Despite the popularity of the brand, the design of Crocs footwear is pretty much an acquired taste. The numerous holes are a nightmare for people with trypophobia, and the plastic-like material used sometimes makes the clogs look rather cheap. That hasnt stopped Crocs design becoming a icon to the point that other accessories try to adopt it, from bags to fashion items. And, of course, theres no shortage of collaborations with other brands, like this upcoming design which is both sweet and a tad worrying.Ditching the plain pastel colors commonly used by its classic clogs, this Haribo edition embodies what the confectionery company is best known for: gummy bears. Delightfully colorful and mouth-watering, this Goldbear footwear definitely looks like youre wearing squishy candy on your feet. Its definitely quite a sight, though it might also be a hazard for bug-eyed kids who wouldnt know any better.Designer: Crocs x HariboOf all the sweet jelly treats available in the market, gummy bears are perhaps one of the most loved around the world. Their bright colors, translucent bodies, and glossy surfaces delight not only children but also adults. You can see these squishy candies almost everywhere these days and there is almost no one who doesnt know them, even if few are actually familiar with Haribo and its Goldbear mascot, the ones that started it all.As if trying to remind people of the original gummy bear, Crocs and Haribo came together for a classic clog that looks almost as if it were made from the very same gummy material. The upper has a translucent green design, while the pivoting heel strap is a banana yellow with the Haribo brand attached on the outer sides for everyone to see. The sole sports a rainbow-like gradient that transitions from green to yellow to red, with shades of orange for the top and bottom surfaces.Of course, the footwear is filled with that iconic gummy bear shape, almost literally. Embossed across the sole are dozens of these sweet ursines, but youll only notice them if you take a closer look. More conspicuous are the oversized gummy bear charms attached to the front of the upper, which includes one thats still in its wrapper, so to speak. If there was any doubt about the candy-inspired design of these Crocs, these large gummies would settle any debate.If those Goldbears that come with these $69.99 clogs arent enough, you can actually buy the charms separately for a $24.99 five-piece pack. Crocs fans who might not want to wear the same rainbow-colored footwear all the time can stick these charms onto regular clogs, announcing their love for the candies. In fact, these gummy bears might be a good way to cover up some of those holes, in case youve gotten tired of seeing through them or triggering other peoples phobias.The post Crocs Haribo gummy bear clogs look good enough to lick first appeared on Yanko Design.

Following a court ruling that Google has abused its monopoly in search and online advertising, the judge in the case will consider proposed remedies from both the US Department of Justice as well as Google.The DOJ wants Judge Mehta to issue stiff penalties against Google's monopolies.The DOJ originally brought an antitrust action against Google in late 2023 over its deals with Apple and others to make Google Search the default search engine in other browsers and platforms.Judge Amit Mehta of the DC United States District Court ruled in August 2024 that Google is a monopolist. While it is not illegal for an entity to become a monopoly in its field, it is unlawful for a monopoly to limit consumer choice by creating barriers to fair competition. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) is still pushing to break up Google, according to a revised proposal filed Friday with federal Judge Amit Mehta. As in its proposal last year, the DOJ says Google should be forced to sell its web browser, Google Chrome, and potentially Android, as punishment for being a monopolist, as Judge Mehta found last year, reports The New York Times.In its new filing, the DOJ calls Google an economic goliath that it says has denied users of a basic American valuethe ability to choose in the marketplace. To deal with that, Google must divest the Chrome browser to provide an opportunity for a new rival to operate a significant gateway to search the internet. The department also still recommends that Google must change its Android business practices to enable competition or be ordered to sell the operating system. It dropped a suggestion that the company be allowed to sell Android in lieu of making the changes.Both spin-offs were part of the proposal the DOJ filed last year. But whether it would hold that line under Trump, whom tech companies have plied with money and praise since his election, has been a mystery. The President has stepped back some Biden-era tech regulations on things like AI safety and cryptocurrency, but has also suggested that the threat of regulation can be useful for getting the results he wants.The departments proposal eases up in some ways. The DOJ now supports letting Google pay Apple for services unrelated to search. It also no longer calls for Google to drop its AI investments the Times writes that, instead, the DOJ reccomennds requiring the company to notify federal and state officials before proceeding with investments in AI. Google filed its own proposal that doesnt include selling Chrome but instead suggests the court place restrictions on the sorts of deals it can make, such as barring it from requiring that a phone maker that licenses Google Play also preinstall other Google software, like the Google Search app or Chrome. As noted by the Times, a hearing on the proposals is scheduled for April.

