Midcentury Modern

Name: Esteban Montes & Carolina Cabal Location: Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York Size: 1200 square feet Years lived in: 3 years What happens when two designers move in together, and discover unexpected bits of history in their lovely, modern Brooklyn condo? As Esteban and Carolina’s stylish Brooklyn home proves: something very special.

Name: Isaac Aptaker Location: Silver Lake; Los Angeles, CA Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Aside from the fact that it’s oozing with Mid-century charm, Isaac Aptaker’s home in the hills on the east side of Los Angeles has two big things going for it: privacy, and spectacular views of the city.

Name: Brett & Betsy Leonhardt (and Suze and Lola the bulldogs) Location: West Village; New York, New York Size: 515 square feet Years lived in: 2 We’re continually impressed by the ingenuity of apartment dwellers who manage to fit a huge variety of functions into a very small space. Case in point: Brett and Betsy’s West Village apartment, whose main room multitasks as a living room, dining room, workspace, and kitchen, all without sacrificing style.

Name: Laura, Bob, Conor, and Frederick Ker Location: Back Cove; Portland, Maine Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Owned When Laura and Bob moved from Brooklyn, New York, to Portland, Maine, they knew exactly what they wanted: to be closer to family and to have more space. They’ve not only created a stylish home for their family, but also opened Find, a buy-trade-sell boutique which has become a staple in the Portland shopping scene.

Name: Charles Hafner Location: Bowmanville — Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,700 square feet Years lived in: 9 years; Owned Most people’s apartments are decorated in a way that is personal to them, but Charles Hafner brings this idea to another level. Different rooms in his big yet cozy Chicago apartment are dedicated to different members of his family.

Name: Gemma and Duncan Patford-Legge Location: Brunswick; Melbourne, Australia Size: 2 bedroom Years lived in: 3 years; Owned After buying their apartment in the inner-city suburb of Brunswick three years ago, rope vessel artist Gemma Patford and graphic designer Duncan Legge were determined to turn it from drab, rundown, dated disaster to something light, airy, welcoming, and altogether more modern—with a touch of nostalgia.

Name: Jen Lorentzen and Eric Thompson and their dogs, Sage and Bruiser Location: University Park; Portland, Oregon Size: 968 square feet Years lived in: 11 years; Owned Along with lots of color, Jen and Eric have filled their mid-century home in Portland’s University Park neighborhood with furniture and decor they’ve found at vintage stores, scored at estate sales, and inherited from family.

Name: Sara Kate Eubanks Location: Asheville, North Carolina Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Rented On a Saturday morning, Sara Kate can be found rocking heels, a favorite shade of lipstick, thrifted denim, and a baseball cap. She’s a confident woman who isn’t afraid to mix things up—just so long as there is a little sophistication and class in every combination.

Name: Bill and Kristina Sager and their dog, Wisco Location: Fletcher Hills, California Size: 2,400 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Creative duo Kristina and Bill breathed new life into their San Diego area Mid-century modern home while also lovingly preserving its gorgeous original character. Both Wisconsin natives, the couple met while working together in advertising in Milwaukee.

Name: Gary and Chelsey Knight and their cats, Scout, Boo, Atticus, and Ella Fitzgerald Location: Astoria, New York Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented Musicians Gary and Chelsey Knight’s open and airy Astoria flat boasts two features that many big city apartments lack: natural light and space.

Name: Ethan Morris and Tarleton Walmsley-Morris and their cats, Tozer and Etta Location: Asheville, North Carolina Size: 980 square feet Years lived in: 6 years: Rented Antique dealers Tarleton and Ethan have filled their home with many of their favorite finds, and the result is an eclectic mix of art, textiles, and Mid-century furnishings.

Name: Amy Gustafson, Stephanie Ingold and their dogs, Lenny and Marvel Location: Northeast Minneapolis, Minnesota Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 4 years owned for Amy; 2 years rented for Stephanie Amy and Steph have been friends for over a decade.

