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 modern farmhouse kitchen features a beautiful combination of Navy Blue painted and gray stained Hickory cabinets that’s sure to be an eye-catcher. The elegant “Morel” stain blends and harmonizes the natural Hickory wood grain while emphasizing the grain with a subtle gray tone that beautifully coordinated with the cool, deep blue paint. The “Gale Force” SW 7605 blue paint from Sherwin-Williams is a stunning deep blue paint color that is sophisticated, fun, and creative. It’s a stunning statement-making color that’s sure to be a classic for years to come and represents the latest in color trends. It’s no surprise this beautiful navy blue has been a part of Dura Supreme’s Curated Color Collection for several years, making the top 6 colors for 2017 through 2020. Beyond the beautiful exterior, there is so much well-thought-out storage and function behind each and every cabinet door. The two beautiful blue countertop towers that frame the modern wood hood and cooktop are two intricately designed larder cabinets built to meet the homeowner’s exact needs. The larder cabinet on the left is designed as a beverage center with apothecary drawers designed for housing beverage stir sticks, sugar packets, creamers, and other misc. coffee and home bar supplies. A wine glass rack and shelves provides optimal storage for a full collection of glassware while a power supply in the back helps power coffee & espresso (machines, blenders, grinders and other small appliances that could be used for daily beverage creations. The roll-out shelf makes it easier to fill clean and operate each appliance while also making it easy to put away. Pocket doors tuck out of the way and into the cabinet so you can easily leave open for your household or guests to access, but easily shut the cabinet doors and conceal when you’re ready to tidy up. Beneath the beverage center larder is a drawer designed with 2 layers of multi-tasking storage for utensils and additional beverage supplies storage with space for tea packets, and a full drawer of K-Cup storage. The cabinet below uses powered roll-out shelves to create the perfect breakfast center with power for a toaster and divided storage to organize all the daily fixings and pantry items the household needs for their morning routine. On the right, the second larder is the ultimate hub and center for the homeowner’s baking tasks. A wide roll-out shelf helps store heavy small appliances like a KitchenAid Mixer while making them easy to use, clean, and put away. Shelves and a set of apothecary drawers help house an assortment of baking tools, ingredients, mixing bowls and cookbooks. Beneath the counter a drawer and a set of roll-out shelves in various heights provides more easy access storage for pantry items, misc. baking accessories, rolling pins, mixing bowls, and more. The kitchen island provides a large worktop, seating for 3-4 guests, and even more storage! The back of the island includes an appliance lift cabinet used for a sewing machine for the homeowner’s beloved hobby, a deep drawer built for organizing a full collection of dishware, a waste recycling bin, and more! All and all this kitchen is as functional as it is beautiful! Request a FREE Dura Supreme Brochure Packet: http://www.durasupreme.com/request-brochure

Jim Bartsch
Inspiration for a large timeless l-shaped light wood floor kitchen remodel in Santa Barbara with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white backsplash, paneled appliances, an island and black countertops

Richard Leo Johnson
Inspiration for a coastal bedroom remodel in Atlanta with green walls

Liquid Design & Architecture Inc.
Living room - transitional formal dark wood floor living room idea in Miami with white walls

BBC Custom Paint 3" Shaker 5 pc Maple custom paint color Paul Kohlman of Paul Kohlman Photography http://paulkohlman.com/

Dining Room by Julie Rootes Interiors for the 2015 Napa Valley Showhouse. We provided the painted finishes and wall coverings. Photo by David Duncan Livingston.

Dunn-Edwards paint colors - Walls: Crystal Haze DE6219 Trim: Carrara DET649 Jeremy Samuelson Photography | www.jeremysamuelson.com
Mid-sized cottage l-shaped dark wood floor eat-in kitchen photo in Los Angeles with white backsplash and no island

Jim Miller Desolation Road Studios
Elegant beige floor laundry room photo in New York with blue walls and a stacked washer/dryer

Nest Interior Decor
Family room - traditional family room idea in DC Metro

Although this kitchen was beautiful, it had only one window and the cherry cabinetry and counter tops made the space very dark. The homeowners wanted to brighten up the kitchen with a lighter finish on the cabinets. We painted the cabinets with General Finishes Milk Paint in Antique White and I hand-glazed everything with Van Dkye Brown Glaze Effects which brought out the details in the molding and completely transformed this kitchen. They love how it turned out and so do I! To see more photos of this kitchen transformation, visit my Facebook page, Classic Fauxs and Finishes.

Photo by Liz Ramos
Eat-in kitchen - mid-sized transitional u-shaped dark wood floor eat-in kitchen idea in DC Metro with recessed-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, beige backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an undermount sink, granite countertops, mosaic tile backsplash and an island

Base Cabinets: Full Access Jackson A, Paint Grade, Surfside Wall Cabinets: Beaded Inset, Jackson A, Paint Grade, Surfside Island: Full Access, Jackson A, Paint Grade, Storm Cloud by Sherwin-Williams

Staining this floor made all the difference! We even used copper nails to tack down the flooring which sparkle like little gems.
Alcove shower - coastal painted wood floor and turquoise floor alcove shower idea in New York with a pedestal sink, a two-piece toilet and orange walls

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.

Courtesy of C2 Paint
Example of a transitional dark wood floor open concept kitchen design in Providence with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, multicolored backsplash, black appliances and two islands

Salinas White Granite with an Eased edge. Prescott door style, Island, Maple cabinets, Espresso Stain, Bisque, Remodel, Slab Drawer Front
Mid-sized single-wall eat-in kitchen photo in Nashville with flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and an island

Mustard tones, teamed with neutral grey tones and highlighted by energetic shades of green produce this modern interpretation of mid 20th century style. Wall colours Sail White and Mustard Jar available in Matt or Mid Sheen Breatheasy emulsion.

Petr Krejci
Inspiration for a transitional light wood floor bedroom remodel in London