There’s a secret step hidden in every big DIY project: not quitting. The beginning and end are a blast, with their fresh energy and job-well-done satisfaction. It’s the middle — where your room is still a mess, and you’re not sure you chose the right furniture, and why did you start this project anyway? — that can get sticky. These three designers are in the middle right now.

The holidays are about family, togetherness, and memories. They’re also a little bit about being the house that everybody wants to stay at. We kid, but there is something special about waking up to a home full of loved ones. So we want to make our houseguests feel extra welcome, with a comfortable guest room full of thoughtful touches to help them settle in.

We’re convinced that the first person to say “Work smarter, not harder,” was talking about cleaning. Of course, there’s a time and place for a roll-up-your-sleeves, crank-up-the-tunes deep clean. But keeping your home tidy day-to-day is all about efficiency: shortcuts and multitasking tricks to help your home feel clean even when it’s not, per se, spotless.

Pets love routine, and the holidays are anything but. Suddenly there are new house guests, an ornate tree in the living room, and a Santa hat they’re expected to don for family photos. Amidst all the (human) activity, it can be easy to forget that your pets, and their messes, might need a little extra attention this time of year. No worries: With some simple prep and cleaning tricks, everyone in your house can enjoy the season.

When you’re getting dinner on the table, there’s one step that often gets put off until the last minute: setting it. As prime entertaining season approaches, we challenge you to start by setting the table — and to go all out. (In fact, a common tip we hear among our favorite entertaining experts is to set the table the night before the party. It won’t get lost in the day-of chaos, and you’ll know that every part of the meal has its place.

There are few big-ticket items that withstand the test of time and look amazing in your home for decades. Even fewer that double as conversation starters and instant, interactive icebreakers at those holiday parties. In fact, we can only think of one: a piano.You might not have a piano yourself, but we bet your parents or grandparents did. Pianos used to be staples and centerpieces of the home — part statement piece, part at-the-ready entertainment.

An eye-catching floral mural welcomes visitors to Mother’s Pantry in Inkster, MI, offering a preview of the positive spirit inside: As the area’s only client choice food pantry, they allow clients to shop like a grocery store, selecting items to suit their families’ dietary needs. Supporting its community’s health is a critical mission for Mother’s Pantry, and one its staff and volunteers take seriously.

Name: Bianca JadeLocation: Brooklyn, NYSize: 2,813 sqftType of home: BrownstoneYears lived in: 1 year, rentingWhether she’s reporting on the latest fitness trends, sharing skincare secrets, or posting pics of her amazing nail art, wellness expert and TV host Bianca Jade is always on the move. So she needs her Brooklyn home — a gorgeously restored brownstone full of natural light and warm wood details — to be a place of calm and relaxation.

Name: Lisa Hayim, MS, RD, and Evan Shlofmitz, D.O.Location: North Shore Long Island, NYType of home: Single-family homeYears lived in: 2 yearsLisa Hayim is the real-talk friend we all need when it comes to wellness. A registered dietician, yoga instructor, recipe developer, wellness pro, and mom-to-be, she’s just as concerned about what goes into her body as she is about the space around her.

When we were kids, there were few places as exciting as the library. We spent hours wandering the stacks and discovering stories that stuck with us into adulthood. And the library at Philadelphia’s Henry H. Houston School has been providing that magical experience since the 1920s!The K-8 school has long been an inclusive and diverse place for students and their families, with a vibrant academic and social community.

We’re willing to bet you won’t find more smiling faces anywhere in Houston than BenCheri’ Educational Center. Since 2014, this community hub has offered local youth tutoring, mentoring, and after-school programming. From elementary school to high school, ABCs to financial literacy, BenCheri’ supports students with the knowledge they need to succeed. But the organization offers so much more than education.

