Savvy Style Lessons from Week One of the Small Cool Contest

The inaugural week of Small Cool entries didn’t disappoint! Savvy style choices helped accentuate the positive elements of these homes or solve small space conundrums. We pulled out some design take-aways from some of this week’s entries below. Check out all the entries for more inspiration.

(above) Caity didn’t plan to use the fireplace but couldn’t let that space go unused so she placed a dresser, with plenty of storage, in front of it. Displaying objects on the top makes it almost a second mantle.

A clever trick for adding visual interest to a room without adding visual clutter is to use the same color paint as the walls. Like this idea? Check out: Up Your Color Game: 7 Reasons to Paint Things the Same Color as the Walls

At first glance you almost miss the acrylic coffee table in front of the sofa. Acrylic is a smart choice for small spaces for not adding visual bulk and especially for this open room which already has several woods and browns.

Create a sense of separation in a small studio space by using area rugs to designate rooms or zones of your home like this Beni Ourain-style rug under Anna’s sofa.

Aley hung his window curtains well above the window to exaggerate his already high ceilings and create an illusion of more space.

Louisa and Mario took a bold step and painted most of the floors in their apartment white. It’s chic and adds so much light to their home.