A bluestone walkway leads to a deck shaded by a pergola at this Cape Cod custom home. Photo: OnSite Studios
Deck - country deck idea in Boston with a pergola

Added breezeway and 2nd attached garage Laura Dempsey Photography
Example of a transitional attached one-car garage design in Cleveland

When we imagine the homes of our favorite actors, we often think of picturesque kitchens, artwork hanging on the walls, luxurious furniture, and pristine conditions 24/7. But for celebrities with children, sometimes that last one isn’t always accurate! Kids will be kids – which means there may be messy bedrooms, toys strewn across their play area, and maybe even some crayon marks or finger-paints on walls or floors. Lucy Liu recently partnered with One Kings Lane and Paintzen to redesign her son Rockwell’s playroom in their Manhattan apartment for that reason. Previously, Lucy had decided not to focus too much on the layout or color of the space – it was simply a room to hold all of Rockwell’s toys. There wasn’t much of a design element to it and very little storage. Lucy was ready to change that – and transform the room into something more sophisticated and tranquil for both Rockwell and for guests (especially those with kids!). And to really bring that transformation to life, one of the things that needed to change was the lack of color and texture on the walls. When selecting the color palette, Lucy and One Kings Lane designer Nicole Fisher decided on a more neutral, contemporary style. They chose to avoid the primary colors, which are too often utilized in children’s rooms and playrooms. Instead, they chose to have Paintzen paint the walls in a cozy gray with warm beige undertones. (Try PPG ‘Slate Pebble’ for a similar look!) It created a perfect backdrop for the decor selected for the room, which included a tepee for Rockwell, some Tribal-inspired artwork, Moroccan woven baskets, and some framed artwork. To add texture to the space, Paintzen also installed wallpaper on two of the walls. The wallpaper pattern involved muted blues and grays to add subtle color and a slight contrast to the rest of the walls. Take a closer look at this smartly designed space, featuring a beautiful neutral color palette and lots of exciting textures!

Karen Cole
Patio kitchen - farmhouse patio kitchen idea in Philadelphia

Large transitional backyard concrete patio photo in Los Angeles with a gazebo

Patrick Wong Photography
Home office - contemporary built-in desk medium tone wood floor home office idea in Austin with white walls

Robert Granoff Photography
Huge trendy living room photo in New York with white walls, no fireplace and no tv

The tall window emphasizes the height of the side of this modern home. The permeable pavers allow drainage and combined with the concrete create an interesting texture in the driveway. Photo: Ryan Farnau

Mid-sized elegant attached three-car garage photo in New York

Morgante Wilson Architects designed a lakeside house inspired by the architecture and countryside of Tuscany which the clients enjoy Michael Robinson Photography

Entryway - mid-sized traditional entryway idea in Boston with yellow walls and a white front door

Mid-sized traditional gray two-story mixed siding house exterior idea in Boston with a hip roof

Garage - mid-sized traditional attached two-car garage idea in Chicago

Example of a mid-sized arts and crafts attached two-car garage design in Kansas City

Hollub Homes | Interior design by Helene Hollub | Ken Hayden Photography
Example of a trendy girl carpeted kids' room design in Miami with white walls

The homeowners desired an outdoor space that felt more rustic than their refined interior spaces, but still related architecturally to their house. Cement plaster support arbor columns provide enough of visual tie to the existing house exterior. Oversized wood beams and rafter members provide a unique outdoor atmosphere. Structural bolts and hardware were minimized for a cleaner appearance. Structural connections and supports were engineered to meet California's stringent earthquake standards. Ali Atri Photography

Example of a mid-sized classic gray two-story mixed siding house exterior design in Boston with a hip roof

Mid-sized transitional attached two-car garage photo in Kansas City

Mid-sized elegant gray two-story mixed siding house exterior photo in Boston with a hip roof