Houzz Tours
The 10 Most Popular Houzz Tours of 2020
Visit a 175-square-foot house, a grand 1920s neoclassical home and other inspiring spaces
The variety of home styles found in the 10 most popular Houzz Tours of 2020 shows that preferences run the gamut. This countdown includes traditional, midcentury modern, rustic, contemporary, transitional and eclectic homes from all across North America. See which one inspires you the most.
9. Ranch House Gets a Bright Midcentury Modern Remodel
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A family of four
Location: Fairfax, California
Size: 1,700 square feet (158 square meters); three bedrooms, three bathrooms
Architect: Craig O’Connell
Even though this Northern California home was built in the 1950s, it didn’t have the midcentury flavor the homeowners craved. Architect Craig O’Connell transformed the dark and dated house into a bright, clean-lined and warm home that suited his clients’ vibrant personalities.
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House at a Glance
Who lives here: A family of four
Location: Fairfax, California
Size: 1,700 square feet (158 square meters); three bedrooms, three bathrooms
Architect: Craig O’Connell
Even though this Northern California home was built in the 1950s, it didn’t have the midcentury flavor the homeowners craved. Architect Craig O’Connell transformed the dark and dated house into a bright, clean-lined and warm home that suited his clients’ vibrant personalities.
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8. Island Living With Spectacular Views in the Pacific Northwest
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A retired couple
Location: Camano Island, Washington
Size: 2,400 square feet (223 square meters); three bedrooms plus exercise room, 2½ bathrooms
Architect: Dan Nelson of Designs Northwest Architects
Contractor: Impel Construction
After admiring a house that architect Dan Nelson had designed on Washington state’s Camano Island, this couple tracked him down to design a home for them nearby. Nelson incorporated universal design principles to accommodate an older family member who would be living with the couple, who also plan to age in place here. The striking contemporary design incorporates views of Saratoga Passage, Whidbey Island and the Olympic Mountains.
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House at a Glance
Who lives here: A retired couple
Location: Camano Island, Washington
Size: 2,400 square feet (223 square meters); three bedrooms plus exercise room, 2½ bathrooms
Architect: Dan Nelson of Designs Northwest Architects
Contractor: Impel Construction
After admiring a house that architect Dan Nelson had designed on Washington state’s Camano Island, this couple tracked him down to design a home for them nearby. Nelson incorporated universal design principles to accommodate an older family member who would be living with the couple, who also plan to age in place here. The striking contemporary design incorporates views of Saratoga Passage, Whidbey Island and the Olympic Mountains.
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7. Rustic Materials and Eclectic Decor Transform a California Home
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their teenage son
Location: Santa Monica, California
Size: Four bedrooms, four bathrooms
Designer: Patrick Tennant of Interiors by Patrick and Tim Barber of Tim Barber Architects
Architect Tim Barber was tasked with transforming a traditional 1990s house into one with a “gentleman’s lodge” look. The home’s new rustic facade includes local fieldstone, brown shingles, slate gray trim and burnt orange accents.
Inside, Barber opened up the floor plan and added sophisticated rustic touches like slate flooring, metal stair railings, fieldstone accents and beautiful millwork. Interior designer Patrick Tennant tailored the interior design to complement the architecture and the couple’s impressive art collection.
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House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their teenage son
Location: Santa Monica, California
Size: Four bedrooms, four bathrooms
Designer: Patrick Tennant of Interiors by Patrick and Tim Barber of Tim Barber Architects
Architect Tim Barber was tasked with transforming a traditional 1990s house into one with a “gentleman’s lodge” look. The home’s new rustic facade includes local fieldstone, brown shingles, slate gray trim and burnt orange accents.
Inside, Barber opened up the floor plan and added sophisticated rustic touches like slate flooring, metal stair railings, fieldstone accents and beautiful millwork. Interior designer Patrick Tennant tailored the interior design to complement the architecture and the couple’s impressive art collection.
