5 Absolutely Stunning Homes That Are Less Than 1,000 Square Feet

The winners of Apartment Therapy's annual Small Cool contest were announced last week, and each of the chosen homes is incredibly stylish in its own way.

Owners entered their tiny homes into one of five divisions in the contest: Teeny-Tiny, for homes 400 square feet and under; Tiny, for homes between 400 and 600 square feet; Little, for homes between 600 and 800 square feet; Small, between 800 and 1,000 square feet; and International, for any non-U.S. entry under 1,000 square feet.

Readers voted for their favorite small homes, and the top five entries were picked based on these votes. A judges' panel then chose the winners from those entries.

The division finalists each received a $1,000 gift card from Joybird. The grand prize winner won an additional $1,000 gift card, and the International winner received a signed book by Maxwell Ryan, founder of Apartment Therapy.

Here are the winners of this year's Small Cool contest.

U.S. Overall Winner: Tiffany & Alan's Ship Captain Studio

This home in Brooklyn, N.Y., fell into the "teeny-tiny" category at just 350 square feet. It was previously the parlor of a ship captain's home from the 1800s, and features charming details such as crown molding and large windows. Home owners Tiffany and Alan said they used small furniture instead of full-size pieces to make the most of the space.

International Winner: Gorana's Black & White

This 947-square-foot home is located in Zagreb, Croatia, and won the international division of the Small Cool contest. Home owner Gorana was thrilled to finally purchase this home after living in a rented apartment for many years. She painted the walls and floors white and added pops of color with furniture and other decorations. Her advice for living in a small space is to only own items you need.

"Tiny" Finalist: Juan Pedro's Making It His Own

This 560-square-foot home in Alexandria, Va., was the finalist in the "Tiny" division. This is owner Juan Pedro's first home, and he actually set out to purchase the smallest place he could, with the goal of making it his own. "Defeat the fear factor. Small spaces allow you to test your vision without breaking the bank," Pedro said in a statement on the Apartment Therapy website.

"Little" Finalist: Alberto's Landmark Style

This home is located in Dallas, Texas, and only takes up 800 square feet of space. The home has a historic past, as it has previously held a major regional bank, an NPR radio station, and several Federal war agencies during World War II. Home owner Alberto suggests keeping an open mind when purchasing items for your home-the best pieces might come from unlikely sources.

"Small" Finalist: Emily's Stylish Small Home

This home in Covington, Ky., is the largest finalist in the contest, at 900 square feet. Home owner Emily says this house is a special place for her-it's where she discovered her love of design, and also where her husband proposed. To make a successful small space, Emily suggests painting the trim the same color as the walls, as this reduces the amount of visual chaos.