Met Home is counting down the finalists in its contest for "Home of the Year", and so far there are some great spaces. We're most impressed thus far with their pick for "Swankiest Small Space", a 408 sf Dorothy Draper-inspired apartment done in (almost) all white. Check out more photos after the jump...
The owner stuck to her budget by frequenting thrift stores and chains like Target and Z Gallerie, and also by taking on many DIY projects throughout the home. See the whole slideshow of the apartment here.
Images: Metropolitan Home

Commercial Flour Sa...
Love it! Very swanky and feminine, without going over the top. Nice job!
Its so matchy matchy kinda makes me crazy. I like the wallcovering with that gold mirror not for my home but a hotel room would be fine.
it very much reminds me of a suite. i'd love it if someone handed over the keys for the evening... i'd destroy it in real life though - i've got too much random stuff and not enough gumption to continuously hide it.
hey! that ceiling fan/chandelier is lovely! anyone know where it may have come from?
This works for me. I love all white rooms. My black cat and Siamese would be beautiful additions to this pristine space.
It looks great! It definitely does take discipline to have such a themed look in a small space though - I can't do it. I think the chandelier is from Urban Outfitters. I thought about getting it myself, but thought it looked a bit cheap in person. It does look nice in this room though.
Not my style at all, but she did a pretty good job. Really dislike all of the gold she used. Too matchy-matchy for me as well.
This is beautiful and well-thought out, and I am jealous because I could never be tidy enough to live in a white home (I'll blame that on my dogs, but it's me, too). The woman has a good future decorating, if that's what he does or plans to do for a living. I like the touches of gold (I am sick to death of nickel-plated everything), and the softness of what could easily be a hard-edged and cold space. It looks like way more than the reported 408 sf. The only jarring thing is the pile of electronics on a table in the bedroom.
Not my thing although I can appreciate that others appreciate it.
It looks sterile and impersonal to me and looks like a stage set. I'm also really sick of contrasting borders on everything.
Honestly, not much thought seemed to go into this. It's like they took the Martha Stewart Hotel Collection at Macy's and just put it in someone's apartment using small space tips they picked up on Apartment Therapy.
And apparently I'm grumpy today.
It looks nice, but a bit too theme-y for my tastes. Plus..that's a lot of white..needs more of a punch of color, other than the flowers and a throw...which seems to get lost in the sea of white.
I need that fan for my room!
It's actually really beautiful and, yes, very swank. I could never live in it though. I'd spill stuff all over that place, and I prefer a little more color in my life.
Chest on the diagonal in the corner? Must be watching too much Christopher Lowell.
I'm not liking the black stripe accents.
That is really very pretty! I love the little pops of color.
It's funny, I'm starting to come around to the gold/brass fixtures, too. I was watching an episode of My House is Worth What? yesterday and one guy had done the gold-tone fixtures consistently throughout the house. I think it fits well with more formal design styles like this one, as long as it's done in a fresh, consistent way.
I didn't like the white in this room only because I like white in a room saturated with sunlight and popped with color. This room seems a little bit cold.
But, I viewed the slide show and am really, really impressed. She did so much of this herself and really did work on a tight budget. The black print on the wall is painted on. The slip cover is hand made.
I think she's very talented!
the hand-painted black chain wall is quite impressive (followed the link for more info)! i think it's quite lovely and well-done tho i couldn't live without more punches of color myself. very sweet hotel suite... i wanna visit, but not necessarily live there :)
Personally, this place gives me the creeps. It doesn't look like anyone lives there at all! And I love colour, vibrant and bright...But if they like it, then that's what matters most.
"swankiest"? it looks "cheap" to me
It's too perfect and formal for me; I'd never feel comfortable there. It's lovely though.
All white always look nice, but I just know that if I had to live with it I'd always be afraid to sit/stand/breathe anywhere.
I need color like I need air and this room is making me suffocate.
This is very close to working but not quite there yet, I think it may be the carpet which I am sure is something that may be out of the budget, and understandably so, otherwise very well done.
Very pretty! I imagine a no red wine or chocolate in bed rule goes without saying.
Oh, I love it. Very elegant. It reminds me of the fabulous settings of those old Hollywood movies.
This is a fabulous small space. ONly 400 sq ft? Where is the kitchen and/or eating area. Looks very much like a master bedroom in a big house instead of a small studio. Because I love to cook (and eat), I'm always curious as to where people do that in these small spaces.