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6. 175-Square-Foot House That’s Small in Scale and Big on Style
House at a Glance
Who lives here: Designer Katie Andersen; her fiance, Austin Macy; and their cat, Charlie
Location: Portland, Oregon
Size: 175 square feet (16 square meters)
Designer: Parlour & Palm
It’s a good thing designer Katie Andersen and her fiance, Austin Macy, are outdoorsy people. That’s because their cozy tiny house has just 175 square feet of indoor living space. The designer sourced lots of salvaged materials, including countertops, cabinet hardware, subway tiles, sinks, a door and electrical outlets. The approach wasn’t only sustainable, but also added unique character to the home. While the house is built on a trailer and can be moved, the couple put down some roots on this wooded lot in Portland, Oregon, by adding an inviting deck that doubled their living space.
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Shop for your outdoor spaces
House at a Glance
Who lives here: Designer Katie Andersen; her fiance, Austin Macy; and their cat, Charlie
Location: Portland, Oregon
Size: 175 square feet (16 square meters)
Designer: Parlour & Palm
It’s a good thing designer Katie Andersen and her fiance, Austin Macy, are outdoorsy people. That’s because their cozy tiny house has just 175 square feet of indoor living space. The designer sourced lots of salvaged materials, including countertops, cabinet hardware, subway tiles, sinks, a door and electrical outlets. The approach wasn’t only sustainable, but also added unique character to the home. While the house is built on a trailer and can be moved, the couple put down some roots on this wooded lot in Portland, Oregon, by adding an inviting deck that doubled their living space.
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Shop for your outdoor spaces
5. New Layout and More Light for a Family’s 1940s Ranch House
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with two tweens
Location: San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles
Size: Four bedrooms, 4½ bathrooms
Designer: Shannon Ggem Design
Interior designer Shannon Ggem helped this family of four reconfigure its home’s floor plan to let in more natural light, improve flow and add en suite bathrooms to all of the bedrooms. When planning the spaces and choosing decor, she prioritized principles of wellness and sustainability. New windows, no-VOC finishes, natural materials and a mix of vintage and new furnishings gave the family an airy, healthy and comfortable home.
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House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with two tweens
Location: San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles
Size: Four bedrooms, 4½ bathrooms
Designer: Shannon Ggem Design
Interior designer Shannon Ggem helped this family of four reconfigure its home’s floor plan to let in more natural light, improve flow and add en suite bathrooms to all of the bedrooms. When planning the spaces and choosing decor, she prioritized principles of wellness and sustainability. New windows, no-VOC finishes, natural materials and a mix of vintage and new furnishings gave the family an airy, healthy and comfortable home.
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4. Coastal Vacation Home With Views Gets a Bright Revamp
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple who use the home for getaways
Location: Roberts Creek, British Columbia
Size: 1,200 square feet (111 square meters); two bedrooms, two bathrooms
Designer: Emerge Design
This 1940s cabin in a remote area north of Vancouver, British Columbia, was the best kind of hand-me-down — it was passed down from one of the homeowner’s grandparents. But small windows and dark paneling left plenty of room for improvement.
The homeowners enlisted Emerge Design to make it work better for them while maintaining its cozy cabin-in-the-woods feel. Combining original, new and salvaged materials throughout the home resulted in an inviting rustic-contemporary mix. Large new expanses of glass take advantage of seaside views and lighter wall materials make the interior spaces brighter. Preserving original features like the stone fireplace kept the charm.
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House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple who use the home for getaways
Location: Roberts Creek, British Columbia
Size: 1,200 square feet (111 square meters); two bedrooms, two bathrooms
Designer: Emerge Design
This 1940s cabin in a remote area north of Vancouver, British Columbia, was the best kind of hand-me-down — it was passed down from one of the homeowner’s grandparents. But small windows and dark paneling left plenty of room for improvement.
The homeowners enlisted Emerge Design to make it work better for them while maintaining its cozy cabin-in-the-woods feel. Combining original, new and salvaged materials throughout the home resulted in an inviting rustic-contemporary mix. Large new expanses of glass take advantage of seaside views and lighter wall materials make the interior spaces brighter. Preserving original features like the stone fireplace kept the charm.
