Midcentury Modern

Mandy Ansari is the founder of the blog "Girl and the Bay" and lives in this small Manhattan apartment that was inspired by three of her favorite places.

Almost everything you see in this house is used and from the mid-century or earlier. The couple sourced from online, thrift shops, antique stores, friends/family/ancestors, and estate sales in their neighborhood.

With the multi-colored rug anchoring the living room and the beautiful but still rather neutral blue walls in the bedroom, this is an example of how to add color to a rental without risking not getting your security deposit back.

Name: Nana Sjöblom and Pat Vermeulen Location: Vevey, Switzerland Size: 170 square meters (1,830 square feet) Years lived in: 1 year; Rented Nana and Pat are inspiring artists living with their two sons, Aïto and Oïva, in a beautiful century-old house in Switzerland. Avid collectors and art lovers, curious about everything from design, illustration and photography to snowboard culture, they needed a big house to shelter their huge collection of treasures.

Oyin Antwi managed to squeeze every possible function a person would need in just 370 square feet.

The tall ceilings and natural light make this already spacious and gorgeous house seem even bigger.

Name: Kennesha Buycks, her husband, and children Location: Seattle, Washington Size: 2,000 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, renting To only call Kennesha Buycks a “designer” would be missing a lot of what she does. “I am an encourager. A storyteller. A life-breather. A creative. An influencer. A stylist. A gatherer. But, most of all? I am a woman who loves connecting with the hearts of others through home,” she writes on her popular blog, Restoration House.

Architectural and interior designer Francis Dominguez has designed a 305-square-foot studio apartment beautifully.

Name: Leslie and Gilbert, kids, and pets Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan Size: 2,600 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned Leslie and Gilbert moved to Michigan a couple of years ago and were excited to find a fun mid-century modern house next to some wooded land. They love music, learning, and nature and wanted to be able to bring all of those things together into their home.

Name: Ascher, Dylan & Hudson (13 months old) Lindsay with their two dogs Spencer and Alfie Location: Scarborough, Western Australia Size: 230 square metres (2475 square feet) Years lived in: 7 Years, Owned Set on a very busy road, just a short drive from Scarborough Beach—a popular tourist location—sits Ascher and Dylan’s home. Once you walk through their portico and step inside, the hectic outdoor world just falls away and you are left with a sense of peace and calm.

Name: Natalie Jarvis, husband Scott and children Matilda (3) and Stella (8mo) Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Size: 90 square metres (969 square feet) Years lived in: 1 year; Rented Natalie, her husband Scott and their two small children live in a leafy bayside pocket of Melbourne in a ground floor, three-bedroom apartment. Both are originally from New Zealand and they made the move to Australia just over nine years ago.

Name: Saskia Ericson, Tony Ericson, and their sons Louis and Sidney Location: Elsternwick, Victoria, Australia Size: 145 square meters (1560 square feet) Years lived in: 14 years, owned Saskia and Tony are graphic designers and run Hatch Creative in St Kilda in Melbourne. Saskia is also a food fanatic in the kitchen and online—she somehow finds the time to run her food blog 1=2. Tony loves to paint. They have two young boys, Louis and Sidney.

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.

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.

Name: Molly Trask and Trevor Price (plus dogs Eleanor Roosevelt and Martha Washington and cat Abigail Adams) Location: Durham, North Carolina Size: 1,040 square feet Years lived in: Renting 1 year Molly writes: “Our home is a 1,040 square foot converted warehouse apartment in the oldest standing building in Durham, NC, an old tobacco town currently undergoing a brilliant revival.

Name: Phoebe, Dylan and Memphis Location: Wye River, Great Ocean Road, Victoria, Australia Size: 753 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned Phoebe, Dylan and their one-year-old son Memphis love escaping city life in Melbourne and driving down the Great Ocean Road to Wye River, relaxing at their Australiana fibro shack they’ve named Ipanema. Wye River is a small coastal town a scenic two and a half hour drive from Melbourne.

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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.

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: 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: 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: Jake Berkowitz and John Ruggiero Location: Carthay Circle — Los Angeles, California Size: 1200 Square Feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting This isn’t the first time we’ve had the chance to visit hair stylist John Ruggiero at home. Seven years ago we toured a Hollywood house he shared with two roommates, and now we’re touring the Carthay Circle rental he shares with his roommate Jake.

Name: Tolga and Tomi Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned Tolga and Tomi’s colorful apartment is a starter home dream-come-true. Located in a fun Amsterdam neighborhood that is filled with many restaurants and bars, it’s just what the couple had dreamed of; a space that they could return to and relax from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Name: Susan and David Location: East Bay, California Size: 2,250 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, owned Susan and David’s East Bay home comes with intact natural features, Douglas fir beams and cabinets, and a functional floor plan. Why anybody would list this mid-century home as a “tear down” on the market is a mystery. Luckily, Susan and David stumbled upon the listing when a sale fell through.

