet Years Lived In: 3 years, owned Kirk and Anna moved from Silver Lake in Los Angeles to Ojai in 2014 to raise their daughter Naomi. Anna grew up in a small town in Alaska that was full of nature and had a supportive, tight-knit community. They wanted the same for their daughter.

Name: Todd Location: Montrose — Houston, Texas Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 3 1/2 years, renting As someone who works at an architecture firm, it makes complete sense that Todd would choose to live in the lively and hip Montrose area in Houston, Texas. Living in a neighborhood that has access to art, culture, amazing food and nightlife was more important to Todd than space.

Name: Jana, Mariano and their children Phadi and Christ Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina Size: 2,200 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, owned This tour deserves a long look because Jana is a fashion blogger and costume designer whose personal style and philosophies are inspiring.

Name: Megan Martinez and Caleb Light-Wills Location: Santa Monica, California Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, renting When Megan moved to Los Angeles seven years ago from New York, she didn’t feel like she was really home until she found what she now calls her, “Boho Beach Bungalow” two years ago. As a blogger and designer, Megan’s home became the perfect canvas to create the beachy vibe she longed for while living on the Westside of LA.

Name: Andrew Griffiths Location: Borders of Crouch End — Islington, London Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned “Where you can, invest in some pieces that will always make you smile” says homeowner Andrew Griffiths, and it’s easy to see how he’s put this philosophy into practice in the North London apartment he shares with partner Luke.

Name: Rene Valdez Location: Lakeview — Chicago, Illinois Size: 320 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, rented The tiny size of this studio apartment hasn’t stopped designer Rene Valdez from hosting and entertaining friends. He actually hosts a Christmas party for 30+ people every year. In only 320 square feet! For everyday gatherings, he removes the books from the coffee table, transforming it into a cocktail table. The closet stores over-sized pillows for extra seating.

Name: Sarah and San Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands Size: 699 square feet Years lived in: Rented 1 year Sarah and San’s serene Utrecht apartment is a modern minimalist’s dream come true. Decorated mainly in black and whites, the space feels peaceful and uncomplicated. The apartment is located on the ground floor, so keeping the space as light as possible was very important to the couple.

Name: Joseph Luk Location: Downtown, Toronto Size: 550 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; owned Have you ever felt that your home has a dual personality depending on the time of day? The season? Joseph does. During the day, the space is bright, airy and open. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the city, giving the illusion that you’re in the clouds. Transitioning into the evening, the lighting is dim and moody — perfect for having a mellow night in.

Name: Dana and Mitch Location: North of Nashville, Tennessee Size: 1,030 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned Dana and Mitch have settled into a small neighborhood full of local charm after buying their first home a year ago. The two-story house is on a small, quiet street, across from a church. And it’s around the corner from quite a few antique shops, which is where Dana loves to shop.

Name: Johnny Matcham Location: Tower District — Fresno, California Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting Johnny grew up surrounded by vintage. His father collected vintage radios, cameras and old advertising signs. His mom had a large collection of cookie jars and vintage kitchen decor. His grandparents had a house full of kitsch treasures: tiki mugs, risqué lady figurines, and novelty bar ware. Growing up, Johnny’s bedroom was filled with vintage art and toys.

Name: Raquel and Pedro Location: Ruzafa — Valencia, Spain. Size: 807 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, owned Raquel and Pedro’s Spanish home is flooded with natural light, filled with luscious green plants and is the perfect showcase for their handmade wares. They’re the creative couple who founded Canoa Lab, a “ceramic, jewelry, photography and word laboratory.

Name: Virginie Pichet and roommates Ada Kraszczynski and Mée Reed-Desjardins Location: Villeray, Montreal Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Virgine is the editor of a popular lifestyle blog based in Montreal, Le Cahier. Her home reflects her girly, romantic and fearless personality. Passionate about fashion, she even dedicated her bedroom as a walk-in closet!

Name: Tracey Tilley Location: Metro Detroit, Michigan Size: 1,050 square feet Years lived in: 12 years, owned When Tracey is not working as a marketing project manager, she is obsessing over her house’s interior. She prefers furnishings that are old and built to last. She believes in supporting local artists. She really enjoys a good flea-market find. And she has been known to DIY a few things. Not surprisingly, her home in Michigan is a sophisticated mix.

