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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.

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.

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 Take the home that Ashley Quintero and her family recently bought in Fort Worth, Texas: Beautiful but outdated, the 1950s house has a long list of projects to tackle and features to upgrade.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.

One of the best things about moving into your first apartment is having a home that really feels like yours: a well-curated ode to all the style and personality that only you possess. But much like Rome or a fine wheel of Parmesan, your dream home can’t be built in a day. You’ll feel much more at home when you take your time, reflecting on what you want your space to be and then bringing in only the decor that speaks to you.

Splitting time between your home office and your office office isn’t something everyone succeeds at right away — there is definitely some adjusting to do. Getting into a different headspace (and wardrobe) when you’re seeing co-workers in person is one thing, but making sure you have everything you need to work in both spaces can quickly make hybrid working a burden.

Oyin Antwi, Apartment Therapy contributor and cofounder of Via Asha Design, and her husband landed in a new Brooklyn rental just before the world started shutting down last year, which ended up being a great move since their space turned out to be, in Oyin’s own words, “exactly what the doctor prescribed to heal.” You may recognize her apartment from her home tour. Her space is already gorgeous, but even pro designers need a refresh every once in a while.

Johanna Beach is an interior designer and serious DIY expert (we’ve previously consulted with her for expert cloffice tips) who lives in the Windy City and is lucky enough to have a small but beautiful balcony with cascading ivy and an exposed brick wall. Given that Chicago balconies aren’t exactly year-round spaces, Johanna wanted to give hers a refresh to be sure it could meet its full potential and get more use than ever this summer.

Apartment Therapy’s lifestyle director Taryn Williford lives in a beautiful loft in Atlanta that over the years she has designed with a calm and comfortable touch. The loft is one of seven in a converted pickle factory, which gave the building its sweet (but briny?) name of the Pickle Factory Lofts.Taryn describes her style as Industrial Eclectic, an aesthetic that embraces her space’s former life but warms it up with cheeky tchotchkes, well-placed dramatic colors, and plants.

Broadway actor Justin is a man of many talents: When he’s not performing in Tina! The Tina Turner Musical, he’s photographing other performers’ headshots for his side hustle, Jshoots. But when the pandemic hit and Broadway closed, Justin was doing it all in the New York apartment he shares with his fitness instructor boyfriend — who, of course, was also working from home.

As a freelance graphic designer, Julia needs space to create. She also needs storage for her many notebooks and art supplies, a system to keep all her various projects on track, and plenty of colorful inspiration. That’s a tall order for a cozy New York apartment, where she lives with her husband and cat.While most of the world struggled to figure out the WFH lifestyle last year, Julia already knew the drill.

Working from home takes on a whole new meaning when your colleagues are five-year-olds. When Molly, a bilingual elementary teacher, transitioned to teaching kindergarten and first grade remotely from her New York living room, she didn’t just need a desk. She needed a dynamic virtual classroom that allowed her to sit, stand, stretch, and use her learning board, where she displays various teaching materials.

DIY your way to salty, sweet, or savory seasonings for more flavorful margaritas. They make great personalized gifts, too!