Things that Inspire ~ Using Inspiration Pieces ~ Part One!

Favorites, Inspire Entire Rooms!

Things that inspire using inspiration pieces, Part 1! Sharing ideas to decorate a room in a snap or at least get started. Is it time for an update or a refresh? Start with something you love and create a space using an inspiring piece. It could be a small accessory or a favorite antique. I am sharing things that inspire me while decorating rooms.

Below are some inspiring pieces I used to create rooms I love. Clean lines and great lighting make a home that is warm and inviting. These favorites are not in a particular order of love, just a reference point.

#1 Favorite

Breakfast / Dining Chandelier

While shopping at a local supply store, I noticed a chandelier lit up in the showroom. It was gorgeous and had clean lines. This chandelier sparkled and twinkled. The light was a unique drum light, and I wanted it.

I wanted it until I moseyed over and saw the price tag.

Sticker shock.

Naturally, I went home and miraculously found it on the internet for half the price. The contact at the local supply store recommended I buy it because the online price was lower than her wholesale price. I immediately bought it online. It sat in the box for two years.

The patience factor to hang it was off the charts. We had so much going on with the remodel I managed to wait. The only worry was the warranty would expire if the light had a flaw. I took a chance and decided I would make it work. I had to make it work because I loved it.

Proportion Matters

Our Breakfast / Dining area is small. The space can be awkward. Our french doors open inward, so there is a space issue. Centering the light on the french doors and not the picture window allowed for more space to incorporate the fantastic, narrow dining table.

The Dining Table Hiccup worked out because the perfect chandelier hung with the correct-sized down rod.

The chandelier was love at first sight. It is the perfect size for the space, and the clean lines work. While modern, the bronze metal offers a rustic feel, and it blends with the barrel drum table in the Great Room to tie it all together.

Two reasons for purchasing the chandelier prematurely and contradicting my advice (Decorating 101) about patience are below.

1. I did not want to miss the sale price
2. The drum light would work with any table, no matter the shape

The unique chandelier is the WOW piece in my kitchen & breakfast/dining area. Seeing it live is like the sunset; a picture does not do it justice. The unexpected bonus, when the sun shines through the picture window, the facets in the chandelier illuminate throughout the dining & great room area. It is stunning.

Drum Light Chandelier became the inspiration piece for the dining area. Interesting tidbit, because it is such a wow factor, it helped eliminate the need for pendant lights above the island, which I did not want. The Explanation is here.

#2 Favorite

Vanity

Perusing the same supply store mentioned above with one of my best friends, I spotted the vanity below. My friend is a decorator, and she told me to buy it, no question, thank goodness!

This vanity ended up inspiring the entire kitchen. I loved the stained base and the quartz top with unique veining.

We don’t have a lot of gray in our house, but the veining in the quartz of this vanity worked when paired with the stained cabinet base.

In our guest bathroom, the vanity offered the exact look I was after, modern yet rustic. I don’t know if that is a thing or something I made up, but it works for me. Decorating is personal.

I struggled to find quartz for our kitchen countertops that did not have gray. After I found this vanity and loved the base color, I recreated the color for the cabinet base for the kitchen island. After months of searching, I found quartz which leaned light brown more than gray, and boom, selection complete.

Clever me, not really, lucky me. Guest bath vanity inspired the bathroom and the kitchen. Vanity, another love at first sight, became the pallet I used to remodel the kitchen. I listened to my gut. 

#3 Favorite

Painting

I immediately purchased this canvas painting I found years ago because I loved the size and the colors. It reminded me of our Litchfield, CT property which added a personal touch. I identified with this artwork. I have used this piece multiple times to create a room.

The painting above has moved to the lake house and inspired me to create our girl’s bedroom #1. Canvas painting adds interest and makes it fun to experiment with colors I don’t often use.

The Guest Suite image below is from the Johns Creek home. The makeover of girls bedroom #1 at the lake using this painting is coming soon.

Girl #1 bedroom at the lake house looks similar to our guest bedroom at the John’s Creek house, shown above. The Lake bedroom update has been fun because I edited some of the bedding, painted the walls white, and still used the same furniture and lamps.

Looking forward to sharing the lake bedroom makeover soon, so stay tuned.

#4 Favorite

Authentic Wood Box

Anheuser-Busch Inc. wood box, SCORE!

Hello?!?!? Talk about a perfect fit for my home. Found this years ago, and it remains a centerpiece in my Great Room. Rustic, lake-ish, and quenches my thirst, almost.

Below left is the perfect location for my favorite wood box in our lake house. Front and center in the builtins and fits perfectly.

Every day I look at that beer box, and it makes me happy. One of my favorite haunts, Queen of Hearts, is where I spotted this perfect-for-me accessory years ago. I got it for a great price, and I love, love, love it every time I lay eyes on it.

This box lived in the built-in above the closed cabinet at our John’s Creek home. I always loved the look of the great room at this home with its coffered ceilings and wall of windows.

Link here to see the John’s Creek home.

#5 Favorite

Maine Blueberries Box

So much fun to use these wood elements and find spaces for them in our home. I used a different texture to break up the wood by adding glass milk bottles. Milk bottles provide a touch of color and height needed for this space.

Another inspiring piece I love because of the story behind the reference to the state of Maine. This piece means a lot since our son went to Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. Incredible four years of my life! We should have had more kids because I could have gone to college forever!

The Maine wood box below is in the center of the built-ins for symmetry at the lake house. Built-ins on both sides of the fireplace are fun to decorate because of the narrow shelving and dark background. Trial and error when decorating shelves is my favorite way to decorate. Find a Post here about shelf decorating.

I used this box in expansive builtins shown above right at the John’s Creek home to mix texture elements while adding color. Trying to count the number of times I redecorated the shelves at the John’s Creek house is impossible.

See below image for shelf decor when staging the house to sell. The edits were to remove some clutter, but either image of shelf decor works.

Conclusion

As this blog evolves, I will share more examples and listen to feedback for new ideas using favorites to decorate a room.

I have used the trick of singling out an inspiration piece to decorate a room multiple times. It helps the psyche while eliminating the overwhelm.

Given my experience over time 🙄, it makes it easy to share these quick tips. I hope this helps in some way. If nothing else, it may save you some time. Trial and error is a great starting point by using your favorites!