The desire to redesign or redecorate often precedes the actual vision of what it is you want to see and experience when the project is complete. Once you get the remodeling itch, it’s a good idea to spend a month or two (or more) finding inspiration for your interior design project.
Ideas to Inspire Your Upcoming Interior Design Project
There may be some “absolutes” you already know you want. That’s great; write them down. In the meantime, the world is your oyster when it comes to learning about colors, shapes, pattern, texture, lighting and balance.
The following are ideas for finding inspiration in the world around you, with the goal of creating an attractive interior design that resonates with your lifestyle, energy and the overarching personality of your household and its members.
Create Your Own Interior Design Ideabook (or Pinterest Page)
If you haven’t done so already, start your own Interior Design Ideabook (IDI). Most people do this digitally these days, and websites such as Houzz are great for this sort of thing. However, I still have a fair share of clients who like to create scrapbook-style ideabooks, culling images from magazines, printed photos online, and photos they have taken on their own.
This is a wonderful tool for honing in on your favorite things, and also to bring with you as you begin to consult with interior designers. When they look into your IDI, they’ll gain an immediate sense of your overall taste and style.
Start Perusing Interior Design Websites & Magazines
The internet has truly revolutionized the world of design. Between the infinite supply of images and ideas you can find on your own, combined with the conversations you have with your designer about the type of space(s) you want to create, there’s no reason not to have an interior design you absolutely adore.
One of the things that makes interior design websites so nice is that you can easily copy photos you love or design concepts you want to implement into your own digital version. Also, they’re very easy to search via design style (traditional, transitional, modern), as well as room or living-area specific ideas. Of course, if you’re keeping a “hard copy” version of an IDI, you can print what you want and glue it into the book.
Start Taking Walks in Various Nature Settings
One of the most important lessons you can learn when designing interior and exterior living spaces is that there is no need to be “matchy-matchy.” In fact, perfectly-matching interiors end up looking fake, forced, and they lack the personality required for you and future guests feel at Home, with a capital “H”.
Start taking walks in different neighborhoods, parks and nature preserves and pay attention to how Mother Nature always looks her best, without any forethought or penchant for matching the redwoods to the lupines, or the ensuring the hue of the seafoam compliments the cliff sides beyond it. You’ll discover attractive color combinations you may never have thought of on your own, or by looking at color wheels and paint swatches.
Take note of the color schemes, patterns, proportions and natural landscapes that make you say “Aaaah…”. Then snap a picture and save it in your IDI.
Take a Deeper Interest in Friends’ Interiors
Remembering that the goal is to create a personalized design, pay closer attention when you’re inside the homes of friends and family members. Note the things you like, the things you could envision in your own home. Also consider design motifs that you appreciate, but would want to implement differently in your own living spaces.
While it’s always nice to emphasize the positive, jot down a list of the “absolutely nots!” as they strike you. These are worth capturing in a “No Way, José” section of the book, which will also be of interest for your interior designer. We certainly don’t want to spend a single moment designing features or sample designs with ideas you’ll automatically reject.