Name: Chelsie and Nate Location: Decatur, Georgia Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: Rented for 6 months Chelsie and Nate moved to Atlanta six months ago from Nashville. Chelsie is an Atlanta native and Nate is from Athens, so they are both happy to be closer to family and friends in their home state. It was the vintage floral numbers and mid-century charm that sold Chelsie on this home instantly — this was the first and only home she looked at, and she signed the lease right away.

Name: Kayla and Amir Farhang and their dogs, Rusty “Pants” and Bo Jackson Location: Austin, Texas Size: 2,400 square feet Years lived in: 8 months; Owned Kayla and Amir live in Austin with their two dogs, Rusty “Pants” and Bo Jackson. To make a long story short, they basically left their long-time home in Los Angeles for Austin because they fell in love with a house, a city, and its people. Kayla is a life stylist, host, and speaker in LA, NYC, and Austin.

Name: Jess, Evan, and Auggie Location: Portland, Oregon Size: 1,700 square feet Years lived in: 4 years; owned When Jess and Evan were on the market to buy a home, they knew they wanted a change from the Portland bungalows they’d spent the last few years in. They knew they wanted something mid-century, but with the market becoming so competitive, it felt more and more difficult to find a place.

Name: Shannon and Mike Parry, Asha (5) and Bodan (1) Location: Mar Vista — Los Angeles, California Size: 990 square feet Years lived in: Owned 5 years Walking into Shannon and Mike’s Mar Vista home is a unique experience of high design coupled with sustainable functionality; a rare combo that Shannon pulls off effortlessly. Shannon runs the Sustainable City Program for the city of Santa Monica and Mike is a cinematographer/filmmaker.

Name: Kristen Siefkin and Ken “Zig” Naffziger, and their two Havanese, Zane and Ollie Location: Arbor Lodge Neighborhood, North Portland, Oregon Size: 2,800 square feet Years lived in: 2+ years, owned After years in a successful PR career, Kristen decided it was time to follow her dream of becoming an interior stylist.

Name: Clare, Jakob and baby Nikolai Location: West Berlin, Germany Size: 122 square meters (1313 square feet) Years lived in: 2 years Jakob and Clare moved into this West Berlin home a couple of years ago, and have since added little Nikolai to the family! Light-filled rooms and tall ceilings are balanced with a contemporary mix of furnishings and stunning architectural detail.

Name: Brian Mitchell and Ericka James Location: NoPa— San Francisco, California Size: 1,450 square feet Years lived in: Owned 1 year When Brian bought this house in the NoPa neighborhood of San Francisco, there wasn’t much left of the two-story structure. Some might have passed up the opportunity, but he saw healthy architectural bones and potential. Within a year, the house transformed into a beautiful, modern California mid-century home.

Name: Evan and Gavin Gregory Location: Parkwood — Shoreline (Seattle), Washington Size: 920 square feet Years lived in: 7.5 years, owned On an unassuming residential street in a suburb just north of Seattle, you’ll find a house down a hill, surrounded by bushes and hidden by a fence. One step into Evan and Gavin’s front yard and it feels as though you’ve been transported to a relaxing sanctuary far from the bustle of the city.

Name: Sally “the decorator” Smallwood and Cameron “learning to love grey” Algie Location: Toronto, Canada Size: 958.2 square feet (approximately) Years lived in: Own 8.5 years (with a little help from the bank) As soon as you enter Sally and Cameron’s home you can immediately feel and understand their personalities—warm, friendly and most of all FUN! Neither of them are afraid to push the limits of design.

Name: Jennifer Perkins and husband Chris Boehk along with daughter Tallulah and son Baxter Location: Shady Hollow Neighborhood — Austin, Texas Size: 2,900 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned Crafter, blogger and extremely cool mom Jennifer Perkins excels at many things — and transforming her Austin home into a Halloween land of enchantment every year is definitely high on the list.

Name: Chrissy Phelan Location: West Hollywood, California Size: 1,300 square feet Years lived in: Renting 7 years Hair stylist Chrissy Phelan’s knack for styling goes beyond the buzzes and fades she crafts in her small in-home salon. While she’s lived in her West Hollywood house for seven years, a recent self-motivated design overhaul has given the home a fresh feel, complete with a new light-filled salon room and tons of vintage-eclectic character.

