The Inspiration behind Great Design

What inspires you?

Some rooms are decorated to look like they popped right off the pages of a design magazine. If you are struggling to find a style for your home that you are happy with, a style that works with our home and family, there is hope!

First things first, when I start designing for a new client (or myself), I want to know their style, what inspires them and what colors they are drawn to. For a designer, these questions (and more) help us set to the stage to begin design process. Some people don’t know their style or can’t seem to pull it together in a unified way. (Hence, where I come in)! Here is a fun task to help you find the inspiration for you to design a great space!

So get ready!

• You will need a pile of homes and interiors magazines (you might like to get together with some friends and all bring a collection of magazines… make it a party)!
• Scissors.
• Binder (or a poster board)
• Clear plastic page protectors

Over a cup of tea, peruse through the magazines and cut out furniture, home accessories, room sets or homes shoots that catch your eye, don’t think about it too much, if you like it initially, cut it and set it aside. Don’t be afraid to mix and match styles, and colors, if you are drawn to it, grab it. Fill up your inspiration binder with the things you love. Or if you are designing one room, cut things out and paste them to a small poster board to help you sift through your likes and dislikes. Eventually you will end up with a book or page with the things that will inspire your designs.

Want to know how I organize my piles and piles of design inspiration? Well, great question! I used to have piles of tear outs from design magazines sitting around begging to be filed. During my college days, I learned to start an inspiration binder to keep all of my favorite pictures in. The binder really helps solidify my own home design and all too often, I draw inspiration for clients too! It is kind of the “ultimate magazine” if you think about it! I even organized it into categories so when I need some holiday inspiration, for example, I can find it easy!

I also keep an inspiration folder on my computer with similar categories. I usually rename the picture with the source where I found it in case I ever want to blog about it! (What can I tell you, I like to give credit where credit is due?)

We keep inspiring design books proudly displayed in the living room…

… and we keep all of our favorite recent issues (or mags we tagged) stacked in the baskets in the office…

…and we stash a bunch of design mags that we fancy in various leather and woven baskets near little reading zones in the den, guest room and the office (see the little brown bin to the right of the tan armchair?).

So that’s how I keep the never ending inspiration magazines, books and tear outs organized! Do you have a different way of organizing your ideas? We’d love to know what methods you have found to draw inspiration and keep it neat and tidy! Or if you can accredit your inspiration boards or binders to helping you create the look you love, do tell!! Email us to be considered for a reader redesign!

All images courtesy of A Design Story, LLC.