Boston And Tours

Amazingly, Tim bought nothing new for his condo remodel, opting to visit local secondhand shops and estate sales as well as scouring Craigslist.

Our News and Culture Editor wears rainbows, sports rainbow hair, and even has prisms in her windows that throw rainbows all day.

There are bold patterns, cool colors, and even a pair of Lady Gaga's 12-inch stilettos.

With all the abundance of natural light in this Boston loft, it’s like living in a greenhouse!

Name: Melissa Miranda and Ulises Serret, their son Alex, and cats Tammy and Siddharta Location: Harrison Hill — Boston, Massachusetts Size: 2,400 square feet Years lived in: 7 years; Owned Nearly a decade ago, interior designer Melissa Miranda moved into her now-husband’s home in the Harrison Hill area of Dorchester in Boston.

Name: Philip Saul and his cat, Toby Location: South End; Boston, Massachusetts Years lived in: 8 years; Rented For Philip Saul, his South End apartment boasts two major advantages: the incredible amount of natural light his large south-facing windows offer, and the ridiculously short commute to his men’s clothing shop, SAULT New England. Much like his brick and mortar store, Philip’s apartment is easygoing, and reflective of his passion for sourcing New England-inflected decor.

Names: Katie Kavanagh and Nick Kuizenga Location: South End — Boston, Massachusetts Size: 550 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; Rented Many of us have learned that in the world of apartment hunting, the word “cozy” is often a euphemism for “small.” And Nick and Katie’s apartment, part of a brownstone that was once a single family home, is no exception.

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

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

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

Name: 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: Milicent Armstrong, Brian, and Gerry Location: South End — Boston, Massachusettes Size: 1,800 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, owned Walking into Milicent’s South End home is like being invited into a small oasis. Upon entering, guests step into a hallway with soaring ceilings and beautiful wallpaper.

Name: Mary and Tom Eirich Location: Watertown, Massachusetts Size: 1,100 square feet Years Lived In: 2 years, owned We had previously lived in Belmont, Massachusetts, for 30 years and had decided, as empty nesters, to move to the north shore, not far from the ocean. After a few years of being further from our children (and, eventually, grandchildren) and also missing the conveniences and cultural benefits of being close to the city, we decided to look at real estate closer to Boston.

As a writer and photographer for Apartment Therapy, Emily Billings knows that readers look to House Tours for inspiration. She was kind enough to provide a glimpse into her Boston apartment—where she lives with her partner Max— and also provides links to most of the items in her beautiful home. Check them out below.

Name: Tamara and her children, Jonah and Sophia-Rose, and their Boston Terrier, Ollie. Location: Cape Town, South Africa Size: 2583 square feet Years lived in: 15 years; Owned Vintage lovers will take great delight in discovering Tamara’s charming collections spread throughout her home. Nostalgic kitchen scales, glass perfume bottles and china tea cups to name a few. Tamara has a creative eye and a real flair for curating vignettes and quirky nooks.

Name: Ashley & Bryan Norwood Location: Cambridgeport; Cambridge, MA Size: 440 square feet Years lived in: 6 years; Rented Filled with bright personality and space-conscious items, Ashley and Bryan’s apartment in the Cambridgeport neighborhood of Cambridge, MA, feels full but not cluttered. An intrinsic balance exists here—his and hers, style and function—and everything feels well-used and loved.

Name: Julie Judson Location: South End; Boston, Massachusetts Size: 779 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Julie’s enthusiasm is contagious and her hospitality undeniable, so it’s no wonder this Texas transplant has been wildly successful engaging Boston-area millennials in supporting her passion: the arts. When you step into her apartment, you feel immediately at home.

Name: Hank Scollard and his two cats Location: Inman Square — Cambridge, Massachusetts Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 16 years; Rented When Hank Scollard was a child growing up in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn, Michigan, his mom would take him to open houses. The family wasn’t looking to move, but Hank’s mom loved to glimpse how others lived in and decorated their homes.

Name: Grant Devine Location: Fort Point — Boston, Massachusetts Size: 350 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented On the way up from the trendy lobby in Grant’s building—a recently converted shoe factory in the rapidly developing Fort Point neighborhood—he tells me that a year ago it would have been unimaginable to invite a photographer into his home. He explains that in his first year here, he did little more than move in the essentials.