Of all the perks our dream kitchen would have, what we’d put at the top of the list might surprise you: a beautiful, well-designed sink. Why? Because the sink is the heart of your kitchen’s workflow: From prep to cooking to clean-up, if your kitchen sink doesn’t function well, you’ll be frustrated every time you use it. The antidote to all that frustration is BLANCO, maker of ergonomic, durable, and totally gorgeous sinks, faucets, and accessories.

With its cozy loft vibe and big windows full of SoCal sunshine, JQ International is already a lively meeting spot for Jewish LGBTQ+ folks in Los Angeles. “J Club” — as it’s affectionately known — is the place to be for Pride events, youth group meetings, and casual drop-in hangs. It’s also an important hub for educational, mental health, and community-focused events: a safe space where queer Jewish people can feel comfortable and supported.

Nature is inspiring a lot of interior design right now, and the reason is simple: The colors of the natural world offer respite from work, life, and whatever’s on your mind. They can turn your home into a serene haven from everyday stress. So to highlight the warm, grounding power of these hues, we created a color palette layered with desert shades of mauve, bronze, and clay. Meet Earthy Pleasures.

When you think about improving your kitchen, it makes sense to start with the spot where you spend the most time — and we bet that’s not where you think. We’re talking about a gold mine of amazing upgrade potential that’s hiding in plain sight: your sink. A whopping 60 percent of our time in the kitchen is spent at the sink. (Just ask whoever in your house is on dishes duty tonight.

Name: Hilton CarterLocation: Baltimore, MDSize: 3,200 square feetType of home: American ColonialYears lived in: 1, ownedAs Apartment Therapy’s Plant Therapist, Hilton Carter is the first person we turn to when our snake plants are looking sad or our pothos needs propagating. His deep knowledge about all things green, his fresh sense of style, and his warm, you-can-do-this attitude have helped many a plant-filled home flourish. Including his own.

Name: Kate ArendsLocation: St. Paul, MinnesotaSize: 5,500 square feetType of home: Colonial ramblerYears lived in: 2, ownedWhether she’s transforming her kitchen, styling effortlessly chic outfits, or fielding questions about relationships and parenting, Kate Arends lives up to the name of her popular design and lifestyle company: Wit & Delight. Like your friend who always thrifts the coolest finds, Kate adds her relaxed and irreverent style to everything she touches.

Relaxing in nature is one of the most serene activities you can do — except maybe for relaxing in a home inspired by the calming power of the great outdoors. Sound soothing? We think so too. That’s why we designed a paint palette of rich greens and organic accent colors. Together, these hues create a soft, grounded look that feels like a quiet walk through the forest. Meet Verdant Vanitas.

Subtlety is nice, but this year we’re more into style that shouts a bit. For those who don’t shy away from color, we created a paint palette that will add a little shine and sparkle to your home. Full of lush jewel tones and vibrant pastels, it’s like a treasure chest of baubles — a.k.a. the perfect accessory. Meet the color palette we’ve named Crown Jewels.

Lush and organic decor, full of natural materials and rounded shapes, is having a moment. We’re bringing the trend into high-def with a paint palette that plays off its most captivating colors: verdant greens, sunset pinks and oranges, and soft neutrals. Together, they’re a combination of energetic and calm that makes any day — and any room — feel breezy and inviting. Meet the color palette we’re calling Mint Julep.

When you’re a renter, it can be challenging to make your home a true expression of yourself. But Cyn Moreno has a knack for adding personality to any home. She created a bright and utterly distinct apartment by focusing on DIYs that add individuality to her Los Angeles rental — without putting her security deposit at risk. And she teaches others how to do the same. “If you’re an apartment dweller, you have so many limitations on what you can do,” Cyn says.

Our design styles are always evolving, but perhaps most of all in our mid-twenties. That’s when we start to look around at the random furniture, family hand-me-downs, and sidewalk scores we’ve gathered since our first apartments and say to ourselves: “Huh?”Samantha was ready to swap her assortment of furniture for new pieces that felt more cohesive and sophisticated.