Name: Ashley Zohar Location: West Hollywood – Los Angeles, California Size: 500 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, renting Stylist Ashley Zohar’s eye for design and style was influenced by her mother, who has a vintage shop in LA. As she grew up, her interest in fashion naturally progressed her toward a career as a stylist. Friends began knocking on her door for design advice, and from those jobs came more opportunities, eventually leading to her signing with an agency.

Name: Christine Stucker Veal and James Veal Location: Clinton Hill — Brooklyn, New York Size: 2100 square feet Years Lived In: 3 1/2 years, owned Original wood beams and brick walls mix with modern designs in this Brooklyn townhouse, built in 1890. It’s the home of husband and wife Christine Stucker Veal and James Veal, the founders of Stewart-Schafer.

Name: Angela Belt, her husband Leon and their daughter Brooklyn Location: West Hartford, Connecticut Size: 900 square feet Years Lived In: 8 months, renting Angela’s career revolves around interior design and creativity. As a senior designer and contributing editor for Homepolish and an interior stylist and art director for AphroChic, her work has been featured in publications like Elle Decor, House Beautiful, The Washington Post and more.

Name: Flora Tsapovsky and Tom Kolinski, plus Theo the cat Location: Berkeley — California Size: 720 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, rented “Every morning I stand here with my cup of coffee and soak in the views, even if it’s for a minute,” describes Flora of the view from her home’s large glass corner wall that looks over Berkeley and the sparkling San Francisco Bay.

Name: Kenyatta Forbes Location: Bronzeville — Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,450 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, owned Kenyatta is inspired by patterns in nature, textures, and bold and bright colors, all of which can be found in her Chicago apartment. “I think the thing I love most about my home is the elements of history, memories, and design,” Kenyatta says. “I love how they all come together and couldn’t exist without each other.

Name: Kami Gray, her husband Bryant and dogs Ben and George Location: Mt. Tabor Neighborhood — Southeast Portland, Oregon Size: 2,968 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years, owned Kami and Bryant started dating when they both lived on different floors of the same condo building. After falling in love, they decided to buy a house to live in together. They purchased a home on Mt.

Name: Moorea Seal, her husband, and pup Lemon Location: Seattle, Washington Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned When I reached out to Seattle boutique owner, social media extraordinaire, and author Moorea Seal about doing a home tour, she was in the middle of writing her third book, Make Yourself at Home. (The 52 Lists Project was her first hit journal, and 52 Lists for Happiness has been featured by the likes of Oprah.com.

Name: Thomas Finney Location: Fort Greene — Brooklyn, NY Size: 400 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting When Thomas moved into his studio three years ago, functionality and style were his primary concerns. “This is the first place I’ve actually invested in. Before, I just had IKEA everything.

Name: Courtney Gallagher and family Location: Riverside, California Size: 1252 square feet Years Lived In: 3 years, owned What started as a mild mid-century modern obsession has turned into a full-blown side hustle for mother and resident MCM expert Courtney Gallagher, She uses her successful Etsy furniture store, Not Another Mod Snob, as an excuse to rotate new vintage pieces in and out of her family’s 1951 ranch-style home in Riverside, California.

Name: Wesley & Levi Janssen; their kids James (6), Anders (5), and Julia (1); and the family dog Logan. Location: Mid City — New Orleans, Louisiana Size: 1,690 square feet upstairs; 1,200 in raised basement apartment Years lived in: 4 years, owned It was the second-to-last last day of Wesley Janssen’s maternity leave when a “for sale” sign in front of a stately raised-basement Art and Crafts style home caught her eye five years ago.

Name: Laura Burkitt and Ben Sarner Location: Queen’s Park, London Size: 1,229 square feet Years Lived In: 18 months, owned Laura Burkitt, a lifestyle and event stylist, bought this two-bedroom flat in Queens Park, London with her boyfriend a year and a half ago. “We bought the apartment as we wanted a garden flat, and decided to do an extension and renovation to make more of the space.

Name: Marlène Deshaies Location: Villeray, Montreal Size: 950 square feet Years lived in: 10 months, owned Marlène considers herself a decor magazine junkie. She lives in a 950-square-foot flat in a duplex she shares with her daughter Corine and her boyfriend Maxime, and it’s inspiring publications like Martha Stewart Living and IDEAT that helped her completely renovate the kitchen and bathroom, as well as decorate the entire space.

Name: Erin and Creighton Barrett Location: Charleston, South Carolina Size: 3,600 square feet Years Lived In: 2 years, owned “Initially the first thing that sparked our interest in this particular house was the ’70s style ‘sunken’ living room,” admits Erin Barrett. “This is something that my husband has always wanted and was super excited about. It sort of sealed the deal for us.