Name: Steve and Robin Anderson and their two sons Location: Cambridgeport — Cambridge, Massachusetts Size: 1,700 square feet Years lived in: 8 years; Owned Robin and Steve’s condo in a former elementary school is a playful convergence of colors and textures. It’s an ode to surf, sand and sun. But it wasn’t always that way. They purchased the condo pre-construction almost a decade ago, when the developer was still in the process of converting the school into residences.

Keeping a 600 square foot space fresh and simple is more affordable than you might think. Alejandra and Oliver have filled their Boston apartment with both old and new while keeping their space timeless and bright. Use their shopping resource list to get this look and make it your own without breaking the bank!

Name: Elijah Clark-Ginsberg Location: Somerville, Massachusetts Size: 450(ish) square feet Years lived in: 2 years, rented Elijah, a well-traveled marketer and designer, moved into his beautiful one-bedroom rental in Somerville two years ago. This West Coaster turned East Coaster now draws design inspiration from the collegiate, preppy feel of the New England area, and his love for international travel.

Name: Christa Cardwell Location: South End — Boston, Massachusetts Size: 550 square feet Years lived in: Rented 10 years According to Christa Cardwell, her 550 square foot apartment in Boston’s South End is full of junk. When asked to describe her style, she laughs. “Junk Chic? Is that a thing?” Christa grew up in New England before moving to Austin, Texas, where she worked as a graphic designer.

Name: Christine Gasparich and her husband Location: Beacon Hill neighborhood — Boston, Massachusetts Size: 1100 square feet Years lived in: Renting 2 years In 2014, Christine’s husband was accepted to graduate school in Boston, so they sold their D.C. house, sold or stored most of their furniture, and moved to Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood for two years. “I am an interior designer.

Name: Alissa Lenore Minehart, owner of Lenore Design, and family Location: Newton, Massachusetts Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: Rented 2 ½ years Over the past two years, interior designer Alissa of Lenore Design has had the task of turning her family’s rental into a home. With an industrial feel (“overhead pipes and very little overhead lighting”), the space wasn’t an easy project to tackle.

Name: Austin Young and Jeremy Rodgers Location: Jamaica Plain — Boston, Massachusetts Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 1 Year, renting Jeremy Rodgers and Austin Young’s apartment in a converted schoolhouse in Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood feels much larger than its 800 square feet. Simultaneously sparse and personal, with soaring ceilings and an open layout, their place achieves the ultimate apartment goal: comfort without the clutter.

Name: Maeve Stier (and dog Weaver) Location: Back Bay — Boston, Massachusetts Size: 515 square feet Years lived in: Rented 1 year When Maeve and her dog Weaver moved to Boston last July, the first apartment they looked at fit the bill just perfectly. It was in the ideal location, had tall ceilings with intricate molding, lots of natural light, wooden floors, and was dog-friendly! Maeve signed on the spot and became a resident of the hip Back Bay neighborhood.

Name: Jesse and Dan Moskowitz and their dog, Stormy Location: Roxbury — Boston, Massachusetts Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: 5.5 years; Rented When you enter Jesse and Dan Moskowitz’s comfy and colorful apartment in Boston’s historic Roxbury neighborhood, two things immediately stand out: the records and the pup. “It’s her apartment,” Dan states matter-of-factly, referring not to Jesse but to Stormy, the four-year-old Moskowitz dog.

Name: Alice Saunders and her pup, Maisey Location: Jamaica Plain; Boston, Massachusetts Size: Approximately 800 square feet Years lived in: 5 1/2 years; Rented Alice Saunders is a prominent figure in the world of artists and makers. A native of New Hampshire, this New England gal is the owner of Forestbound, where she designs and crafts beautiful leather and canvas totes out of vintage materials sourced at flea markets, estate sales, and military shows.

Name: Justin and Madison Power and their schnoodle, Sylvia Location: Roslindale; Boston, Massachusetts Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 3 Months; Rented Justin Power of Pioneer Goods Co. has a bent for good old rustic Americana. The son of an interior designer, Justin spent a great deal of his childhood developing his eye at flea markets and estate sales with his mother. Some twenty years later, Justin curates his own home goods shop in one of Boston’s most popular neighborhoods.

Name: Joe & Rachael Ringenberg, daughters Lux & Joan Location: Beacon Hill; Boston, MA Size: 950 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented Rachael, of Erstwhile Dear, and Joe Ringenberg, a product designer for Wistia, live in this intimate Beacon Hill apartment with their daughters, Lux and Joan. The couple has honed in on a sleepy-minimalist scheme that reflects the abundance of natural light, transforming the attic space into an airy, lived-in nest.