We don’t believe in rules when it comes to design, but we do believe in some tried-and-true principles that have never let us down. And if you feel like your space needs a little extra something to feel complete, they just might help you get there.That was the case for the cozy Chicago apartment that Samantha shares with her roommate. The home had so many great elements — exposed brick! natural light!

A delicious home-cooked meal is one of life’s greatest joys. And though Samantha and her roommate had a modern and bright kitchen in their Chicago apartment, one important ingredient was missing: a place to eat.With a small open-concept kitchen and living area, they usually ate meals on the sofa. And they didn’t do much entertaining, since there wasn’t a good spot for friends to gather. So Samantha set out to make their kitchen and dining area more functional.

We’ve all been there: that moment in your twenties when you feel like an adult, but your home feels like a mishmash of everything you’ve thrifted, inherited from your parents, and rescued from the sidewalk. It’s not quite a dorm room, but it’s not not.That’s how Samantha and her roommate felt about their Chicago apartment. “Our furniture style could best be described as ‘nonexistent,'” she says.

Studio apartments aren’t big on space, but that doesn’t mean they’re short on possibility. When Peggy and Anthony found their alcove studio in Queens, NYC, they knew they had enough room for exactly what they wanted: a cozy, stylish space where they could work from home, entertain friends, and unwind together.The trick was to design their new home in a way that created distinct mini “rooms” (walls not required).

When you live in a studio apartment, making your bedroom feel restful is especially important — and can be especially challenging. For Peggy and Anthony, who just moved into an alcove studio apartment in New York City, the goal was to make the “bedroom” feel as separate from the living space as possible.The couple turned to The Home Depot’s online collection of furniture and decor for assistance.

When Peggy and Anthony moved in together, they knew they needed to get creative to make their alcove studio work as both a home and a co-working space. That’s right: They both work from home, and home is one big room. In a studio apartment. In New York City.To help them make the most of their space — while giving each other space — Peggy and Anthony made some smart design moves.

All of our homes do double and triple duty these days, but Peggy and Anthony’s apartment is really working overtime: The newly cohabitating couple share an alcove studio in Queens, NYC with an open living space and bedroom nook — and they each work from home.With such cozy quarters, Peggy and Anthony had to be intentional about arranging their space to support independent work days, chill couple time, and dinner parties with friends.

When I moved into a new place last year, I set out to make it as “me” as possible. I was living alone for the first time in a long time, and I wanted to decorate intentionally — especially in the bedroom, which I wanted to feel extra supportive and grounding.I knew of a few accent items — a shaggy area rug and soft linen sheets — I could use to start building up my new, cozy, organic aesthetic.

Three years ago, when Danielle Guerrero and her husband bought their first house — a new construction with basic, builder-grade furnishings — she was a DIY novice. That didn’t last long: Danielle started tackling projects like adding shiplap and installing new flooring, and she hasn’t stopped. Along the way, she amassed a collection of power tools, a lot of know-how, and a community of folks eager to discover their own DIY skills.

Here’s a riddle: What makes your home bigger overnight? Spring!Once the weather warms up, all that outdoor space is just another room to hang out in. And this year, we’re redecorating. It’s time to turn that yard, patio, rooftop, or patch of grass into a vacation-worthy spot for sunny days and warm nights — whether you want to host friends, play games, or lounge with a good book.We’re setting the whole scene with the latest seasonal finds from Walmart.

We’re not scientists, but we’re pretty sure that food tastes better outside. A warm evening, a freshly prepared meal, a chilled bottle of wine, a table full of family and friends soaking up the last rays of sun — sounds extra delicious, no? That’s the magic of dining al fresco. And when spring arrives, it’s time to seize every opportunity for it. Put down the paper plates: We found great deals for setting the table for a season of memorable everyday feasts.

When those first beams of springtime sunlight pour through the windows, our homes start to sparkle with possibility. (And a little dust. But mostly possibility.) Suddenly, we’re energized to jump into all the projects and DIYs that we’ve been daydreaming about. After the snowy days of winter, it’s finally time to change things up, get outside, and make this the best, brightest, most fun-in-the-sun spring yet.

