Where does Inspiration live?

What - or who - is Inspiration?

Inspiration is one of those slippery words. We throw it around all the time - but what is it, actually? A lightning bolt? A Pinterest board? A creative high?

If you’re someone who’s making decisions about your home - or anything meaningful, really - understanding what inspiration is (and what it isn’t) could be the difference between a space that feels just fine and one that truly resonates with who you are.

Let’s dig in.

‍

Let’s dispel a few myths

We’ve inherited some odd ideas about inspiration. The most common?

• That it’s something passive, that you just wait for.
  
  
• That it must be grand, original, or wildly visual.
  
  
• That it only happens to “creative” people.
  
  
• That it lives on Pinterest and pops up once you’ve scrolled enough.

In reality, that's not how it works. Not for me. Not for my clients. And likely, not for you.
‍‍

‍
Inspiration as flow

Inspiration is that sweet flow you enter when you’re fully engaged in something: painting, cooking, playing music, or even (dare I say) powering through a spreadsheet you’ve been putting off. It’s not about grandeur or novelty. It’s about resonance.

It’s the feeling of being so in tune with an idea or environment that you forget to check your phone. You feel aligned. That’s inspiration.

For me, this shows up when I begin a new project - whether it’s designing a home or starting a new art collection. I love absorbing new inputs: walking through a space for the first time, hearing someone’s vision for their home, or experimenting with unfamiliar materials in my studio. That’s when I feel most alive creatively.

‍

Not lightning. Compost.

Here’s the thing: inspiration doesn’t strike out of nowhere. It builds.

Inspiration is more like compost than lightning. It comes from what you feed your mind and senses - what you consume, notice, ignore, and feel. Sometimes it erupts. Sometimes it simmers. Either way, it requires conditions to flourish.

You have to make space for it.

‍

Invite it in

I like to think of inspiration as a guest at a dinner party. You wouldn’t expect your guest to arrive if you didn’t send an invitation, set the table, or create a welcoming mood.

Same goes here. If you want inspiration to show up in your home (or your work, or your life), you need to make room for it.

That means seeking new inputs, but also carving out space to digest them.

For example, one of my clients came to me with a Pinterest board full of white boucle sofas and perfect beige palettes. It looked beautiful on screen - but she also had three young kids and a lively dog. We had to dig deeper.

What was she really after? Simplicity. Softness. A calm environment. We found a French grey sofa with removable covers and layered in those white boucle textures through smaller cushions. She got the vibe she wanted, but with practicality built in.

That’s resonance, aka, real inspiration.

‍

So how do you cultivate it?

Here’s what I recommend:

• Expand your input.
  Go to a gallery. Visit a design show. Read a book outside your usual picks. Or simply take a different route home. Inspiration often comes from unexpected places, but only if you’re looking.
  
  
• Create unstructured time.
  This sounds like a bit of an oxymoron, but yes, schedule time without a plan. A few hours to wander, rearrange a room, or do something pointless (on purpose). Space is a surprisingly fertile ground for inspiration.
  
  
• Shift your senses.
  Change what you smell, hear, feel. Play different music. Try a new tea. Light a scent you’ve never used before. Inspiration doesn’t always come through the eyes.
  
  
• Notice where you slow down.
  What caught your eye this week? Where did you pause, even briefly? Pay attention to those moments. They hold clues.
  
  

For me, music and movement are huge. A good playlist or a long walk can rewire my whole perspective. Even something as mundane as cleaning up a corner of my studio can create space - literally and mentally - for something new to emerge.

‍

But what if…

Let’s address a few common pushbacks.

“I don’t have time for this.”
Totally get it. You’re busy. But honestly, you don’t have time not to be inspired. If you’re investing time, energy, and money into creating a space that supports your life, then cutting inspiration out of the process only guarantees regret, rework, or restlessness later.

“I’m not creative.”
Yes, you are. Every human being is. Creativity isn’t about painting or making things - it’s about noticing, and then putting ideas together in ways that work. You do this every day, whether you realise it or not.

“I don’t know where to look.”
Start where you are. Look at what you already use, love, or ignore. One of the best ways to notice inspiration is to observe what already has your attention.

‍

One last thing

When I was doing my master’s degree in New York, I came across the book The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. It broke the illusion for me. I stopped using “I’m not inspired” as an excuse, and I realised that you can act your way into inspiration.

You don’t wait for the muse - you move toward her.

And when it comes to designing a home (your space, your sanctuary), it’s not about chasing a look. It’s about creating something that feels like you.

That’s where the magic lives.

‍

PS: Need some help with your home design project? Give us a call. - use this link to book it in.

‍