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Inspiration and Influence
Thinking of making some changes to your home, a bit of a re-design? Maybe styling changes, updating furniture or adding a feature wall, converting a space into something else or something larger like a renovation or extension or building a brand-new home? Where do you go to get ideas or inspiration from?

Here are some avenues available for design and styling inspiration.

Let’s start with GOOGLE. If in doubt Google it right? You’ll be able to find anything and everything you are after on Google. Your research is more than likely to start here, leading you to other avenues. If you want to find out the colour of the year, to paint your feature wall (Its Pantone Classic Blue 19-4052, by the way) Google will tell you. If you like the sound of cathedral ceilings with exposed timber beams, Google will show you images of cathedral ceilings with exposed timber beams, Google will tell you the best heights for the ceiling, the best timber to use, it will suggest the types of reinforcements needed, it will probably even tell you how to build it yourself, however, we recommend you use a registered license builder to do this.. hint, hint.

Experts, like ARCHITECTS and INTERIOR DESIGNERS. You can seek out experts when you know what you want, they can bring all your ideas together to fit into a bigger picture, but also for when you don’t have a clue where to start. They can make suggestions and recommendations to suit your needs and wants and complete designs for you, but they can also be a starting point and lead you in the right direction.
Engaging a BUILDER, in conjunction with your other experts, at your design stage of a renovation, extension or new home is invaluable, not only can they provide design ideas, they can propose cost-effective solutions regarding materials and features.

FRIENDS and FAMILY are a great source of inspiration. Why? Because they can be very opinionated and honest, if they like something, they’ll tell us, and if they don’t, they’ll tell us too, this can greatly influence your decision. We can also draw on their experience, ideas that have worked in their home that you like or others that haven’t, making you think twice.

INSTAGRAM is a feast for your eyes. Everybody who is anybody is promoting their designs, ideas, products, services and then some on, Instagram. You can search for something specific, just happen across something you like, or someone you follow has, recommends or promotes something you might be interested in or just HAVE to HAVE!

HOUZZ is an amazing resource, you’ll find design ideas, stories, products and you can also source professionals to assist you with your projects. Make this a definite go-to.
DESIGN MAGAZINES, like Home Beautiful Magazine, are almost the ‘old’ fashion way of getting ideas out there but are still a source of design inspiration for many, in terms of styling and construction trends.

Architecture and design have changed dramatically over the eras and continues to evolve. HISTORY can provide great inspiration, by the stories it tells but also providing a different way of doing things. They don’t do things the way they use to, comes to mind. If you like a style of home eg Victorian or Edwardian, or a feature of these styles build your new home in this style or incorporate a feature into a renovation.

RENOVATION SHOWS, like The Block, does a great job of highlighting current trends and creating new ones. These shows provide ideas on construction design and methods, but also styling inspiration and are extremely influential.

DISPLAY HOMES are an excellent way of seeing something completed and in the flesh, so to speak. You can gauge size, ratios, and aspects.
Scrolling through real estate sites like REALESTATE.COM.AU can provide some design ideas, of both what to do and what not to do.

Are you planning to make some changes to your home this year?
Where will you/do you draw your design inspiration from? What influences your decisions?