Who Lives Here: Rachel (and her two beta fish) Location: Austin, Texas Size: 792 square feet
What is your favorite element of your Small & Cool home? The beautiful view of downtown Austin! My place has 10ft, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking downtown Austin—I can see all the way from the UT clock tower to the Frost Bank tower to Town Lake. I also love the concrete ceiling—it gives the place a modern, industrial feel.
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What was one of the biggest challenges you faced in furnishing your Small Cool home? Mounting curtain tracks in a concrete ceiling! A hammer drill and strong biceps came in handy for that job. Another challenge was figuring out a solution to filter light through the bedroom windows—I folded old magazines to make panels for the windows, hurray recycling!
Give Rachel a THUMBS UP if you think this home belongs in the finals!
Thumbs Up Voting is only activated for 48 Hours — so don't delay!
Thumbs Up Voting is only activated for 48 Hours — so don't delay!
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Check out all the entries on our contest page.
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Probably some of the coolest decorating I have seen in a downtown apartment. Definitely unique! What a cool way to cover up those bedroom windows.
I love your dining table with the marble top. Homemade? If not where did you get it?
I think the dining height coffee table is a little odd. I like the table alone though.
I love the paper artwork!
Cool shower curtain! What's the source?
Too many DIY paper crafts for a modern industrial feel, I'd rather see bare walls or large original art.
I like the bedroom (other than the mirrored closet doors). But I can't find anything cohesive or charming about the living/dining area. I agree that the small-scale artsy/craftsy stuff does not match up to the space. And the tasseled runner on your entry-way table is just awkwardly out of place. The sectional could be really cool, it is a nice piece. I wish we could see the awesome downtown views in the photos.
I need that shower curtain!!
what? i really like this apartment! i love the bathroom shower curtains.
i like that each part of the house (like the living and bedroom) are different. i think there are lots of visually appealing things in the living room that keep your eye interested but not sure if the furniture in the living room works for me, the big pieces make the space look smaller or maybe it's just the angles of the picture
Really creative touches - I love that string arrangement for hanging photographs (Pic 2), and the bedroom window solution is amazing. It wasn't until I read the text that I realised I was looking at the same thing from both sides.
@Yul - do you not think the doors on the Ikea console being "upsidedown" might be a deliberate preference?
Hmmm, the coffee table height doesn't make much since here. It's a distraction from the TV viewing area along with the picture hung above the TV. I like the Ikea console doors just the way you installed them. I like the bathroom most of all the rooms.
I wish I could see the string art in photo 2 a little better! I am interested.
I like the space. It is a bit "inexpensive" looking, but I don't think there is anything wrong with that.
Oh la la! I love the shower curtains. Where did you get them?