Name: Cai Haun and Britt Maton Location: Oceanview — San Francisco, California Size: 450 square feet Years lived in: 5 months, renting Having a complete and comfortable home is really important to Cai. She’s moved at least once a year, every year, since she was 13, so adapting quickly has never been an issue. But because of the frequent moves, she noticed she wasn’t putting much effort into her homes as she’d like to (since she would inevitably move out within a year).

Name: Kirstie Maryott Location: Lower Pacific heights — San Francisco, California Size: 420 square feet Years lived in: Rented 2 years Kirstie has bounced around from state to state the past few years of her life, including stops in Colorado, Virginia and Georgia. A California native, she has called the Bay Area home for the last two years, where she lives in a charming studio on the top floor of a building in the Lower Pacific Heights neighborhood.

Name: Ana and Luis Castillo Location: 7 acre organic farm in Kealakekua Bay, Big Island, Hawaii Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 14 years, owned/leased Luis and Ana Castillo met on Hawaii’s Big Island fourteen years ago. Former Californians, they pooled their talents for design and building to create a unique “Rough Luxe” seven-acre sustainable homestead and farm on the lush volcanic slopes of Mauna Loa.

Name: Tara Gray, husband Luc, daughter Channing and bunny Lilly Location: Waikoloa, Hawaii Size: 1200 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned “What if we sold everything we owned and paid off all our debts…which would allow us to create some amazing new adventures for our family? ” Where could we go? Where would we want to live?

Name: Marta and Jordi Location: Sarrià – Barcelona, Spain Size: 1184 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned After having two kids — and living in a really small apartment — the time to move for Marta, Jordi and their family had arrived! With high design standards, searching for the perfect apartment can be stressful, especially when you want it all! Fortunately, Marta and Jordi feel lucky: they’ve found this perfect (larger!) home to stretch out in.

Name: Patrick Thompson, his wife Courtney and their son Monty Location: Bloomfield Hills, Michigan Size: 2,400 square feet Years lived in: 2 years Patrick Thompson is an award winning interior designer residing in the suburbs of Detroit with his lovely wife, their energetic three-year-old son and their sweet dog. His design firm, Patrick Thompson Design, specializes in hospitality, commercial and retail spaces. Patrick grew up in a family that celebrated art.

Name: Diana Marsh Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 2 months! After living in New York for many years, Diana decided to go back home to Michigan. But that wasn’t the only big life change she made, she also purchased a house, fully renovated it AND opened a store in downtown Ann Arbor. Called Thistle and Bess, Diana’s store offers one-of-a-kind treasures and goods to those seeking a luxurious lifestyle.

Name: Jenn Pablo and Paco de Leon and Dauphine, their dog Location: Echo Park, California (Los Angeles) Size: 1690 square feet Years lived in: 9 years, renting Paco and Jenn actually met when they were just kids at a birthday party, and ended going to the same high school. Later they became best friends and eventually, Paco and Jenn fell in love. How they came to live together in this house is an interesting story, as well. Jenn moved into this Echo Park apartment nine years ago with a roommate.

Name: Elizabeth and Tom (and Walter the dog) Location: Logan Square — Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,800 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting Elizabeth and Tom have a fearless approach to decor and life. They had only been dating a few months before deciding to move in together. And I should mention that their version of moving in together was signing a lease on an apartment in disrepair and then spending a year fixing it up together.

Name: Victoria Pater Location: Bucktown, Chicago Years lived in: 2 years Victoria, her husband Joe, and their cute pup live in a colorful apartment bubbling with mid-century modern energy. After a look around their home, it comes as no surprise that Victoria is the owner of a charming pin business, Mid Mod Pin. In her day job, she designs brands, experiences and digital products. And in this home, her Mid Mod Pin headquarters is housed in a delightful mint green home office.

Name: Nara, John, Halina and Lars Location: Bucktown — Chicago, Illinois Size: 1900 square feet Years lived in: 2 ½ years While house hunting, home designer Nara and her husband stumbled across a short sale home with a very neglected interior. Although hesitant to take the plunge, Nara could envision the potential under the questionable (and very red) cosmetic surface. Now, two years and a lot of work later, the family cozily lives in their Scandinavian-inspired home.

