
We love Apartment Therapy’s Small Cool contest, not only for its gorgeous interior design inspiration, but also because it reminds us that you don’t need to live large to have a stunning home. These homes aren’t showcases or designed by famous decorators: They are the homes of real people, and they are really small. From stunning studios and luxurious lofts, we’ve picked out our top 20 faves and now we’re holding our breath to see who the winner will be (announced tomorrow, June 18th)!
1. Pocket of Mod: Feeling a bit 1960s futuristic, Kat’s modern apartment in Santa Fe embraces clean lines and gleaming surfaces. Her advice for living in small spaces is to make it shine with lots of reflective surfaces and not to be afraid to spray paint anything that looks a little “blah.” Instead of buying a new fridge, she just spray painted her fridge a vibrant shade of bright red. “Small homes can have limited sight lines, so amp up the ones you have. Notice where your eyes go when you do what you do at home — working, chilling, flossing — and put a thing you dig right there.”
2. The Color Lovers Home: We admire anyone who can embrace the statement wall, and that shade of indigo blue is fabulous! The owners both love color, and they tried to incorporate it into every room without a specific pattern or scheme. Because all the pieces are things they both love, it just works and makes for a wonderfully cozy and inspiring space.
3. Quirky Surprises: Living in a small space means constantly editing and rearranging, especially if there are two of you living in a teeny space. Remember that not everything is permanent and play around with arrangements of artwork and your collections until you’re really happy. There is always a way to display your treasures in a pleasing way without it looking cluttered.
4. Spacious Simplicity: Small spaces shouldn’t prevent you from adding large pieces. In fact, full size items serve as anchors to your home. These homeowners really embraced the idea of less = more, striving to only add pieces they love and absolutely need. While toeing the line between cozy and minimal can be a challenge, there is a sort of liberation in not feeling obligated to fill a larger space with non-essential possessions.
5. Bright And Beautiful: Lots of white walls make this home light and airy, while the colorful accent pieces make for a cheery and happy space. In a small space, there isn’t a lot of room to keep things you aren’t completely crazy about but if you stick to what you really love and build on that piece by piece, you’ll have a home that truly reflects you and your personal style.
6. Pretty Camouflage: In a small space, everything is visible, so hide unsightly things like cords with strategically placed decoration and invest in a good storage system. You can never have too many drawers and shelves! We love how this homeowner used complementary colors from the brick wall in the bedding to create an elegant color palette.
7. Unique Blend: This funky space in Chicago is a unique blend of vintage, mid-century modern and Scandinavian design with bold graphic patterns, typography, a neutral color palette and lots of plants. In a small space, plants can really enhance a home, making it feel cozy and welcoming, while also improving the air quality.
8. Perfect Balance: Even though the color palette is dark, the look is sophisticated and doesn’t make this small space look like a cave. The secret is to go low: furniture that is low to the ground looks smaller, and use lots of mirrors to reflect that natural light around the room.
9. San Diego Sunsets: Living small forces you to identify things that serve not only a functional purpose, but also an aesthetic one. Look at the value that each item, particularly furniture, brings into the equation. Do you really need two end tables? Is it necessary to have two nightstands? Asymmetry allows for more variety and the informal, comfortable aspect of living.
10. Off The Grid: At 210 sq ft, this space is teeny tiny, but manages to contain everything you need to live, without any compromises or clutter. The bed hides under a work platform, giving the owner a work space. When partially pulled out and locked, the bed also provides additional seating. Thanks to solar panels and a rain-filtration system, this little home is almost completely off the grid and is on a trailer bed so it can be moved if needed.
11. Nautical Studio: Built in the 1800s, this Brooklyn home was once the parlor of an old ship captain’s home, so it has a lot of rich history and architectural details like a working fireplace, high ceilings and lots of natural light. When living small, you can basically see every part of the home in one quick glance, so sometimes your eyes get tired of looking at the same thing. “Don’t be afraid to change things up a bit, from changing your duvet cover to a simple weekly switch up of fresh flowers!”
12. Perfectly Petite: Friends tried to talk these homeowners out of the bookshelf wall because they thought it would overwhelm the small space, but they stuck to their vision and now the walk-through bookshelf is one of their favorite features. It works as storage, an architectural feature and draws attention to the high ceilings.
13. Ultra High Ceilings: Even though the look is relatively modern and simple, the homeowner used warm and luxurious fabrics — linen, pure wool, cashmere for upholstery, curtains and cushions — to create a cozy and homey feel.