Large Language Models (LLMs) benefit significantly from reinforcement learning techniques, which enable iterative improvements by learning from rewards. However, training these models efficiently remains challenging, as they often require extensive datasets and human supervision to enhance their capabilities. Developing methods that allow LLMs to self-improve autonomously without additional human input or large-scale architectural modifications has become a major focus in AI research.The key challenge in training LLMs is ensuring the learning process is efficient and structured. The training process can stall when models encounter problems beyond their capabilities, leading to poor performance. Traditional reinforcement learning techniques rely on well-curated datasets or human feedback to create effective learning pathways, but this approach is resource-intensive. Also, LLMs struggle to improve systematically without a structured difficulty gradient, making it difficult to bridge the gap between basic reasoning tasks and more complex problem-solving.Existing approaches to training LLMs primarily involve supervised fine-tuning, reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF), and curriculum learning. Supervised fine-tuning requires manually labeled datasets, which can lead to overfitting and limited generalization. RLHF introduces a layer of human oversight, where models are refined based on human evaluations, but this method is costly and does not scale efficiently. Curriculum learning, which gradually increases task difficulty, has shown promise, but current implementations still rely on pre-defined datasets rather than allowing models to generate their learning trajectories. These limitations highlight the need for an autonomous learning framework that enables LLMs to improve their problem-solving abilities independently.Researchers from Tufa Labs introduced LADDER (Learning through Autonomous Difficulty-Driven Example Recursion) to overcome these limitations. This framework enables LLMs to self-improve by recursively generating and solving progressively simpler variants of complex problems. Unlike prior methods that depend on human intervention or curated datasets, LADDER leverages the models capabilities to create a natural difficulty gradient, allowing for structured self-learning. The research team developed and tested LADDER on mathematical integration tasks, demonstrating its effectiveness in enhancing model performance. By applying LADDER, the researchers enabled a 3-billion-parameter Llama 3.2 model to improve its accuracy on undergraduate integration problems from 1% to 82%, an unprecedented leap in mathematical reasoning capabilities. Also, the approach was extended to larger models, such as Qwen2.5 7B Deepseek-R1 Distilled, achieving 73% accuracy on the MIT Integration Bee qualifying examination, far surpassing models like GPT-4o, which gained only 42%, and typical human performance in the 15-30% range.LADDER follows a structured methodology that allows LLMs to bootstrap their learning by systematically breaking down complex problems. The process involves three primary components: variant generation, solution verification, and reinforcement learning. The variant generation step ensures the model produces progressively easier versions of a given problem, forming a structured difficulty gradient. The solution verification step employs numerical integration methods to assess the correctness of generated solutions, providing immediate feedback without human intervention. Finally, the reinforcement learning component uses Group Relative Policy Optimization (GRPO) to train the model efficiently. This protocol enables the model to learn incrementally by leveraging verified solutions, allowing it to refine its problem-solving strategies systematically. The researchers extended this approach with Test-Time Reinforcement Learning (TTRL), which dynamically generates problem variants during inference and applies reinforcement learning to refine solutions in real time. When applied to the MIT Integration Bee qualifying examination, TTRL boosted model accuracy from 73% to 90%, surpassing OpenAIs o1 model.When tested on a dataset of 110 undergraduate-level integration problems, a Llama 3.2 3B model trained with LADDER achieved 82% accuracy, compared to 2% accuracy when using pass@10 sampling. The approach also demonstrated scalability, as increasing the number of generated variants led to continued performance improvements. In contrast, reinforcement learning without variants failed to achieve meaningful gains, reinforcing the importance of structured problem decomposition. The researchers observed that LADDER-trained models could solve integrals requiring