Abigail Braden of August Interiors took this skylit bathroom space up a notch with a bold use of black and white, retro revival fixtures, super-functional cabinetry, and distinctive buffalo-check tile. Ample natural light illuminates the contrast created by walls of Fortitude SW 9562, trim in Bedrock SW 9563 (both from Emerald^® Designer Edition™: Minimal + Modern), and a ceiling painted Tricorn Black SW 62558 (251-C1).

Hall & Parlor worked wonders for this beautiful home, making the space look so much bigger and brighter with updated furnishings and fixtures, on-trend arches, exposed wood beams and brick, and all-over wonderful white. The thoughtfully layered whites highlight this home’s architecture and inviting layout. “We chose Pure White SW 7005 (255-C1) for the trim—an easy, crisp choice for millwork. Shoji White SW 7042 (254-C4) was chosen for the walls and offered a rich, earthy complement.”

Beth Krupa’s client wanted to recreate the feeling of being on vacation every time she stepped into her bedroom at the end of a long day. Krupa delivered with layered coconut-shell panels on the 16-foot pitched ceiling and a serene seaside color palette. To create beach-retreat vibes, she selected the cool and casual Marine SW 9659 (Emerald^® Designer Edition™: Rustic + Refined).

Some spaces’ “befores” are beautiful to begin with, but a creative use of color can make the finer points—like the gorgeous wainscoting and original crown molding in this dining room designed by Diane Rath—really shine. The marvelous millwork gets the star treatment in Hunt Club SW 6468 (160-C7) with a fierce pop of jungle-green upholstery on the dining chairs.

When dealing with design decisions that were made decades prior, it takes a healthy amount of imaginative thinking to haul a space into the current century. Luckily, it’s a specialty of Moore House’s, and this updated kitchen makes the “after” look like an entirely different home. Iron Ore SW 7069 (251-C7) and Shiitake SW 9173 (248-C1) are forever favorites for good reason, and Moore House made expert use of both colors in this stunning kitchen makeover.

“You don’t have to change the footprint to make a space unrecognizable,” says Chelsea Smith of Chelsea Design Company about this bathroom remodel. With updated storage solutions and cabinetry, a larger mirror to let more light in, and the cozy combination of Ellie Gray SW 7650 (239-C6) and Lattice SW 7654 (239-C2), the space feels more open, wonderfully calming, and perfectly balanced.

The introduction of a banquette added so much seating in this scaled-down space, and heaps of bright white balanced with colorful throw pillows, artwork, and accessories totally transformed this cozy dining area designed by Kansas City–based ML Designs. The newly brightened look of this space is thanks to walls of Natural Choice SW 7011 (254-C6) and a crisp Alabaster SW 7008 (255-C2) trim.

Tracey Stephens needed to get creative to reinvent this cozy kitchen space in a multi-family home. “How small, fun, and eco-friendly can this kitchen be?” she asked, and the end result is an ultra-efficient use of the tight space with all the boldness and fun the client hoped for. Color is a key ingredient in this kitchen design, with cabinets in Honorable Blue SW 6811 (179-C7), walls and trim in Rural Green SW 6418 (145-C6), and a White Duck SW 7010 (254-C5) ceiling.

Top image color: Hunt Club SW 6468 (160-C7); after photo by Erin Kestenbaum Photography.