Name: Danielle Moore and Bryan Wang Location: Berkeley, California Size: 1,000 square feet Years Lived In: 1 year, owned You can feel the beachy California vibes in the air when entering Danielle and Bryan’s little Craftsman in Berkeley. Maybe it’s the open-space layout of the living area and the hanging macrame planters combined with soft colors.

Name: Suzanne and Oliver Jeffers, and their son Harland Location: Park Slope — Brooklyn, NY Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, renting Originally from Northern Ireland, Suzanne and Oliver Jeffers have called Brooklyn home for ten years. Before moving to their current rental, they were living in a tiny, one-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn Heights. The apartment fit their needs just fine…until they found out their family would be expanding.

Name: Francis Dominguez Location: Miami, Florida Size: 365 square feet Years Lived In: 2 years, renting Francis had been working at a job in Miami for eight months, but the commute from Fort Lauderdale was frustrating. One day, he stumbled on an ad for a small studio for rent near his office and the places in Miami he liked to hang out. The studio was “literally a seven minute drive” from work, so he decided to check it out one day during his lunch break.

Name: Roxanne Arsenault and Pascal Desjardins and Colette, 7 years old Location: Rosemont, Montreal Size: 2,500 square feet Years lived in: Owned, Roxanne: 13 years / Pascal: 2 years Roxanne and Pascal are both art lovers with very unique taste in home decor, and they live in an eccentric and colorful home in Montreal. Their space is a mix of rich patterns, textures, and comfy elements of the ’70s, along with vivid colors, styles and shapes of the ’80s.

Name: Carlos J. De Jesus and Andrew W. Fallon Location: East Lakeview — Chicago, Illinois Size: 550 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, renting How do two people with slightly different style backgrounds and interests come together and design a home for themselves that explodes with attitude and fun? That was the challenge that Carlos De Jesus and Andrew Fallon faced when moving to this East Lakeview, Chicago, apartment a couple years ago.

Name: Katherine Steinberg Location: Carroll Gardens — Brooklyn, NY Size: 825 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned “Sleep on any major changes before committing,” is Katherine Steinberg’s sage advice. And after taking on a full-blown renovation when she moved into her Brooklyn apartment over two years ago, she’s had a lot of experience with making big updates in her home, everything from moving the location of a staircase to picking out wallpaper.

Name: Malik and Abbie Naber Location: Cardiff by the Sea, California Size: 1,800 square feet Rent or Own: Own When Abbie Naber and her husband Malik moved into their home just two short years ago, it was a forgotten stucco’d-over mid-century ranch home in need of some love.

Name: Savannah and Zach Kolodziejski Location: Lancaster, Pennsylvania Size: 56.7 square feet / 259.68 cubic feet Years Lived In: Owned This rad retro 1976 Chevrolet van is more than just a home-away-from-home for Savannah and Zach. The couple was married this past summer in Palm Springs, California, and the van was both the groom’s method of getting to the wedding and their honeymoon suite on wheels after getting hitched!

Name: Fiona Morrison, owner of Wolf Circus Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Size: 850 square feet Years Lived In: 1 year, owned While she was still at British Columbia’s University of Victoria, entrepreneur Fiona Morrison founded Wolf Circus, “a line of demi-fine jewelry thoughtfully designed and hand fabricated in Vancouver, BC.

Name: Kayla Benedict and Erick Pausz Location: Lincoln Square — Chicago, Illinois Size: around 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years, renting Kayla and Erick met nearly seven years ago, and shortly after started selling mid-century furniture out of their garage together. What started as a hobby quickly grew into a business! Now their mid-century modern furniture company, Shark Gravy, has a store front, 16K+ Instagram followers, (and probably as many satisfied customers!

Name: Cécile Gariépy, her boyfriend, and their lovely dog, Marjo Location: Rosemont La Petite-Patrie, Montreal Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned After her studies in cinema and working as a film director for five years, Cécile Gariépy moved to Paris to pursue a master’s degree. Her life in France was very academic, and creative Cécile started drawing illustrations.

Name: Desiré van den Berg and her sister Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands Size: 775 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Desiré has a talent for decorating her space on a budget. “My whole living room, I’d say—under 1000 euro.” This includes seating, a coffee table, dining table set, and framed art. Not only does the space feel cohesive, but she threw it all together within a week of moving in.

Name: Lysa Jordan, Sergio Castano and dog Walter Location: Montreal, Quebec Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 6 months, renting Artist Lysa Jordan and architect Sergio Castano live with their dog Walter in a working and living loft nestled in the Saint Henri neighborhood. Quite unconventional from typical Montreal apartments, their pad is a modern, minimal, and creative space for both of them. “It’s a stimulating and inspiring place.

