Example of a danish u-shaped beige floor kitchen design in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white backsplash, stone slab backsplash, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula, white countertops and gray cabinets

Primary bathroom with ceramic tile patterned wall. Marble floors and shower. Large shower niche. Black accents throughout; faucets, medicine cabinets fixtures, lighting. Floating custom walnut vanity with marble countertops. Wall mounted faucets.

Transitional light wood floor and beige floor living room photo in Orange County with white walls

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.”

Nina Binder - Sister Moon
Enclosed dining room - traditional dark wood floor enclosed dining room idea in New York with gray walls and no fireplace

Mid-sized country medium tone wood floor and brown floor dining room photo in Little Rock with beige walls and no fireplace

The clients described their aesthetic as casual with rustic, country flare. Early involvement in the design and construction of the addition allowed us to have significant input to the placement of the columns that separate the kitchen from the dining area. The columns were used to set up symmetry in the room with the cooktop and hood at the center, and windows were placed around the room for an even distribution of natural light and views. Green was chosen for the buffet unit to keep the white cabinetry from overwhelming the dining area while providing a visual break between the similarly stained table and island. It also helps meld the colors between the slate porcelain tile and wood floors. Photo: Ilir Rizaj

Ryann Ford
Inspiration for a transitional backyard rectangular pool remodel in Austin

Gibeon Photography
Mountain style two-story mixed siding exterior home photo in Denver

Ciro Coelho Photography
Beach style backyard rectangular pool house photo in Santa Barbara

Example of a beach style sunroom design in Detroit

Wayne Suggs
Southwest terra-cotta tile living room photo in Austin with beige walls and a corner fireplace

Hallway - traditional medium tone wood floor and brown floor hallway idea in Huntington with beige walls

Inspiration for a contemporary closet remodel in Miami

The kitchen was designed to keep with the warm modern feel that resonates throughout the interior and exterior of the home. The cabinets make for ample storage and large wrap around counters allow for easy entertaining space. Photos by Casey Dunn

Blueg-green closets in the office. Photo by Andreas Serna
Home office - small contemporary freestanding desk dark wood floor and brown floor home office idea in New York with gray walls

Transitional living room photo in Austin

Very cozy and convivial.
Inspiration for an eclectic living room remodel in Denver

The original closets were opened up to create one larger closet that maximizes storage. The bold floral wallpaper on the ceiling provides a wow factor to the space.