NAME: Nate
LOCATION: Los Angeles
SIZE: 110 square feet
WHY MY SMALL KITCHEN IS COOL: It's become our modern hearth — clean, open, and efficient with our personality in the details: the aluminum handles, blown-glass backsplash, and Wojtek, our noble "Cyrk" bear.

• LIKE THIS KITCHEN? See more photos of Nate's Modern Hearth Los Angeles Kitchen & add it to your favorites

NAME: Lindsay
LOCATION: Nashville, TN
SIZE: 45 square feet
WHY MY SMALL KITCHEN IS COOL: It's open, so it doesn't feel nearly as small as it is. In the summers we don't have to turn on any lights until 8:00 at night. It's beautiful.

• LIKE THIS KITCHEN? See more photos of Lindsay's White and Aqua Nashville Kitchen & add it to your favorites

NAME: Jane
LOCATION: Eugene, OR
SIZE: 96 square feet
WHY MY SMALL KITCHEN IS COOL: A flame red floor, 1950s still-functioning Blo-Fan, built-in cutting boards, pocket door, and the fact that it looks like nobody else's kitchen: no stainless steel or granite anywhere!

• LIKE THIS KITCHEN? See more photos of Jane's Red-Floored Rental Kitchen & add it to your favorites

NAME: Richard
LOCATION: New York, NY
SIZE: 69 square feet
WHY MY SMALL KITCHEN IS COOL: Light, space, and sound. We chose neutral colors and a combination of lighting to make it easy to focus on food preparation. The open design and super-quiet dishwasher and refrigerator makes it easy to interact with friends (and watch future kids).

• LIKE THIS KITCHEN? See more photos of Richard's Bright, Well-Lit Kitchen & add it to your favorites

NAME: Charmaine
LOCATION: Terrebonne, OR
SIZE: 106 square feet
WHY MY SMALL KITCHEN IS COOL: Our kitchen is so cool because of the efficiency of the space, the two-toned cabinetry, and the half-wall which keeps it open and connected to the rest of the house.

• LIKE THIS KITCHEN? See more photos of Charmaine Radically Improved Two-Tone Kitchen & add it to your favorites

Have you seen today's entries in the Small Cool Kitchens contest? Take a peek, and if you like what you see, add them to your favorites!

• Jenn's Smart and Cheap Toronto Kitchen
• Jason's $250 Remodeled Rental Kitchen
• Natalie's Big-Window Arizona Kitchen

• SEE ALL THE ENTRIES SO FAR: SMALL COOL KITCHENS 2011

NAME: Natalie
LOCATION: Scottsdale, AZ
SIZE: 100 square feet
WHY MY SMALL KITCHEN IS COOL: The gorgeous, expansive counter tops - they're as great for entertaining company as they are for rolling dough AND they're naturally antimicrobial so I don't have to be afraid of germies hiding on them! Also, I now have a secret pull-out garbage can so I can scrape food directly from the counter into the trash! Oh, and there's a dishwasher hiding in there, too! How cool is that!?

• LIKE THIS KITCHEN? See more photos of Natalie's Big-Window Arizona Kitchen & add it to your favorites

NAME: Jason
LOCATION: New York, NY
SIZE: 51 square feet
WHY MY SMALL KITCHEN IS COOL: At 51 sq ft, my kitchen proves size doesn’t matter. Through organizing and maximizing all the wall space, I've been able to cook dinner for up to 15 with ease (okay, maybe not ease) but still fun and doable.

• LIKE THIS KITCHEN? See more photos of Jason's $250 Remodeled Rental Kitchen & add it to your favorites

We're in the second week of our Small Cool Kitchens contest, and already we're so impressed by the soulful, beautiful small spaces that help our readers nourish themselves and their home. Here's a look at the current top 10 frontrunners. Of course, there are a lot more entries than just these; come take a look at them all!

NAME:
LOCATION: Toronto, Canada
SIZE: 117 square feet
WHY MY SMALL KITCHEN IS COOL: It's warm, inviting, smart and cheap!

• LIKE THIS KITCHEN? See more photos of Jenn's Smart and Cheap Toronto Kitchen & add it to your favorites