Design ideas for a mediterranean garden path in Miami.

The new backyard is perfect for entertaining large groups, hosting intimate dinners, or relaxing. Birdhouses and plants line the new space and a pergola shades a table for al fresco dining. A pass-through into the basement allows guests to pull a stool right up to the bar.

Mid-sized transitional 3/4 multicolored tile and mosaic tile bathroom photo in New York with recessed-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, an undermount sink and quartz countertops

Nancy Neil
Small trendy powder room photo in Santa Barbara with beige walls and a pedestal sink

Drew Kelly
Inspiration for a contemporary dining room remodel in San Francisco with white walls

Mark Lohmann
Example of a mid-sized cottage master light wood floor and brown floor bedroom design in Milwaukee with yellow walls and no fireplace

Dining room - contemporary medium tone wood floor dining room idea in Portland with white walls

When it comes to finding inspiration for your house or apartment design, there are a variety of routes you can take. For some, it is important to dive into the latest trends in fashion and art, using only the most popular decor pieces and embracing the color palettes seen on runways or in home and garden magazines. But for others, it’s simply about discovering what feels most like “home.” Ashley Steele, the creator of A Styled Affair, was part of the latter group. “Since my husband and I were moving into a space that was previously owned, I needed a way to make it feel like it was truly ours, and unique to us,” she told our team. A Styled Affair sprang from Ashley’s passion for fashion, and need for a creative outlet. But it soon became more than that. She developed a following, and it quickly became a place where she could share her personal style, travel adventures, and lifestyle tips. “While the blogging industry has become overwhelmed with people sharing their favorite home decor or make-up tips, I think what sets A Styled Affair apart is my commitment to stay true to my unique taste. I have always marched to the beat of my own drum – and that carries through in the clothes I wear, the decor I select for our home, and the travels I plan.” Paintzen connected with Ashley as she was settling into her new home in Boston’s Seaport District. Although she and her husband have lived in Boston for almost 8 years, they were used to smaller, more traditional spaces. Their new home is much bigger, and more modern, than any place they lived before. “I wanted to select colors of comfort, simplicity, and sophistication so we could elevate the space and make it feel more like a home.” Ashley also accurately pointed out that new construction can sometimes feel a little cold and sterile, almost industrial. “I wanted our home to feel like a peaceful oasis after coming in from the bustling city.” Ashley chose soft white paint for her walls to bring a sense of comfort and zen. With lots of wall decor, art work and carefully selected furniture, the walls serve as a clean and comfortable palette, and allowed her more freedom when making her other design decisions throughout the space. Ashley kept the overall palette fairly neutral, and incorporated “modern bohemian” inspired decor throughout the home; the final product was clean and simple, and catered to her style. We asked Ashley what she was most excited for now. “I’m most excited to continue to find new decor pieces to compliment the paint colors and decor we’ve already found for the space. We have been really patient with decorating and selected each piece really careful to make sure it is cohesive and flows from room to room. I’m looking forward to enjoying the space with my husband and dog, and entertaining friends and family in the spring and summer!” A few final questions for Ashley on her experience with Paintzen: “I would highly recommend Paintzen to anyone, especially those that live in the city. There are so many different paint companies and contractors to choose from but going through Paintzen simplified the process and made me feel comfortable that we had the right team working on our space. Their platform for booking services and choosing paint colors made the process seamless and was a great way to keep track of what we booked and chose for colors. Most importantly, the customer service team was outstanding whenever we had a question or needed to make an adjustment.” And advice she would give someone repainting their home: “Patience. I would recommend taking your time and doing your research before selecting paint colors. Lighting changes every color so make sure to bring paint swatches and samples into the space and look at it throughout the day to see the different tones that the light will pick up. I would also recommend researching color trends and recommendations for colors in the family you are looking for. We found our living room color through a blog post listing top-used colors by interior designers and it looks amazing.”

Example of a tuscan medium tone wood floor dining room design in Denver with brown walls

Photo: Rachel Loewen © 2018 Houzz
Beach style open concept living room photo in Chicago with white walls, a standard fireplace and a tile fireplace

jing niu
Transitional u-shaped light wood floor kitchen photo in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

Tuscan family room photo in Portland

Photo by Jay Sifford.
Home design - eclectic home design idea in Charlotte

Andrew Buchanan of Subtle Light Photography
Inspiration for a coastal landscaping in Seattle.

Entryway - coastal brick floor entryway idea in New York with gray walls

Photo by Jay Sifford.

The harmony of color, texture and elements of stone, wood tile, paint stain and glass along with well-defined straight lines in this design combine to execute this Asian inspired kitchen. This Lshape layout with island, pantries and wet bar has a large prep and serve space that also offers a dine-in option. It is minimalistic, functional and well balanced. The boxed out window located at the sink brings nature in. It’s neutral backdrop and golden toned enamel hardware adds elegance and drama.

Example of a trendy second story deck design in New York

A guild garden anchors the corner of this kitchen garden of permaculture principles. Greens are arranged to provide drifts of color, a garden shed to hold tools, a top bar bee hive to attract pollinators, a cold frame to bring plants throuh a cold winter. Bark edging by J. Walter Landscape & Irrigation www.jwlic.com Cold Frame by ANNIEBAM Landsape Solutions www.ANNIEBAM.com Photo by: .Amy Whitworth