--- title: "Inside Stories — Interior Designers & Decorators | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/inside-stories-pfvwus-pf~564048227 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~564048227.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: "Inside Stories" category: ["Interior Designers & Decorators"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/e943837208b5dd63_0637-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg address: "5650 South Windermere St., Littleton, Colorado 80120, United States" latitude: 39.5994 longitude: -105.0044 phone: "(303) 783-9327" website: https://insidestories.com/ rating: 4.7 review_count: 52 best_of_houzz_awards: 14 followers: 131 last_updated: 2026-08-13 --- # Inside Stories Original Houzz profile: [Inside Stories](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/inside-stories-pfvwus-pf~564048227) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** Interior Designers & Decorators - **Location:** Littleton, CO - **Serves:** Denver, Indian Creek, Aurora, Lakewood, Arvada, Westminster, Centennial, Boulder, Highlands Ranch, Commerce City, Parker, Littleton, Southglenn, Ken Caryl, Englewood, Wheat Ridge, Columbine, Castlewood, Golden, Greenwood Village, Lone Tree, Steamboat Springs, Castle Pines, Berkley, Castle Pines North, Roxborough Park, Applewood, Aspen, Cherry Hills Village, Sheridan, West Pleasant View, Dove Valley, Edgewater, Meridian, Vail, Glendale, Genesee, Frisco, Acres Green, Columbine Valley, Carriage Club, Bow Mar, Grand View Estates, Heritage Hills, Morrison, Louviers, East Pleasant View, Lakeside, Suburban Southwest Denver, Winterpark - **Houzz rating:** 4.7 out of 5 (52 reviews) - **Best of Houzz:** 14 awards (2018–2026), for Design, Service. ## About ### Houzz Badges - Houzz Influencer - Recommended on Houzz - 50,000 Ideabook Saves - Woman owned - Award winning - High-end When done just right, your space is a direct reflection of you. The curated art collection. The coffee table book titles. The funky-yet-comfy conference room chairs. That thrifted rug with the impossibly perfect pattern. All combined, these elements add up to something singular and unique. A place to call your own with no identical twin. At Inside Stories, we empower you to tell your story through thoughtful design. And we're all about the details. Your style inspiration. Your coffee order. What you splurge on. Our face-to-face philosophy helps us paint a perfectly unique picture of your ideal space. Then, we work with you to create a design plan that brings it to life. No matter what your budget or timeline, we think everyone deserves a space that is them. We cater to anyone looking to feel at home. ### Services Provided - Interior Design - Kitchen Design - Bathroom Design - Living Room Design - Bedroom Design - Color Consulting - Space Planning - Furniture Selection - Kids Bedroom Design - Dining Room Design - Lighting Design - Custom Kitchen Cabinets - Home Office Design & Construction - Custom Built-ins - Design Consultation - Floor Plans - Project Management - Entry Design - Custom Furniture - Playroom Design - Laundry Room Design - Mudroom Design - Nursery Design - House Plans - Art Selection - Guesthouse Design & Construction - Universal Design - Outdoor Kitchen Design - Basement Design - Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) - Custom Rugs - Sunroom Design & Construction - Home Theater Design - Sustainable Design - Downsizing - Holiday Decorating - Handicap-Accessible Design ### Areas Served - Denver - Indian Creek - Aurora - Lakewood - Arvada - Westminster - Centennial - Boulder - Highlands Ranch - Commerce City - Parker - Littleton - Southglenn - Ken Caryl - Englewood - Wheat Ridge - Columbine - Castlewood - Golden - Greenwood Village - Lone Tree - Steamboat Springs - Castle Pines - Berkley - Castle Pines North - Roxborough Park - Applewood - Aspen - Cherry Hills Village - Sheridan - West Pleasant View - Dove Valley - Edgewater - Meridian - Vail - Glendale - Genesee - Frisco - Acres Green - Columbine Valley - Carriage Club - Bow Mar - Grand View Estates - Heritage Hills - Morrison - Louviers - East Pleasant View - Lakeside - Suburban Southwest Denver - Winterpark ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | Inside Stories | | Address | 5650 South Windermere St., Littleton, Colorado 80120, United States | | Phone | (303) 783-9327 | | Website | https://insidestories.com/ | | Followers on Houzz | 131 | **Social profiles:** - Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/insidestoriesdesign - LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/company/insidestoriesdesign/ - Blog — www.insidestories.com ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [Inside Stories](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/inside-stories-pfvwus-pf~564048227) - **Website:** https://insidestories.com/ - **Phone:** (303) 783-9327 ## Credentials - **Best of Houzz:** 14 awards (2018–2026), for Design, Service. **Affiliations** - [American Society of Interior Designers](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/schools-and-organizations/american-society-of-interior-designers-pfvwus-pf~1510192642) - [Interior Design Society](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/schools-and-organizations/interior-design-society-pfvwus-pf~1829752925) ## Reviews **Overall rating: 4.7 out of 5 — 52 reviews** *Aspect averages:* - Work Quality: 41.0 - Communication: 42.0 - Value: 41.0 ### Reviews **★ — moderncoloradohome, Dec. 2025** > If you’re building a new home or working on a large project, read this before signing a contract with Inside Stories. > > We hired Inside Stories for a large new