Maxwell's Picks: Top Small Cool Entries

This year's Small Cool Contest is blowing away all previous years. With over 500 entries from all over the world, we've been amazed at how good so many of them are as well as how styles are changing. Changing? Oh, yes, the transition that was kicked off by the recession has ushered in a new love for more traditional, curvy shapes, dark colors and bigger, bolder patterns. There's still a lot of modern, but the change is happening. If you do nothing else, check out these top entries that are VERY LIKELY to go to the finals next week.

Name: Lasse
Location: Herning, Denmark
Size: 753 square feet

Thumbs Up: 252

>> Lasse's Welcoming & Wonderful Home

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Name: Alexandra + husband
Location: Park Slope — Brooklyn, NYC
Size: 750 square feet

Thumbs Up: 316

>> Alexandra's Open Plan

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Name: Shelbey
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Size: 450 square feet

Thumbs Up: 517

>> Shelbey's Itty Bitty Abode

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Name: Anu
Location: Clayton, Missouri
Size: 593 square feet

Thumbs Up: 365

>> Anu's Creative Freedom

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Name: Louise + 2 shih tzus
Location: Upper West Side — NYC
Size: 345 square feet

Thumbs Up: 356

>> Louise's Cocoon