Image: Clair Strong Interior Design

The world is full of inspiration. It’s on the internet in blogs, Instagram accounts and Pinterest boards. In real-life you’ll find it in other people’s homes, hotels and bars or even on the street. Then there are magazines, books and documentaries to fill you with ideas. Sometimes it can seem like there’s just too much of it. You need to cut through the noise to find the things that really speak to you.

Since a huge part of my job involves seeking out new ideas, I thought I’d share some of my go-to sources of inspiration. I hope in turn it inspires you to find your own.

Online

The internet plays a huge part in my quest for ideas and motivation. It’s mostly where I keep up with the latest trends, and see what other designers and creatives are up to.

Some of my favourite sources:

DesignSponge – A blog dedicated to design in all its forms, but with a strong focus on interiors. There’s a great series of articles on business, and some of the most creative, professional-looking DIY projects you’ll find on the web.

Abigail Ahern’s Blog – Abigail is a designer with a keen eye for dark colour palettes and quirky home accessories. In 2003 she founded a retail business, and it’s an interior-lovers paradise. Abigail’s blog has a global following, in part thanks to her rule-breaking style and down to earth voice.

The Cool Hunter – This is a sort of online design and pop-culture ‘magazine’ with a very strong eye for the unique. You won’t find any ‘What’s Trending’ lists here; just a constant supply of creativity and originality. A really refreshing take on design journalism.

Houzz – Houzz is a huge site and it’s dedicated entirely to interior design and renovation. There is an extensive library of photos (10 million of them in fact), a community of homeowners, enthusiasts and pros and a blog full of advice and inspiration.

Instagram – No accounts in particular, though I do love the Goats of Anarchy (if you like farm animals with attitude, you’ll love it too). The Instagram homepage is just one long feed of beautifully shot images. I also like searching by tags, particularly #interiors and #worldtravel.

Special Mention: Pinterest – What’s a list of inspiration sources without a quick mention of Pinterest? It is my fail-safe; I can always rely on its beautifully curated feeds to provoke something in me. But use with caution, as it can be a real time-waster!

Offline

Architecture – The architecture of Bath and London is a constant source of inspiration. From intricately designed townhouses and churches to prettily painted walls. Sometimes all it takes is a walk round town to spark something in me.

Museums & Art Galleries – An obvious one perhaps, but I love the different perspective visiting a museum or gallery can give me. It’s easy to run out of juice, and when that happens, I find it’s helpful to discover and be wowed by other people’s work.

Design Shows – The yearly London Design Festival is a favourite of mine, but there are lots of others too. If you ever need to know that the world is still innovating and moving forward, go to a design show. There are some truly incredible things to be found there.