construction home that had not yet broken ground. Before signing, they spoke extensively about helping with critical early decisions like cabinetry, tile, plumbing fixtures, accent walls, lighting, and courtyard design, all things you need early to work with a GC, build a realistic budget, and secure a construction loan. > > After signing, it became clear that none of that information would be released until we paid for furniture through them. That timeline does not work for new construction. Furniture is selected last, while cabinetry, fixtures, lighting, and finishes are needed much earlier. By the time their process allows those details to be released, it is too late to be useful. > > Their milestones may work for small projects, but they are not structured to support large new builds. We were effectively paying for design services we could not use when we needed them. > > Their business model also appears heavily dependent on furniture sales. Specifications and usable documentation are withheld until furniture is paid for, creating a situation where clients are financially committed before receiving meaningful deliverables. In our case, it felt like the process was designed to trap us financially before giving us anything of real value. > > We paid a $10,000 deposit and an additional $15,000 design payment. When we terminated the contract after realizing the process would not work for our project, Inside Stories acknowledged they had only performed $4,950 of billable work. > > By their own accounting, this meant they owed us a negative balance of $20,050. However, they refused to return this overpayment, claiming they were entitled to keep it because they had supposedly provided significant “intellectual property.” > > This is bogus in my opinion. The contract says nothing about forfeiting refunds due to IP, and what they gave us was a PowerPoint that mainly consisted of inspiration images, some provided by us and some selected by them. Regardless, it does not seem proprietary or usable to me, and it provides no real value to our project. These were just reference images meant for them to work from, not something we can build from or use. I even reverse image searched several images and found them on other websites and Instagram, not anything suggesting original IP. We cannot build from it, budget from it, or use it in any meaningful way. > > Even more frustrating, they admitted the work completed totaled only $4,950, based on hourly rates they set, not us, yet they still insist on keeping over $20,000 beyond that amount. > > Our advice: be extremely careful. Make sure milestones are tied to specific, usable deliverables, and understand that under their model, you may pay substantial amounts long before receiving information you need to move your project forward. **Comment from Inside Stories:** > Thank you for sharing your feedback. We always take client concerns seriously, and we'd like to provide some important context that appears to be missing from this review. > > The team at Inside Stories has been successfully designing custom homes for over 18 years using the same contractual framework that has served hundreds of satisfied clients. Our contract is intentionally written in clear, accessible language, and we invest significant time walking every client through our process, deliverables, and timeline before any agreement is signed. > > What's important to understand is that we offer several different approaches to projects and work closely with each client to determine the best fit for their particular needs. In this case, the client agreed to a specific scope and timeline that was later modified based on their project's evolving requirements. The payment schedule was tied to predetermined milestone dates—dates that were adjusted through signed addendums at the client's request—and payments were made according to those agreed-upon terms. > > What this review doesn't mention is that we delivered substantial design work and intellectual property as part of the services rendered. Our contract clearly states that design fees compensate for our team's time and expertise, while intellectual property rights transfer upon project completion and full payment. This structure protects both our work and our clients' investments, and it's a model that has worked successfully for almost two decades. Additionally, what this review fails to mention is that we did provide this client with the design framework for the interior design direction for their home. This IP was provided in Good Faith to help secure their construction loan, so the amounts listed in the review above do not reflect the full services and deliverables that we provided. > > We made numerous attempts to communicate with this client about their project and its changing timeline, including multiple calls and emails. Unfortunately, those attempts went unanswered, which made it increasingly difficult to keep the project moving forward effectively. > > If the client's primary need was fixed finish selections for construction coordination rather than full-service design, we absolutely would have structured a different contract and pricing model to accommodate that scope. However, that was not what was requested or agreed upon at the outset. > > What this comes down to is that our process wasn’t a right fit for this particular client, not that our focus is anything other than serving our clientele and honoring our agreements. Our extensive portfolio and long-standing client relationships speak to the success of our process. We remain confident in our approach and will continue serving clients under these same professional standards that have