Where do We Find Inspiration?

One of the reasons I love this field so much is the sheer diversity of sources that surround us. Even something so simple as the particular shade of blue the sky reflects can be a crucial breakthrough at the right time. I’ve never liked using the same element twice; I feel a deep need to keep the feel of my Designs fresh and exciting. Depending on the problem I’m trying to solve, Inspiration can come from magazines, blogs, other designers, and so much more. The central challenge is learning how to translate whatever inspires me to my environment and life.

This question would have been easier to answer a couple of years ago. Travel has always equipped me with sources to consult as I try to find new ways to keep my personal design ethos fresh. The knowledge of what feels fresh in other locales helps me to gain a broader perspective of what the modern client needs from their space. My travels in Norway and Denmark gave me an invaluable chance to learn from the culture of Scandinavian minimalism, and inspired me to rethink what is actually needed in a design. The more you focus on essential elements, the stronger the overall design.

Experiencing the culture and finding new elements to incorporate is only half of the story. Further inspiration is taken from visualizing how to properly adapt what I see in other parts of the world to my own community. It’s found in taking a good idea from an unfamiliar environment, as asking myself: how can this work for us, here in Fairport? I continuously return to New England, particularly the White Mountains. The shops, hotels, and boutiques are filled with handmade artisan goods that highlight and utilize the strengths of their region. Lately, I’ve been in love with natural woods: using unprocessed materials that will age over time and speak to a more organic sensibility. Using pieces like this allow me to feel like I’m in my happy place without a literal translation. They may be a small element of the individual design, but they remind me of something bigger and more important.

In the absence of travel, I’ve been invited to rely more heavily on the material aspects themselves for Inspiration. This year’s visit to High Point Market was even more crucial than the visits of years past. Experiencing the community there and viewing the number of pieces gave me so many opportunities to be inspired. All it takes is one piece, and suddenly I imagine a room taking shape around it. Like any creative field, there are times where you will worry that you won’t be able to find something, but moments like these remind me that inspiration builds upon itself, and a single spark can make an entire project fall into place.

The Design World is very regional and always shifting. Seeing the work of my fellow designers in faraway places shows me new paths to innovation in design. Other markets bring fresh perspectives as my fellow designers work to solve similar challenges. Every corner of the US is different, and looking at the work of designers, particularly those in places like Utah and California can be a boon to the creative process. For example lighter hardwood floors, and furniture made of white oak abound on the West Coast, but haven’t been used with the same regularity here. I love taking elements like these and incorporating them alongside elements of traditional East Coast design.

Blogs, magazines, and online resources help to expand the range of what’s possible. It’s not about “copying” the work of others, but questioning how to mold the same pieces into fresh works. A light fixture that inspires me in a hotel lobby in Manchester, Vermont might bring the perfect vintage sensibility if added to a Rochester bathroom in a different color. These resources streamline the process, allowing me to experience a small part of a faraway place even when circumstances prevent my physical presence.

Luckily, you don’t have to travel very far for inspiration. The color palate I love is a direct product of my environment, and Upstate New York offers so many beautiful opportunities to be inspired by the natural world. The deep blues and greens that surround a home in the outdoor world can be brought inside, in small bits and pieces to create great beauty. You might not recognize it immediately, but little tastes of beautiful things from all over the globe come together to create something entirely new. Isn’t that what design is all about?

Happy Designing!