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!

Sucuri Granite Countertop sourced from Shenoy or Midwest Tile in Austin, TX; Kent Moore Cabinets (Painted Nebulous Grey-Low-Mocha-Hilite), Island painted Misty Bayou-Low; Backsplash - Marazzi (AMT), Studio M (Brick), Flamenco, 13 x 13 Mesh 1-1/4" x 5/8"; Flooring - Earth Werks, "5" Prestige, Handsculpted Maple, Graphite Maple Finish; Pendant Lights - Savoy House - Structure 4 Light Foyer, SKU: 3-4302-4-242; Barstools - New Pacific Direct - item # 108627-2050; The wall color is PPG Ashen 516-4.

Introducing the Courtyard Collection at Sonoma, located near Ballantyne in Charlotte. These 51 single-family homes are situated with a unique twist, and are ideal for people looking for the lifestyle of a townhouse or condo, without shared walls. Lawn maintenance is included! All homes include kitchens with granite counters and stainless steel appliances, plus attached 2-car garages. Our 3 model homes are open daily! Schools are Elon Park Elementary, Community House Middle, Ardrey Kell High. The Hanna is a 2-story home which has everything you need on the first floor, including a Kitchen with an island and separate pantry, open Family/Dining room with an optional Fireplace, and the laundry room tucked away. Upstairs is a spacious Owner's Suite with large walk-in closet, double sinks, garden tub and separate large shower. You may change this to include a large tiled walk-in shower with bench seat and separate linen closet. There are also 3 secondary bedrooms with a full bath with double sinks.

Design by Joanna Hartman Photography by Ryann Ford Styling by Adam Fortner This beautiful light-filled living room features oak flooring, Benjamin Moore "Simply White" paint on the ceiling and "Revere Pewter" paint on the walls, Integrity Wood-Ultrex swinging french doors, and a Minka Aire Strata ceiling fan in Smoked Iron.

Angie Seckinger
Example of a large classic enclosed vaulted ceiling living room design in DC Metro with beige walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

A West Village Bachelor pad bedroom, featuring a hand-painted geometric design that highlights the pre-war features of the space, like the picture moldings. Additionally, because the client wanted both a work space and a place to put his TV (the pre-war wall could not hold a wall mounted tv!), we designed a custom desk/console piece out of reclaimed wood and metal hairpin legs that served both purposes, and fit the space perfectly. Photos by Matthew Williams

This home is built by Robert Thomas Homes located in Minnesota. Our showcase models are professionally staged. Please contact Ambiance at Home for information on furniture - 952.440.6757

A great way to brighten up a bedroom is with painted nightstands. In this case, we wanted to maintain a calming environment with neutral wall colors and bedding. To add a bit of cheer to the space, we upholstered two lounge chairs and painted both nightstands similar shaded of aqua. Martha O'Hara Interiors, Interior Design | L. Cramer Builders + Remodelers, Builder | Troy Thies, Photography | Shannon Gale, Photo Styling Please Note: All “related,” “similar,” and “sponsored” products tagged or listed by Houzz are not actual products pictured. They have not been approved by Martha O’Hara Interiors nor any of the professionals credited. For information about our work, please contact design@oharainteriors.com.

Side entrance to the courtyard of the restored farmhouse. -Randal Bye
Photo of a huge farmhouse partial sun stone driveway in Philadelphia.

5'6" × 7'-0" room with Restoration Hardware "Hutton" vanity (36"w x 24"d) and "Hutton" mirror, sconces by Waterworks "Newel", shower size 36" x 36" with 22" door, HansGrohe "Axor Montreux" shower set. Wall paint is "pearl white" by Pratt & Lambert and wood trim is "white dove" eggshell from Benjamin Moore. Wall tiles are 3"x6" honed, carrara marble with inset hexagonals for the niche. Coved ceiling - walls are curved into a flat ceiling.

Martha O'Hara Interiors, Interior Design | L. Cramer Builders + Remodelers, Builder | Troy Thies, Photography | Shannon Gale, Photo Styling Please Note: All “related,” “similar,” and “sponsored” products tagged or listed by Houzz are not actual products pictured. They have not been approved by Martha O’Hara Interiors nor any of the professionals credited. For information about our work, please contact design@oharainteriors.com.

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.”

Richard Leo Johnson Wall Color: Gray Owl - Regal Wall Satin, Latex Flat (Benjamin Moore) Trim Color: Super White - Oil, Semi Gloss (Benjamin Moore) Wallpaper: Trove Chandelier: Old Plank Wall Plaques: Lazy Susan Gazelle Horns - J Douglas Mirror: Prescott Gold Leaf Round Mirror - Arteriors Dining Table: Oval Dining Table - DWR Dining Chairs: Eames Molded Plastic Wood Dowel Chairs - DWR Dining Chairs (Captain): Antique (reupholstered) Bar Cart: Ponce Iron Bar Cart - Arteriors Stools: Suite NY

Designed by Cameron Snyder, CKD and Julie Lyons. Removing the former wall between the kitchen and dining room to create an open floor plan meant the former powder room tucked in a corner needed to be relocated. Cameron designed a 7' by 6' space framed with curved wall in the middle of the new space to locate the new powder room and it became an instant focal point perfectly located for guests and easily accessible from the kitchen, living and dining room areas. Both the pedestal lavatory and one piece sanagloss toilet are from TOTO Guinevere collection. Faucet is from the Newport Brass-Bevelle series in Polished Nickel with lever handles.

The hall table is a custom made piece design by in collaboration with the interior designer, Ashley Whittaker. The floor has an inlay Greek key border, and the walls are covered hand painted Gracie paper.

The design of the cabin began with the client’s discovery of an old mirror which had once been part of a hall tree. Painted In a rustic white finish, the orange pine walls of the cabin were painted by the homeowners on hand using a sock and rubbing paint with a light hand so that the knots would show clearly and you would achieve the look of a lime-washed wall. A custom vanity was fashioned to match the details on the antique mirror and a textured iron vessel sink sits atop. Polished nickel faucets, cast iron tub, and old fashioned toilet are from Herbeau. The antique French Iron bed was located on line and brought in from California. The peeling paint shows the layers of age with French blue, white and rust tones peeking through. An iron chandelier adorned with Strauss crystal and created by Schonbek hangs from the ceiling and matching sconces are fastened into the mirror. Designed by Melodie Durham of Durham Designs & Consulting, LLC. Photo by Livengood Photographs [www.livengoodphotographs.com/design].

Matthew Millman
Transitional bathroom photo in San Francisco with beaded inset cabinets, an undermount sink and beige cabinets

Architecture & Interior Design: David Heide Design Studio Photo: Susan Gilmore Photography
Living room - coastal enclosed medium tone wood floor living room idea in Minneapolis with a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and beige walls

Inspiration for a large transitional l-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen remodel in Other with white cabinets, quartz countertops, gray backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island, an undermount sink, shaker cabinets and stone tile backsplash