Jonathan Reece
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional gender-neutral light wood floor and brown floor kids' room remodel in Portland Maine with beige 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.”

Cabinets designed and provided by Kitchens Unlimited
Mid-sized transitional l-shaped porcelain tile kitchen photo in Other with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island, stone tile backsplash and black cabinets

Contemporary Breakfast Room with slate blue wall, family photo gallery, contemporary trip tic painting and Asian artifacts. Paul Dyer Photography
Huge trendy medium tone wood floor great room photo in San Francisco with blue walls

Inspiration for a transitional light wood floor kitchen remodel in Houston with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

Photograph by Pete Sieger
Open concept kitchen - mid-sized country l-shaped medium tone wood floor open concept kitchen idea in Minneapolis with a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, wood countertops, brown backsplash, white appliances and an island

This property was transformed from an 1870s YMCA summer camp into an eclectic family home, built to last for generations. Space was made for a growing family by excavating the slope beneath and raising the ceilings above. Every new detail was made to look vintage, retaining the core essence of the site, while state of the art whole house systems ensure that it functions like 21st century home. This home was featured on the cover of ELLE Décor Magazine in April 2016. G.P. Schafer, Architect Rita Konig, Interior Designer Chambers & Chambers, Local Architect Frederika Moller, Landscape Architect Eric Piasecki, Photographer

Custom home by Advantage Contracting in West Hartford,CT. Project is located in South Glastonbury, CT.
Large elegant two-story concrete fiberboard exterior home photo in Bridgeport with a mixed material roof

Stephen Cridland Photography
Eat-in kitchen - mid-sized traditional u-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen idea in Portland with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Rob Karosis Photography
Inspiration for a contemporary kitchen remodel in Boston with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets and stainless steel appliances

Nikola Vick
Elegant master corner shower photo in Atlanta with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets and gray walls

Foyer - mid-sized contemporary dark wood floor and brown floor foyer idea in Chicago with white walls

Example of an arts and crafts green tile red floor bathroom design in Minneapolis with a drop-in sink, dark wood cabinets, shaker cabinets and green countertops

Inspiration for a transitional master black tile multicolored floor bathroom remodel in Grand Rapids with white cabinets, an undermount sink and recessed-panel cabinets

Lisa Weatherbee
Example of an eclectic bedroom design in New York with blue walls

Emily Followill
Example of a mid-sized country medium tone wood floor and brown floor kitchen design in Atlanta with white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula, an undermount sink, marble countertops, white backsplash, white countertops and beaded inset cabinets

Example of a large transitional dark wood floor and white floor great room design in Dallas with white walls and a standard fireplace

Inspiration for a transitional light wood floor and beige floor kitchen remodel in Austin with a farmhouse sink, white cabinets, gray backsplash, ceramic backsplash, an island, shaker cabinets, paneled appliances and black countertops

Photo by Rachel Weill
Inspiration for a contemporary medium tone wood floor living room remodel in San Francisco with gray walls