Spotted at the Wilsonart booth: this chair by University of Oregon student Katie Lee, covered with tiny pieces of laminate attached to canvas.

Click here to guess first - then jump below for the answer!  

Sometimes vacations are about traveling to new places and exploring new cultures. And sometimes they're about relaxing, kicking back and spending time together as a family. One of the best ways to do this, especially for families with kids, is to rent a house in a lovely location. My family has been lucky enough to tag along on a few of these vacations with extended family over the past few years and this year we took the plunge and rented a place ourselves. Here are some tips for what to look for in a kid-friendly rental.

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Name:

Lauren

Location:

New York, NY

Square Feet:

340

Division:

Teeny-Tiny

What I Love About My Small Home:

Living in a tiny apartment with randomly angled walls and sloped floors is such a uniquely New York experience. Other than that, I instantly adored the large front window that looks out to the street.

Small Cool 2013 is well underway, and we've seen some really innovative space solutions so far. I've been so inspired by all these small homes that I've even begun visiting the archive to get more ideas. Here are some of my favorite small space tricks, drawn from last year's Small Cool entries. 

Name: Sandra & Justin
Type of Project: Kitchen remodel
Location: Arlington, Texas
Type of building: Single-family home, 2,450 square feet

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Name:

Yamini

Location:

Boston, MA

Square Feet:

485

Division:

Tiny

What I Love About My Small Home:

I remember falling in love with this apartment almost instantly as I walked through the doors. It was the windows really: four big windows letting in swathes of gorgeous afternoon sun light. In fact, my favorite thing to do really is to sit under my counter and look at the apartment, taking in the play of light on my turquoise walls. I love that despite being such a small apartment, there’s a proportional division of space between the kitchen, living area, and bedroom without making it look too closed off. It’s also rather quirky in that the walls are uneven and the ceiling is a little crooked, which though made structural changes really difficult, makes it that much more unique. Yet its biggest selling point is really the location. I’m within walking distance to downtown, close to Whole Foods and a whole bunch of restaurants and coffee shops, the cinema and art museum, all whilst surrounded by a whole lot of green!

I was first introduced to the concept of the ex-boyfriend (or girlfriend) box by the one and only Lorelai Gilmore. She advised her daughter Rory to throw all the mementos from her just-ended relationship into a box. That way, Rory wouldn't have to look at them, but someday, when she was old and grey, she could go through all her old boyfriend boxes and think, "My, what an interesting life I've had." Does that work in real-life, or just in Stars Hollow?

One of the most common tasks in photo editing is cropping and clipping out images from backgrounds. Executed correctly, it's not a difficult process, but it is one that requires a deft hand with the Photoshop pen tool, the use of alpha channels, and a discerning eye for what to keep and what to leave out. Now there's a website which simplifies the process...

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Name:

Hollyanne

Location:

San Francisco, CA

Square Feet:

765

Division:

Little

What I Love About My Small Home:

We LOVE the big windows that let in lots of natural light, and the built-ins in the the kitchen are gorgeous. We fell in love at first sight. We also love the French doors leading into every room.