Bedroom with dark wood paneled walls, a large beige upholstered bed with multiple pillows, two nightstands with lamps, a beige upholstered armchair, a small side table, a patterned bench at the foot of the bed, a large area rug, and a large window with white curtains, a potted plant, and decorative wall baskets.

Living room with a large arched window, a white sofa, two green armchairs, a round wooden coffee table, a fireplace with a painting above, a tall black bookshelf, a modern chandelier, a table lamp, and a large potted plant.

A cozy dining area with a round wooden table, four woven rattan chairs, and a built-in white bench with colorful cushions. A large vase with flowers and a pitcher of water sit on the table. The background features dark blue walls with white wainscoting and a framed artwork hanging on the wall. A white pendant light hangs above the table.

A nursery with white walls, beige curtains, and a chandelier. It contains a white crib with a pink canopy, a white armchair with a stuffed bunny, a white ottoman, a gray elephant-shaped plush toy, a fluffy white rug, two white dressers with lamps, and a bouquet of white flowers.

A home office with a wooden desk, a laptop, a gray tufted chair, a patterned area rug, built-in white shelves with decorative vases and books, and large windows showing a garden outside.

Every room deserves to tell your story.

You know that feeling when you walk into a room and something just isn't right?

Maybe everything is nice, but it still doesn't feel finished. Maybe you've bought pieces you love, only to realize they don't quite work together. Maybe you've saved hundreds of inspiration photos and still don't know where to begin.

Or maybe your home simply doesn't feel like the life you're living anymore.

I get it.

And I don't believe you should have to figure it all out on your own.

I'm Leslie, the designer behind Home Story Studio. I created this business because I believe everyone deserves a home that feels beautiful, comfortable, personal, and completely their own.

Not a showroom.
Not a copy of something you saw online.

Your home. Your life. Your story.

A Different Path to Design

I didn't start out as an interior designer.

For more than 20 years, I was an educator. Teaching taught me how to listen carefully, ask the right questions, break overwhelming things into manageable steps, and notice the details that make all the difference.

But there was always a creative side of me waiting for more room to come out.

That eventually led me to home staging, where I spent two years learning to see homes differently.

I began noticing what can completely change the way a space feels—the placement of furniture, the balance of a room, the way light moves through it, the relationship between colors, and the small details that make a space feel finished.

And I realized something:

Good design isn't about having the most beautiful things. It's about making the right choices for the space and the people who live there.

That's what led me to create Home Story Studio.

Design Starts With Listening

Before I recommend a sofa, paint color, rug, or lamp, I want to know about you.

How do you actually use your home?

What do you love about it? What's driving you crazy? What do you want more of—and what do you want less of?

Most importantly, how do you want your home to feel?

Because even the most beautiful room isn't successful if it doesn't work for your life.

My job isn't to make your home look like a designer's home.

It's to help you create a home that feels like yours.

I See Color a Little Differently

Color has always been one of the things I notice first.

I'm a tetrachromat, which means I have an unusual sensitivity to color. I've always been fascinated by the subtle differences and relationships between colors—and how those relationships can completely change the feeling of a space.

But my approach to color goes beyond choosing a pretty paint color.

I pay attention to how natural light changes throughout the day, how one color affects the color next to it, how furnishings and finishes interact, and how a palette can create a particular feeling in a room.

Because the right beige isn't necessarily the right beige for your home.

And the perfect blue isn't perfect if it fights with everything around it.

Color should tell part of your story.

My Design Philosophy Is Simple

Beautiful.

Your home should make you happy to walk through the door.

Comfortable.

It should work for real life—not just look good in a photograph.

Intentional.

Your choices should work together, so you aren't left wondering why something still feels off.

And perhaps most importantly:

Beautiful design doesn't require an unlimited budget.

It requires a plan.

That's why Home Story Studio is built around online design plans that help you see the bigger picture before you spend your money.

Instead of buying one piece at a time and hoping everything eventually comes together, you'll have a cohesive direction for your space—one you can implement at your own pace and within the budget you've set.

Less guessing. Fewer costly mistakes. More confidence.

And When I'm Not Designing...

I'm probably doing something that has very little to do with interior design.

You'll find me cheering from the sidelines at my daughter's volleyball games, lounging in the pool with my husband, or experimenting in the kitchen while trying to find the next cocktail worth making again.

I love the little things that make a house feel like home—the people gathered around the table, the favorite chair everyone fights over, the flowers on the counter, the Sunday morning coffee, and the rooms that become the backdrop for our favorite memories.

Maybe that's why I care so much about creating spaces that feel good to live in.

Home isn't just where life happens. It's part of the story.

So, Where Does Your Home Story Begin?

Maybe it's a room you've been avoiding.

Maybe it's a color you've been afraid to choose.

Maybe your home simply needs to catch up with the life you're living now.

Or maybe you know your home could feel better, but you don't know what needs to change.

You don't have to have all the answers before you begin. That's where I come in.

Tell me what isn't working. Show me what you love. Tell me how you want your home to feel.

I'll help you connect the pieces, make sense of the possibilities, and create a plan that feels like you.

Because you don't need a perfect home.

You need a home that feels like yours.

Let's Start Your Home Story.

A modern bedroom with neutral tones, large windows, and mountain views. Furniture includes a gray bed, a seating area with chairs, and various decor items like a chandelier, antler wall art, and a sliding barn door.

Interior design mood board for a dining room with classic and vintage furniture in shades of blue, cream, and brown. Features a formal dining room with a chandelier, blue upholstered chairs, a wooden sideboard, patterned accent chairs, a wooden table, a vintage rug, and decor items including artwork and a floral arrangement.