Name: Jordan Location: Capitol Hill — Seattle, Washington Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting A friend of Jordan’s once called her a professional appreciator, and that is just exactly the right title to give this creative force of a woman.

Name: Julieta Alvarez, her husband Bart, and daughter Olivia Location: West New York, New Jersey Size: 1065 square feet Years lived in: Almost 3 years, renting Julieta, of Julieta Alvarez Interiors, lives with her husband and daughter in a two-bedroom apartment in West New York, New Jersey — one quick, peaceful ferry ride away from the Manhattan peninsula. Julieta says it’s like “Battery Park City but much quieter and less commercial.

Name: Aliça and Antony + Teti (dog) + Claudia and Sybil (cats) Location: Thornbury — Melbourne, Australia Size: 2800 square feet Years lived in: 3 months! Rented Aliça and Antony have only quite recently moved into their cute rental home in the northern suburb of Thornbury in Melbourne. Unfortunately for them, their stay is short lived; the house is due to be demolished and the land redeveloped at the end of the year.

Name: Nicola Broughton Location: Leeds, UK Size: 3000 square feet Years lived in: 13 years, owned Dark charcoal grays, velvety emerald greens and rich, earthy browns enliven the walls and furnishings of the big Victorian just north of Leeds that Nicola Broughton shares with her husband and kids.

Name: Beatriz Traver Location: El Carmen — Valencia, Spain. Size: 1022 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, renting This splendid space was once owned by a Peruvian consul in the 1900s, and it features tall ceilings, gorgeous architectural details and one-of-a-kind elements — like painted-on floral designs on the bedroom floor. It’s the perfect space for an art historian like Beatriz.

Name: Devin VanderMaas, her boyfriend Ranga and Chelsea the cat Location: Murray Hill — New York City Size: 775 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, own When Devin first saw this apartment, it reminded her of The Great Gatsby. Full of charming Art Deco architectural details, this isn’t the dark and dramatic kind of Art Deco style you might be imagining, though. Big windows and Devin’s mastery of a soft, neutral color palette make the small space seem bigger than it is.

Name: Aditi Khorana Location: Los Feliz — Los Angeles, California Size: 1300 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned As a writer herself, Aditi Khorana‘s eclectic mid-century home captures the essence of storytelling in more ways than one. As if a grand entrance with high ceilings, open windows and an expansive view of the Hollywood Hills weren’t enough to gush over, the novelist has filled her entire space with personality and memories from all over the world.

Name: Josie and Jules Location: South East London — UK Size: 677 square feet Years lived in: Owned 1 year Seeing this home’s style might give you déjà vu. Josie and Jules first showed off their small space maximizing skills when we toured an Edwardian flat in South East London they remodeled in 2015. It was a top-to-bottom renovation — the layout was reconfigured, and light and function were added to a dated space.

Name: Alex Kitain Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands Size: 527 square feet Years lived in: 7 years, owned Alex’s light-filled Amsterdam apartment is an early riser’s dream come true. Filled with the scent of coffee brewing and sunlight streaming through the windows, mornings are something to be worshiped in this home! Decorated with eclectic but modern design, Alex’s apartment is both welcoming and stylish.

Name: Angie Teater Location: Midtown East — New York, NY Size: 350 square feet Years lived in: 8 years, renting Have you ever seen a dining room, living room, and bedroom fit so elegantly into 350 square feet? Long-time New Yorker and avid traveler Angie Teater made it happen. She’s the owner and principal designer of Angela Leland Interiors and she knows how to make good use of small spaces. She’s also a master at styling a room.

Name: Ashley Neese Location: Silver Lake — Los Angeles, California Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting Though Ashley Neese was born in a small town in Wisconsin and grew up in Georgia, she went to grad school in San Francisco in 2005 … and hasn’t left the West Coast. She wanted to build a practice in the healing arts and fell in love with the light and energy of Los Angeles. “I dreamed about living in L.A. when I was much younger.