advanced techniques that were previously out of reach. Applying the methodology to the MIT Integration Bee qualifying examination, a Deepseek-R1 Qwen2.5 7B model trained with LADDER outperformed larger models that did not undergo recursive training, showcasing the effectiveness of structured self-improvement in mathematical reasoning.Key Takeaways from the Research on LADDER include:Enables LLMs to self-improve by recursively generating and solving simpler variants of complex problems.Llama 3.2 3B model improved from 1% to 82% on undergraduate integration tasks, demonstrating the effectiveness of structured self-learning.Qwen2.5 7B Deepseek-R1 Distilled achieved 73% accuracy, outperforming GPT-4o (42%) and exceeding human performance (15-30%).Further boosted accuracy from 73% to 90%, surpassing OpenAIs o1 model.LADDER does not require external datasets or human intervention, making it a cost-effective and scalable solution for LLM training.Models trained with LADDER demonstrated superior problem-solving capabilities compared to reinforcement learning without structured difficulty gradients.The framework provides a structured way for AI models to refine their reasoning skills without external supervision.The methodology can be extended to competitive programming, theorem proving, and agent-based problem-solving.Check outthe Paper.All credit for this research goes to the researchers of this project. Also,feel free to follow us onTwitterand dont forget to join our80k+ ML SubReddit. Recommended Read- LG AI Research Releases NEXUS: An Advanced System Integrating Agent AI System and Data Compliance Standards to Address Legal Concerns in AI DatasetsThe post Tufa Labs Introduced LADDER: A Recursive Learning Framework Enabling Large Language Models to Self-Improve without Human Intervention appeared first on MarkTechPost.

Search engines and recommender systems are essential in online content platforms nowadays. Traditional search methodologies focus on textual content, creating a critical gap in handling illustrated texts and videos that have become crucial components of User-Generated Content (UGC) communities. Current datasets for search and recommendation tasks contain textual information or statistically dense features, severely limiting the development of effective multimodal search and recommendation (S&R) services. Moreover, the session-level signal contains valuable contextual information about reformulating behavior, revisiting actions, search intent sources, and transition patterns between search and recommendation functionalities that directly impact user satisfaction and retention.Existing approaches tried to address multimodal retrieval challenges. Representation learning-based approaches map images into binary Hamming space using hash functions or encode them into latent semantic spaces with deep neural networks. Hash-aware methods provide efficient real-time performance with low storage costs, while semantic-based approaches focus on modality understanding and cross-modality matching. Moreover, the datasets for search, recommendation, and S&R tasks contain only textual contents or value-based features. While some e-commerce datasets include product titles and images and specialized datasets like UniIR and Flickr30K exist for multimodal retrieval, these address factoid queries with clear intent rather than complex user information needs.Researchers from Xiaohongshu Inc. and Tsinghua University have proposed Qilin, a multimodal information retrieval dataset designed to address the growing need for developing better S&R services. Collected from Xiaohongshu, a popular social platform with over 300 million monthly active users and an average search penetration rate exceeding 70%, this dataset offers a collection of user sessions with heterogeneous results, including image-text notes, video notes, commercial notes, and direct answers. Moreover, Qilin includes extensive APP-level contextual signals and genuine user feedback to better model user satisfaction and support the analysis of heterogeneous user behaviors. It uniquely contains user-favored answers and their referred results for search requests triggering the Deep Query Answering (DQA) module.Qilins dataset construction follows a pipeline that consists of user sampling, front-end log joining, feature collection, and data filtering. The dataset comprises APP-level sessions from 15,482 users, significantly larger and more diverse than existing search and recommendation datasets like Amazon, JD Search, and KuaiSAR. While Amazon can be marginally adopted for studying multimodal S&R systems, it only offers pseudo queries derived from product metadata, lacking real user search behaviors. JD Search and KuaiSAR provide only