Two years ago, Australian chef Adrian Richardson and his family moved into this Victorian cottage in North Fitzroy, a suburb of Melbourne. They needed a suitable home for raising an active, noisy young family that also felt warm and inviting. Within that short length of time, Adrian and his wife created an inspiring space that reflects their love of travel, food and junk-shop treasures. In addition to raising three energetic young boys with his wife, Adrian owns and runs the bustling La Luna Bistro in the Carlton North suburb of Melbourne. He has written two cookbooks, The Good Life and Meat, and has presented cooking shows in several countries. After putting in long hours at the restaurant, Adrian likes nothing more than coming home to read, play and listen to music with his boys. Thank you, Adrian! And thank you Stewart, Andrew and Lynda from Horton & Co. for the beautiful photographs! — Shannon

Image above: The house is a typical Victorian Hawthorn brick worker’s cottage that is quite small when looking from the front. It’s amazing that after more than 100 years, it still looks great.

Image above: The house is a real eclectic mix of rustic, retro and quirky pieces picked up all over the place. The sitting room is a haven to read and listen to music away from the kids. The sofa is an heirloom, the coffee tables are new Eames. A friend of ours runs Retrocollectit, a little store of old wares that I can’t stop myself from collecting.

See more of Adrian’s Melbourne home after the jump . . .

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It’s not every day that I get to present a sneak peek full of logs, but this one made me smile, as each log has its own story. When painter and senior designer at Bruce Mau Design, Amanda Happé, moved into this Brockton Village, Toronto, apartment six months ago, the only furniture she brought was her kitchen table, a credenza and a host of logs. She filled in her minimalist style with local vintage-shop finds to create a quiet and clean getaway from the frenetic energy of city life. Read on for the story behind each log. Thanks, Amanda! — Anne

Image above: Besides being somewhat minimal, I like to keep things low and wide and mix hits of bright colour in with the white and wood. My favourite pieces are the logs that I’ve managed to collect over the years. Each one came from friends or family, and I think they’re super beautiful.

I found this sideboard in an antique shop on Queen Street West. It houses my books, record player, some of my grandfather’s drafting tools and a lamp that I found on a “rust belt” road trip. The painting is one of mine. I was gifted the branch from someone who was trimming a maple tree a few streets over. It’s thirteen feet long. I dragged it home.

Image above: I ended up hanging nothing on the walls in the bedroom. It’s different for me, and strangely refreshing.

Amanda’s full home tour continues after the jump…

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Illustrator Holly Wales and artist Stephen Smith of NeasdenControlCentre moved into this converted live/work space that was once a print finisher’s factory in October 2011. They fell in love with the home’s south-facing windows, which allow them to watch the sunrise and sunset and see planes taking off and landing across London. The apartment also has a glass roof on one side where they can watch pigeons walking overhead. The couple had a collection of objects, pictures, books, records and equipment that the large, loft-life space finally allowed them to display. Their studio space is on the upstairs mezzanine, and between their teaching gigs, they often end up working at random times during the day, making for a short, convenient walk from the office to the living room. Thanks, Holly & Stephen! — Amy Azzarito

Image above: Because the factory had to house lots of heavy machinery when it was built in the 1950s, it has solid concrete floors and high ceilings, and the interiors of each space have been adapted with mezzanine areas to define separate rooms. We’ve built a bedroom wall by hanging all of our clothes together — it’s really nice when the sun creeps through the gaps in the morning! The vintage 1960s wallpaper was found in Greenwich, London. The mobile is from the Museum of Modern Art in Los Angeles.

Image above: Our collection of original artwork hangs above the bookshelves. (Holly’s motel print series is available in her shop, and Stephen’s drawings are from his show at MU in 2010.)

Holly & Stephen’s London home continues after the jump…

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