Name: Michelle Qazi and family Location: Bellevue, Washington Size: 3,000 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, rented Walking through Michelle’s front door, you see right away from her design aesthetic why she chose this particular home, which she shares with her husband and two young sons. The vaulted ceilings, wood-paneled walls, and windows that are forms of art in themselves, could not be a more perfect frame for the strong ’70s vibe the interior as a whole exudes.

For John Ellis and Laura Preston, living in a 34-foot Airstream means having a different backyard every week or so, meeting new people, and seeing the country.

Name: Genevieve & Maxwell’s Poorgeoisie BungalowLocation: Silver LakeSize: 900 sq. feetYears lived in: Genevieve – 3 years. Maxwell – 1 yearWho else lives here? Lucy, our Pit-Lab mix. Sometimes you seek out house tours and sometimes house tours come to you. In the case of Maxwell and Genevieve’s Silver Lake abode, we discovered it when we showed up to buy some mid century chairs we’d spied on craigslist.

When it was time for Dana and Dan to renovate, they had a secret weapon: Dana's mother is a wizard when it comes to maximizing space and storage.

Name: Eryn and Jared Erickson + Dog, Sprocket Location: East Atlanta; Atlanta, Georgia Size: 1200 square feet Years lived in: 7 months, Renting Eryn Erickson of lifestyle brand, So Worth Loving, and Jared Erickson of the beloved Atlanta motorcycle co-op space, Brother Moto, combine their individual aesthetics and open their doors to give us a glimpse at where the magic happens in this beautiful and eclectic East Atlanta home.

Name: Chad Palmatier and Anthony Sobotik Location: North Austin, Texas Size: 1,850 square feet Years Lived In: 1.5 years, owned In their business—Lick Honest Ice Creams—as well as their home, Chad and Anthony focus on bringing an appreciation of simple things into the world. When it comes to decorating their North Austin house, they only brought in items they really love. The kind of items that bring them joy every day. For the couple, that means color, pattern and family heirlooms.

Name: Karen Nepacena & John Shum Location: Walnut Creek, California Size: 1,663 square feet Years lived in: Owned 4 years Karen and John knew they wanted to raise their family in not just any mid-century modern home, but one specifically designed by the renowned real estate developer Joseph Eichler. “We fell in love with Eichler homes and mid-century modern design after seeing a nearby open house for a thoughtfully restored and renovated Eichler,” Karen says.

Name: Chris Murphy Location: Saugatuck, Michigan Size: 950 square feet Years Lived In: 3 years, owned I own a vintage (and new) home furnishings store in Chicago, District Chicago. Whenever I needed a break I found myself going up to Michigan to camp to de-stress and be in nature. A couple years into this routine, I started looking for a house that would help with my escape.

Name: Natasha Webb, her husband Anthony, and their two sons Location: Canterbury — Melbourne, Australia Size: 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1 study Years lived in: 3 years, owned You cannot help but smile and be happy in the colorful 1980s-era house of Natasha Webb and family. While so many other people would have knocked down and redeveloped this home, Natasha and her husband Anthony have embraced all of the brown brick and other ’80s features.

Name: Casey Mason and Cole Mason, our new daughter Sunny, and our rescue pups Bodhi and Shea Location: Ventura, California Size: 1,466 square feet Years Lived In: 2 1/2 years, owned This is the first house that my husband and I purchased together, so for that reason alone, it is very special to us. When we were looking for our first home, we knew that we wanted a fixer upper. The uglier the better in our minds. As long as the bones are good, we knew that anything cosmetic could be fixed.

Name: Melanie and Dalton Tarver Location: Dallas, Texas Size: 1088 square feet Years lived in: Owned 3 years Melanie writes: “My home is a mid-century traditional built in 1950. I have lived here for three years with my husband Dalton and two pups, Addie and Mr. Cooper. It’s in East Dallas which has a bit of an eclectic vibe and really feels like an escape from the city without being too far.

Name: Danny and Joni Location: Williamsburg —Brooklyn, New York Size: 690 square feet Years lived in: 3.5 years How do you make 690 square feet feel absolutely enormous? Add tall ceilings, lots and lots of windows, and some clever DIY storage solutions. Danny and Joni have come up with plenty of creative solutions for living in an apartment that is essentially just a single room — and that only has one closet, which also houses the water heater.

Name: Giverny Petitmermet and Mara Gannon (plus Eloise the cat) Location: Carroll Gardens/Gowanus, Brooklyn, New York Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 3.5 years (as of house tour photo shoot)/1.5 years (at time of A-Line video shoot); rented In Brooklyn, on the top floor of a charming little building located just across the street from the elevated subway tracks, is Giverny and Mara’s apartment.