I've been obsessed with storage beds for about as long as I've had a bedroom. They are the perfect marriage of form and function. And, of course, they are an ideal small space solution. We've added a couple of new models to the annual roundup of best storage beds this year. See them all after the jump...

Name: Chris and Colleen, son Clark (10 months), and dogs Rosie, Lucius, and overnight guest Maltese, Henry
Location: Blue Island, Illinois
Size: 954 square feet
Years lived in: 4 years, owned

Just past Chicago's southern border is the quaint town of Blue Island, Illinois. On a quiet, tree-lined street in Blue Island is Chris and Colleen's gem of a home. Using smart planning, a great sense of detail, and a lot of work, they turned a small, dilapidated 1950's ranch house into a bright, hip family home.

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It's true that renting means no knocking down walls, no gutting bathrooms, and sometimes even no painting. But in the past year we've featured some stunning examples from around the world of how to make a space come alive through the power of personal style. 

This recent house tour -- Mary Lee's Life in 300 Square Feet -- is a perfect example of carving out a bedroom space even in a small studio. By day this room serves as cozy little living room, complete with a home office. By night, the sofa folds out, the bedding comes out of the storage cubes, and voila -- a bedroom. I rounded up a shopping list of the essential components of Mary's living room, along with a quick guide to why it works...

Today's One Minute Tip comes from Judy Ross, with a tour of the many ways she's utilized built-ins to maximize space and minimize clutter in her NYC apartment. More

Name: Mary Lee
Location: Austin, Texas
Size: 300 square feet
Years lived in: 8 months

That's not a typo. Mary Lee's Austin studio is only 300 square feet, yet it somehow seems so spacious, so open, and so comfortable. Come on in, take a peek and let Mary Lee show you that living in 300 square feet is not only possible, but it's perhaps all the room you really need.

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I've always said that if I won the lottery I'd still want to live in a small space. Sure, I'd upgrade from my 500-square-foot apartment to a craftsman-style house with a porch and an eat-in kitchen (I mean, I'm not crazy), but the last thing I'd want is a Real Housewives-size mansion, or worse, a Downton Abbey.
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Q: My husband and I are artists and have been living in Jackson Heights in New York City for the last 6 years. Our apartment is a huge 3 bedroom, with 2 full baths, a great kitchen, a separate dining room, a living room with a balcony, and hardwood floors throughout. It's kind of awesome. The drawback: there's not too much of a nightlife for a young couple with no kids and an adorable Frenchie named Pixel. After much debate, we decided to severely downsize to a 450 square foot studio in a luxury condo in Long Island City: More

The closet in my guest bedroom never hosted much clothing, and I decided it'd be a perfect tucked away spot for sewing and crafting. More

Name: Anna
Location: Heidelberg, Germany

We have been living in our home for almost a year! It is about 72 square meters as opposed to our 30 square meter flat that we lived in before (that was featured in your Small Cool Contest last year!)