Great "good examples" of small space living abound in Apartment Therapy's annual contest

One of the highlights of Spring is the Apartment Therapy "Small Cool " spaces contest.   The 2010 contest is in its earliest stages right now where entries can be voted into later rounds.

The contest is divided into 5 categories: Tiniest (400 square feet and under), Tiny (401 to 600 square feet), Little (601-800 square feet), Small (801 to 1,000 square feet) and International (outside the USA under 1,000 square feet and under).

Apartment Therapy features some of the best virtual tours of smaller homes and apartments year round but the cream of the crop comes out in force during their annual contest.  Unlike their usual photo tours which feature a dozen or more photos, each entrant in the Small Cool contest is limited to four photos and a layout of their space.

The entrants are a font of inspiration no matter what size of home or apartment you inhabit or dream of.

So far here are my favorites: Ben's Creative Transformations in Portland Maine (535 sq feet), Shelbey's Itty Bitty Abode in Chicago (450 sq feet),  Yael's Vintage Treasure in Chicago (545 sq feet), Meredith's Well Considered Space also in Chicago (575 sq feet) and Chris's Furniture Tetris in Houston (450 sq feet).

The contest is a reminder that small homes aren't limited to cob cottages in the country and have a place in the big city.