made Inside Stories successful for years. **★ — merealvey, Oct. 2025** > I was really excited to try this firm’s “microdesign” offering, which promised personalized design help for any size space. I spent hours pulling together inspiration images and meeting with my designer, but the final design I received was extremely generic and didn’t reflect my preferences at all. I was hoping for thoughtful, customized ideas, but it felt like the design was repurposed from another client's project. For the time and money invested($5k), I expected much more creativity and attention to detail. After I gave feedback on the design, Kate was kind enough to meet with me and help me do some reselects. However, if I wanted designs that matched my preferences, I would've been billed for additional hours. Sadly I spent thousands of dollars to have them select 1 paint color for my home. **Comment from Inside Stories:** > Thank you for your review. We apologize that your experience was not what you were expecting. We do our best to ensure that all of our clients are well informed on our process and cost commitments before even starting the design process. Our approach is to design spaces that are as unique as our clients, and that each space is a true reflection of each. Your style is fun, funky and layered, which is not the norm so was 100% not re-purposed and generic is not a word we would use to describe the finished design. Colorful, eclectic, unique, and attainable are more along the lines of what we provided. We spent a substantial amount of additional hours trying to address all of your concerns and ultimately are saddened by this review as we were unaware that you left unhappy. If executed your spaces will shine, we hope you see this upon completion! Best to you! **★★★★★ — Travis Axton, Feb. 2025** > From start to finish, it was a pleasure working with the team at Inside Stories. They have a very unique process that eliminates all the pain points that people encounter during interior design projects. There are no surprises in terms of the scope of work, pricing, and deliverables. The design team is brilliant and demonstrate professionalism every step of the way. Truly exceptional. **★★★★★ — Ron and Lois Warwick, March 2024** > After the total loss of our home and contents due to a house fire, we were faced with rebuilding a new home from the ground up. This included designing and furnishing our new home. We chose Miranda Cullen at Inside Stories to help with this enormous endeavor. We looked to her expertise and guidance in our complete custom home build in all aspects of home design, including working with the architects and the builder. Our goal was that when the project was completed, we would walk into a beautiful and completely furnished home. > > Each step of the way, Miranda worked with us to choose everything that goes into a new home, including floors, appliances, cabinets, plumbing fixtures, furniture, all decor, accessories, etc. Miranda, Sarah Beth and their team spent a lot of time with us learning what we wanted and needed in our home, and about our desires for use of space, style of furnishings, textures, colors, lighting…everything. At our design proposal meeting, every room was presented to us with swatches, samples and the design of each room. We were overwhelmed with the beauty and quality of what they had designed for us. As is very common, changes are made during the building process whether it be in the dwelling structure or changes such as lighting. We relied very heavily on Miranda’s opinion when faced with those changes and she was always readily available with a quick response for us. The entire Inside Stories team’s attention to detail was invaluable and we had so much trust in their judgement and expertise. > > Three years after the fire when the home was finally built and ready for move-in, Miranda and her team at Inside Stories welcomed us into our completely furnished home. It is everything we had wanted and more. It is beautiful and comfortable and it all makes sense for our lifestyle. After living here for several months, we couldn’t be happier with our new home. **★★★★★ — Natalie & Jason Fryda, Dec. 2023** > I have been so thrilled with the support from Inside Stories. We hired them for one, smaller project but have since hired them several more times to complete various rooms in the home. The process is simple, clear and collaborative. In addition to the deliverable itself, what really sets Inside Stories apart is that they continue to field questions/substitutions as they present post project completion. Really thorough and a pleasure to work with! We've worked with Sam Leffel for all projects. **★ — G N, Oct. 2023** > My husband and I wanted to remodel our kitchen and do an update to dining and living room. We contacted Inside Stories and were initially impressed with how professional and organized they were. The problems started when we were assigned an interior designer. The designer was friendly throughout all out interactions. However, as we worked with her, we found that she was slow to respond and lacked attention to detail. When we finally got our plan, we were happy with the ideas. (I should mention that our meeting to go over the final plan was on Friday. We were assured that we would get the document to access all the links and the digital presentation the same day. Did not get it until Monday. Designer claimed she had the email ready to go in her drafts folder and forgot to press send.). I started to go over the plans in more detail and discovered that the recommended chairs were not drawn to scale and would be too big for the space. Designer recommended dining