People often ask where we find inspiration. The short answer: everywhere. We borrow ideas from other blogs and design magazines, from real life, from family and friends, from clothing, nature and—yes—even television. I confess: I photograph TV screens when something catches my eye. Those snaps go into an iPhoto folder John jokingly named “TV pics,” and I still enjoy flipping through them. A paused frame can highlight a ceiling detail, a headboard silhouette, or a quirky moment that makes me laugh. Below are a few TV screenshots that have stuck with me and sparked decorating ideas.
The Modern Family house is a favorite. We’d love to adapt aspects of their landscaping for our own yard someday: clean lines, layered plantings and a welcoming entry.
Another Modern Family frame—this one from the “Clive Bixby” episode—caught my eye for that headboard shape. It seemed like a fun DIY project using plywood and foam, maybe for a child’s room in brighter fabric.
A still from Law & Order LA shows a dramatic arch and tall ceilings. I took this back when we were house hunting because I dreamed of finding a home with arches like that. We didn’t, but we did end up with exposed beams—white in the kitchen and darker in the living room—that run in similar directions. So in a way the photo became its own little reminder of what we loved.
From America’s Next Top Model I paused a frame for the headboard fabric—lovely brown and white upholstery that still inspires color and texture ideas for bedrooms.
A scene from the movie The Kids Are All Right stood out for the deep blue wall color. We considered that for our guest room and eventually chose an even deeper hue that felt right for the space.
Another shot from the same movie caught our attention for the large stone paver walkway. Its simple geometry and open feel made us dream about reworking our own landscaping to achieve that clean, airy look.
Flipping Out delivered a handful of great details: I loved the dark wood doors with the large frosted glass panes for their modern, substantial feel—much cleaner than the typical ornate oval-glass doors. In another frame I paused for tangerine gourd lamps and a wavy mirror that reads like oversized oyster shell shapes—fun accents to replicate with thrift-store finds and paint.
A final Flipping Out shot showed glass pendant lighting over dark cabinets and white counters. It’s a crisp, high-contrast kitchen look. We didn’t copy it exactly because our mid-toned granite doesn’t suit an all-white-counter approach, but it inspired how we think about balance between cabinetry and countertops.
A still from The Celebrity Apprentice focused my attention on those floors. The pattern and scale influenced the console table we later built. Oddly enough, TV can lead directly to a furniture DIY.
From The Big C I saved an image for the board-and-batten detail behind a sofa. It made me want to try a similar hallway treatment—a simple, timeless molding detail that adds texture and character without being fussy.
A frame from Secrets From a Stylist stuck because of a white-framed media cabinet with wood-front doors. We’ve been planning a chunkier, thrifted-or-built media cabinet to balance the large console in our living room, and this inspired the scale and finish we liked.
Sometimes you catch something you weren’t expecting—like a rare angle on a reality show where the ceiling is packed with recessed lights. It’s a reminder that TV sets are designed to look warm and lived-in on screen, but often have practical quirks like tons of lighting to make everything read well on camera.
Who else screenshots TV for inspiration? I know my pictures are often imperfect—glare, odd color casts, or a frozen face or two—but they work as memory joggers. Maybe you save images from the web instead, or maybe you sit back and relax like a normal person. Either way, noticing details is what fuels decorating experiments and DIY projects.
On a different note, did anyone else go crazy for the Missoni collection at Target? We didn’t get there right at opening and stores were mostly picked over by the time we shopped, but I did snag a few things. Clara has an extra-small pair of patterned rain boots she already tries to wear (they’re a little big), and I grabbed a geometric vase for the back of the living room console.
The vase has a bold pattern and a metallic finish that echoes the chunky silver lamps nearby. It will probably travel around the house, but for now it’s a striking accent on the console.
The headbands I bought feel like a great compromise for someone who lives in a ponytail. They let me wear my hair down while still keeping it out of my face—though full disclosure, I’ve already used one with a ponytail.
Did you manage to score any pieces from that collection? Were shelves already cleared out when you arrived? I’ve heard stories of people buying huge quantities and reselling at a profit, which is a shame when fellow shoppers are looking for just one special find. Whether it’s high-end design magazines, thrift shops, or paused TV frames, the best part is translating those sparks into a home that reflects your style.