A room can look great and still be awkward to use. We want the homes we work on to feel right in everyday life, from getting ready in the morning to making dinner at night.

That means paying attention to layout, storage, lighting, and the materials people touch every day. The best changes help the home look better and work better at the same time.

Whether we’re renovating a home to sell or improving a rental, we keep coming back to the same question: what will make living here better?