Mark Adams Pictures
Example of a mid-sized minimalist master gray tile corner shower design in San Francisco with white walls

Advice on interior design is available everywhere—from TV shows and websites to books, magazines and apps. We love seeing people become engaged in design and educated on the wide range of possibilities. But we hope you’ll proceed with caution. It’s not that style errors are a matter of life and death. It’s just that it’s easy to choose designs that aren’t necessarily reflective of your own personality and character. And since you’re typically stuck with your interior design decisions for years, styles that don’t quite fit can tend to grate on you. Interiors that give one person comfort may unleash chaos in someone else. This goes beyond favorite colors or hot trends, right to the heart of interior design, where you find questions of composition, balance, repetition, space and more. The goal is to find that unique combination of design elements that gives you comfort, support and balance. In one home, that perfect balance was struck through the use of symmetry. A pair of comfortable swivel chairs sit beneath matching indigo patterned paintings. Matching bookcases below the paintings contain similar, but not identical, arrangements of books, vases and bowls. Woods and bronzes help warm up the simple white bookcase shelving. Two matching poufs in front of the fireplace provide additional seating. The sofa is accented with a pair of pillows with a blue pattern that echoes the artwork. The effect of the symmetry is to achieve order and simplicity, which I promote at every opportunity. After all, your home interiors should be the setting or the backdrop of your life—not center stage. Antique bronze and blue are complementary colors. Together, they offer a rich palette of richness and depth, which brings out the beauty of wood and stone. In the home office, a unique, whitewash-stained wooden desk rests on metal, Sawhorse-inspired legs for a warm, rustic look. The black leather chair features a contemporary silhouette with an antique brass frame. An adjustable desk lamp has bronze accents. The bookcase combines a sleek, black metal frame with concrete shelves, for another unusual pairing. It’s kept uncluttered for an orderly, peaceful look. Items on the shelves include a bronze-accented lamp and a pair of high gloss-finished wooden bookends. The elegant artwork behind the desk is a simple midnight-blue and bronze with mottled white. Deep blues are again picked up in the rug, which adds a stately vibe with a modern pattern and satisfying texture. Within the framework of symmetry, the living room repeats the blue-and-bronze color scheme. A large midcentury brass clock above the fireplace keeps the natural stone visible, rather than hidden behind a painting or television, while its straight lines and color create a beautiful contrast. The sofa is a soft, neutral blue. The pattern on the round brass side table features echoes the darker blue-patterned rug, as well as the rug in the office, tying the rooms together. Indigo blue books adjacent to bronze vases on the shelves repeat the color scheme. The soapstone-topped coffee table echoes the shape of the fireplace. A pair of tall, matching floor lamps with long wooden bases, brass pulls and simple linen shades combine both the colors and symmetry found throughout the home.

Design and Photo Credit: Raad Studio Millwork for a private residence includes custom floating shelves with integrated lighting, a solid wood dresser with reclaimed drawer faces, and a glass desk top.

This custom spiral staircase can be found at the entry of the home
Inspiration for a large mediterranean spiral metal railing staircase remodel in Kansas City

Trendy living room photo in Wellington

by hermanos orozco
Staircase - contemporary staircase idea in Madrid

Emmanuelle Bernard (Manue M)
Mid-century modern kids' room photo in Miami

Modern commercial stainless steel, open rise staircase with wood treads and handrail.
Staircase - modern wooden l-shaped open staircase idea in Atlanta

Craftsman Corners fit well with Pac Trim's Pioneer Series PIO190
Entryway - entryway idea in Sacramento

Home design - scandinavian home design idea in San Francisco

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary dark wood floor and brown floor great room remodel in New York with white walls and no fireplace

Industrial Steel Pipe Railing with Stainless Steel Cable
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary staircase remodel in Salt Lake City

Embossed medallion in a polished chocolate Venetian plaster
Mid-sized tuscan dining room photo in Raleigh

Ash Hardwood on Spiral Staircase: Looking for a light hardwood floor that offers distinct visual character without sacrificing everyday durability? This project showcases the stunning contrast and organic warmth of natural ash wood floors. Known for its pronounced, swirling grain structures and excellent dent resistance, ash is perfect for active households, families, and pet owners. Ash hardwood is a great hardwood flooring pick for a homeowner who wants a harder wood with interesting light and dark characteristics.

Photography by Stacey Van Berkel, Lacquered Custom Built Ins
Transitional home office photo in Raleigh

grand staircase, entry
Example of a mid-sized classic wooden straight staircase design in Richmond with painted risers

These unusual and funky pieces of glass wall art are a great combination with the orange alligator vanity and add the perfect finishing touch to the powder room.

a partially remodeled Room 8 at The Jennings Hotel
Bedroom - small rustic loft-style medium tone wood floor bedroom idea in Portland