Filed under: Color, Your Home, Design, etc, Furniture
The mood of this photo made me want to decorate. Photo: Robert Crum, Flickr
If you're like me, you are often inspired by things you see in your travels or in nature. Inspiration can be found anywhere -- and we're not alone in thinking so. ShelterPop design experts Maria Greenlaw and Suzanne Caldwell produced an entire video series around this very concept. Many of my personal wardrobe pieces, artwork or home furnishings are in a color palette that I've spotted while on vacation or on a walk. Being able to capture that inspiration in a photograph is the ultimate way to keep that memory with you always.
I went on a virtual journey recently and found this image on Flickr. It's a photograph of a wall and window in Antigua, a city in Guatemala that was taken by Robert Crum, a photographer whose travel photographs are inspiring to say the least. I was instantly drawn to the warmth of the color palette, the texture of the chipping paint and the cool contrast of the metal bars. I wanted to try to capture this in a living room.
These yellow and orange hues of the wall remind me of fall, and it's been so hot here in the Northeast lately, that I feel ready to move on. In the fall, I anticipate the winter, but I still hold on to the cummer -- it's a time of transition, of change. This photograph reminds me of a sunset, which is the transition between day and night. I wanted it to reflect the sense of transitioning, so I mixed warm tones, woods, and free-flowing patterns with cold metals, clean lines and graphic art. The style is, in effect, transitional, a harmonious mix of modern and traditional.
Did I get it right? You be the judge.
From the top left, clockwise:
I began with a simple, neutral couch in a brown color to represent the wood on the window: Holden Sofa with Chaise, $2,900, Room and Board. Underfoot, I chose a modern artistic rug with a neutral background and some splashes of yellow and orange: Marimba Rug, $299 to 599, CB2. A rustic coffee table also helps ground the space and reminds me of the dark window panes and rustic worn wood in the photograph: Hyde Coffee Table, $399, Pottery Barn. To represent the bluish green paint that is peeking through, I found this great painterly pillow that resembles a sunset. I like how the painterly lines resemble the texture of the wall: Contemporary Blue Pillow, $50, Target.
To pick up on the gold and the window bars, I chose this splurge of a lamp: Padma's Plantation Lina Teardrop Lamp, $690, Furniture Find. On one side of the sofa, I would place a Garvey Armchair in Light Cinnabar Linen, $130 to $520, West Elm and a Platner Side Table, $692, YLiving. The side table also reminds me of the window bars. As a backdrop for the whole room, I chose a simple yet slightly textured drape: Saja Ivory Curtain Panel, $60 to $80, Crate & Barrel. And on the other side of the couch, I would place a more traditional piece: Canary Print Slipper Chair, $299, Target (it's out of stock, but it fits perfectly!) complemented by a modern side table: Martini Side Table, $129, West Elm.
Tell us! What inspires you? Share your comments below or with us on ShelterPop's Facebook page.