Here at Apartment Therapy University, we can’t help you pass Organic Chemistry or tell you how to find the student union, but we can help you design the coolest collegiate space around. Whether you’re living the dorm life or moving into your first off-campus apartment, having a comfortable, stylish home base will inspire you all semester long.

College is a rite of passage into adulthood: Managing your own schedule, keeping up with your coursework, and creating your own home — even if it’s a dorm room. Whether you’re a freshman or grad student, living on campus or off, the start of a new school year is the perfect time to upgrade your living space into a stylish hub for studying and socializing.You don’t need a degree in design to make it happen: Bed Bath & Beyond® can help.

Back-to-school shopping isn’t only about freshly sharpened pencils and color-coded folders (though we’re always ready to talk organizational systems). It’s also a great opportunity to make sure your space is set up to be chic, comfortable, and conducive to a new year of hitting the books.

There’s nothing more exciting than a new home — and nothing more stressful than moving into one. But don’t get your packing tape in a twist: While we can’t make all those boxes disappear (sorry), we can keep you from feeling overwhelmed and underprepared on your first day in your new place. And that goes double for first-time movers.

College is one of the best times of your life — and one of the busiest. From group projects and cram sessions to 10-page papers and pop quizzes, you need a home base that feels calm and cozy when the school day is (finally) done.Whether you’re living in the dorms or an apartment off-campus, you can create a relaxing respite from all that scholastic hustle.

We will never not be excited about choosing paint colors. It’s literal magic! Whatever mood you’re looking for — calm, creative, serene, sophisticated — a coat of paint can create it instantly. Paint has the power to transform and transport us to places that inspire us to be our best selves. And we want to give your block a paint makeover.We teamed up with Benjamin Moore to give away paint makeovers to four worthy community spaces in a neighborhood like yours.

For their entire seven years together, Abby and Vic had always wanted a dog. “Most couples dream of having kids, but we dreamt of having a house full of golden retrievers,” she says. It never seemed like the right time to take the plunge. When the couple relocated from California to Dallas, away from family and friends, life suddenly felt a lot quieter. And then they met Ollie.“Ollie was such a quiet and shy puppy. We looked down, and he was staring up at us.

Living alone for the first time is a special milestone: an opportunity to find out not just what you like, but also what you can accomplish. For Emily Sanchez, a San Diego business owner and content creator, moving into her first solo home has been a journey of growth and independence. She’s learned a lot about herself — and she’s learned a lot of skills, too.Decorating a small space on a budget means that Emily is constantly using her creativity in new ways.

Having a work-from-home space that merely works isn’t enough. We need them to also look and feel great to be in — and not just to show off on video calls. Spending eight (or more) hours in a space that expresses your personal style is one of the perks of working from home, plus it tends to be more energizing than sitting in a cookie-cutter workstation under fluorescent lighting.

Most houses don’t start out as your dream home — and we think that’s part of the fun. Take the home that Ashley Quintero and her family recently bought in Fort Worth, Texas: Beautiful but outdated, the 1950s house has a long list of projects to tackle and features to upgrade. Luckily, that’s where Ashley shines.Ashley is a self-taught — and seriously skilled — woodworker and DIY maven.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Nothing transforms a space like a fresh coat of paint. It’s an affordable, weekend-able DIY with as many possibilities as there are colors. And whichever you choose, you’ll enjoy it for years to come (or whenever you decide to change things up again).But while painting is a manageable project, there are common pitfalls that can keep your hard work from looking its best.

When Ashley Quintero and her family moved into a lovely-but-dated midcentury home in Fort Worth, Texas, there were projects to tackle everywhere she looked. Luckily, Ashley has the skills: The healthcare worker-turned-DIYer is known for her amazing and approachable woodworking projects, which she breaks down to her followers on TikTok and Instagram.But not every upgrade requires busting out the table saw — especially when your whole house is a work in progress.