anonymized item contents, making model effectiveness interpretation difficult. Qilin addresses these limitations using Xiaohongshus open community platform with abundant UGC. After thorough filtering, the dataset includes original note content (title + main body + images), ensuring completeness and authenticity.Results for search and recommendation tasks show that the BERT cross-encoder outperforms the bi-encoder, confirming that explicit query and document interaction enhances relevance matching. Vision-Language Models (VLM) achieve even better performance by incorporating visual information. DCN-V2, which combines user history, sparse ID-based features, dense features, and pre-trained semantic embeddings, performs best in search ranking. However, its advantage is smaller in recommendation tasks for two reasons: the pseudo queries used in recommendation summarize user preferences, and recommendation requires greater model robustness to handle out-of-distribution problems. DCN-V2s dependence on sparse features and limited modeling of semantic signal matching may contribute to this performance gap.In conclusion, researchers introduced Qilin, a multimodal information retrieval dataset for search and recommendation research. Comprising APP-level sessions from 15,482 users, it provides textual and image content for heterogeneous results, addressing critical gaps in existing datasets. The researchers have collected abundant contextual signals, including query sources, multiple user feedback types, and deep query answering (DQA) details, creating a comprehensive framework for investigating various information retrieval tasks. Preliminary experiments in search, recommendation, and deep query answering on Qilin show its versatility and potential applications. These findings and insights provide valuable direction for developing more advanced multimodal retrieval systems.Check outthe Paper and Dataset on Hugging Face.All credit for this research goes to the researchers of this project. Also,feel free to follow us onTwitterand dont forget to join our80k+ ML SubReddit. Sajjad AnsariSajjad Ansari is a final year undergraduate from IIT Kharagpur. As a Tech enthusiast, he delves into the practical applications of AI with a focus on understanding the impact of AI technologies and their real-world implications. He aims to articulate complex AI concepts in a clear and accessible manner.Sajjad Ansarihttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/sajjadansari/AxoNN: Advancing Large Language Model Training through Four-Dimensional Hybrid Parallel ComputingSajjad Ansarihttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/sajjadansari/LightThinker: Dynamic Compression of Intermediate Thoughts for More Efficient LLM ReasoningSajjad Ansarihttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/sajjadansari/Meet AI Co-Scientist: A Multi-Agent System Powered by Gemini 2.0 for Accelerating Scientific DiscoverySajjad Ansarihttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/sajjadansari/Open-Reasoner-Zero: An Open-source Implementation of Large-Scale Reasoning-Oriented Reinforcement Learning Training Recommended Open-Source AI Platform: IntellAgent is a An Open-Source Multi-Agent Framework to Evaluate Complex Conversational AI System' (Promoted)

Important LLMs Papers for the Week from 24/02 to 01/03 0 like March 8, 2025Share this postAuthor(s): Youssef Hosni Originally published on Towards AI. Stay Updated with Recent Large Language Models ResearchThis member-only story is on us. Upgrade to access all of Medium.Large language models (LLMs) have advanced rapidly in recent years. As new generations of models are developed, researchers and engineers need to stay informed on the latest progress.This article summarizes some of the most important LLM papers published during the Last Week of February 2025. The papers cover various topics shaping the next generation of language models, from model optimization and scaling to reasoning, benchmarking, and enhancing performance.Keeping up with novel LLM research across these domains will help guide continued progress toward models that are more capable, robust, and aligned with human values.LLM Progress & Technical ReportsLLM ReasoningLLM Training & Fine TuningLLM Preference Optimization & AlignmentLLM Scaling & OptimizationAI AgentsAttention ModelsLLM Evaluation & BenchmarkingMost insights I share in Medium have previously been shared in my weekly newsletter, To Data & Beyond.If you want to be up-to-date with the frenetic world of AI while also feeling inspired to take action or, at the very least, to be well-prepared for the future ahead of us, this is for you.Subscribe below to become an AI leader among your peers and receive content not present in any other platform, including Medium:Data Science, Machine Read the full blog for free on Medium.Join thousands of data leaders on the AI newsletter. Join over 80,000 subscribers and keep up to date with the latest developments in AI. From research to projects and ideas. If you are building an AI startup, an AI-related product, or a service, we invite you to consider becoming asponsor. Published via Towards AITowards AI - Medium Share this post

