Today's Inspirations...

Growing up on Vancouver's North Shore, I was lucky to be close to the city but far enough to experience the outdoors in an urban kind of way. I find that the colours of nature and textures are often really inspiring. This week I went for a hike in the forest, a walk along the water front and saw the sights of downtown. The sights / sounds / feeling of each are concepts I like to combine in my design.

The inspiration I get from being in the forest are freshness, simplicity and texture. While there are a lot of similar colour hues (tints & shades), there are many textures available such as moss, cedar bows or leafy trees. The way I try to bring this into design concepts are to keep the design simple, use similar hues or one colour and to add interest by mixing different textures.

The ocean gives a feeling of vast openness.  This I find inspiring by not cluttering up a space.  Let the key pieces speak for themselves - don't overwhelm a space.

The city gives me a feeling of vibrancy and pattern.  I use this inspiration by adding in metallic pieces, bright colours or repeating elements such as line or shapes.

Use what is around you to help you feel inspired. Find what you like or places in which you feel inspired and pull ideas from that feeling.