Inspiration is a crucial element in the creative process. However, finding inspiration can be challenging at times. Wouldn’t it be nice if it could be summoned on command? Lately, I have been feeling particularly uninspired, struggling to come up with new ideas as my creativity has been in a bit of a lull. But, I wanted to share the two sources I always rely on when I feel fresh out of ideas – Pinterest and Instagram.
Our current renovation project is the mudroom (see mudroom plans), and I knew I wanted to go with a flooring that would complement the rest of the black and white flooring in our house, but I didn’t know what. We have a white mosaic pattern with black accents in the powder bathroom, black mosaic with white accents in the upstairs bathroom, and black and white checkered in the laundry room, so I took to Pinterest for some ideas. But instead of searching “mudroom flooring,” I searched “English hotel lobby” and landed on this beautiful moment.
Now, this might not be exactly what I’m going for, but the beauty of Pinterest is that once you click on a pin and scroll down, you’re met with “More like this.” You can go down a rabbit hole, getting closer and closer to what it is you’re looking for, all while saving pins to a board, training the algorithm to show you more of what you want to see. Eventually, you will have curated a board of inspiration like this one I’ve created called “Mudroom.”
Of course, you’re likely not new to all that Pinterest has to offer, but are you taking advantage of the “Saved” folders on Instagram yet?
Whenever I stumble upon something that catches my eye on Instagram, I save it to a designated folder. This makes it incredibly easy to revisit these snippets of inspiration for later, plus it trains the algorithm to show me even more goodies just like that.
Sneak peek at what I’ve been saving lately ;).
You might also be surprised by the search function on Instagram. When I’m on the hunt for fresh ideas, I often start by tapping the magnifying glass icon at the bottom of the app. This is known as the “explore page,” where you might stumble upon things Instagram suggests. But if you want to get even more specific, you can type something into the search bar.
When I was searching for cabinetry ideas for the mudroom, I searched “mudroom cabinetry.” Shocker, I know! But it helped me get some color and layout ideas.
Once you find the inspiration you like, you can save the post into specific folders by holding your finger down on the bookmark icon and selecting a collection to save to.
I hope this helps give a little insight into how I find inspiration for my home. I’m curious how you stay inspired when it comes to your home, so go ahead and spill in the comment section.
Our wood grain Shaker cabinet fronts were designed for busy, high-traffic homes like ours. Clad with durable textured thermofoils, this line is compatible with Sektion, Akurum, Godmorgon, and Besta cabinets from IKEA. It's the perfect, practical way to add the warmth of wood to all the rooms of your home.
We have teamed up with Loloi to create a line of rugs that are as affordable as they are beautiful. This collection houses a great mix of traditional and modern rugs, in cottage-y colorways, as well as vintage-inspired beauties that you’ll want to roll out in every room.
We partnered with Stuga on a line of hardwood floors — The Ingrid is really livable, and the color is very neutral. It doesn’t lean warm or cool, it’s that just right in-between. We have really loved putting it everywhere in our house. It’s the best jumping-off point for design, no matter your interior style. In addition to being beautiful, Ingrid is really durable — we have three kids, and we always have a home construction project going on. Ingrid stands up to it all.
SHop all
Looking for our favorite things? A place to shop our home room by room, or just catch up on what Julia's wearing / loving right now? Browse the CLJ shop.
Befores, afters, mood boards, plans, failures, wins. We’ve done a lot of projects, and they’re all here.
We have a long-standing relationship with DIY, and love rolling our sleeves up and making it happen.
Even when you don’t want to rip down a wall, you can make that space in your home better. Right now.
The next project we’re checking off our 2023 project list is the mudroom! This used to be the laundry room until we built out a much bigger, better laundry room upstairs. So, in the meantime, this space has been exclusively Cricket’s room. Cricket will still have a special space here, but we’re transforming this dingy […]
We've been doing this since 2009 and we've posted a whopping 24145+ blog posts and counting. You might need a little help searching, huh?
Another way for us to stay in touch! Joining our weekly newsletter gives you access to exclusive content, never-before-seen photos, your questions answered, and our favorite DIYs. Sign up below!
Welcome to our online community where we've posted home, DIY, style, renovations, and family since '09. Renovating our #cljmoderncottage in Idaho and headed for new adventures in Raleigh, NC. #cljfam #cljtransformations
Links
Get Around
Make yourself right at home
Portfolio
Design
Casual Friday
Projects
Lifestyle
Gift Guides
All Posts
Shop
What do you think?