I think I became a member of Pinterest about three years ago. I know I hadn’t discovered it before my wedding because I used an image bookmarking tool called Visualize. This seemed great at the time but relied on the user hunting out their own inspiration. (Can you imagine?!) I can’t work out if this was a blessing though as quite frankly my wedding blog reading became fanatical and led to the undertaking of a lot of DIYs. If I had discovered Pinterest I think I would have thought I was capable of building my own wedding venue, or at the very least doing my own flowers.
Pinterest is without a doubt, the bees knees. Like most people I use it for collating inspiration but my most favourite feature is the secret pin boards. I use these to help plan content for Rock My Style, foster ideas for shoots and to share concepts with some of my interior decor clients.
However Pinterest isn’t the only tool I use when I’m looking for design inspiration and I’m sure you use others too.
Interiors Blogs
I probably have about ten interiors blogs I read on a regular basis and flit by many others for a nosey too. I used to enjoy the Living Etc forum too but it’s since folded. Young House Love is my favourite for practical advice, Emily Henderson for styling tips and Smitten Studio for all round eye candy.
Shelter Magazines
I am an ardent reader of Rue, and Lonny too. Both digital publications have a hip aesthetic and are busting with beautiful interiors. From a UK perspective I also enjoy Heart Home and 91 Magazine.
Books and Magazines
I’ve always been an avid Interiors Magazine reader and still hoard copies, not to mention the stash of home decor books I have accumulated too. Miranda and Charlotte have many favourites but mine is Domino: the Book of Decorating
I often keep my Cox and Cox and Rockett St George brochures too to flick through when I need ideas. It’s probably safe to say my current bedroom was heavily influenced by the calming images of The White Company catalogue.
Hotels, Bars and Restaurants
Snaps taken in bars of rugged unplastered walls inspired a potential exposed brick wall in our spare bedroom. Sadly it never came to fruition but it’s still one of my favourite looks.
My sister is currently planning a reclaimed style kitchen and we’ve both become obsessed with photographing industrial style light fittings and freestanding units while grabbing a bite to eat.
Shops and Store Merchandising
The first time I visited the Regent Street Anthropologie I promptly wanted to go home and set up a living wall of plants in my house. This obviously would have looked quite ridiculous in a modern two bed house but I was enamoured by their merchandising.
I once designed a bedroom round a single coral cushion I found in an interiors shop. Never again through. I know for some people this really works; they buy one item and the whole scheme escalates. For me though I just spent months hunting down things to tie in with my one cushion and disregarding lots of beautiful bits and pieces along the way.
So how do you find inspiration for your decorating adventures? Do you buy one item and take it from there? Or do you prefer to collate a load of ideas before launching into a project? I’d love to hear about your resources for gathering ideas.
This has come at a good time, after almost a year on the market we sold our one bedroom flat last Friday. (Yay) The downside to this however is my husband and I are moving in with his parents for 6 months to save for the house of our dreams. I will bookmark all these blogs to remind me that i will not be living with the in laws too long! (6 months it’s just 6 months to get through!) Plus i will have oodles of inspiration by the time we move!
Hi Kirsty, congrats on the sale!
Six months will whizz by and gives you lots of time to make very important decisions on cushions and curtains 😉 x
Ooh thanks for this! I’m in the process of buying my first home and wholeheartedly blame Pinterest for my current obsession with turquoise painted floorboards.. Not sure if it’s the best idea with a 3 year old in the house but it’s gonna look ace (in my head at least..). Will be checking out some of your blog/mag recommendations, thank you! x
Now you’ve got me checking out turquoise painted floorboards Helen! x
LOVE the interior design posts! My husband and I moved into our first ‘grown up’ house last November and we unfortunately had to rip out our kitchen 2 days after we moved in (mould, damp and grease issues) So we’ve had a make shift kitchen for nearly a year, after saving we are close to project extension time! Lots of mess to come but I take solace in my kitchen board on pinterest. I regularly check out http://www.livelovediy.com and love the Art and D I love our house but cannot wait to make it our Home.
Must go and check our Live Love DIY. Thanks for the recommendation Nadine x
Sorry missed out Arts and Decoration magazine!!
Brilliant post! Interiors (from design to decoration) are a current favourite of mine and I love spending time looking for inspiration. I too am a fan of Young House Love, Pinterest and Rock My Style too. Additionally, Decor8 is awesome (I see the book in your image up there!) as well as Apartment Therapy, Junkaholique (quirky and incredibly beautiful) and some things from Modern Country Style. Instagram is also becoming a good source – obviously dependent on who you follow.
I can’t help but feel that magazines are having trouble keeping up with online resources but obviously still have their place, there’s nothing quite like curling up with a cup of tea and a gorgeous magazine to while away an hour or more!
As for how we tackle decorating projects in our house, it’s a bit hit and miss but generally we decide on a look and then tweak it to suit us to ensure that it’s homely and unique. It worked wonders on our first home and now we’re well entrenched into applying the same theory to our current home…great fun!
Also love your interior design posts, in fact all of your posts! Great work, and thank you! x
Such a good point Naomi, I can’t believe I missed Instagram out. (Though you have given me an idea for another post…)
Thanks for the interiors love. So pleased you’re using RMS as a resource too. xx
Oh Lauren, are you inside my head? We’re now (fingers crossed) three weeks off moving into our new home and i’m spending lunchtimes poring over interiors mags.
Not sure what it is, but I do prefer print to online generally when it comes to interior inspiration (apart from RMS). Maybe because it’s easier to shove in Lee’s face going ‘I want it like this!!’
There is SO much I want to do. It’s your typical 1930’s semi, with lots to rip out, plaster, paint, sand, knock down etc etc… I’m still in mourning after leaving my beautiful Victorian fireplace behind to be landed with a chrome and ‘pebble’ monstrosity. But I cannot WAIT for the challenge… your interiors posts have been so helpful so far, i’m too keen to start actually doing something about it!
I’ve actually spent this lunchtime shamelessly stalking Fairly Light, before heading over to RMS and now you’re here with this!! Please come and style my house. No, really… will you?
xxx
I’m not surprised you’re in mourning about the fireplace my love. That’s not a fair swap.
I have been dreadful with updating my personal blog. You’ve reminded me I need to to a post.
More than happy to help out with your house! xxx
I might just fire you an email my dear! That’s such a kind offer xxx
…if I had your email address of course. What is it?xx
Just dropping you an email now! x
What Karen said about being in our heads! While the England game was on last night I spent the evening looking at Pinterest to get ideas for our house. We’ve still only done practical things really and not any actual decor! I think we’re going to start with our bedroom as its the most “done” of everything so only really needs a new colour on the walls, light fitting, blinds and carpet.
Noticed your “Old Housre New Home” book there in the photo – what’s that like? I’m developing a bit of an obsession on buying Period Home, Period House & Garden type magazines at the moment and have a big stack of them to read!
Hi Kitty, welcome to the best bit. It’s great when you’re ready to decorate.
I like the Old House, New Home book. It’s got some beautiful images in but I’m ashamed to say I haven’t really looked at it since I first got it. It’s a nice one for the collection though.
PS Where is your light ampersand from? I really want some sort of word with lights to put on the wall in our bedroom but don’t know where to look. Don’t really want to spend a fortune?
I made it myself (well with a little bit of help from James and a friend). I really wanted to do a DIY but sorting the actual lighting bit of it was a bit of a pain.
The main base of it is HobbyCraft Paper Mache letters. If I can find a less dangerous way to do it(!) I’ll post a tutorial x