Choosing the right neutral paint color can often feel like looking for a needle in a haystack. There are hundreds of whites, creams, and grays to choose from; yet the more you hunt, search, and sample, oftentimes they all start to look the same—and you’re left just hoping you make the right call.

When it comes to styling your home, knowing where to begin can be the hardest part. That's why we brought in Hilary Walker, our Creative Director of Photography, Staging and Styling, to walk us through the five fundamentals she uses when designing and styling a room. Hilary also teaches these fundamentals in her workshops so that you can apply these ideas to your own space.

My first kitchen island wasn’t an island at all. It was a wooden cart that I’d wheel into the tiny kitchen of our first home whenever Chip and I had people over. I remember that cart served a few purposes around our home, and on nights when we hosted, I’d clear it of the picture frames and books that normally sat on top and roll it from its place in the living room to the center of the kitchen. It then became the place for prep— keeping all of my ingredients in sight and within reach.