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The Design Inspirationalist

~ Inspiring Ideas | Spectacular Creations

The Design Inspirationalist

Tag Archives: space

The Art of Organizing

11 Wednesday Apr 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Art & Design, Crafty Ideas, The Home

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Tags

art, crafts, creative space, decorating, design, interior, office, organization, organize creative space, space, studio

The Art of Organizing

Everyone needs a space where they can let their creativity flow without disruption. Whether you’re an artist or not, spending time in a creative corner is healthy for the soul. It’s a place where you not only get quiet time, but space from the rest of the world. Who wouldn’t want that?

I wanted to share some tips on getting your creative corner organized and ready to inspire. Hopefully, you can find the time to escape the real world and get going on some masterpieces.

Everything Has Its Place
Giving supplies and materials a place of their own is key to an organized work space. You should know where everything is at all times, so you can just reach for something when you need it. You can do this in a fun and creative way.

Instead of using traditional methods, let your style be the inspiration. For example, I love vintage things, so I use old crates and boxes to keep supplies. Not only do they create a cohesive look, they represent who I am and the things I love.  So, I’m organizing and showcasing my materials at the same time.

The Art of Organizing

The Art of Organizing

At an Arms Reach
The stuff you need most should be close at hand. It gets annoying to have to walk across a room to get something when it can be closer. If there isn’t enough room or storage within the area, create it yourself.

The Art of Organizing

The Art of Organizing

If you have a desk without drawers, stack cubes underneath or on the side to hold items that are large. For tinier items, take the same idea but think smaller. Stack shoe boxes or containers on top of your desk like shelves. Design them any way you like. Also, use drawers to their fullest potential and store items you need at close range.

The Art of Organizing

Instead of hiding rolls of wrapping paper, try putting them in a small bin or basket. Find something that will add to your space, so you’re showcasing the paper instead of hiding it. This will add more texture and color to the area and inspire you to buy more cool wrapping paper.

The Art of Organizing

Surround Yourself with Smiles
Always surround yourself with things you love. This is very important. You want your creative corner to be a space where you can relax and be happy. I display lots of little trinkets that make me smile, so when I look at them, I’m comfortable and calm. Everywhere I look, they’re looking back at me.

Find items you simply adore and give them a new home. Working and creating magic with them by your side will make all the difference.

The Art of Organizing

The Art of Organizing

Create Pictures
Everything on your desk should look as if it was meant to be there, not accidentally thrown there because you couldn’t find a place for it. Think of your space as a film made up of pictures. If it helps to use a viewfinder or a camera, go ahead.

Create scenes with the objects that surround you. Set up small displays and allow them to come to life. This act alone will inspire you to create more. In fact, think of this as an exercise to help you view things in a different light. With little versions from your imagination, your work space will shine as much as your artwork does.

The Art of Organizing

The Art of Organizing

Let the Light Source Lead the Way
Make sure the light by your desk is not too bright. You want enough glow to see details but not necessarily the whole room. Imagine you’re on a stage and the spotlight is on you — only the light is the glow of the sun and not fluorescent.  This will keep you relaxed so your ideas can flow easier.

If you take these tips and see them through, I promise you can have an amazing art space in no time. Remember to think out of the box and do what makes you happy. There is nothing like working in a space that is organized, fun and clean.  Not thinking twice about finding something saves time, patience and lots of aggravation. Relax, smile and get to work!

Redesign Tips for Every Room in Your Home

02 Monday Apr 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Art & Design, The Home

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Tags

decorating, furniture, home, interior design, redesign, space

Everyone wants a nice looking home, but not everyone has the money to do it. However, you can have a stylish home and not pay tons of money. Sometimes just changing up the scene is enough to update any room in your house. With a little work, creativity and guidance, you can have a fresh space in no time.

Redesign Tips for Every Room in Your Home
{Living room before the redesign}

The best and most affordable way to update a room is to figure out a new floor plan. You don’t want to know how many times I’ve done this. I might be a little crazy but seriously, by just moving furniture around, your space will feel new and exciting. Here are a few tips to guide you along the way:

  1. Take photos of the room from every angle as well as measurements of the furniture.
  2. Ask yourself what you want from the space. Do you need more room or want to have a more organized area? Figure out how you can benefit from the space.
  3. Move all the smaller pieces of furniture out of the room as well as any artwork, lamps and other designer items.
  4. {Optional} Draw a diagram of the room and tiny replicas of your furniture. Cut the drawings out and place them on the diagram in all different ways. Experiment and get creative.
  5. Start to move the bigger pieces around and see what works best. This is why having measurements are helpful! Then slowly bring the smaller pieces in the space. If something doesn’t work, just move it somewhere else.
  6. Don’t feel you have to keep everything in the room. Look around your home to see if you have something you can pull from another room. If it looks good, keep it. It’s decisions like these that will help the space feel like new.

I’m not going to lie, this takes some time. But if you’re determined and ready to focus, in a couple of hours you can sit back and enjoy your newly-redesigned space. I suggest you ask someone to help, especially if you have heavy furniture. Plus, it’s always nice to have other opinions.

After you’ve finished, add some finishing touches with new accessories. Find some cool items throughout your home or purchase some inexpensive ones. You don’t need to buy a whole bunch — pillows, curtains, artwork or a couple knick knacks will do the trick. Here is what I did for a past redesign in my old apartment.

Step One: I moved the pink chair to the other side of the room and created a quiet space for reading and resting.

Redesign Tips for Every Room in Your Home

Redesign Tips for Every Room in Your Home

Step Two: I moved the chair back to the other side but placed it on an angle.

Redesign Tips for Every Room in Your Home

Step Three: I moved the bookshelves to the opposite corner behind the smaller couch. This helps to make the transition from the living room to the dining room stylish.

Redesign Tips for Every Room in Your Home

Step Four: I moved the couches and table so they faced the corner of the room making it a little more interesting. This allowed much more space in the room giving it a more open feel.

Redesign Tips for Every Room in Your Home

Step Five: I placed the TV on another piece of furniture so I can have a new coffee table. Who needs to shop when you have all you need right here!

Redesign Tips for Every Room in Your Home

Step Five: I rearranged accessories and gave the room a new fresh feel. Olive seems to like it too!

Redesign Tips for Every Room in Your Home

Redesign Tips for Every Room in Your Home

Good luck and have fun. This is your chance to be a designer and really make it happen. When you’re done, invite some friends over so everyone can enjoy your genius!

Inspirational Living Rooms

23 Monday Jan 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in The Home

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Tags

design, home, living rooms, neutrals, space

Inspirational Living Rooms

A living room is a home is a space where people relax, gather and communicate. Its the main space in the house besides the kitchen. It should reflect who you are and show the things you love. Here are a few inspirational spaces from my Pinterest board I wanted to share because I feel they represent comfort, style and most of all an inviting design.

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