Michelle Drewes
Living room - mid-sized transitional open concept dark wood floor and brown floor living room idea in San Francisco with gray walls, a ribbon fireplace, a tile fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Kitchen - eclectic galley dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen idea in New York with an island, a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, glass sheet backsplash and stainless steel appliances

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.”

This was a dream project! The clients purchased this 1880s home and wanted to renovate it for their family to live in. It was a true labor of love, and their commitment to getting the details right was admirable. We rehabilitated doors and windows and flooring wherever we could, we milled trim work to match existing and carved our own door rosettes to ensure the historic details were beautifully carried through. Every finish was made with consideration of wanting a home that would feel historic with integrity, yet would also function for the family and extend into the future as long possible. We were not interested in what is popular or trendy but rather wanted to honor what was right for the home.

Inspiration for a large transitional medium tone wood floor and brown floor kitchen/dining room combo remodel in Raleigh with beige walls and no fireplace

Ryann Ford
Example of a transitional living room design in Austin with white walls, a ribbon fireplace, a brick fireplace and a tv stand

As a builder of custom homes primarily on the Northshore of Chicago, Raugstad has been building custom homes, and homes on speculation for three generations. Our commitment is always to the client. From commencement of the project all the way through to completion and the finishing touches, we are right there with you – one hundred percent. As your go-to Northshore Chicago custom home builder, we are proud to put our name on every completed Raugstad home.

Example of a transitional freestanding desk medium tone wood floor study room design in Chicago with white walls and no fireplace

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional open concept gray floor family room remodel in Chicago with green walls, no fireplace and no tv

Trendy medium tone wood floor and brown floor living room photo in San Francisco with pink walls

Family room - mid-sized transitional dark wood floor family room idea in Miami with brown walls and no fireplace

Stacy Zarin - Goldberg
Example of a transitional gender-neutral orange floor nursery design in DC Metro with gray walls

Mid-sized danish light wood floor and beige floor single front door photo in Grand Rapids with a black front door and black walls

Large transitional brown floor living room photo in Nashville with gray walls, a ribbon fireplace, a tile fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Turquoise gives lift to the gray palette. Pearson velvet sofa. Ralph Lauren lamps. Floor lamp from West Elm. Garden stools from Gumps. Slipper chair reupholstered in Stroheim fabric. Roman shades in hand-blocked Galbraith & Paul fabric. Clarence House Chinoiserie throw pillows. Purple printed throw pillows in C&C Milano fabric. Client's old Chinese-frame chair lacquered in turquoise to match sofa. End tables by Lexington. Art from Susan Calloway Fine Art in Washington, DC. Photo by Erik Kvalsvik

Rett Peek
Example of an eclectic wooden wood railing staircase design in Little Rock

Kitchen - coastal dark wood floor kitchen idea in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, colored appliances and no island

Powder Room
Inspiration for a small timeless pink tile powder room remodel with pink walls, marble countertops and multicolored countertops

Example of a trendy guest black floor bedroom design in Melbourne with white walls