14. Open Concept: When you live in a small space, try working within a similar color palette, so that each area or room relates to the other parts of the space. When you paint the entire space white, the light bounces around and creates a great contrast with your furniture and art. Negative space is key, especially in small spaces, so leave room for your furniture to breathe and the space will look large and airy.
15. Unconventional Style: There is a mirror in every room to help add more light and sparkle to this eclectic apartment in Missouri — from a mirrored bedside table and desk in the bedroom, to full length mirrors in the living room.
16. Charming Details: We are in love with that gallery wall! The homeowner, Diane, gives some great advice for studio living: “Everything doesn’t have to be of a diminutive scale just because you live in a shoebox. Mix scales, sizes and patterns to create some interest. Add that ginormous conversation starter of an art piece if possible or that funky oversized light fixture.”
17. Great Bones: The exposed brick, huge windows and cement floors give this space a wonderfully industrial feel. When you are arranging furniture in a small space, remember not everything has to be pushed up against a wall. Pay attention to where and how you move and then make sure those pathways are unobstructed and the flow will feel effortless.
18. Beauty On A Budget: We love all the DIY details in this NY space; the homeowners created some amazing pieces when they couldn’t afford the “real” thing. Their advice to fellow small space dwellers? “Don’t skimp on style just because you’re short on space. Though clean neutrals may seem like a surefire way to make a tight apartment seem airy and open, we’ve always found that nothing opens up a room like more furniture! Plants, books, picture frames — all these details are what make a room extraordinary.”
19. Luxurious Little Space: To get a glamourous look on a budget, switch out boring light fixtures for cool modern mini chandeliers, an inexpensive way to add bling to the room and then put all the lighting on dimmers to truly add ambiance and style.
20. Laneway Home: A laneway house is a form of housing that is popular in Canada because they can be built in tiny lots, usually in the backyard. In this home, there is limited display space so these homeowners switch up their accessories to match the season, curating their collection of beloved photos.
Which of these homes do you hope wins the Small Cool Contest? Let us know in the comments below!
Getting the word out about your brand takes time, drive, and ingenuity. And it doesn't come easy for many entrepreneurs. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're chatting with Selfmade alum Taylor Morgan McPherson, founder of Sustainable Sparkle Bar, about ways in which she scored press as a solo startup brand and what she learned from Selfmade to take her brand marketing up a notch.
B + C: How did you know Sustainable Sparkle Bar was your business to start?
Glitter has always been my thing, so when I started my event company I decided to make it my niche. I started telling people I threw glitter-themed parties where people would get sparkled with glitter body art and makeup. Six months after that I applied to my first festival and to work with SUR restaurant in West Hollywood.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
I honestly can't say that I've had a specific strategy that I've followed when it comes to getting my business off the ground. I have a PR background so I was just constantly pitching new business and posting on social media.
B + C: What's the biggest challenge you face as a small business owner?
I would say creating a stable income and revenue stream. With a seasonal, event-based business it can be very up and down.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
The relationships I made and the push to start an email database.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I love what I do and I believe in myself 100%. Staying motivated isn't the hard part. Pushing myself to do the work and staying accountable is the hard part.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip? Do you use any apps that help you manage your business?
I keep multiple to-do lists, hand-written and digital. I also tell clients and partners that I will have something to them by a certain time or day so I have to stick to it.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Just do it, take the leap. And don't worry about what anyone else says to thinks.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Issa Rae, I'm so inspired by everything that she's created being a creative and a black woman. It's my dream to have my own show one day based on my life and where I give advice and talk about the world. She's doing it and making people laugh and giving people joy. And it's based in LA. Watching Insecure only further cemented my dreams of wanting to live in LA.
B + C: How did you hear about the Office Depot scholarship?
One of my friends that I met through Camp No Counselors saw an IG ad for it and nominated me.
B + C: What has receiving the scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start/grow your business?
It's completely helped me level up and take my business to another level. Selfmade helped me host my first virtual event and taught me how to set up my website to sell tickets to events and get RSVPs.
B + C: How have Office Depot services or products helped you accomplish more in your business?
I got new cards to send in all of my orders with my discount code on them. I also bought a really cool 4K camera that I now use for my social media.
Thanks Taylor! You really know how to sparkle. We love her colorful, creative vibe. You can follow Sustainable Sparkle Bar on Instagram @sustainablesparklebar.
Let Office Depot OfficeMax help you stand out in the crowd. From signs, posters & banners to promote your business, to marketing materials to keep your customers informed, Office Depot OfficeMax offers a full suite of business services & solutions to help you & your business get noticed.
Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.