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.”

Our design studio designed a gut renovation of this home which opened up the floorplan and radically changed the functioning of the footprint. It features an array of patterned wallpaper, tiles, and floors complemented with a fresh palette, and statement lights. Photographer - Sarah Shields --- Project completed by Wendy Langston's Everything Home interior design firm, which serves Carmel, Zionsville, Fishers, Westfield, Noblesville, and Indianapolis. For more about Everything Home, click here: https://everythinghomedesigns.com/

This beautiful French Provincial home is set on 10 acres, nestled perfectly in the oak trees. The original home was built in 1974 and had two large additions added; a great room in 1990 and a main floor master suite in 2001. This was my dream project: a full gut renovation of the entire 4,300 square foot home! I contracted the project myself, and we finished the interior remodel in just six months. The exterior received complete attention as well. The 1970s mottled brown brick went white to completely transform the look from dated to classic French. Inside, walls were removed and doorways widened to create an open floor plan that functions so well for everyday living as well as entertaining. The white walls and white trim make everything new, fresh and bright. It is so rewarding to see something old transformed into something new, more beautiful and more functional.

Photographer: Jeffrey Totaro
Example of a trendy eat-in kitchen design in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, gray backsplash, stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops and glass sheet backsplash

Adding character doesn't have to break the bank. We worked with the client to create a rustic cabinet finish which is just as artsy as he is. This client has great taste and he found cool stools and commissioned a bench made by an artist to blend in with the rest of the house. The artist also installed plumbing pipe as a footrail. The eclectic nature of the furnishings really compliments the custom cabinetry. We really like the juxtaposition of industrial and rustic elements we used for this client. The modern lines of the glass and stainless hood and the white laminate cabinetry are clean and minimal while the textural island and uppers above the sink create a rustic look. All in all- a unique look for this art-filled home. Photo by Jim Tschetter

Whole-house remodel of a hillside home in Seattle. The historically-significant ballroom was repurposed as a family/music room, and the once-small kitchen and adjacent spaces were combined to create an open area for cooking and gathering. A compact master bath was reconfigured to maximize the use of space, and a new main floor powder room provides knee space for accessibility. Built-in cabinets provide much-needed coat & shoe storage close to the front door. ©Kathryn Barnard, 2014

Stacy Zarin Goldberg
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary dark wood floor and brown floor great room remodel in Other with white walls and no fireplace

We performed a major overhaul of this kitchen without changing its foot print. Appliances were moved to create more functionality, Lighter finishes were chosen for the perimeter cabinets to compliment the adjacent great room while bringing light and life into the previously dark space. A small window was expanded to better connect the kitchen to the beautiful garden beyond. The island was expanded to increase counter space and enhance entertaining!

Jim Bartsch Photography
Powder room - mid-sized mediterranean terra-cotta tile and brown floor powder room idea in Santa Barbara with beige walls

The request from my client for this kitchen remodel was to imbue the room with a rustic farmhouse feeling, but without the usual tropes or kitsch. What resulted is a beautiful mix of refined and rural. To begin, we laid down a stunning silver travertine floor in a Versailles pattern and used the color palette to inform the rest of the space. The bleached silvery wood of the island and the cream cabinetry compliment the flooring. Of course the stainless steel appliances continue the palette, as do the porcelain backsplash tiles made to look like rusted or aged metal. The deep bowl farmhouse sink and faucet that looks like it is from a bygone era give the kitchen a sense of permanence and a connection to the past without veering into theme-park design. Photos by: Bernardo Grijalva

This dining room was built around an artisan table that was a prized possesion of the clients. It was made entirely without nails by a Seattle artist. To compliment the table, Alexandra Rae created a room in the vein of master Mid Century furniture makers. The brass chandelier, carved floating buffet and tufted velvet saber leg chairs subtly nod to Mad Men chic. Details like the sculptural vases, hand carved candle sticks and poured concrete lamps ground the space with the same post modern artisanal personality of the dining table

Inspiration for a large timeless single-wall porcelain tile and multicolored floor eat-in kitchen remodel in New York with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, blue backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and solid surface countertops

A built in table accented in a spring green became the focal point of the room. It was finished with a planked cherry wood top to compliment the color of the back door and built in cabinets in the adjacent dining area. A wall niche was added where an unnecessary door once led to the master closet, providing a display space for family heirlooms and collectables.tall cabinet

OL + expanded this North Shore waterfront bungalow to include a new library, two sleeping porches, a third floor billiard and game room, and added a conservatory. The design is influenced by the Arts and Crafts style of the existing house. A two-story gatehouse with similar architectural details, was designed to include a garage and second floor loft-style living quarters. The late landscape architect, Dale Wagner, developed the site to create picturesque views throughout the property as well as from every room. Contractor: Fanning Builders- Jamie Fanning Millwork & Carpentry: Slim Larson Design Photographer: Peter Vanderwarker Photography

Garrett Rowland Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional u-shaped porcelain tile eat-in kitchen remodel in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash and stainless steel appliances

**Project Overview** This new construction home built next to a serene lake features a gorgeous, large-scale kitchen that also connects to a bar, home office, breakfast room and great room. The homeowners sought the warmth of traditional styling, updated for today. In addition, they wanted to incorporate unexpected touches that would add personality. Strategic use of furniture details combined with clean lines brings the traditional style forward, making the kitchen feel fresh, new and timeless. **What Makes This Project Unique?* Three finishes, including vintage white paint, stained cherry and textured painted gray oak cabinetry, work together beautifully to create a varied, unique space. Above the wall cabinets, glass cabinets with X mullions add interest and decorative storage. Single ovens are tucked in cabinets under a window, and a warming drawer under one perfectly matches the cabinet drawer under the other. Matching furniture-style armoires flank the wall ovens, housing the freezer and a pantry in one and custom designed large scale appliance garage with retractable doors in the other. Other furniture touches can be found on the sink cabinet and range top cabinet that help complete the look. The variety of colors and textures of the stained and painted cabinetry, custom dark finish copper hood, wood ceiling beams, glass cabinets, wood floors and sleek backsplash bring the whole look together. **Design Challenges* Even though the space is large, we were challenged by having to work around the two doorways, two windows and many traffic patterns that run through the kitchen. Wall space for large appliances was quickly in short supply. Because we were involved early in the project, we were able to work with the architect to expanded the kitchen footprint in order to make the layout work and get appliance placement just right. We had other architectural elements to work with that we wanted to compliment the kitchen design but also dictated what we could do with the cabinetry. The wall cabinet height was determined based on the beams in the space. The oven wall with furniture armoires was designed around the window with the lake view. The height of the oven cabinets was determined by the window. We were able to use these obstacles and challenges to design creatively and make this kitchen one of a kind. Photo by MIke Kaskel

A large but pedestrian back yard became a glamorous playground for grown-ups. The vision started with a motion pool and cabana. As the design progressed, it grew to encompass the entire yard area. The Cabana is designed to embrace entertaining, with an interior living space, kitchenette, and an open-air covered hearth area. These environments seamlessly integrate and visually connect to the new garden. The Cabana also functions as a private Guest House, and takes advantage of the beautiful spring and summer weather, while providing a protected area in the cold and wet winter months. Sustainable materials are used throughout and features include an open hearth area with fireplace, an interior living space with kitchenette and bathroom suite, a spa tub and exercise pool. Terry Poe Photography

Jacob Snavely
Nursery - mid-sized transitional boy dark wood floor and gray floor nursery idea in New York with gray walls

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Example of a mid-sized trendy l-shaped kitchen design in Portland with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, green backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and no island