The weekend is officially here, and we've rounded up the best deals you can find! Discover the best deals for Saturday, March 8, below:Apple AirPods Pro for $169.99Apple AirPods Pro 2 with USB-CApple's best earbuds are on sale today. Amazon is offering the second generation Apple AirPods Pro wireless noise-canceling earbuds for only $169.99 shipped, a savings of 32% and the best AirPods deal so far this year. That's the same price currently as the Apple AirPods 4 with ANC, which is usually $70 cheaper. Between the two, the AirPods Pro is still the superior earbuds because it offers better sound quality and noise cancelation.Super Mario Bros. Wonder for $41.88Super Mario Wonder (Digital)Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the first original Mario game from Nintendo since Odyssey. This is a side-scrolling platformer that takes place in a brand new world (Flower Kingdom). You have acess to new power ups, new enemies, and new gameplay mechanics all wrapped up in a visually gorgeous game with tons of personality. Check out our IGN Super Mario Wonder review and you'll see why it's so great.Magic: The Gathering x Final Fantasy Starter KitOut June 13Starter Kit$19.99 at AmazonMagic: The Gathering is one of the biggest card games in the world, and it's set to collaborate with the beloved Final Fantasy series this June. This collaboration has been incredibly popular online, which has led to almost every booster pack being sold out at the moment. Luckily, you can still pre-order the Starter Kit today. This is the perfect entry point for new players, as this set includes two ready-to-play 60-card decks and much more. NieR Replicant - 10+1 Years 4xLP Vinyl for $74.40NieR Replicant - 10+1 Years 4xLP Vinyl Box SetThis NieR Replicant box set includes 4 LPs with music from the game. Included are the Nier, Kain, Emil, and Devola & Popola LPs, which were all released separately. The cover of the box set was illustrated by Shirow Miwa, who has contributed designs to titles like Fate/Grand Order. Additionally, an original paper stand is included in the box set.Final Fantasy VII Rebirth for $37.99Final Fantasy VII Rebirth - PlayStation 5Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is $37.99 at Woot right now. The massive adventure across the planet to track Sephiroth was one of the biggest games of 2024, and it's absolutely a must-play game. A 40+ hour main story awaits, with over 35 side quests available after you clear the story. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor for $19.97Star Wars Jedi: Survivor - PlayStation 5Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is on sale this weekend for $19.97 at Walmart. As the second chapter of Cal's story, Survivor opens up with massive new planets to explore, in addition to dozens of additions and tweaks to the combat system. If you've yet to play this second game from Respawn's Star Wars Jedi series, there has never been a better time.Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance for $24.99Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance Standard Edition - Nintendo SwitchShin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance Standard Edition - PlayStation 5Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is back at its all-time low price this weekend! Vengeance is an enhanced version of the former Nintendo Switch exclusive SMT V, launched in 2019. The biggest feature available in this upgraded re-release is the all new Canon of Vengeance route, which is essentially 40 hours of new story content. At $24.99, this is a steal for what many considered one of the best RPGs of 2024.Apple Watch Series 10 for $299Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 42mm)Amazon is offering an Apple Watch Series 10 42mm model for only $299 and the bigger 46mm model for $329. This is even lower than the best deal during Black Friday. If you own an iPhone, the Apple Watch is indisputably the best smartwatch for you. The Apple Watch Series 10 is the newest generation mainstream model. Improvements over the Apple Watch Series 9 include a bigger OLED Retina display, a new S10 processor (that isn't faster but it's thinner, which allows the watch itself to have a slimmer profile), and a slightly larger base model size (42mm vs. 41mm).

