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Name:

Emily

Location:

Denver, CO

Square Feet:

572

Division:

Tiny

What I Love About My Small Home:

It's ours! And we've worked thoughtfully to make it uniquely us. Also, the size has forced us to only keep items that are either useful or beautiful (good ol' William Morris quote) so we don't feel overrun by stuff. It also gets great light and keeps us close ;)

Who has the smallest coolest home? It's up to you to decide. Click through to check out today's entries and then vote for your favorites.

• International: Simone's Shine & Silhouettes
  
• Tiny: Kristen's Happily Smaller Digs
• Tiny: Rae's Closet-Filled Compact Home
  
• Tiny: Amanda's Secondhand Treasures
  
• Small: Harvey's Adaptable Space
  
• Small: Richard's Constantly Changing Home
  
• Tiny: Diana's Sunshine & Sea Breezes
  
• International: Leah's Cozy Halifax Home
  
• Little: Annette's View of the City
  
• Tiny: Emily's Uniquely Us Home
  

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Name:

Annette

Location:

San Francisco, CA

Square Feet:

618

Division:

Little

What I Love About My Small Home:

First, I love that I have a view of the city, and that my corner lets in plenty of sky. It's especially dramatic at dusk, when the changing color and light bring a feeling of serenity inside. Second, I adore the kitchen. It's tiny and old, so it's bare-bones, but still easy to cook in. Luckily it has a dining area, and the walls hold some favorite stuff. Third, I have a large entry hall for a place this size. I used to think I should put it to some clever alternative use--only nothing but the hall-as-hall ever worked, and now I see its point and enjoy it. Fourth, I like the bedroom for its difference from the rest of the place. I wanted it to suggest, not with objects but with texture and color, that the ocean is nearby.

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Name:

Leah

Location:

Halifax Canada

Square Feet:

200

Division:

International

What I Love About My Small Home:

What I love about my home is its coziness. Being in Halifax in the winter can get pretty cold, and having a warm and lovely space to spend my time makes all the difference. My place is also right next to the university I go to and the library where I work, so no time is ever wasted on a commute. Living in a small space makes you consider what you buy before you buy it because you have to know where it will go. It keeps things simple - one in, one out. I even use library books to decorate with, because they cost nothing, and I get to change them every six weeks!

→Do you live Small Cool in a home under 1000 square feet? Enter today!

We're one week into our annual big event that is all about small homes. Readers from around the globe who are proud of how they fit larger-than-life style into compact spaces send us photos of their homes along with their tips on the good life  lived in less square footage. Here's a sampling of knockout entries we posted this past week...

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Name:

Diana

Location:

La Jolla , CA

Square Feet:

500

Division:

Tiny

What I Love About My Small Home:

I love that this studio has non-traditional features that give it character. The vaulted ceilings give the illusion of a bigger space, while the balcony is a nice place to enjoy the La Jolla sunshine and sea breezes. The loft is a neat room as it is only accessible by ladder, but still provides adequate room for guests to sleep. The elevated narrow-rectangular side room connected to the kitchen was an added bonus which I have turned into an office/storage space. This side room also has vaulted ceilings. Both the loft and office area have round windows too, which is something you don't see every day. To furnish my space I chose mostly used/consignment furniture (as I like mid-century furnishings and Southern California is a great resource for these vintage finds). I have hung wall art that I have both purchased and made myself. I also love my murphy bed, which can be folded into the wall if I need extra space to entertain.

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Name:

Richard

Location:

Jackson Heights, NY

Square Feet:

876

Division:

Small

What I Love About My Small Home:

We get inspired by so many things and our home is constantly changing, never static. Because it is small, it's really easy to make a major change by just moving something a few feet away. We always have home projects going on, or something new we want to try.

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Name:

Harvey

Location:

Los Angeles, CA

Square Feet:

836

Division:

Small

What I Love About My Small Home:

I love that my apartment is a neutral, boxy space, which makes it very adaptable. It allows me to entertain, make art, experiment with design, work, and relax, all functional components for my happiness. Living on a hill with an amazing view of downtown Los Angeles, and living only 2 miles from work, close enough to commute by bicycle every day, is a rarity for LA. Even though I do pay more for rent than in the Midwest, I love the fact that I don’t have any heating or cooling bills! After moving from Milwaukee to Los Angeles a few years ago, I had to learn to live in less than half of what I was used to. 836 square feet meant having to cull my hard earned and thrifted design collection to make sense. Balancing form and function through patience, persistence, hard work, invested decision-making and over a decade of upgrading, I’ve been able to achieve a deluxe refuge even though my income falls below the bottom third bracket nationally. I’m passionate about my small living space!

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Name:

Amanda

Location:

Oklahoma City, OK

Square Feet:

590

Division:

Tiny

What I Love About My Small Home:

I love that I can sit on my couch and admire my whole entire apartment at once. What would be the point of spending hours decorating every square inch and having to close a door? I'm sure I won't live in a studio forever, but for now, it's eclectically perfect.

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Name:

Rae

Location:

Brooklyn, NY

Square Feet:

454

Division:

Tiny

What I Love About My Small Home:

I love that I can display homemade items, like my embroidery in my bedroom and the artwork in my living room that my family and I painted. And my old apartment had no closets, and now I have four. I love that it makes storage easier, and I can now fill my living space with only the things I love most.