Hey Everyone! Today is the day I get inspired to start home improvement projects. I have been in a blogging and DIYing slump. I have been working too much and letting other things get in the way. This stops now. It’s 60 degrees in February in Minneapolis. Feels like the tropics! All I needed was a little warm weather to reinvigorate my DIY itch. I cleaned out some closets in the basement yesterday! It feels so good to get a big goodwill pile going. Now I am brainstorming for a new office/library!
Today’s post is all about overcoming your winter blues, getting off the couch and getting re-inspired for home improvement projects. All you need is some sunshine and a little gumption!
Do you see how cute these girls are? How can DIYing compete with their snuggling?
I know I have said this before but winter in the Midwest is hard. By the time February comes around we are all snuggled up in our hoodies, slippers, snuggly dogs, and blankets with no end to winter in sight. This doesn’t inspire ANY home renovation projects to happen. Hanging out on the couch and binge watching Netflix with my husband and my dogs sounds too good.
I have so many projects that I want to tackle in 2017. Remember my resolution? Finish what I have started. Part of my new year’s resolution is to clean out our closets and get organized. This is where our office/library comes in. Currently this room is a huge walk in closet filled with stuff. I would like to figure out how to fix this and combine what the room is supposed to be, an office/studio, with our basement library. It’s so messy and overwhelming that I feel like I don’t know where to start.
This is where the inspiration boards come in. Architects call them case studies. These are images that speak to you. They inspire you to do something about your space. They invoke feelings of happiness, security, beauty, organization…or any other feeling that you want in a space.
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Inspiration boards can be created using pinterest links, magazine cut outs, a physical object, or anything that you want to use as a guideline. I usually use Pinterest or Houzz to start. I pin everything I find interesting and then narrow it down to actual design ideas that I think could work for us. If you are feeling like you can’t even do that take a look at my FIND YOUR HOME STYLE IN 5 WORDS post. Today’s post is the sequel to that one and takes those style words and brings them further into fruition.
Here is what we are starting with today. This is the state of the basement and spare bedroom. I thought about cleaning up this room to make it look half presentable for this post… but that’s not real life. I enjoy a beautiful instagram DIY photo as much as the next person but this blog is about process and processes are messy. This room is a great example of what happens when you have terrible storage, incompatible furniture and a knack for creating piles of paper. Shout out to my Dad for the paper piles gene!
Dwell
Houzz – Claudia Georgi
Here is my inspiration for the office/library. Our house has a Midwest Modern/Scandinavian vibe and this board is a continuation of that style. I am looking for bright shelving for lots of books, a comfy place to read (I might even build in a reading corner), a spot to do crafts, and a small area to keep bills and office supplies. Rooms like this can feel really busy if you let them. Sticking to neutral colors and patterns in the architecture and furniture will allow the misc colors of the books, office stuff, to stand out in a nice way and not be crazy.
I have listed some items that I may purchase to make this happen along the way as well. Follow me on Pinterest to see what I am on the search for today!
Happy Inspiration Day!
linda vlasak says
I love this idea! The idea board…. helps me visualize what my rooms could look like post paint then art and shelving. Thanks Ashley!!