During the ancient Greek period, the houses of the people living in Ephesus were made of mud walls placed on a stone foundation. The houses were generally built around a courtyard, which served as the family's religious shrine. In the middle of the courtyard, there was a large altar.

The ground floors of the houses were typically used for dining and other daily activities, while the second floors were usually bedrooms. In front of the outer doors of the houses, there were sculptures and decorations believed to protect the homes. The interior walls were plain-looking, but in some wealthy homes, the edges of the walls were decorated with motifs. Later on, the walls were painted entirely.

During the Hellenistic period, the floors of the houses were decorated with colorful mosaics or colorful pebbles. Although some homes had their wells in the courtyards, water was generally transported to the homes from public fountains that were available for everyone to use. Women were responsible for carrying water, and they would chat with each other while doing this work. Today, there is a beautiful fountain remains in Ephesus that dates back to the ancient Greek period and has been restored in recent years.

Kitchens were the places where grains were ground and flour was used for making bread. Earthen pots and pans, as well as baking trays, were tools used to make bread. There were smoke holes in the kitchen ceiling for the stove's smoke. In homes, there were separate rooms for men and women. Pantries, where food and drinks were stored, were also a part of the homes. Wine and olive oil were preserved in large earthenware jars.