We’re often asked where we find inspiration. The quick answer: everywhere. Other blogs, design magazines, everyday life, family and friends, clothing, nature — and yes, sometimes reality TV. I confess: I take pictures of TV scenes for inspiration (and sometimes just for fun). Those screenshots end up in an iPhoto folder labeled “TV pics,” and every so often I open it and smile at the memories: “Oh, that was Law & Order — I loved that ceiling,” or “That headboard makes me swoon,” or “Poor reality stars — frozen in awkward paused faces” (Oprah used to make the funniest pauses). Below are a few snaps from my folder.
The Modern Family house — someday we’d love to use their landscaping as inspiration for our own yard:
Another Modern Family shot, from the Clive Bixby episode in the hotel lobby. I snapped this because the headboard shape seemed fun — something you could DIY from plywood and foam. Maybe a bright, playful version for a kid’s room someday.
This Law & Order: LA still was taken while we were house hunting. I snapped it because of the arches and tall ceilings — the kind of features I hoped to find. We didn’t end up with this exact house, but we did get exposed beams (white in the kitchen, darker in the living room) that run in a similar direction. So in a way, a little of that TV house made its way into ours.
From America’s Next Top Model — another headboard crush. That brown-and-white fabric was just so striking.
A still from The Kids Are All Right. After moving, we watched it on Netflix and loved the deep blue wall color. It inspired the guest room — we actually ended up painting it an even deeper shade.
Another shot from The Kids Are All Right: we fell for the large stone paver walkway that fan-shaped outward from the house. It’s a crisp, open look we’d like to recreate someday when we rework our landscaping.
One of my favorite shows, Flipping Out, delivered this dark wood door with a large pane of frosted glass. So many homes use ornate oval-glass double doors; this clean, chunky framed style felt refreshingly simple and modern.
Another Flipping Out capture — I couldn’t remember if I loved the tangerine gourd lamps (spray paint and a thrift-store find could reproduce them) or the wavy mirror that resembles faux oyster shells. Probably both.
Last Flipping Out shot for the roundup: the glass pendants paired with dark cabinets and white counters. We don’t have white stone in our kitchen and don’t want to create a sea of brown, but I admired the contrast. Maybe we’ll recreate the feel someday on someone else’s cabinets.
A snap from The Celebrity Apprentice — I was obsessed with the floors. That look ended up inspiring the console table we built, so we owe a nod to the show for that idea.
From The Big C: the board-and-batten behind the actress caught my eye. I’ve been dreaming about a similar DIY in our hallway, and this still served as a nice visual reference (preferably with Laura Linney included).
This image from Secrets From a Stylist was saved because we plan to thrift or build a chunkier media cabinet to balance the large wood console we made. I liked the white frame with wood-front doors as a direction to consider.
Sometimes TV shows reveal details you wouldn’t expect. John noticed this unusual ceiling of lights on Bachelor Pad — so many fixtures packed into that room. It reads cozy on screen, but probably feels very set-like in person (and likely hot).
Do you take TV screenshots too? I can’t be the only one. Mine often have glare or a blue tint, and people are sometimes frozen mid-sneeze, but they work as memory joggers. Maybe you just kick back and watch TV like a normal person — and that’s fine, too.
On a different note, did anyone else go Missoni-crazy at Target? We were late to that craze — I didn’t make it to the store until Wednesday night after the Tuesday morning launch, so most of the good stuff had been picked over. Still, I found a pair of cute rain boots in an extra small for Clara and couldn’t resist. She already tries to wear them even though they’re a little big.
I also grabbed a geometric vase for the back of the living room console:
I like the bold pattern and metallic finish — it ties in with nearby chunky silver lamps. It’ll probably move around the house, but for now it’s a fun accent.
I also picked up a few headbands for myself. They feel like a compromise for someone who lives in a ponytail — they let me wear my hair down while keeping it out of my face. Full disclosure: I’ll probably still wear them with a ponytail. Update: I already did.
What did you find at Target? Was everything gone when you went? Did someone buy an entire haul and resell it for double the price? The Missoni rush was wild — the site crashed and people were flipping pieces online. Shoppers can get pretty intense when a collaboration drops.