Decorating Ideas & Inspiration

Looking for inspiration for your next decorating project but don’t know where to start? Design inspiration can come from many sources – magazines, a friend’s house, even movies. Start collection your ideas and inspirations and create your own idea book.

Here are some tips to help you find ideas and inspiration for decorating your home.

Start With an Existing Piece

Perhaps you have a favorite painting, or an area rug – use that as a starting off point for your design. Pick one or more colors from the rug or artwork to pull your color scheme together. The subject matter of the art may also provide inspiration.

source: Alexandra Luhrs Interior Design
The artwork above the bed inspired the use of blue accent colors in this relaxing master suite.

source: Alexandra Luhrs Interior Design
The colors and fabrics in this living room were inspired by the beautiful mix of colors in the traditional area rug.

Use Travel as Inspiration

Travel can be a great source of design and decorating ideas. Perhaps the lobby or room in a memorable hotel could provide inspiration. Or a collection of souvenirs from your travels could be the main focal point in a space from which you build your design around. If you love the beach – let the sand, sky and water influence the colors and textures you use.

source: Mathew Millman
Asian influence and a mix of textures abound in this guest bedroom seen in the fretwork screen, the Chinese style day bed and the seagrass rug.

source: Firmdale Hotels London
Stylish bedroom inspiration from the boutique hotel Number Sixteen, a Firmdale Hotel.

Flip Through Books and Magazines

When I start a project with new clients, the first thing I ask them to do is flip through design magazines and books for things they like or dislike. It could be an entire room that they are drawn to or it could simply be a sofa, or even just a color. Start collecting clippings of things you like and create your own inspiration book.

source: Suzy Renovator

Search the Media

The homes and hotels featured in movies and television can be a great source for decorating ideas. After the 2003 movie “Something’s Gotta Give” came out, design publications were inundated with the elegant Hamptons style beach houses similar to the home featured in the film. Television offers networks devoted entirely to home and garden shows such as HGTV and DYI networks. And of course there is no shortage of inspiration on the internet where you can search for images and information by style or space.

source: James Radin
The classic white kitchen from the movie “Something’s Gotta Give”.

Visit Open Houses

What better way to get ideas for your home than to see them in person. Touring the real estate open houses in your area can be a great way to experience good design (and bad design) firsthand and to see what’s popular in your area. Many cities also have designer showhouses featuring the talents of local designers and the latest trends in decorating and design.

Decorating Ideas & Inspiration Web Guide

• Remodeling and Decorating Ideas at Houzz
  Find architects and interior designers as well as search image galleries for your next project and save them to your own online idea book at Houzz.com

• Better Homes and Gardens Decorating Gallery
  Check out Better Homes and Gardens decorating gallery for ideas and inspiration for any room in the house. There are hundreds of photos that can be sorted by room, style and even color.

• Creating Inspiration Boards and Notebooks
  Organize your ideas and inspirations for your design project by collecting clippings and photos and putting them in a binder or on a board. The Inspired Room has tips that will help you create your inspiration book and also gives tip on how to zoom in on the important details.

• Apartment Decorating
  Here are some great decorating tips for renters that won’t break the bank or the rental agreement.

• Create a Styleboard
  Create your own inspiration board with HGTV's Styleboard tool.