Name: Allison Shiman Location: The Mission — San Francisco, California Size: not sure about the square feet Years lived in: 5 years, renting “I’m so excited about having my apartment memorialized on Apartment Therapy,” Allison tells us. She’ll be saying goodbye to her beloved apartment soon…to leave on a trip around the world. “I have put so much effort and love in my little space that having it somewhere captured forever makes me so happy!

Name: Rachelle Padgett Location: Berkeley, California Size: 525 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting In Rachelle’s living room, a rich and colorful rug is layered on top of another, creating a kaleidoscope of colors on the floor. Bright turquoise sheets in her bedroom complement the framed photo of a bright French Quarter house she took on a recent trip to a jazz festival.

Name: Caroline Rodrigues @shopmercimilo @rebelandquillobjects Location: Mt. Washington, Los Angeles Size: 2 bed, 2 bath Years lived in: 1 year, renting Caroline and her husband, Jason, have designed their home in a way that strongly reflects their personality and aesthetic. After moving from New York City back to their home state of California, the couple took every opportunity to feel more connected to nature. They settled into the Mt.

Name: Corinne Schnieders Location: Balboa Island, California Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 9 months, renting Corinne has never been one to follow the crowd, so when it came time to decorate her apartment on Balboa Island in sunny Southern California, she made this back guest house all her own. Forget the bohemian beach style populating everyone’s Pinterest boards these days; this mechanical engineer followed her heart by gathering finds that reflect her love of comfort and fun.

Name: Chelsey Brown and roommate Location: Manhattan Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting Chelsey is a fiery go-getter who lives in a small Manhattan apartment with a roommate. No bunk beds are needed here, though; Chelsey transformed this one-bedroom apartment into a two-bedroom home by having temporary faux walls built! An editor by day (for the Dr. Oz Show) and an interior designer by night, this New Yorker does it all.

Name: Marcus, Alicia and Phoenix Brandon Location: Prospect Lefferts Gardens — Brooklyn, New York Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting First of all, this beautiful apartment has a private elevator. Call in, beam up, doors open and you’re there. It’s a wildly easier ride than a fifth-floor brownstone walk-up and definitely one of Marcus and Alicia’s favorite aspects of their home.

Name: 3 roommates (plus their cats Boogie and Sammie) Location: California Size: ~600 square feet Years lived in: 5 years These three roommates live in a two-bedroom attic apartment in a historic mansion that was converted to apartments. The space has its perks, such as the walls painted yellow and its convenience to downtown Oakland and public transit. But the awkward attic space also has its drawbacks: small windows resulting in low light, weird ceilings angles, and a tiny kitchen.

Name: Ilse van Elleswijk and Jasper and their puppy Jackie Location: Arnhem, the Netherlands Size: 1,640 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, owned There’s a lot to see in Ilse’s home — not a shock, considering her profession as a stylist — but what is surprising is how uncluttered the space feels. Ilse’s a big fan of accessories; she feels they add coziness to any room. But she hasn’t gone overboard in her home.

Name: Irene and Rob Burg Location: Eindhoven, the Netherlands Size: 1,614 square feet Years lived in: 19 years, owned As a girl, when Irene would visit her grandpa, she would always pass this quaint house built in 1934 and think to herself: “One could be so lucky to live in this home.” Years later she and her husband Rob moved into this very home — and it felt like a dream come true.

Name: Carina, her husband, and their daughters Isabel and Francisca Location: Nordelta — Buenos Aires, Argentina Size: 2580 square feet Years lived in: 6 years, owned Carina and her family moved in to this house they built in the suburbs just one month before giving birth to their youngest daughter. While she’s paused her career as a journalist to devote herself to raising her children, she’s used her curiosity to seek inspiration for decorating her house, room by room.

Name: Sadie Stein and Lorin Location: Upper West Side — New York, NY Size: 850 square feet Years lived in: Sadie: 5; together, 1.5, renting Sadie and Lorin joke that if their apartment were personified, she would be a 1970s feminist character named Valerie. She’s bold, she’s not afraid of color (or the patriarchy), and she doesn’t take herself too seriously. After all, she does have a “baby pink” kitchen. As Sadie says, “It is a happy place.