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3. Fresh Touches Bring a Classic 1920s House Back to Life
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with three kids
Location: Austin, Texas
Size: Four bedrooms, three bathrooms
Designers: Anne Grandinetti of Mark Ashby Design and Tim Cuppett Architects
These Austin, Texas, homeowners wanted to update their 1920s neoclassical house in a way that preserved its beautiful original details and added fresh, contemporary touches. Interior designer Anne Grandinetti and the team at Tim Cuppett Architects highlighted beautiful original architectural features like millwork, flooring and fireplaces. Then they freshened up the look by infusing the interiors with color, pattern, artwork and texture.
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House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with three kids
Location: Austin, Texas
Size: Four bedrooms, three bathrooms
Designers: Anne Grandinetti of Mark Ashby Design and Tim Cuppett Architects
These Austin, Texas, homeowners wanted to update their 1920s neoclassical house in a way that preserved its beautiful original details and added fresh, contemporary touches. Interior designer Anne Grandinetti and the team at Tim Cuppett Architects highlighted beautiful original architectural features like millwork, flooring and fireplaces. Then they freshened up the look by infusing the interiors with color, pattern, artwork and texture.
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2. A Homeowner Loved His New ADU So Much, He Moved In
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple
Location: Seattle
Size: 588 square feet (55 square meters); one bedroom, two bathrooms
Designer: Bruce Parker of microhouse
This Seattle homeowner originally planned to install an accessory dwelling unit as an income property. But as architectural designer Bruce Parker’s plans for the backyard cottage started to take shape, things changed. The homeowner and his girlfriend decided it was so cool they wanted to move in and rent out the main house instead.
The ADU has a flexible plan that can create two separate rental units; large accordion doors open to a patio, and a kegerator serves guests during get-togethers.
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House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple
Location: Seattle
Size: 588 square feet (55 square meters); one bedroom, two bathrooms
Designer: Bruce Parker of microhouse
This Seattle homeowner originally planned to install an accessory dwelling unit as an income property. But as architectural designer Bruce Parker’s plans for the backyard cottage started to take shape, things changed. The homeowner and his girlfriend decided it was so cool they wanted to move in and rent out the main house instead.
The ADU has a flexible plan that can create two separate rental units; large accordion doors open to a patio, and a kegerator serves guests during get-togethers.
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1. 657-Square-Foot Backyard Cottage Packed With Clever Ideas
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A single man. His parents live in the main house
Location: Oakland, California
Size: 657 square feet (61 square meters); two bedrooms, one bathroom
Architect: Inspired ADUs
Contractor: McDunn ADUs
Landscape designer: Royo Design Studio
The most popular Houzz Tour of 2020 is another ADU. For now, the two-bedroom cottage serves as a photographer’s home in his parents’ backyard. But Inspired ADUs also designed it for the future. The firm used universal design principles so that down the road, the parents can opt to age in place in the cottage.
Large bifold doors and lots of windows make the home feel much larger than 657 square feet. Features include a reading nook, hidden storage, a TV that pops up from inside the kitchen island and a lovely courtyard with a fountain.
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House at a Glance
Who lives here: A single man. His parents live in the main house
Location: Oakland, California
Size: 657 square feet (61 square meters); two bedrooms, one bathroom
Architect: Inspired ADUs
Contractor: McDunn ADUs
Landscape designer: Royo Design Studio
The most popular Houzz Tour of 2020 is another ADU. For now, the two-bedroom cottage serves as a photographer’s home in his parents’ backyard. But Inspired ADUs also designed it for the future. The firm used universal design principles so that down the road, the parents can opt to age in place in the cottage.
Large bifold doors and lots of windows make the home feel much larger than 657 square feet. Features include a reading nook, hidden storage, a TV that pops up from inside the kitchen island and a lovely courtyard with a fountain.
See more of this home
More on Houzz
Tour more homes
Browse photos
Hire a local design pro
Shop for your home
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their two young boys
Location: Playa Vista, California
Size: 4,000 square feet (372 square meters); five bedrooms, six bathrooms
Designer: Rachel Chulew of DesignHaus 24
Interior designer Rachel Chulew helped a Southern California family transform its townhouse to suit its lifestyle. The renovation included creating an expansive his-and-her office space, a meditation room and family-friendly spaces for play. The designer thoughtfully chose fabrics, rugs and other surfaces that could stand up to toddlers’ sticky fingers and would be easy to clean.
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