Another Simple Favor streams on Prime Video beginning May 1. This review is based on a screening at the 2025 SXSW Film and Television Festival.A sequel doesnt have to be bigger, although many of them, including Another Simple Favor, choose to go this route. It doesnt even have to be better, really, given the low expectations audiences historically have for follow-ups. What it has to be is more specifically, more of whatever made the first film work well enough to justify a second one.In the case of A Simple Favor, the thing that charmed audiences enough to bring in five times the budget was the effervescent chemistry between stars Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick (with some delicious bon mots and fabulous costume design as a bonus). The sequel delivers more of all these things: Kendrick is still tiny and spunky, the queen of the skeptical head tilt and sassy comeback. And Lively is still tall and unflappable, intriguing and intimidating at the same time. Another Simple Favor GalleryThe script gives them plenty of witty lines to volley back and forth, with enough left over for supporting players like Andrew Rannells, who tells his young daughter early in the film, If you cant be smart, be funny. If you cant be funny, be pretty. Thats typical of the scripts pithy, bitchy dialogue, written by returning screenwriter Jessica Sharzer along with Altered Carbon creator Laeta Kalogridis.Another Simple Favor takes the action to Italy, where Emily (Lively) and Stephanie (Kendrick) reunite at the formers wedding on the stunning island of Capri. At risk of spoilers, the natural question here is, Didnt Emily go to jail at the end of the last movie? Yes, and true to the movies tongue-in-cheek tone, thats explained away with a single line after Emily stomps back into Stephanies life in a pair of rhinestone-studded stiletto boots. Stephanie owes Emily you guessed it another favor, given the whole sending her to prison after having sex with her husband, and then writing a book about it thing. Henry Golding is back as Emilys errant now-ex-spouse, and his (unfortunately brief, for reasons best not explained here) appearance in the film is a comedic highlight. Weddings also bring family members back into the fold, and Allison Janney joins the cast as Emilys estranged aunt Linda, whos more conniving and dangerous than she appears. And of course there must be a husband, and Michele Morrone does his duty being hunky and a little scary as Emilys betrothed Dante, whos the heir to a massive fortune no one wants to talk about. (The Mafia. Its the Mafia.)Dante is using Emily, Emily is using Stephanie, Aunt Linda is obviously up to something, and bodies keep appearing in inconvenient places as this cutthroat crew prepares for the big day. One innovation Another Simple Favor brings to its Agatha Christie-esque plot is arranging events in a way that wrests them out of Emilys control, and observing the shifts in her character and motivation that follow that change. This means that Stephanie is also out of control, which she hates, although her intelligence means that shes never behind the curve for long. With Another Simple Favor, it's better to concentrate on what works: The performances, the script, and the costumes. Oh, the costumes.There are a few too many plot threads for all of them to pay off a subplot involving single mom Stephanies son Miles (Joshua Satine), conveniently away at a no-phones-allowed summer camp, goes nowhere, for example. And the films attempts to outdo its predecessor in intrigue are absurd in a way thats sometimes fun, and sometimes off-puttingly bizarre. But this is Italy, birthplace of the giallo film. And intentionally or not, Another Simple Favors more lurid psychosexual twists are true to that particular genre.If the plot escalations are variable, one area where bigger is unilaterally worse for Another Simple Favor is in the camerawork. Director Paul Feig is known for long takes designed not to interfere with his actors performances, and his lack of finesse with more complicated sequences is obvious in haphazardly assembled drone shots that sweep over the dramatic cliffs of Capri. This wouldnt be that big of a deal, except that there are aPlayBetter to concentrate on what works: The performances, the script, and the costumes. Oh, the costumes. The contrast between Lively and Kendricks wardrobes tells you everything you need to know about their characters, with Livelys breathtakingly luxe menswear-inspired ensembles contrasting with Kendricks momcore jean shorts and worn-out hoodies. She does get to wear some pretty dresses at the wedding festivities, in scenes that are smorgasbords of moneyed excess and natural splendor. Throw some slick Italo-pop on top, and youve got a piece of escapist entertainment thats more clever than most. So what if it doesnt always make sense?

