3 Idea Starters for a Fresh Concept

Concept design is a bit of an art. It requires a little inspiration and a lot of creativity to come up with something that sets your space apart from all the others. And since your concept is the basis of every decision you will make for your design as you move forward, it's critical that you get it right. But if the thought of coming up with your own design ideas sends you into a tail spin, don't panic just yet. I have three design idea generators to get you started. Keep reading to learn more.

You can use so many different ideas to come up with a unique concept. But there are three tried and true jump start points that have worked for me countless times. The first is a beautiful color palette.

This is such an easy place to start. And since color combinations are endless, you can always come up with something new and creative. When I sit down with a new client, I usually ask them what their favorite colors are. Pull a main color that you love and build off of that. Usually it's best to pull a neutral to start with just so you have a safe beginning. But definitely choose accent colors that have life and energy. This is when you can be a little brave because you can use your bolder colors in furniture and accent walls that can easily be changed should your design ever begin to feel dated.

A second idea generator is a basic style. For example a mid-century modern look or perhaps something with an industrial feel. This is a great way to find inspiration for your new space. Design style terms are popular so they're easy to search

on the internet and in books. And since there are so many options to choose from, you can pick and choose the individual elements you like from several different inspirational sites and pull them together to create your own personal look. This one is probably the easiest to work with since there's so much already at your fingertips. You can apply as much or as little of your own creativity to these and come up with something amazing every single time.

The third one requires a bit more creativity but if you can pull it off, it will undoubtedly be awe-inspiring. This idea generator is based on an object. Any object. People use this in residential design all the time. They'll find a chair, rug or piece of art that really speaks to them and decide that an entire room or home should be designed around it. This can be done in libraries and other commercial projects as well. The good news is that it can be anything that speaks to you. It can be a specific book or poem, a beautiful piece of art from a local artist, or even an animal. It doesn't matter. Wherever you draw your inspiration from will work. This one will however insist that you discover your inner creative genius to take that individual element and stretch it out to fit an entire space.

But it's not as hard as it seems. Take a piece of art for example. Study it. Why do you love it? What colors really stand out to you? Can you use those colors in your color palette? If you can pull a color palette from it, then you've got your start. And a good one at that. Because once you have your color palette, you're back to idea generator number one.

Designing concepts can be tricky but with a few good starting points, anyone can do it. When it's time to start thinking about putting together your new space, take some time to seek out inspiration; wherever you find it. You'll begin noticing things all around you if you open your mind to it. And if you'll stick with the three basics (Color Palettes, Design Styles and Objects), you'll find that it's not as confusing and intimidating as you might think.

If you get stuck, send me an email or sign up for one of my design packages to help get you started. I have an excellent starter package where I can build an entire concept for you, allowing you to apply the rest on your own. It's super easy and very affordable. So click on the Design Packages tab to learn how I can help you. In the meantime, go get creative!

You can do it yourself! I can show you how.