If I were to sum up 2012 for myself I'd say it's the beginning of piecing together my personal workspace. For the longest time I've researched and looked at desktop after desktop (which was how I initially found Unplggd now called Apartment Therapy's Tech site.) Along the way I've gathered pictures and notes into a digital scrapbook for inspiration in my goal to put together a workspace that works for me. It's still a work in progress, however I am proud with where it's at today and see potential for growth in the upcoming new year.

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We love some color around here. From our annual Room for Color Contest to our much anticipated announcement of Pantone's Color the Year, we've always got our collective eye on new hues. Throughout the year our contributors have shopped around for furniture and accessories in a rainbow of colors. These are 10 of our favorites…

• Adding Color at Home: Bright Tables
• Bring The Color of the Year Home: 10 Emerald Products & Interior Inspirations
• Color Crazy: From Orange Crush to Tangerine Tango
• 9 Shelving Units in Living Color
• Get the Look: Peach
• Spice It Up with Red Bedroom Decor
• Colorful Tabletop Finds: Chartreuse
• Furniture Focus: Feelin' Blue
• Bold Black Accessories: 8 Ways to Add Black to Your Home
• Hello Yellow: Bright Seating for Every Style More

Picking a paint color can be one of the toughest design decisions you make for your home. So, to help out, we created an entire category of posts, our Paint Color Portfolios, that highlight the best shades and brands for nearly every room of the house. Here they are — all in one place: More

Some parents are great at coming up with engaging activities for their kids that don't involve tvs and iPads. And some of us are...less great at it. Here are some of our favorite activities to do with kids from the past year to inspire you and try out at home.

• Make Discovery Eggs
• Inspire your Kids with 'Planned Discoveries'
• Pizza Play Food That Kids Can Make
• A Washi Tape Toy Car Track
• Apple Picking Activity Game
• Crafting with Cardboard: Build a Box House
• Make a Play Library Kit
• Indoor Activity: Make Cardboard Stackers
• Make Your Own Shoe Tying Practice Board
• Make an Outdoor Science Lab
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We're proud of our readers for not just making it work in small spaces but making it work well. From the teensiest of office spaces shoehorned into bedroom closets to relatively spacious outdoor shed conversions, we've stretched our imaginations and created vibrant workspaces out of the smallest spaces. It's been a wonderful year as we share some of our favorite workplaces and look forward to more in the new year!

• The Best of Small Cool Home Offices and Workspaces
• Think Thin: Slim Desks for Small Spaces
• Homework: 75 Desks for Back to School
• Make It Work: 10 Desks for Small Spaces
• Small Space Solutions: Best Lamps for Compact Desks
• 12 Tech Helpers for Teeny, Tiny Offices
• 7 Places to Fit an Office in the Living Room
• Vanessa's Small and Smart "World Shedquarters" Backyard Office Shed
• Mai's Cozy Closet Home Office
• Office Sian's Backyard Office Shed More

Pets are some of the most joyful roommates to have — but their gear can be overwhelming and lacking in style. Ah, but stylish pet products do exist! Over the past year we saw some fantastically styled and space saving pet products. These are 10 of our favorite posts…

• Giving Props to Prized Pets: Personalized Prints & Portraits
• Cozy Handcrafted Cat Beds
• Best Modern Litter Boxes 2012
• 9 Well Designed Dog Toys: Aesthetically Pleasing Things to Chew On
• 10 Well Designed Cat Toys
• Cat and Dog Devices for the Tech-Savvy Owner
• Best Modern Dog Crates 2012
• Texting Dog Collars and Other Smart Tech for Pets
• Space Saving Cat Bed: Cat Crib
• Pads For The Pampered Pooch: The Best Modern Dog Beds More

clas·sic /ˈklasik/ : Judged over a period of time to be of the highest quality and outstanding of its kind. Things become classics for a reason and this past September, as part of our Design focus, we gathered beautiful, inspirational images of some pieces that we consider to be "classics" to share with you. Think of perusing the following posts as a bit of a crash course - an Interiors 101 - featuring looks that stand the test of time and are reliably good looking, year after year.

• Design Classics: Chesterfield Sofas
• Design Classics: Thonet Bentwood Chairs
• Design Classics: Oriental Rugs
• Design Classics: Campaign Chests
• Design Classics: Convex Mirrors
• Design Classics: Josef Frank Patterns
• Design Classics: Ceramic Garden Stools
• Design Classics: Checkered Floors
• Design Classics: Animal Prints
• Design Classics: The Componibili More

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Here at Apartment Therapy, we can't get enough of Before & Afters… it's always exciting to see something salvaged from the garbage become something lovely and shiny and useful. We salute all you DIYers out there, but we have to say we're especially impressed with the people who are able to see special potential in a piece — and turn it into something totally different and totally useful. From a dresser turned TV stand to a tire made into an ottoman, here are some of our favorite dramatic transformations of 2012. More

It's not just about finding great furniture. You also have to layer in accessories and artwork before your home is truly ready for its close-up. At its best, a well-styled room looks complete and effortless. There is a tipping point, however, when artfully placed items begin to look awkward and/or contrived. Have you mastered the perfect balance yet? Here are some of the year's best posts on the subject. More