chairs from a company that has terrible reviews (so not buying those). She recommended a high-maintenance shag rug for the living room even though we have a dog and had asked that all recommendations be low-maintenance. She failed to include a planter that was on the space plan in the presentation for the design and the shopping list. We sent her a detailed email pointing these things out and asking for a revised design to the kitchen hood (which was not at all our style). When she responded, she assured us that she would make revisions and get it to us by Friday (or Saturday of that week, at the latest). Monday morning came, and no revisions. I sent another email. Did not get a response until Tuesday morning. The revised plans arrived Tuesday afternoon. At this point, we knew we would have to double-check everything. When we looked at the plans, we saw that the new living room chairs were still too big and the hood had not been redesigned. Links in the revised presentation were not working so I could not find some the recommended items easily. We had planned to work with Inside Stories again in the redesign of our bathrooms and the project management of our kitchen. We will not be doing that now. I do not know if we just got a designer who is not very good at her job or the company did not think we were worth much time because we were only spending a few thousand dollars on their services. Either way, we are frustrated with the experience and will not be recommending this company. **Comment from Inside Stories:** > Hello Gesemia! We are sorry to hear that your experience did not hold true to our process or core values. We would have love to receive this information in person and given an opportunity to address your feedback and outstanding issues directly, in order to put in place a clear and successful path forward. Your review and experience is not indicative of our approach to design or customer service, so our heartfelt apologies that your project with our company was anything less than exceptional. We would appreciate an opportunity to earn your business back. We have reached out through private channels to connect, we look forward to your response. Thank you for your feedback! **★★★★★ — Emily Lambardia, Sept. 2022** > I had an idea of what I wanted but Kathleen really listed, asked probing questions and pulled together a beautiful design for our kitchen. She was very professional and timely. Highly recommend inside stories! **★★★★★ — JOHN SEARS, Sept. 2022** > My experience with Inside Stories was exactly what I hoped for when I first reached out to them. > > Each person with whom I interacted was friendly, helpful and responsive. > > Special my kudos to my designer, Brittany. She was thorough and efficient, providing all agreed upon deliverables complete and on time. > > I appreciate what has been accomplished and would not hesitate to use the Inside Stories team again. **★★★★★ — wendytt, Sept. 2022** > Rachel Vanek is amazing!!! We absolutely love her, and her ability to truly listen, understand what we want, and take into account what our family needs. I also love the Inside Stories process. They're very upfront with costs and their entire process, which led to a great experience. We were absolutely blown away with the final design, and the space is so incredibly comfortable. I can't wait to work with Rachel again on our kitchen project :) **★★★★★ — CD, Sept. 2022** > Wonderful experience from start to finish - Sam was professional, prompt, and a delight to work with. I am most impressed with the deliverables, however. I wanted an eclectic, curated look - nothing catalogue-y - and she delivered in spades. The look is layered and luxurious, and she stayed on budget. I would highly recommend this company. **★ — Susan McHugh, Sept. 2022** > Hired Inside Stories to refresh a few rooms in my home while incorporating some of my existing pieces. Worst experience I’ve ever had with a design company. After paying required 95% deposit, multiple items were so poorly scaled that they were not physically installable in my home (see pic). Every single piece of furniture and art was many months delayed to me and/or never delivered. I had to hire an attorney, because the owner refused months of my requests, to get the company to return my $ for goods (not custom) they couldn’t deliver. **★★★★★ — Lisa Williams, July 2020** > Lauren & her colleagues created a beautiful Rustic Contemporary design plan for our CO mountain home! She was extremely professional, flexible, responsive & creative. She listened closely to our lifestyle details & design preferences, resulting in design ideas & furniture recommendations that satisfied both my husband & I - not an easy task - bravo! > > We plan to return to Lauren in the future, for additional design planning services. Many thanks! **Comment from Inside Stories:** > Thanks so much for your positive feedback, Lisa! We are so happy to hear about your experience with Lauren. We look forward to working with you again! ## Selected projects - [Fox Trail](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/fox-trail-pj-vj~7454843) - Location: Littleton, CO - Photos: 13 - Description: Wow! Is the first word that comes to mind when you descend into our client’s newly renovated basement. The sophisticated contrast of clean white walls paired with the textural elegance of walnut millwork results in a visual masterpiece. The previous design was a heavy Tuscan style, the antithesis of our client’s aesthetic, so enters the Inside Stories Residential X team. By pairing rich saturated textiles, with beautiful furniture pieces our talented team was able to transform this once dated