Like this Small Cool 2013 contest entry? Favorite it below!

Name:

Tara

Location:

Calgary, Alberta Canada

Square Feet:

700

Division:

International

What I Love About My Small Home:

That it's all mine and I can decorate it however I want! And that it's filled with things that are special to me - my nephew's artwork, a patchwork quilt made for me by a family friend, the rocking chair my mother bought when I was born.

Like this Small Cool 2013 contest entry? Favorite it below!

Name:

Katie

Location:

Vancouver, Bc Canada

Square Feet:

250

Division:

International

What I Love About My Small Home:

As part of a heritage building, it has the most eccentric charm: a bathroom built over the bed, creaky wooden floors and beautiful architectural details. Also my glorious amassment of local artworks and antique books which have been gifted and collected over the years.

Like this Small Cool 2013 contest entry? Favorite it below!

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!

New York City — if you can make it there, you'll make it anywhere. But what if you made it there, and now you have to move?? Will you ever find a neighborhood in your new city that suits you as well as your NYC one did? 

Name: Justice Darragh, voice-over actress/receptionist/photographer, and Ronan Gibney, tattoo artist
Location: Toronto, Canada
Size: 1,600 square feet
Years lived in: 15 (Ronan), 6 months (Justice); Rented

Justice and Ronan share this cozy apartment in Toronto, Canada. Together they have created a warm and inspiring space to live and work in. Ronan’s 16-year tattoo career has led him to a love of religious imagery, and Justice’s bohemian style compliments his, bringing in elements of the lively and unexpected. Both are visual artists and musicians with a love of anatomy and color, cooking and entertaining. 

Like this Small Cool 2013 contest entry? Favorite it below!

Name:

Lee

Location:

Toronto Canada

Square Feet:

820

Division:

International

What I Love About My Small Home:

Learning the discipline of editing possessions, cultivating a sense of detachment. The things we surround ourselves with are really meaningful and/or joyful. No room for anything less. We like that it's minimalist, but highly functional, with whimsical touches.

A Modern Space is at the crest of the new wave of design-led furniture shops in Ottawa, ON. Owner Patrick Hajas stocks the kind of modern, iconic brands which, until recently, were hard to come by in Canada's capital. His sharp eye and edited approach is perfectly in line with the needs of the area's homeowners, but the furniture, lighting and accessories sold here are also available online, with delivery across Ontario and Quebec. 

Name: Everett 
Location: Calgary, Alberta

We were keeping Everett's gender a surprize from our friends and family and had to hide the nursery from everyone throughout the pregnancy so we wouldnt ruin the surprise. Took a while to decide on what colors to go with because we didnt want it to be a typical blue boy nursery, so finally decided on grey, white, orange and teal for their vibrant yet soothing, modern feel.

As the world's second-largest French-speaking city, with students galore and a vibrant business center, Montreal has a competitive rental market for the most charming of its apartments. Your best bet for hunting is well before July 1 — that's when the vast majority of leases change hands. Another surprising aspect of Montreal renting: it's illegal for landlords to require a security deposit, key deposit, or anything more than the first month's rent (a far cry from the first month, last month, and security I was accustomed to, coming from New York City). 

Name: Ralphie
Location: London, Ontario

This is our son Ralphie's room, slightly revamped from when he was a baby. We live in student housing, so the room is both small (9x11) and shabby (check out those rubber baseboards! Or, wait, don't check them out). We wanted his room to be open, colourful, airy, and full of interesting things to look at.