San Francisco Inspiration

Where does creativity come from?  This particular year, 2007, the inspiration came from the San Francisco Decorator Showcase which I visit each year with my best bud Lisa.  When I am in the throws of breath-taking design like those in San Fran, I always find something to spark my imagination.  The property was 2901 Broadway and was absolutely amazing.

Influenced by the views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Kendall Wilkinson  rocked the house with her orange and turquoise master bedroom.  Water and sky represented by the turquoise and orange hues in the room.  I loved it so much that Lisa (my best bud) let me return to the beginning  of the tour to capture the masterpiece.  Maybe she was tired of me yapping on and on about it….

Not to be outdone by anyone in San Francisco, I brought this idea back to Texas with me – in the hopes that I would be able to somehow weasel this tangerine and turquoise into my own home.  The area to be transformed would need to be located somewhere out of the watchful eye of my adorable husband as his tolerance for “bold” is limited to fonts on his Excel spreadsheets. That being the case, I filed the yummy combo away for a future date.  Then it hit me!  The guest bath.  Used by people who normally don’t give offer unsolicited opinions (namely guests and my little men), it was the perfect place to start – almost 2 years after the inspirational moment. 

Guest baths are a remarkable place to start itching your decorating bug.  They give you a place to make some mistakes and earn small victories quickly.  With accessories from Pottery Barn and IKEA, my guest bath transformation was brilliant as well as affordable. 

Speaking of brilliant – how about that paint color?  The paint is Sherwin Williams #762  - Pacific Palisades.

Calico Corners furnished the Campbell Tangerine fabric.

The dreaded tile and a few other selected items will have to wait.  A budget is a budget – like it or not.

My second takeaway from that trip was painting doors & moldings in high gloss. The showcase house in San Francisco had a butler’s pantry with the trim painted Benjamin Moore Safety Black in high gloss.   After confirming with the tour guide, I decided to use the same high gloss black in my own space.  This small touch of paint brought unity my already simple palette.

Inspiration comes in all forms when you are tuned into the world around you.  Take for instance, my friend Jenny.  Recently, Jenny was inspired by this garment while browsing a catalog:

That quick flip through a catalog led to the creation of these beautiful pictures.  She took a simple concept and made it her own.

Even my son Ethan is in on the inspiration.  In the creation below, he pulled out a cardboard box from the recycling and his mind went crazy!  He created a house, complete with overhead lighting in the form of a pocket flashlight, with meager supplies and no assistance.  Impressive… I’m on the first floor of the house in the kitchen (must be a dream) just below the tie back curtains.  Nice going, Sabby!

Another recent project is for my niece who loves earthy browns and greens, which works well since she is having a boy.  While I was out shopping at my new stomping ground, Frisco Buy Consignment, I discovered this charming wooden duck.  It’s now become the inspiration for the nursery along with the award-winning book Make Way for Duckling. Stay tuned to see how the nursery goes from an idea to an accomplishment.  The design will be complete soon and there will be a preview.  Send your ideas my way – who knows?  I may even use them!

It’s easy to see that inspiration can come from all sorts of things:  family, tours, catalogs and nature.  Or maybe even a friend who just had to have her bedroom painted yellow.  Whenever it arrives, inspiration rarely is still.  It moves you to create something you never thought possible in ways that are seldom seen by others.  Take time to savor the inspiration and see where it leads you.  You never know….

Love, C