Inspiration and how designers get their inspiration is always a popular topic of discussion in the design world. Without a doubt, the most asked question of a designer is, “what inspires you?” More times than not, big time designers have something fabulous to say about what inspires them; like an obscure museum in Prague or a boutique Hotel in some remote part of the world that I have never even heard of. Case in point, I attended a seminar by Charlotte Moss and she said Villa Kerylos and Balbianello inspired her… huh?….what??   (I Googled them both when I got home).

Kravet is one company that uses their print ads to show what inspires them.  Here is an ad for a chair and the cookie that was presumably the inspiration behind the chair.

Another company that does the same thing is the Ann Sacks Tile company. The tiles and the corresponding photos that inspired them are just beautiful. I would actually frame these ads I think they are so great.

Get it? ..cow boy boots, mustaches, tile pattern?

And how could you not want to purchase these tiles after seeing this ad?

Don’t you just love the orange windows and ping pong playing  Monks? Don’t you want these tiles??

The Angela Adams Ceramic Art Tile for ANN SACKS.

While leafing through the new Architectural Digests, I saw this featured building which was designed by UNStudio. Its just so fabulous that I couldn’t help but wonder what might have inspired the architect.

Maybe on a hot day while eating a soft serve with the kids he thought…hummm…. I see a building here.

or maybe the architect was inspired by another designer who did something similar as a vase.

vase by Jonathon Adler

This got me to thinking ,what inspires me? ( just in case I ever get asked the question). I have a hugely messy, ever changing design board above my desk filled with photos, fabric clippings, color samples, and quotes. I was just about to photograph it to show you when an email came through with this attached photo.

It was from my friend Susan and I took this inspiration photo with her camera 2 days ago while we were shopping. Susan is a fabulous decorative painter and the owner of Mad Patter Art Design. Together, we have been brain storming about colors for a very fun project we are soon going to be working on. When I saw the tops thrown over her shoulder that she was planning on trying on, I said, “wait..I think I found our colors!”.

It’s not a romantic villa or an exotic location but THIS is what inspired me.

So….What inspires you?