Upgrading home studio, suggestions?

I finally got my first well paying job (unrelated to music sadly), and it's going to give me the chance for the first time to pick up equipment that's better than the bare minimum I've been using thus far. I'm looking at an interface, monitors, 88-key synth, xlr mics, among various other things. Are there any brands, hardware or software, that anyone recommends or recommends staying away from. Ive read things online obviously, but wanted to see if the trapproduction crew had any go to brands.