Designer's Block? Seven Unexpected Places to Find Inspiration

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Feeling stuck creatively is often as much about being overwhelmed with options as it is about not knowing where to look. Sure, films, books, magazines, and social media are amazing sources of inspiration, but if you’re experiencing scroll fatigue, it might be time to shake things up a bit. Here are seven less typical sources that could spark that big "aha!" moment for your next interior design project. Let’s jump right in!

1. Flea Markets & Thrift Stores

These are settings where each item has that elusive character we all seek to infuse in our designs. Thrift stores and flea markets aren’t just shops, but a challenge to create cohesion out of chaos. Here, a 1920s velvet armchair (granted, it needs some reupholstering), a rustic wooden crate, or a stunning pair of retro wall sconces can serve as the starting point or an accent piece in your designs. It’s all about seeing the potential in the peculiar.

2. Traveling

Sure, we’d all like to be able to take a trip to another continent every time we needed an inspiration boost. There’s nothing quite like being immersed in a whole new setting, but did you know you can use Google Street View to explore the interiors of some spectacular sites, including the Taj Mahal in India or the Palace of Versailles in France?

 3. Museums or Art Galleries

Whether it’s a vibrant painting, a profound sculpture, or even ancient hieroglyphics, these art forms can propel your design thinking forward. How does the color theory in a modernist painting work in a living space? What can the textures of a bronze sculpture bring to a tactile experience in a room? Use these elements as a springboard for your own creations.

4. Graphic Design

Why not let another design discipline inform your work? Graphic design, with its strong emphasis on balance, alignment, and color, can offer fresh perspectives. Explore how a minimalist logo can inspire a sleek, modernist space or how vintage typography could lend a retro feel to a cozy café. The principles of graphic design are versatile and can translate beautifully into spatial arrangements.

5. Fashion Shows

It’s no secret that fashion and interior design are intertwined, each influencing the other with trends, textures, and techniques. So look beyond the clothes in a fashion show (or in Vogue) and think about the stories the fabrics and styles can tell in a space. That swath of iridescent tulle? Picture it as a sheer curtain catching the light in a sunny room. The bold geometric patterns on a coat? Imagine that as a vibrant rug tying a room together. You may also find inspiration in the runway sets themselves!

6. Haute Cuisine Plates

Ever considered a chef’s plating in a Michelin-star restaurant as a muse for your design? The artistry involved in haute cuisine—from the color palette to the texture of ingredients—can provide unexpected creative cues. Don't know what color to pair with a black wall? How about a sprinkle of vibrant paprika?

 7. Nature

There’s no better designer than Mother Nature, from the famous Golden Spiral to the patterns on a butterfly’s wings. But again, don’t just scroll…stroll! Whether you take a hike and practice forest bathing for an immersive experience, get totally mesmerized by the spotted fish at the aquarium, the windy pathways and flowers at a botanical garden, or the organic shapes at the Natural Science Museum, let nature’s beauty inspire you.

So, next time you feel like you’re in a creative design rut, stop what you’re doing, look away from your screen for a moment, and think about where you might like to visit for inspiration–whether you can get up and go somewhere or it’s back on your computer (but intentionally)! Remember that the world is full of weird and wonderful things that can transform a bland space into something spectacular. And you can connect with those endless possibilities when you slow down and switch gears. Who knows where your next great idea will come from? Happy exploring!

xx, Danae

Creating Vision Boards for Life and Business

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As interior designers, we are no strangers to composing material boards or mood boards. The unique combination of images and textures we create tells a story about our vision for the project ahead. As we progress, they can serve as a reference point to return to, helping us stay consistent with our concept and keep us on track to achieve it. So why not do the same with your business or personal life?

A vision board is an inspirational board created with photos, images, clippings, phrases and words that represent the ideal lifestyle you want to reach or the goals you want to achieve. There’s no perfect formula to making a vision board, because it’s completely personal to you.

The most hands-on approach is a physical vision board, which you can make with a classic cork board or wire wall grid, among many other options. But you can also create a digital board made with an app such as Canva, and make it your desktop and phone background. Attach photos you’ve taken yourself, cut out magazines, or find images or quotes online. You may already have an existing collection of aspirational images on Pinterest to get you started.

Life Vision Board

Creating a vision board is an excellent exercise in its own right. Think of places you want to go, inspirational people whose energy you would like to channel, phrases that encourage or resonate with you, milestones on the horizon, objects that have meaning to you, or even fashion photos that inspire you. You can include images that evoke your values in relation to family and friends, spirituality, hobbies, projects or health. Anything that represents the life you want to lead in the future: near or a little more distant.

Business Vision Board

As with your life vision board, ask yourself what values or keywords represent your company, as well as the kind of work environment you’d like to cultivate with your team. Is there a number that represents a goal you have for this year, like a number of projects you’d like to complete? What image would represent your expansion goals? You may also like to work in your corporate fonts and colors in a creative way. Creating a vision board can actually be a great opportunity for team-building, as well, as you put your heads together to add insights.

While it’s important to be grateful for what we have and give ourselves credit for how far we’ve already come, having a vision board will help you to focus on where you want to go and how you want to continue growing. So the most important thing is that your vision board is somewhere you’ll see it often, such as at home first thing in the morning, or in plain view from your office desk.

Just as with all goal-setting, it’s best to choose attainable targets for yourself. Aim high, but if you overload your board with impossible objectives, it will only serve to discourage you rather than fulfill its purpose. Looking at your vision board should make you feel good and contribute to a more positive outlook. So don’t wait till the New Year to reflect on your goals. It's just a matter of dedicating a little time and creativity; nothing you're not willing to do to achieve your dreams, right?

xx, Danae