You might expect artist Meredith Steele’s workspace to be as colorful as the vivid abstract and mixed-media paintings that she creates. But the small studio in her Berkeley home is a blank canvas—for good reason. “I wanted to make this space as bright as possible,” says Steele, who is also half of the creative muralist team at Magik Studios. “My art is more on the vibrant and playful side, and [the room] allows nothing to compete with that.”

Steele painted the walls Sherwin-Williams’ Westhighland White, which is brightened by natural light from a “perfect little window that looks out onto the backyard,” she says. Complete with a minimalist worktable that Steele built herself, a mod Ikea pendant light, and accessible storage bins for paints and tools, the room functions perfectly when inspiration strikes. “The convenience is unbeatable. It’s my personal space dedicated to making things,” Steele says. And when she’s not in the mood to create? “It’s nice to be able to close the door and not think about it.”

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