Yesterday I received the sweetest comment from Lisa …
“I love how you decorate. I think mainly it’s because you use a lot of my three of my all time favorite colors of pink, green, blue. I also appreciate how you show us were you get your inspiration from, like designers, magazines, and other places. I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind giving me some suggestions. I NEVER see anything that remotely looks like my house, or the look that I’m going for, which is what I would call Rustic Woodland or Mountain. Everything I see is the lodge look or has moose or bears on it, which is not what I’m going for. I thought maybe you could give me some good places too look. I hope this isn’t too big of a question. “
I get a version of this question fairly often and I thought I would take the time today to post a pretty extensive list of all the places I get inspiration for design. Also I tried to post some pictures from those sites that might fit into Lisa’s love of Pink, Green, and Blue with a slightly more rustic bent. I don’t know if I got it right Lisa, but I gave it a shot!
Sometimes when you have a style that doesn’t fit one niche it can be hard to find resources that inspire. Also it can be hard to explain to others what you like.
Because I love pink and cotton florals, some people assume I love lace and want doilies draping every corner of my home. Actually nothing could be further from the truth.
Even though I love more feminine colors and patterns, I also love cleaner lines and simple textures. I only like cottons – burlap, duck, chenille, terry cloth, linen, ticking… I don’t really like silk, velvet or brocade – at least not for me and my home. I don’t want everything I have to be curvy and foufy. I like parsons chairs with simple tailored slipcovers – not ruffly drapy ones. For my home I don’t want furniture with a lot of carvings and scrolling all over it. I like simple and to the point furnishings. Clean lines mostly in white.
So what I do for inspiration is I pull from all over the place. I scour all sorts of magazines, online shops, web sites, and blogs to gather ideas. Some are too frilly for me most of the time, some are too modern…but regardless they expose me to new ideas, new ways of looking at design objects and sometimes I find something that just resonates and inspires, and those are the golden moments.
So here are all the places you can usually find me surfing and collecting ideas and inspiration from… If you have any great sites that you love please leave a comment with a link!
these are sites with extensive galleries of photos, mostly from a pool of magazines
House to Home
My Home IdeasFavorite Designers
Each one of these designers has inspired me in some way or another for several years, staying both consistent and fresh over the years.
Shabby Chic, Rachel Ashwell
Online Shops for Inspiration
I am not saying I can afford these shops, I am just saying that I love to look and be inspired!
Cottage and Bungalow
Favorite Magazines
My list is pretty long (I feel) but I also think it is pretty comprehensive for what I can get here in Arkansas and for the style that I like… I get every issue of the top 3 or 4, the rest I purchase when they really appeal to me. Some of these mags have great web sites, some not so much. Regardless I tend to like these magazines more in my hand than on my screen. Just something about holding them and reading them, putting them down and coming back to them later. I like how tactile it is.
Mary Engelbreit Home Companion
Country Home USA
Romantic Homes
Country Living UK
Country Homes and Interiors UK
Martha Stewart Living
Domino
Design Blogs
(these are blogs that always feature links to other designers/shops etc.)
Lilly and Tulip
Vintage Indie
Oh JoyOK, well I hope you have enjoyed my list, I have fun compiling it and I am sure once this is posted I will think of a dozen other places I love to visit….
Thank you for sharing! I love the way you decorate and your eye for design too! Thanks for the links to explore too! Happy 4th! Much love and many blessings! KatiePS ~ did the package arrive in one piece?
Man I love that porch with the umbrellas hanging from the ceiling.My own list is pretty similar!
LOVE your hanging parasols below! Fabulous!Sandra Evertson
Hi Jerusalem:Lovely photos. It seems we visit the same sites looking at the same type of rooms.Will be putting you on my bloglines list. I hope that is okay.LisaKnitty, Vintage and Rosy
What perfect pictures and ideas~Bristol
Wow! This is a great list! I can’t wait to check out the links…
Thank you for these links…so cool.I did that to my pantry door a few years ago- painted it white with the blackboard paint on the insets…it’s very handy and looks cool, even if you look through my kitchen window from the outside like a spy…and read what my shopping list is:-)it looks clean and arty:)
oh this is so full of wonderful information!thanks.this gives me something to look at all day.nice to check n on you again.