Every time I start a new project I have to find that magical “Inspiration.” So where does it come from? How do you find it for your own projects? For me inspiration can come from the color palette and mix of textures of a necklace, or simply a unique color combination in an advertisement. Primarily I am inspired by seeing other people’s homes and how they create their own personalized mix of colors, possessions, textures, and layouts. In order to get a steady stream of this inspiration I subscribe to design magazines that feature a variety of styles, and I read a wide variety of blogs online that feature everything from product design, home accessories, and fashion, to the homes of creative people who didn’t work with a designer. I’ve been tearing inspiring images out of design magazines since I was a kid, and the files keep growing and growing. Now I also save copies of inspiring images from websites electronically and organize them for easy reference. So now when I start a new project, I usually have an idea of the client’s general style, but I need to flesh out how their style will be carried through into all the details, and that’s where the inspiration images come into play.

So, let’s imagine a client who is interested in updating a guest bedroom and wants it to be neutral but with some pops of color to make it interesting but easy to update. I found this image, where the warmth of this den is created by using grass cloth on the walls and a rich palette of deep tones. But the neutral color palette is set on edge by the use of bright orange accents in the armchair and the two coffee tables.

Then, to show that a lighter color palette could work as well, the following image shows how pale yellow accents can add interest in small doses in easily updated pieces like throw pillows and an ottoman.

By pulling these images together with others you can begin to see the elements in common that highlight the direction for the design. From there, I can see what mix of materials, textures and colors I want to use, and it becomes a matter of finding the right mix of pieces to create a harmonious balance in each room.

Working from these inspiration images, I developed this example of how the guest bedroom could be designed to coordinate with the dark wood tones and clean lined transitional furniture and color palette of adjacent rooms that had already been updated (Concept 1a). Or the room could be taken in a slightly more modern direction with a more Danish influence with a bold accent color that still ties in to the color palette in the guest bathroom (Concept 2).

So for your own projects, start pulling images that you love, even if you are not sure what exactly you love about them, and start a folder. As a designer, it is really helpful and more efficient when clients have started the process of thinking about what their style is, and what they do and don’t like. Even if you feel like the images you’ve pulled together seem like a mismatch, I usually can see the unifying threads that weave them together and reflect your taste and preferences. So get that pile of magazines and scissors out and get inspired! Or just call me, and I’ll figure it out for you.