There are certain choices we make in our lives that say a lot about who we are, aesthetically speaking. For example, if you choose to drive a wood-paneled 1980s station wagon, you are making a very different statement about your stylistic leanings than the person who prefers a shiny red sports car.Similarly, theres a lot to be said about how our favorite dog breeds either influence and/or reflect our decorative choices. Dogs are not accessories, of course (no letters, please!), but its safe to say that the person who chooses to bring home a Bernese Mountain Dog may also have decorative inclinations that are very different from the person who adopts a Dachsund or Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Thats precisely why we embarked on this completely arbitrary assessment of what popular design aesthetics happen to align with some of the more popular dog breeds. (Mutt-lovers, dont despair: Weve got your covered, too.) If youve been needing a push in a new decorative direction, let the dogs take the lead for once.What Your Dog Says About Your Decorating StyleIf You Have...An Irish Setter or Irish TerrierYou May Love....The Fisherman AestheticCountry LivingFisherman Aesthetic champions coastal-meets-cozy charm with a distinctly Irish accent (think fisherman sweater motifs). Thats why an amiable Irish breed feels right at home among tweedy fabrics, vintage fishing creels, and waxed canvas colors. (Just make sure it doesnt get ahold of your leather boat shoes.)Shown: farmhouse designed by Erica Harrison(Room Photograph by Nick Johnson)If You Have...A Corgi, Jack Russell Terrier, or DachsundYou May Love...The Cottagecore AestheticCountry LivingCottage style enthusiasts clearly have a soft spot for all things small (and also anything English), and a small- to medium-breed can curl up right alongside you in a bedroom or reading nook outfitted with ditsy florals and ruffled accent pillows.Shown:converted schoolhouse designed by Madcap Cottage(Room Photograph by Max Kim-Bee)If You Have...A Golden Retriever You May Love...The Upper Crusty AestheticCountry Livinglived-in and layered look is especially popular with the old money set, and a Golden Retriever feels right at home basking in a patch of sun on a porch outfitted with hand-me-down wicker and faded-over-time textiles.Shown: (Room Photograph by Laurey Glenn)If You Have...A Cavalier King Charles SpanielYou May Love...The Grandmillennial AestheticCountry LivingThis bold-fashioned aesthetic has a soft spot for chintzy motifs, high-style hand-me-downs, and, yes, Staffordshire dog statues that pay tribute to its enthusiasts silky-eared sidekicks.Shown: Sarah Moore that doesnt shy away from florals(Room Photograph by Alun Callender)If You Have...A German Shorthaired Pointer, Beagle, or FoxhoundYou May Love...The Hunting Lodge AestheticCountry LivingBring on the antler mounts, antique bourbon decanters, and on-point fabricsthese hardworking hunters feel most at home in a refined-yet-rugged settingextra points for big leather Chesterfields, warm pine paneling, and pheasant chew toys.Shown:Mississippi hunting lodge designed by Rachel Hardage Barrett (Room Photograph by Becky Luigart-Stayner)If You Have...A GoldendoodleYou May Love...The Modern Farmhouse AestheticCountry LivingWhen you just cant choose between one or the other, you might as well combine the best of both worlds. Bonus: These wildly popular low-shedding dogs wont take such a toll on your neutral modern farmhouse furniture.Shown: Sommer Tate (Room Photograph by Stephen Karlisch)If You Have...An Australian ShepherdYou May Love...The Not-So-Modern Farmhouse AestheticCountry LivingExcellent at herding cattle and sheep, this rugged farm dog and frequent cowboy companion would feel at home in a more classic farmhouse thats outfitted with nostalgic kitchen collectibles, antique pine furniture, and hand-me-down quilts.Shown: Texas farmhouse by Claire Zinnecker (Room Photograph by Buff Strickland)If You Have...A Bernese Mountain DogYou May Love..The Mountain Lodge AestheticCountry LivingIf you gravitate to this hardy breed that thrives in colder weather, then you may also feel right at home surrounded in a room filled with felt hats, Navajo rugs, and a set of antlers or two.Shown: rustic Wyoming home designed by Emily Janak (Room Photograph by Lisa Flood)If You Have...A Black or Yellow Labrador RetrieverYou May Love..The Coastal Prep AestheticCountry LivingBred to retrieve waterfowl, its no surprise these natural swimmers gravitate toward a boat, the beach, or a shingled