How To Decorate Using An Inspiration Piece

If you know you want to redecorate your home, but are floundering with what you want to actually do, don’t panic. Using an inspiration piece is a great way to get your creative juices flowing. Whatever it is, it should be a piece that you absolutely love and it doesn’t have to be something that will be placed in the room. It could be a scarf or a piece of jewelry or a cowhide rug. The important thing is that it has colors and patterns that speak to you and give off emotion. Go on and be creative!

Pick a piece that fits a theme

Help yourself out by picking an inspiration piece that follows a theme. It will make all your decorating choices easier because you will already have a good sense of what naturally goes together. For example, if your inspiration piece is a Victorian broach, then you know you will want to go with Victorian-inspired furniture and color palette. There will not be a glass and metal combination in this room certainly.

If you have a painting you love then maybe you will want to pull some of the colors from it and have them extend into the design of the room. A cowhide rug can also be a good foundation piece to build upon. Use the color, pattern and texture of the rug to pick out the rest of the pieces for the room as well as the wall coverings.

Who says you need to be so literal?

While picking an inspiration piece that is closely related to a theme like that Victorian broach certainly will make your life easier, there is no rule that says you have to be so literal in your design. If you prefer to put your on personal stamp on the room you are decorating then pick an inspiration piece that gives you more freedom in choosing how to put the room together. For example, a cowhide rug doesn’t only fit in a western-styled room. Think outside the box about how the luxurious texture of the rug or the playful pattern could work in a romantic or contemporary setting as well. Always also keep in mind the purpose of the room. Is it a living room meant for family gatherings or a formal dining room meant for special occasions? How you approach each will be a little different.

You don’t have to display your inspiration piece

Depending on what you choose as your inspiration piece, it might not be something that is easily displayed in the room and that is okay. If the inspiration for your living room is your favorite scarf or your favorite pair of earrings, it doesn’t make sense to display them in the room, right? Don’t worry though, the elements you chose carefully for the room will also have the same desired effect and your inspiration piece will make a great story to share as you give a tour to your family and friends. Imagine how surprised and impressed they will be when you tell them.

Take the piece shopping with you

If possible, depending on how mobile your inspiration piece is (your baby grand piano not so much), you should bring it with you when shopping for all the elements of the room. If you just try to match up colors in your mind’s eye, you might be disappointed when you finally bring everything home and put it all together. The lighting in the store might be different than the lighting in your home or there might be subtle differences that you don’t notice until you get the new piece home. Cut out all that stress and worry and feel confident about your choices right from the start. Don’t worry though if some of your pieces are a slightly lighter or darker color then your inspiration. That difference can often bring in a subtle contrast that is appealing. Remember that today’s aesthetics isn’t all about everything matching. Just make sure you avoid big clashes of color and design.

Avoid hard and fast deadlines

When you are decorating around an inspiration piece and a particular theme, it is essential that every element of the room fits the vision.  A glass table may stick out like a sore thumb in an otherwise Victorian room. If you are trying to rush through a project to get it done by a particular endpoint, you might feel forced to settle for pieces that weren’t want you were really looking for. Sometimes taking your time, even if it takes months, to find the perfect items pays off in dividends. If you are on a tight budget, waiting for the right deals can also save you money along the way too. Think about how much more you will enjoy the room when it is exactly how you imagined it. It will all be worth the wait.

Perfection is overrated anyway

This may seem in direct contradiction to what I just said in the above paragraph, but it really isn’t. While you should take your time decorating to get the best results, it is also important to remember that nobody or nothing is perfect and that even if you can’t get all the elements in the room exactly how you imagined it, you shouldn’t stress over it. As long as you are happy with the overall look and the room exudes the personality and emotions you wanted then you should consider your foray into decorating a success!

Of course, the most important thing for you to keep in mind is that this is your room and as long as you are happy with the final results that is all that really matters. The biggest litmus test is if it is a room that you and your family and guests love to hang out it. Choosing an inspiration piece is at the end of the day all about making the room all about you. Have fun with it and get creative. That is what inspiration is all about!