Paring down inspiration folders

Do you have inspiration folders that are specific to looks you want to recreate or that contain elements you would like in your home?

I'll show you a few of my inspiration images along with how they have turned up in my house.

I wanted the painting above to be in a casual family space in my house.

my house

Can you whittle down a massive folder of inspiration pics to one or two per room?

I absolutely had to pare down the inspiration and have one file of ideas I will use and another, massive file of images I really like.

Dining room inspiration #1

Dining room inspiration #2

The images I choose offer general style cues for me instead of an exact look to recreate.

My dining room

Most of my rooms are a work in progress. The dining room needs more on the walls and perhaps an artful setting to fit the look of the inspiration pics. My living room is waiting for items to arrive but in the mean time I have put together my inspiration for the room.

inspiration from Lonny

Lonny had a wonderful image of a bombe chest with a modern painting above. 

My bombe chest

My vignette will include the painting shown, above the chest flanked with Brno chairs.

My huge file of images is still a go to when I just can't think of a way to put something together.
Keeping these photos of other people's houses helps me to define what I like, love, and absolutely hate in decor.

finding inspiration anywhere

I am often driven to a new idea or inspired by an image or things I see out and about. By that I mean, that the visual bookmark in my mind is jogged when I see things I like and I am reminded that I wanted to find the perfect fabric for my dining room chairs, for instance.

I often find inspiration in colors of fabrics...

and design motifs.

  and their shapes in general.

Patterns in nature inspire my love of symmetry.

Texture is one thing that I don't always use as a jumping off point in an over all design although,

I can't help but notice it.

 Art is a huge source of inspiration for me.

The color, texture and shapes all get my creative mind going.

Where do you find inspiration?

Finding design inspiration

Finding design inspiration is not always as obvious as grabbing the nearest shelter magazine and copying the elements that you like best.

Often the architecture dictates what you can copy.

The best designs evolve from one or more sources like...

image via Thibaut

a fabric or wallcovering that that has the colors and mood that resonate with you.

Non -designers can have a very dificult time translating an inspiration peice into a functioning room without resorting to the pre-matched fabrics, etc. from one vendor.

A feminine fabric that is a jumping off point can determine the color sheme and the general feel of a room but is not without subtleties. Some have a very refined feeling and others a younger, flirtier type of feminine vibe.

This inspiration photo...

image via Thibaut

can be about texture or a monochromatic color sheme or just have the general feel that you want.

Often a certain style or period is the thing that gets a person to identify what it is that they want.

One way a designer gains insight into a person's style is by looking at their collections and belongings on display.

Take a look around, often the best inspiration is right under your nose in even the smallest way.