ba… - [Windy Pointe](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/windy-pointe-pj-vj~7455537) - Location: Denver, CO - Photos: 8 - Description: Wow is an understatement of this beautiful custom home built in an exclusive neighborhood in the Colorado Springs area. Clean architectural lines layered in with beautiful textural fabrics gives a cozy take on modern design. The clients ask: “We have a large family and want a home that is warm and inviting yet also able to accommodate big family gatherings.” After the clients parted ways with their builder, prior to their home being complete, they wanted to bring someone in to design the finishi… - [Brindle](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/brindle-pj-vj~7311403) - Location: Parker, CO - Photos: 22 - [Chantilly](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/chantilly-pj-vj~7262858) - Location: Morrison, CO - Photos: 8 - [South Franklin](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/south-franklin-pj-vj~7277766) - Location: Denver, CO - Photos: 10 - [Olive](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/olive-pj-vj~7261272) - Location: Denver, CO - Photos: 24 - Description: This turn-of-the-century home, while beautiful, did not accurately exude the vibrant personalities of its inhabitants. It was time to bring in the experts. Miranda and the Inside Stories team were able to bring this classic home into the 21st century. The client's desire was pattern and color and we did not hold back. Carefully layered colors, patterns, and textures adorn this Denver home from top to bottom. With new details to discover around every corner, this young family of five (plus their… - [Private Residence](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/private-residence-pj-vj~7277676) - Location: Denver, CO - Photos: 21 - [South 2nd Street](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/south-2nd-street-pj-vj~7261262) - Location: Aspen, CO - Photos: 20 - [Paradiso](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/paradiso-pj-vj~7264313) - Location: Denver, CO - Photos: 16 - [Clermont](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/clermont-pj-vj~7264918) - Location: Denver, CO - Photos: 4 - [Lash Blvd](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/lash-blvd-pj-vj~7276879) - Location: Denver, CO - Photos: 8 - [Forest Circle](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/forest-circle-pj-vj~7268232) - Location: Denver, CO - Photos: 9 - [Dexter](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/dexter-pj-vj~7276951) - Location: Denver, CO - Photos: 7 - [Windermere](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/windermere-pj-vj~7276869) - Location: Littleton, CO - Photos: 8 - [Tri-Pointe Model](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/tri-pointe-model-pj-vj~7278151) - Location: Denver, CO - Photos: 6 - [Private Office](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/private-office-pj-vj~7276925) - Location: Denver, CO - Photos: 15 - [Emerald](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/emerald-pj-vj~7276940) - Location: Denver, CO - Photos: 4 - [Moonshot](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/moonshot-pj-vj~7276890) - Location: Denver, CO - Photos: 5 - [Clayton](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/clayton-pj-vj~7268257) - Location: Denver, CO - Photos: 9 - [Humboldt](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/humboldt-pj-vj~7268355) - Location: Denver, CO - Photos: 17 [See all 62 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/inside-stories-pfvwus-pf~564048227) ## Ideabooks - [Wish List](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/68595750/list/wish-list) — 3 ideas - [Mendelsohn](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/180387050/list/mendelsohn) — 12 ideas [See all 2 ideabooks](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/users/insidestories) ## Community Q&A **Q: This kitchen is stunning** *(in Photo Questions)* Will you please share information on the awesome wall tile? A: Sure! Ann Sacks, Gem by Kelly Wearstler Concrete Field Tile, pattern: Swell color: Azure size: 8 x 8 **Q: love the bed! ca** *(in Photo Questions)* Love the bed ! Can you tell me where to find it? A: Hi Wendy! This bed was from Room & Board, but unfortunately it looks like they no longer carry it. They might have something similar however! **Q: where & what type of stone did you do for the fireplace?** *(in Photo Questions)* Looking to do something like this in a new build. Are these panels or masonry? A: Hello! They are masonry but it was selected by the home owners so we are unsure of the exact product. If you are looking for a similar look and feel, we'd suggest taking a look at Telluride Stone :) **Q: where are the light fixtures from?** *(in Photo Questions)* Can you please share the name of the light fixtures? A: Hello! This was an existing fixture in the client's home. We love it too! **Q: can you tell me the name/brand of the stone on the fireplace?** *(in Photo Questions)* Looking for the brand and name of the stone on the fireplace, beautiful, A: Hi there! So glad you like the stone - we love it too. It was purchased from General Shale Brick in Englewood, CO, it's part of their Rock Solid Originals line, and the name is Rock Wintersky. Here's the link: https://generalshale.com/products/wintersky/. Hope that helps! **Q: Hi! I love that rug! Would you mind sharing where it's from?** *(in Photo Questions)* This is a beautiful room! A: Hi there! This is the Montane Rug in Papaya from West Elm. We used a 9x12 for this space. --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-08-13.*