These efficient features can help you squeeze more function into your room

Smart design decisions can make the difference between fitting the toilet, the sink and the shower into your existing bathroom or having to expand. And once you fit all that stuff in, you certainly don’t want it to feel stuffed to the gills. Here are eight ways to accommodate everything you need in a compact bathroom while making it feel more expansive.

Whether you have a whole room or just a corner, a place for games is a plus for any home

Pingpong, pool and foosball — what’s not to love? Games offer screen-free entertainment, bring the whole family together and make parties more fun. If you have a lot of space, you can knock yourself out with a full-fledged rec room, but if you need more of a rec corner, consider adding a pingpong net to a seldom-used dining table or hanging a dart board on a basement wall. There are lots of reasons to create a place for more fun in the house. Here are 10.

Lovely, big living areas are wonderful, but sound can travel. Here are some ways to dampen the clamor in your wide-open rooms

Open-plan living spaces have many advantages for family life and entertaining, and they increase the opportunity to bring lots of natural light into your home. But they can end up being quite noisy. You may be surprised, however, at how easy it is to reduce sound travel with a few key additions to your furnishings. There are also structural changes you can make if you’re after a more robust fix.

Get tips on function, style, height and more to get your island lighting scheme on track

The kitchen island pendant can be the jewelry of the kitchen, an important fixture to help with your everyday tasks and so much more. To help narrow down your choice from the seemingly infinite range of beautiful options, here’s a guide to choosing the type and style of pendant that suits your tastes and needs.

A shot of strong color or pattern sets these bathrooms apart from the rest of the pack

With bold hues, attention-grabbing tile and creative details, the bathroom can be the most fun room in the house. Get inspired by these 10 spaces that aren’t afraid of piling on the color and pattern. Which is your favorite?

One of these 14 sunken tubs might make you want to take the plunge

Just like outdoor pools we’re used to belly-flopping into, sunken tubs erase the barrier between the floor and the waterline, which results in a more organic bathing experience akin

to dipping into a pond or lake. This luxury amenity is not without its caveats, however. Decide if one of these 14 sunken tubs is right for your home.