Square footage determines how big a home is, but painting, furnishings and decorating can affect how big a home feels. Looking to make a small space feel bigger? A few simple cosmetic changes can help.

Since Spring 2020, homes have been working overtime. Kitchen tables turned conference rooms, garages turned gyms and bathrooms turned spas. As many parents and caregivers prepare to welcome the upcoming school year, they’re also looking to update their homes to become places for young minds to grow. What may have felt temporary earlier this year has begun to feel a bit more permanent; that makeshift desk on a card table or kids taking Zoom calls from the couch may not cut it when you are staring down another virtual school year.

The phrase “new normal” is being applied to anything and everything right now, including to define what daily life in 2020 looks like amid COVID-19. From wearing face masks in public to socializing from six feet away, society is adapting to the rather unusual circumstances.