Getting Interior Design Inspiration
Gather Inspiration
I want to tell you a secret. You know Pinterest, Houzz, and all those magazines we collect to get inspiration? Sure, they're great, but honestly- they're a bad starting point. The reason is because you're starting with literal THINGS, objects, and functions. Inspiration should come not in the form of things, but in feelings. Design is touchy-feely and emotional, and it should be. Honestly, it's a bit like interior psychology. We are manipulating spaces to make us feel differently.
Think about it. A kitchen isn't remodeled for a new stove, or pull out drawers. A kitchen is remodeled for ease of use, reduced stress, a brighter lighter feeling. It's not the things that move us, it's how the space will make us feel. It's convenience and comfort.
Now, let's take that up another level. What is comfortable to me, may not be comfortable to you. Additionally, what I understand to be midcentury modern, you may see as art deco. It is so important that we communicate first with feelings and second with visuals.
Step 1: Think about how you want to feel
So, when you gather inspiration for your design project, before you go straight to images of rooms, first think about how you want to feel and what makes you feel that way.
My own example:
I want to feel joyous, playful, energetic, and magical in my home. I want warmth, but in the way I feel warm when the sun hits my skin vs. the warmth of blankets and bundling on a cold day. I feel this way when the sun shines through the trees, when I watch my favorite childhood fantasy movies, when the sun is warm on my skin and I can smell the ocean. I love the feeling of sand in my shoes (really, I mean it)- it gives me childlike energy!
Now, my husband isn't one for these kinds of exercises, but here's what I know about him. He loves scenery, expansiveness. He likes calm and quiet, but also loves to rough house with our kids- so I think that it's important for me to create a space for us that can offer tranquility and playfulness.
Step 2: Find imagery that makes you feel this way
I still want you to avoid actual spaces initially. I showed you some of my imagery in last month's article, but here are some more that represent how I want to feel along with the images that I imagine my husband would choose:
Step 3: Translate this into images of interior spaces
When I look for interiors that will serve as a precedent for a design, I search things like "sunny bedroom", "playful dining space". That adjective does so much! It can be hard, but the images of the interior spaces should remind you of the inspirational images. Take a look at the Pinterest board I quickly created using my images above. These are not spaces I would naturally gravitate toward in regards to designing my own home and I think that is actually the point. We gravitate toward what we see in trendy magazines, on Houzz, on Pinterest, and we forget to think about how we want to feel in our homes and how our homes affect us. Our spaces shouldn't be designed just to look cool. They should be designed to give the feeling of paradise at home. While I also gather images of interior spaces and trends I love, this is truly the best way to establish a look that will bring joy into daily life. And after all, that's what it is all about, isn't it?