Name: Spencer Huddleston Location: Austin, Texas Size: 780 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, rented Spencer is a graphic designer and world traveler living in Austin, Texas. When I arrived at his home, his packed climbing gear was immediately noticeable. He was headed that day to climb Mount Kilimanjaro (!). “My friend and I try to climb one mountain a year. This year, it’s Mount Kilimanjaro.

Name: Betsy Cross and Will Cervarich, with dogs Maurice and Gingham Location: St. John’s — Portland, Oregon Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: Owned, 1.5 years Betsy and Will live at the end of a quiet street in Portland’s St. John’s neighborhood. From the outside, their 1965 home looks modest and unassuming, but step inside, and you will find an interior that is modern, open and welcoming.

Name: Bethany Chase Location: Cobble Hill, Brooklyn Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: 5.5 years Bethany Chase is a woman of many talents. Besides being an interior designer, she’s also the author of two novels, including Results May Vary, which was just published this fall. Her Brooklyn apartment reflects her love for both literature and design, and her understanding of the deep importance of the places we call home.

Name: Emily Loughlin Location: Crown Heights, Brooklyn Size: 280 square feet Years lived in: Renting, less than one year Emily lives in the tiniest, sweetest apartment. Guests immediately fall in love with the artwork (her grandfather’s) and the mid-century bar stools. Emily, herself, is calm and inviting amidst the hustle and bustle of New York. She works for an architectural firm, called Sage and Coombe.

Name: Ali and Duffy Location: Green Lake — Seattle, Washington Size: 1,900 square feet Years lived in: Rented 4 years When I posted a picture to Instagram of the wallpaper in Seattle restaurant, Joule, gushing over it as one of my favorites in the city, I had no idea it would lead me to my next House Tour subject. “My husband’s company Electric Coffin designed and made that wallpaper,” read a comment from a woman named Ali, “as well as the whole restaurant!

Name: Brett Foken and husband Brandon Foken Location: Oakland, California Size: 1150 square feet Years lived in: Owned less than a year Interior designer, stylist and blogger Brett and her husband Brandon moved into this Oakland, California charmer in August 2016, but actually bought the house in March. They had to renovate the entire house before they could actually live in it; this 1900 Craftsman was the absolute definition of “complete fixer-upper.

Name: Roger and Chris Stout-Hazard and dog Buck Location: Upper Montclair, New Jersey Size: 2,700 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Nestled on one acre of land and stretched across four stories, this house in New Jersey is a mid-century modern lover’s dream. It’s also currently the rental home of the multi-talented furniture design duo Roger+Chris. You may know Roger from his popular show “Sell This House.

Name: Rachael Donaldson Location: St. John’s — Portland, Oregon Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 12 years, owned Rachael makes jewelry that transcends time and place. Her delicate pieces look like they could be worn by Cleopatra or a modern woman, and her home is equally inspiring. She is an avid collector of vintage furniture and objects — and has bought and sold both as a pastime and a profession.

It was the interesting architecture of this place that drew Jeannine in when apartment searching. She scoured estate sales, garage sales and Craigslist to fill it on a budget.

Name: Audrey and Kevin McGill, sons Aidan (12) and Evan (10), and Charlotte the Yellow Lab Location: Lake Forest Park — Seattle, Washington Size: 2,240 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned When Audrey and Kevin moved their family across the country two years ago, they knew they wanted to live in a mid-century home. They found what they were looking for in a quiet, forested neighborhood just north of Seattle.

Jarod and Tim's home reflects a love of good design, an appreciation for quality, a willingness to go bold, and a sense of fun. In other words, there's a lot to love.

Name: Marianne Brown 
 Location: Denver, Colorado Size: 600 square feet Years Lived In: 1 year, renting “My apartment is a small one bedroom in downtown Denver. Not among the tall buildings of downtown, but just on the edge, in the Uptown neighborhood of Denver. A whopping 600 square feet. I’ve lived here for a year, after moving several times over the past few years.

