Secret: when Ashley and I put rooms together in the store, we come up with a pretend person who lives there and develop ideas about his/her personality and life. It helps us make a coherent space.

For our most recent room, we used a real person but made up a situation. Below, meet my husband Ryan's efficiency apartment. This is where he'd live if he was a bachelor, and the place where he'd charm me into loving him (As if his blazing red hair is not enough on its own!). Of course in this scenario, we've met later in life at the store.

His design personality is eclectic but streamlined. He is a writer, loves coffee and has a great sense of humor.

When real, actual Ryan came into the store, without telling him this was his room, he said, "I could live here."