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.”

Magnolia Waco Properties, LLC dba Magnolia Homes, Waco, Texas, 2022 Regional CotY Award Winner, Residential Kitchen $100,001 to $150,000
Small cottage l-shaped medium tone wood floor and shiplap ceiling enclosed kitchen photo in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, shiplap backsplash, white appliances, an island and multicolored countertops

Photos by Manolo Langis
Elegant kitchen photo in Los Angeles with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, beige cabinets, metallic backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and beige countertops

Taylor Photo
Kitchen - transitional kitchen idea in Chicago with raised-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, multicolored backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Matt Steeves Studio
Inspiration for a huge transitional medium tone wood floor kitchen remodel in Miami with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, gray backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and two islands

Example of a large transitional l-shaped dark wood floor, brown floor and vaulted ceiling open concept kitchen design in Austin with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, an island, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, gray backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and white countertops

Inspiration for a mediterranean dark wood floor eat-in kitchen remodel in San Francisco with shaker cabinets, black cabinets, white backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Reconfiguration of the exising kitchen/living room area yielded a more gracious entertaining space with unobstructed views and natural lighting. The pre-finished flooring is a 5" width plank from Dansk Hardwood: Vintage Birch Hard-scraped Solid in the "Toast" finish with satin sheen. Last I checked, it was discontinued by the manufacturer.

Completely custom reclaimed timber & stone veneer hood surrounding Thermador 48" professional range and hood insert. Custom distressed rustic cherry cabinetry and honed granite counter tops. Herringbone tile back splash. Reclaimed lumber ceiling and sliding barn door. Photo by: Tom Martineau (Martineau Design)

Modern bathroom remodels, with floating vanity and built-in tub. Porcelain concrete looking tiles and LED lighted mirror. HEX tiles on the floors.
Mid-sized trendy 3/4 gray tile white floor bathroom photo in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, white walls, a vessel sink and white countertops

Inspiration for a large farmhouse l-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor kitchen remodel in Richmond with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, wood countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and brown countertops

For this project, the initial inspiration for our clients came from seeing a modern industrial design featuring barnwood and metals in our showroom. Once our clients saw this, we were commissioned to completely renovate their outdated and dysfunctional kitchen and our in-house design team came up with this new this space that incorporated old world aesthetics with modern farmhouse functions and sensibilities. Now our clients have a beautiful, one-of-a-kind kitchen which is perfecting for hosting and spending time in. Modern Farm House kitchen built in Milan Italy. Imported barn wood made and set in gun metal trays mixed with chalk board finish doors and steel framed wired glass upper cabinets. Industrial meets modern farm house

This remodel was designed to celebrate the original use of the structure, focusing on a 1930’s automobile theme. The design features ample storage without overbearing wall cabinets and also, vintage looking appliances. The homeowner wanted to remove the soffit and rework the supply and return air to better balance the temperature in the space. To do so, the entire space was reinsulated with closed cell insulation to provide the best insulation for our cold winters and hot summers. The homeowner opted for a custom artisan hood paired with metal open shelves to tie into the industrial era of the original space from the 1930s. The Matte Black with Bronze accents paired with vintage hardware on the range also picks up on the details of the Classic cars once parked in this coach house. The silkscreen marble tiles appear to be wallpaper yet is both heat resistant and effective for these aspiring chefs The enlarged island now can seat four and houses a larger sink with trash bins that open with a tap of the knee. As per the client’s request, the refrigerator now blends into the cabinetry appearing more like the tall cabinets on the south wall than an appliance. The new kitchen is not only stunning but practical as it has double the storage or the old kitchen without lining the room with cabinetry.

Example of a large transitional l-shaped light wood floor and beige floor eat-in kitchen design in Salt Lake City with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, porcelain backsplash, stainless steel appliances, two islands and light wood cabinets

Stunning kitchen remodel and update by Haven Design and Construction! We painted the island, refrigerator wall, insets of the upper cabinets, and range hood in a satin lacquer tinted to Benjamin Moore's 2133-10 "Onyx, and the perimeter cabinets in Sherwin Williams' SW 7005 "Pure White". Photo by Matthew Niemann

Interior view of the kitchen area. Interior design from Donald Ohlen at Ohlen Design. Photo by Adrian Gregorutti.
Inspiration for a small cottage single-wall light wood floor open concept kitchen remodel in San Francisco with an undermount sink, glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and wood countertops

Inspiration for a timeless bathroom remodel in Miami

Large mountain style l-shaped brown floor and dark wood floor eat-in kitchen photo in Charleston with shaker cabinets, stainless steel appliances, an island, dark wood cabinets, a farmhouse sink, quartzite countertops, gray backsplash and stone tile backsplash

Chelsea Mohrman | farm fresh therapy
Inspiration for a mid-sized country l-shaped dark wood floor kitchen remodel in Columbus with a farmhouse sink, open cabinets, white cabinets, wood countertops, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island