Annie and Jamie’s have filled their Melbourne home with treasures from garage sales, op shops, and eBay. You might not have their thrifting luck—who does?—but now you can shop the style!

This spacious and comfortable house is filled with family treasures, vintage finds and a very cute dog. Justin’s East Austin home is a great example of mid-century modern, industrial style, but with a lot of warmth, humor and personality. Find the shopping sources below.

Vanessa’s California home is furnished with her husband’s Mid-century modern collection and handmade pieces from her company, Studio Matsalla, rounded out by practical pieces from retailers like West Elm and Crate & Barrel—and now you can get the look! Grey Throw — Similar: Pottery Barn Armchair — Similar: West Elm Colorful Throw Pillow — Similar: Overstock.

Name: Andrea Castañeda, Chris Amirault and their two kids Location: Coventry, Rhode Island Size: 3,400 square feet of living area Years lived in: 6 years, owned Built in 1958, this house has only been home for two families in its 60 years. It had been well-maintained, but was in an aging condition when Andrea and Chris bought it; they were intent on restoring it to its former glory. Over six years, they shaped it into the beautiful relic of history it is.

Location: Manhattan, New York Size: 830 square feet Years lived in: 10 months, renting These are not living spaces designed after a single period style. Instead, these are rooms full of variety, filled with delights in the surprise achieved by pairing disparate design elements. (For example, a family heirloom seascape painting in a heavy baroque frame mounted above a mid-century-inspired couch topped with African mud-cloth pillows.

Name: Lindsay, Chris and cat Mooshy Location: Inglewood Neighborhood — Nashville, Tennessee Size: 960 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned When Lindsay and Chris moved to Nashville a few years ago from New York, they lucked out in finding this perfect-for-them home (complete with three outdoor cats from the previous owner).

Name: Oliviero Fontana Location: NDG, Montreal Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting Oliviero is a former professional skateboarder and current stylist who has a passion for design and an appreciation for handmade craftsmanship. And he loves refurbishing vintage pieces he finds on the streets.

Name: Eva Medoff, branded content editor at Well+Good, Delaney Rohan, and Scout (the cat) Location: Williamsburg — Brooklyn, New York Size: 450 square feet Years lived in: 6.5 years, renting When Eva moved into her Brooklyn studio apartment seven years ago, the space suited her needs: It’s centrally located in the trendy Williamsburg neighborhood and she has a great landlord. Despite the pros, “It didn’t feel like a real home,” Eva said.

Name: Rob & Evelyn Stewart Location: Washago — Ontario, Canada Size: 1,100 square feet (plus a 350-square-foot bunkie) Years lived in: 9 years, owned Thirty years ago, Rob and Evelyn decided to move from the city to Muskoka, a desirable cottage town in Ontario to raise their kids. Now, they’re semi-retired and their kids are grown up, so they’ve taken advantage of “slower living” in their quiet town.

Dana’s Toronto apartment features an intriguing juxtaposition: clean-lined, updated takes on Mid-century modern classics paired with gorgeous, traditional pieces handmade by Jordanian women artisans. Those items can be found in Dana’s shop, Ayadii, and everything else is listed below so you can shop the style.

Brooks and Matt’s Nashville house features hard-to-get hardwood floors and bay windows, but is furnished in easy-to-find pieces from retailers such as IKEA, West Elm, World Market, and Urban Outfitters, making it super-simple to shop the style.

Name: Rachael, Rob and Frankie Wetherington + Liza Minnelli the Cat Location: East Kensington — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Size: 1,600 square feet Years Lived In: 5 years, owned Rachael and Rob’s first house wasn’t their “dream home” when they bought it five years ago, right before their wedding. But with a giant yard in the city and an open floor plan on a corner in a neighborhood they loved, it had enough potential to be pretty darn close.

Name: Franz and Patsy Knapp with kids Felix (6) and Betty (4) and dog Ludo Location: Dunsborough, Western Australia Size: 1,615 square feet Years lived in: 6 years, owned Franz, a stonemason, and Patsy live in a home they built together from the ground up. Their beautiful home is located on seven and a half acres in the coastal town of Dunsborough, well-known for its white sandy beaches and holiday atmosphere.