coastal cottage decked out with sea-salted decorating ideas.Shown:Anthony Baratta (Room Photograph by Erick J. Espinoza)If You Have...A Brittany SpanielYou May Love...The Cabincore AestheticCountry LivingPer the American Kennel Club, this canine companion is in sync with with an upbeat, outdoorsy family life. With their sporty dispositiontheyre considered particularly good hiking dogsand reddish-brown coloring, they feel at home among warm and rustic outdoorsy textures.Shown: Wisconsin cabin by designers Martha OHara and Bhavana Bhimavarapu(Room Photograph by Dana Gallagher)If You Have...A Bit-of-Everything MuttYou May Love...The Cluttercore AestheticCountry LivingCluttercore enthusiasts know that trends dont really matterits all about the mix (and the more, the merrier!) By surrounding yourself with a whole lot of this and a lot of that, your home will feel uniquely you.Shown: Georgian Colonial farmhouse.(Room Photograph by Alpha Smoot)All Dog Photographs, Getty ImagesRelated StoriesRachel Hardage BarrettRachel Hardage Barrett is the Editor-in-Chief of Country Living. She can't pass up a vintage seascape, drives an '89 Woody Wagoneer (that is, when it'll start), and hopes to buy you a lemonade at a future Country Living Fair.

When you walk into a living room, the sofa is usually the focal point. Your other furniture and decor choices may even be based upon the sofa, but oftentimes, we tend to opt for a plain color like cream to ensure that it'll always match its surroundings. Some interior designers think there's a bit of a missed design opportunity heresince your living room may see a lot of traffic, you should consider whether a fun sofa might be a better choice.Sure, a neutral sofa can go with pretty much anything and evolve with your design tastes as the years go on, but a sofa that is bold, bright, or even patterned can amplify your space in various ways. Think: Pink, red, florals, stripes, velvet. They're patterns and colors you wouldnt necessarily associate with sofas. We asked designers how to choose a fun sofa for your space, how to update the one you currently have, and even how to design a room around one.Related StoriesRules of Thumb for Choosing a "Fun Sofa"Lucinda SanfordThis patterned sofa in a space designed by Lucinda Sanford pops against its surroundings.As far as colors and patterns go, contractor and interior designer Lucinda Sanford says that deep, rich colors can serve as the focal point of a room. Almost any pattern can work, but florals with less regular designs tend to be easier to manage compared to strict stripes. She adds, I have a bright armchair from Comyn Road that showcases how a pop of pattern can enhance a space. At another house, Sanford has a blue and white sofa that pairs beautifully with a floral backdrop. The freshness of the blue and white fabric really stands out. Aaron BengocheaIn his home, designer Tammer Hijazi chose a sleek tangerine sofa with sumptuously plush pillows.Whats more, finding a couch with a comfortable shape and rich, appealing texture can also create a spot in the room that people are naturally drawn towardand not just to sit in. It becomes the blank canvas that allows you to showcase your style through fun accessories like accent pillows and throws, says interior designer Paul Jolley. Prioritizing the couchs inherent design qualities guarantees a beautiful and functional piece in any space. If you're not ready to take the plunge and get a tangerine or bubblegum-pink sofa, opt for a neutral-toned sofa with a twist. You can opt for one with a plaid or striped pattern that could add some more life to your space instantly. You can also go for a bold navy or royal blue color with a velvet finish, which can be simple enough to make a subtle statement. Related StoryHow to Make an Existing Sofa More "Fun"Read McKendreeDesigner Lilse McKenna chose a bold blue sofa for a New York apartment.If you're not in the market for a new sofa, but you want to dial up the fun factor on your existing one, you have options. Jolley is a fan of adding throws and pillows in luxurious textures like velvet, boucle, or faux fur to introduce depth and richness to your space without it being overwhelming. He continues, Its all about giving your eyes a place to rest, so mixing textures and pops of bold colors can highlight your space year-round no matter the season.Plus, nothing says you can't get a sofa cover in a "fun" color to temporarily try out a bolder look before going for the real deal! Follow House Beautiful on Instagram and TikTok.