I think it is funny - I'm an actively producing artist and art teacher, but my inspiration for my remodel colors isn't from a work of art, but from the colors of the Oklahoma landscape in winter. We don't get a lot of snow, and don't have many evergreens, so there are lots of greys and golds and soft greens and rust-colored grasses. And the winter sky. Most "pops" of color will be reds-to-voilet, like the early buds of the redbud trees, or the leaves of sumac, or the red clay near here. I've loved that color scheme all my life, and am enjoying playing with it in my house plans.

My kitchen area is inspired by a museum display of celadon pots - soft greens and turquoises and ochers, and the mosaic work of anna fietta in Ravenna Italy. I can't afford her work (I proudly own one of her refrigerator magnets though!)

Here is a link that might be useful: Anna Fietta mosaics

Astrid, inspiration pieces don't have to come from stores at all.

They can come from books about art or home decorating, or a favorite scarf or a piece of jewelry.

Do you have a favorite artist or kind of art that you like? Do you have a print shirt or scarf that you always have loved? What colors do you see most in your wardrobe?

Do you have access to a library nearby? Maybe you could go there one day and spend a little time looking at some books. Or, go to art.com and look up art by subject. Find something that interests you, and take a look at art there. What about magazines? If you have a major bookseller in your area, you can go, sit with a cup of coffee and peruse all kinds of magazines and books for free to find things that appeal to you.

Keep in mind, too, that you are going to be working around lots of cute kid stuff for a while, so it may be hard to really put together the room you visualize until the little kid toys thin out or go to the basement. LOL

I'm not into Oprah as much as once was and don't buy her mags. But caught her show this week with "Nate" and houses which people had decorated through inpspiration from many avenues. Akin to suggestion the posts mentioned here. I think her next mag covers this, might be good timing.

What about local art shows? I love walking around looking at all the different styles and find I am drawn to certain types and colors over and over - in sculpture, wall art, dishware, photographs, gardenart, etc. I tend to use those colors in my house. If you can find shows that are more about art (often judged) and less about crafts, the content is usually quite broad and accomplished. It's alot more fun than walking around stores, too! (IMO)

Also, it's great to purchase original art from an artist you can actually talk with and get some of the history of the piece. The more shows I attend the more fascinated I become with original works by lesser known artists versus mass-produced prints/sculptures. There is amazing stuff out there! Searching for original or vintage art on eBay is also a great resource...

Here is a link that might be useful: Mmm - a delightful art show to attend this weekend!

Try simply browsing through the categories (including tapestries) at art.com -- and simply see what appeals to you ..... florals? abstracts? cityscapes? gardens? mountains? etc.

There are lots of sites to browse through -- and find decorative items .....

http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Outside-the-Cottage-Posters_i376059_.htm

http://www.oil-painting-studio.com/oil-painting_21697.htm

Wander your local antique shops, Goodwill shops or any other charity shops. You'll be amazed at what people donate sometimes. Another thing is to go to used book stores and find books with botanicals (if you like that) that are in good condition, but not too valuable to dismantle. For example, one of our local used bookstores has a $60 book of Redoute flowers that is a reprint done 1992. It was printed in Italy on great paper and it's in perfect shape with over 100 single sided pages. I'm still thinking of going back to get it to have a source for more botanicals.

You've probably seen the threads on using photos and how to display those -- many good ideas there.

Do you have your major pieces of furniture? I would start with your big items, then wall color, then window treatments, then accessories. It sounds like you've got another thread that I need to go read. I must have missed it.

Hope this helps.
Cameron

I second last mango's recommendation for art shows. The art I have in my home came from art shows. All of it is so unique and it is nice not to have something mass produced. More of the art shows seem to be in the summer but there are some in the winter. Perhaps use a search engine and type in art shows with your state's name and see if their would be any in the near future near you.

I would choose something that you already have and love. Like Les917 said it can be anything. If you go shopping for inspiration, I'm sure you'll eventually find something. But your pleasure in it may be fleeting or influenced by other factors.

If you use something you already have, or maybe the vision of a perfect room you've carried in your head for years, to find your inspiration, IMO it's less likely to be a fleeting fancy.