Name: George Marrone Location: Wilmington, Delaware Size: 4,300 square feet Years Lived In: 7 years, owned George discovered this stunning house — just outside of Philadelphia — while helping a friend look for properties online. He works in healthcare, but has always had an affinity for architecture and design. Today, this artist-built 1959 gem is set along a creek among gardens in a setting that’s utterly captivating. But the house itself was near ruin when George found it.

Name: Andy Barlow, and his cat Cavanaugh Location: Eliot Neighborhood — Northeast Portland, Oregon Size: 850 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, renting Andy and his cat Cav live in one unit of a Portland duplex that was built in 1890 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Andy is a multi-talented real estate agent, freelance interior designer, and professional home-stager, who never thought that he would end up living in and loving a 127-year old home.

Name: Anna Location: Barcelona, Spain Size: 754 square feet Years lived in: 13 years, owned Anna has a degree in geography and has worked for 13 years as a publicist for IKEA, but after finally finishing her apartment’s two year-long renovation, I think it’s safe to say she also has quite the passion and expertise for design. Responsible for all of the design decisions in the 754-square-foot space, the biggest priority was a roomy and functional kitchen.

Name: Edmund Lam Location: Montreal, Canada Size: 850 square feet Years lived in: 3 months, owned Edmund Lam, creative director of fashion retailer Frank and Oak, lived in a mid-century house for five years in Montreal-West. Missing city life, he moved back into a smaller apartment a few months ago in Le Plateau Mont-Royal.

Julie Progin and Jesse McLin have their own homewares brand called Latitude 22N.

Name: Janet Varney, her boyfriend Brandon, and dogs Scott and Whitley. Location: Hollywood Hills — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 14 years, owned Colorful with patterns and textures, actress Janet Varney‘s home is also airy and relaxing…surely a much-needed respite from her busy career. She was the voice of Korra in the animated television series “The Legend of Korra.

Name: Marianne Tolosa and my husband, Jamie, and our two cats, Pickles and Suki. Location: Falls Church, Virginia Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: 4 years owned, but we just created the co-working space 3 months ago When looking to buy our home one of our most important criteria was finding a house with a cozy entertaining space.

Name: Genevieve Danger Berrick Location: Echo Park — Los Angeles, California Size: 900(ish) square feet Years Lived In: 1 year, renting Family legend has it that when Genevieve was 3 years old she firmly informed her mother that she would no longer be wearing pink. And she stood by her word until she rediscovered the color and its place in her east side home. “I decided to really lean into my enjoyment of it.

This modern-inspired California house draws inspiration from an effortlessly laid-back style.

Name: Bitsie Tulloch and David Giuntoli Location: Hollywood Hills — Los Angeles, California Size: 3,600 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned Actors Bitsie and David have spent the bulk of the past few years filming the television show Grimm and living most of the year in woodsy, sometimes-foggy Portland, Oregon. With Grimm finished, the pair are happy to have a new sunny Hollywood Hills home to spend time in.

Name: Andrew Cohen and family Location: Woodstock, New York Size: 2,100 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, owned This four-bedroom, two-bathroom house with a finished basement and two-car garage on 1.3 acres in New York belongs to Parts and Labor Design co-founder, Andrew Cohen. And it just might be the best mix of modern meet cabin vibes that you’ll ever see.

Name: Jory Sutton and Alex Simon Location: Washington Heights, NYC Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned Jory and Alex’s 650-square-foot NYC apartment is a feast for the eyes. So much so, the small sneak peek we shared with their house call last year just wasn’t a long enough look. With hand-me-downs from family members, vintage pieces purchased at thrift shops, DIY artwork, and different periods and styles of decor, every room has a conversation starter.

Name: Kate Pearce, husband, and kids, Eva and Jo Location: Long Island, New York Size: 2,300 square feet Years lived in: 10 months, owned Having studied Art History, Kate Pearce spent many years immersed in the art world, interning at places like the Guggenheim, the Whitney Museum, the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, and more. But it wasn’t just art that fascinated her; she also fell in love with antiques.

