One of my favourite blogs/sites is Apartment Therapy...I visit it daily. There are so many helpful tips there and its a great way to learn about new design trends, concepts and just good ol' useful decor tips that you can incorporate into your own home. I also love the house tours - this is when people submit photos of their home with descriptions and you get to 'tour' their home. I like seeing how other people decorate their space, the design choices they make, and how they deal with various issues...like small budgets and small spaces - this I can relate to! So I was thrilled when last week I stopped by AT and saw that their annual 'Smallest, Coolest Apartment Contest' will be starting up soon!

I love the 'Smallest, Coolest, Apartment Contest.' There are usually some pretty great entries...and some not so great entires (but if you can't say something nice - don't say anything at all, right?) From the spaces below, and others, I've gotten ideas on everything from colour schemes to furniture placement to organization.Here are some of my favourite entries from years past...

2007 - Ron's Hotel Sweet
Can you believe this is a 500 square foot studio! So chic.



2006 - Harkl & Jili's Bold Bright Moves
The yellow stripes on the wall - tape! Genius.



2005 - Patrick's Cosmo-Urban Studio Rental
Another fabulously chic studio - only 485 square foot!

2007 - Randi's Post Loft Sophistication
I like the furntiure placement in this 415 square foot studio

2006 - Jane & Darko's Cozy Thicket
Lot's of creativity in this 645 square foot walk-up

If you think you've got what it takes (and your home is under 850 sq ft) why not enter your apartment into the contest? The prizes are usually pretty good. But warning! Some of the people who comment can be quite rude - so thick skin is a must!

Perhaps I'll enter the contest next year.