I like to scour design mags and clip out pictures that call me to me. I circle the elements in the pics that I like, or try to identify what about it appeals to me. Often it's not the actual furniture or decor in the pic I like, but maybe the way things are arranged, or the way two elements contrast, etc.

Then I take the things I have already that I want to incorporate and I group them together and look at my pics and try to see how I can achieve some of the looks or ideas that appealed to me.

This will also help you define exactly what you need to purchase instead of running out and just willy nilly buying decor items that strike your fancy. For example, my DR is coming together, but it's clear that I can't go much further with it until I find a buffet/sideboard for one particular wall. Looking at my other pieces, I know this sideboard has to be MCM-friendly or have elements that will work with the mid century modern style. That might mean a stylish 60s teak buffet, or it could mean an antique with similar wood tones and clean lines.

Also try to look at what you have that you would like better if only it was moved to another room, painted, or new fabric added to give it an update.

Whenever I have gone shopping for inspiration, I have generally come home with things that are nice, but still don't necessarily work with other elements and really don't take me any further toward my vision.

Sorry, this is all sort of basic advice, but hopefully it will help you to define your ideas a little more. :-)

Don't forget ebay. Browse through self representing artists and you may be surprised. If you have a favorite artist or two you can have ebay notify you when something comes up. Look at the serigrphs too, those often go for bargin prices.

Thanks. I have looked in books, magazines, catalogues. I've borrowed most of the books at the library on home decorating. I can't say that I truly love any one thing I have. I've cut out clips and magazine articles. I've gone to arts and crafts shows (usually just kitsch around here). I've tried "antique" stores. I just haven't found something that speaks to me. I've looked online but it's tricky to do a search- unless you know exactly what you like or have the time to go through thousands of artwork. I have a certain fondness for Alaskan art (my old home state) but some of the stuff I have I find creepy!

I'll keep searching. I was just wondering where all of you found the things you loved.

Have you browsed Ruby Lane on line by category?

I have to say I've never ever been inspired by wandering through a retail store. Too pedestrian for me. Instead I prefer to find inspiration at home (what do you collect? what things gather around your home in groups? Plants, glass, pictures of the kids etc.) I use those items as my inspiration as well as fabrics and textural pieces (ie tile, stone, glass).

I can easily become inspired in an antique store :) and don't get near me in a fabulous fabric store (I get all giddy and run hither and what goes with hither? gasping...oh look at this....look at this.....LOOK at this!!!) I often come home with a yard or ten of inspiration (which shows when you see my fabric collection LOL).

A great deal of the "where" question will first come from "who" you are. Are you a modern gal? Do you love clean lines and bold details? If so, you probably won't find inspiration in the same place I will. You'd probably have a great time in a wonderful furniture store featuring Italian Modern pieces, where as to me they leave me cold. Or do you like traditional or even fussy victorian? You could have a great time in an antique store.

Are you a country girl? Find an antique store or even a farmers market and wander with your eyes open. Something as basic as an ear of colored corn should inspire you to develop a decorating scheme.

To figure out who you are...pick five things in your home you absolutely LOVE. WHat were they? Which rooms were they in, and how can you share them with others through your decor? In my dining room you'd instantly know that I have a deep love affair with venetian glass. My entire scheme is chosen to highlight that collection, from the art to the wall color. I chose muted antique oils (and while that sounds like I spent a fortune on art...I really spent very little...they were hidden in the back corner of an antique store, painted by someone's grandfather most likely, and no one wanted them...I LOVE THEM). Their muted colors don't distract from my glass, but the gold frames do bring out the gold in my glass.

In my living room it's my husband's animal prints. I decorated with them in mind, not going too fussy with furniture so that they're the obvious attraction verses the red sofa's.

If you wandered down a hallway in our home you'd see that we adore our little miracle child. We also love our family and all of our halls are decorated to highlight that love with pictures everywere, all in similar frame colors, and in either sepia or black and white tone. The highlight of that collection would be the umm well ooddles of very large black and white portraits of our son done by a local photographer. We always get at least a 12x20 or more in size and I needed a place to display those without overwhelming.

So pick five things...if you want, take a picture of them and post it. I bet you will find many of us can be inspired to lead you into the next step to work with those five things :)