Houzz Tour: Comfortably Creative in Boston

After discovering FLOR tiles a number of years ago, Amanda found that she was drawn to their versatility but interested in more patterns. With the help of a utility knife and a few colored tiles, she came up with her own clever geometric pattern and assembled the rug in her living room. See the before and after on Amanda's blog, Red Jet Whistle.

Amanda has found many of her items at rummage sales, thrift stores and Craigslist.org, although her couch was purchased new.

The blue walls were another choice made by her landlord before she moved in, but she'd like to paint it a pale gray this summer. She mentioned that her tastes have moved away from strong colors, although she still likes the yellow in the kitchen.

There's ample sunshine in this room throughout the day, making it an ideal place for her computer. With a cozy bed close by, I'd probably get more naps in than emails! I'm sure it takes a bit of self control from time to time.

When I first looked at the apartment, I noticed how calm the bathroom felt and asked if she had chosen the color. "When I moved in, the bathroom was painted dark red below the chair rail and bright yellow above, which I really hated, so I went in the opposite direction," she says. "I’ve always felt that bathrooms should be clean and cool." Good move, Amanda. I can't imagine living with a red and yellow bathroom!

The paint color is “Quill” by Olympic.

When I saw Amanda's studio, I didn't want to look at my own ever again! Hers is so organized and clean that I had to ask if it always looks this good.

"My work areas always used to be volcanoes of supplies, junk and half-finished projects, but in the last few years I’ve completely changed my habits. I had to re-train myself to put everything back in its place. There’s usually an ongoing project on the desk, but otherwise it’s nearly always this neat."

She also mentioned that it's actually the dining room, which shares an open wall with the living room, meaning that it's always on display. Drawers and cabinets help hide any visual clutter.