Name: Kimothy Joy, her partner Gregory and their brand new baby girl, Luca Joy Location: Park Hill, Denver Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned “I love the original wood paneling, glass block, built-in shelves, and architectural ceiling tiles that make it unique to the era,” explains Denver-based artist and illustrator Kimothy Joy, of the 1940s-era home she’s owned for a year and shares with her partner (and the baby girl they welcomed just last month!).

Name: Hilary Padget and Anthony Harrington Location: The Heights — Jersey City, New Jersey Size: 1050 square feet interior (plus 230 square foot garage) Years lived in: 2 years, owned This isn’t the first time Hilary and Anthony’s home has appeared on Apartment Therapy. Way back in 2008, they were the winners of our fourth Small Cool Contest, with this 460 square foot Brooklyn studio featuring a very stylish and smart lofted bed.

Name: Adam and Jessica Location: Lynhurst, Minneapolis Size: 2,600 square feet Years lived in: 10 years, owned Nestled along a popular creek that snakes its way through Minneapolis is a two-story stucco house that resembles many of the houses in this stucco-rich city. Once inside, however, you’re greeted with a colorful array of art, furniture and knick-knacks that just feels, well, cool. Jessica, Adam, their daughter and cat live and play here.

Name: Peter and Jana Deeble and their four kids Location: Long Beach, California Years lived in: 7 years, rent to own For 14 years, Long Beach resident Peter Deeble was a math teacher who had a side hobby of designing and building furniture. In the beginning the work was just meant as a way to furnish his and his wife’s (to whom he’s been married for 15 years!) home.

Name: Nikou and Travis McCarra, their sons, Kian and Zayn, and WIFI the Dog Location: Houston, Texas Size: 1,550 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; Owned Nikou and Travis met in architecture school at the University of Houston many years ago—first came love of design, then came marriage. Now they co-own McCarra Creative, a “multi-disciplinary design studio focused on branding, web, print, and 3D.

Home. It’s the supposed harbor of our hearts, and yours is probably affecting your overall well-being more than you think. Gary and Chelsey’s home gave us that good, old fashioned “happy home” feeling, and we were determined to figure out why. If you’re feeling stuck in your pursuit of a happy home, we’ve compiled a simple list of practices most of the happiest homes on Apartment Therapy—such as this one—share.

Name: Sara and Rich Combs Location: Marina District — San Francisco, CA Size: 850 square feet Years lived in: 6 years; Rented Having collected each piece in their apartment one-by-one over the last six years, Sara and Rich Combs have created a home with a distinctly colorful, eclectic feel. Gravitating towards sleek, Mid-century silhouettes and furniture design, the couple have designed each room to pay homage to the bygone era in its own way, all while maintaining a modern spin.

Name: David Jameson (with Treasure Hance) Location: Downtown — Houston, Texas Size: 817 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented Working with 817 square feet of space can be a challenge, especially if you are a collector. David, however, manages to pull off the seemingly impossible by arranging years worth of procurements in an ingenious way, making every inch of his apartment interesting and beautiful.

Name: Luke and Sophie Doyle and their dog, Chester Location: Melville, Western Australia Size: 450 square meters (4,843 square feet) Years lived in: 3 years; Owned Sophie is a marketing adviser for an agricultural company by day, but it is her role as Creative Director for her business, Design Horde, that is her true passion.

Name: Ben and Heidi Yardley and their cat, Nico Location: North Melbourne; Victoria, Australia Size: 2500 square feet Years lived in: 5 years; Rented Heidi and Ben’s home is located down a quaint cobblestone lane that’s slightly overgrown with trees and shrubs. As you enter through the gate, it’s like stepping back in time or traveling to Europe.

Name: Josie and Jules Location: South East London, UK Size: 677 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Owned The phrase “that rug really tied the room together” is bandied about a lot these days, and with all due respect to The Dude, it’s become a bit of a cliche. Having said that, can we talk about that rug for a second? Beautiful!