Inspiration: It’s All Around

By woven decor, February 4, 2012

Photo by Annee Davis.

One of my all-time favorite movies is August Rush. It’s a fairy tale with a happy ending. Life needs more of those. One of the lines at the very end is August saying, “The music is all around us, all we have to do is listen.” We get so busy we don’t take the time to just stop and breathe let alone listen.

Where does decorating inspiration come from? Well, like August says, “It’s all around us.” I love clouds. The way the shape, color and texture literally change from second to second. I have pretty vivid memories of lying under the big oak tree at the end of our driveway and watching the clouds, always looking for something in them. But I am equally captivated by trees. I spent much of my childhood tomboy years climbing trees and playing in the woods on our farm. Fall has always been my favorite season; leaves changing in all their glorious colors, even the scent of burning piles of leaves bring back fond memories. And inspiration. Always inspiration.

There are so many places to gather inspiration when decorating a room. Take the internet, for instance. I’ve officially become a Pinterest member and what a wonderful site to get inspired. I’ve only been an official member since yesterday and have already started 9 boards (I can tell this site is going to consume me for a while). The blogging world is another wonderful way to gather inspiration (which I hope I’m doing for you). There are always search engines and shopping sites in abundance.

Rock bunk house. Photo by Annee Davis.

If you don’t like to spend time surfing the net, then wander into some unique boutiques, antique stores and specialty shops with no purpose other than to look at beautiful things. Take a walk through the park. Sit in a cafe and watch people. Smell the coffee and listen to the music. Look at the pictures hanging on the wall. Take a drive with a friend or play with your child. See the beauty of life through their eyes. When we take a few moments to simply enjoy, the inspiration and creativity starts to flow.

I took the pink prairie picture Christmas morning, 2010. The colors are beautiful, warm and fresh. The texture is stunning. As much as I’d like to take credit for the bedroom below it, it’s just a gorgeous room I came across on http://www.Houzz.com for the purpose of showing you how inspiration can be found anywhere.

Pink Prairie Morning

Design by charleston architect Frederick + Frederick Architects

Help yourself to remember that inspirational “something.” Guaranteed if you think you’ll always remember that stunning upholstery fabric you saw on a chair in a hotel lobby, you won’t. Enter technology. Most of us have cell phones with a way to make notes. Also, very few cell phones are without cameras these days. Snap pictures and make a folder in your settings for inspiration. Remember to transfer it to your desktop where it won’t get lost. Don’t be afraid to take pictures of odd or crazy things if they inspire or move you emotionally. People have designed beautiful gowns inspired by a picture of gutter water reflecting light.