Name: Celia
Location: Miami Beach, FL
Size: 720
Rent/Own: Rent
What is the advantage of SMALL? A neat home is my greatest advantage. You can't afford to be messy, when having a small home....
Name: Celia
Location: Miami Beach, FL
Size: 720
Rent/Own: Rent
What is the advantage of SMALL? A neat home is my greatest advantage. You can't afford to be messy, when having a small home....

What's your favorite resource for your home?
The Internet. It is very convenient to get the exact description, measurement and sometimes even a 360 preview of the item you are looking for. I also like to get inspired by my favorite blogs.
What is your one favorite element in your small, cool home?
The space I created for my daughter. At her age playing is learning and I'm glad she can have her own little playroom to give reign to her imagination.
I am confused...the floor plan indicates more than one room, but the pictures are only of the living and play room?
view MarieE123's profile
5 pictures of one room, and one picture looking from the first room into the 2nd room?
Where are the other 3 rooms here?
view bepsf's profile
I also would have liked to see the bedroom or kitchen.
I think you did a great job with the play area. I love that your girl has this place to call her own but it was designed in such a way that if feels like an integral part of the apartment but doesn't take over the apt. Kudos on that.
view Monica G's profile
it was fine/nice but i felt it was pretty darn ordinary and unexceptional. i did love the cute little girl (!) and that little playroom area. the shelves there were awesome and the little table cute. didn't really have a sense at all that the place was 700 sq ft and it felt underdecorated to me. maybe like a sparse hotel room or beach condo. was looking for something more interesting and appealing for the contest.
view bmorebent's profile
According to the floorplan the dining room is across the livingroom from the kitchen. Is it just me or does this seem a little far to walk with a casserole dish?
Also - lots of pics of one space.
view Modfan's profile
I'm not really liking the wall to wall tile floor. I know it can be very challenging to put some warmth into a space like that. Even though the actual colors are not my thing I do appreciate how colorful and fun it looks.
view oakland's profile
again, too little to see from the apartment, which is a shame.
view Nina79's profile
Oakland - Floor tile is SUPER common in Florida rentals...
view Jamie's profile
aww she's so pretty.
view SD913's profile
i used to live in south florida - and the wall to wall tile, in EVERY room, is quite common - it may seem odd, but the summers are unbearably HOT and the tiles can do a lot to help keep things cooler...
my mother has them now too - and the one time i dared to visit in the summer i found lying on the cold tiles after coming from outside (HOT! HUMID!) was amazing...
view kungfookimmie's profile
I know I'm not the first to say it, but: What's with all the pics of furniture and tchotchkes this year??? Images of entire rooms are left out in so many entries -- it's just plain bizarre!
view Mid-C Frank's profile
I would recommend lightening the grout, that way the tile will stand out less. You can buy it at Home Depot for less than 15$, and it doesn't take long to do. It makes a huuuuge difference, we did it a few months ago and our basement looks like a totally new space.
view HeatherT.O.'s profile
The floor plan confuses me. Do you really have all those doors that go nowhere? And I take it that you and your daughter share the bedroom?
I love how you punched up the space with colour to make it fun, but still acheived an adult looking space. Congrats for creating a lovely home for you and your daughter.
view Alana in Canada's profile
I like what little I can see of your apartment.
view MCW's profile
Some great stuff here, and I like all the color, but something about it feels a bit unfinished to me. Love the antique toys, though. Big time.
view meg_ues's profile
Thank you for the comments, I appreciate the criticism.
I posted pictures of my living and dining area because our room needed minor repairs. (crayons were involved)
I also don't like the tile floors but I can't do much about it since I don't own the apartment. =/
My daughter and I do share a room. This room has its own entrance, that's the reason of so many doors (bad design in my opinion)
Trying so save up for a better place =)
Does anyone know where I can get a cool floor lamp?
view Celia Luna's profile
I hated the curtains, but otherwise loved the use of color. The red looks great, especially the living room chair.
I feel Celia's pain regarding rental space that can't be changed as I've got some truly horrid elements which I also am powerless to change. My place isn't nearly as nice as hers though.
view Orchid64's profile
Did anyone else make the connection of this apartment with the link to Cliff Spencer and his beautiful sliding wood doors and furniture? The bright, Ikea style curtain gives it away.
view Doris loves art!'s profile
I only clicked on this because it's Miami and that's my hometown. I liked the daughter's area! This place would be so much warmer with wood floors (which is not the renters fault at all). But that is one thing that I do NOT miss about the majority of South FL rentals, the tile and carpet! yuck. Some of the older rentals on Miami beach have wood floors though and they look super cool!
view orangejuce's profile
Cute kid!
view Lilli K.'s profile
wow, so many negative votes and no real comments. hmm...
i voted cool because i'd like to see more! it's a nice warm livable space with clean lines that manages, as Alana in Canada said, to be an adult space and kid-friendly. that's a really hard thing to do and you did it well!
cool floor lamp? do you want a task lamp or an arty one? I'm currently craving this one from cb2 which is in a yummy orange:
http://www.cb2.com/family.aspx?c=120&f=4232
view saya*'s profile
u and ur daughter are probably the most deserving winners. :-)
view SD913's profile
I voted Super cool , because it's imperfect and real ... and your daughter is sooo cute lol ...
My mom always made sure we had a play area ... she really let us go wild with our imagination .
Good job mom
view honeisos's profile
The thing I like about this entry is that it accomplishes its goals--it is a fun, clean, happy place for a little family. I think it looks really inviting.
view brittanykate's profile
I couldnt get past all the colors of the curtains when I first saw them, but I liked the feel of the rooms, particularly the living room. When I saw the brightly colored play area and your sweet daughter, suddenly the bursts of colors made more sense. I voted super cool. I could sense that your priority was to make this a cheerful and fun place, particularly for a child.
(hey, others add points for cats, I happen to LOVE children!
;-)
view lynnelise1's profile
Oww you guys are too sweet! thank you! =)
I have to admit that my least favorite photo is the one they chose to display. I was hesitant to submit it.
The curtains are always open and are just used to give a splash of color to the entrance of the mini-playroom.
Thanks for the link Saya*, I looove the lamp too!
view Celia Luna's profile