Sunday, May 13, 2012

Inspiration Shopping

Some people go to the mall to shop. I go to the mall to recycle. The Easton Town Center service desk takes household batteries, Aveda takes hard plastic bottle caps, and Origins takes plastic tubes for recycling.
 
When I’m in a creative rut, I grab my recycling and go shopping. Not for doodads to perk up my mood – but for ideas. Besides, buying something to perk myself up because I am in a funk never works anyway. I usually regret making the purchase later.

Shopping with my eyes (and camera) is better for me during these times than shopping with my wallet. It's greener too.

Looking at pretty or unusual things gets my creative juices flowing. High-end store, low-end store, new goods or used it doesn’t matter, inspiration can come from anywhere.

On my latest shopping trip, most of my inspiration came from the store displays.

My first stop was Anthropolgie. With a cluster of string spheres, glass balls, and a light kit I bet I can make this interesting accent light.




 I took a photo of it from a different angle. There are some plastic spheres in there too. Possibly made from plastic wrap?



I have a thing for Turkish tea light lamps. Every time I see one, I look for a way to electricity it with a lamp kit. It would replace one more boring builder light in my house.


I really dig the big clear one.

Since I’m shopping for ideas, I browse stores I don’t normally shop.

Hello old timey radio. If I got my hands on you. I’d try to restore you. If I couldn’t restore you, I’d turn you into a giant MP3 player dock for irony.



I could do so many things with you. I see you as a bar, a shelving unit, or a media cabinet. The one thing I would not do is shove you in a corner with a halfhearted attempt at creative reuse.

I guess CW Bigalow’s designer used all of their energy revamping this settee instead. I’m not sure how I feel about this. One the one hand I’m all for the modernish idea of photo print upholstery paired with an antique settee. On the other hand, the antique lover in me thinks you shouldn’t devalue an antique settee like this! What do you think?


Because I am full of contradictions, I can get behind this polka dot wing chair I saw at Victoria’s Secret. Most likely, because wing chairs are so common this one isn’t an antique. Not to mention I like polka dots. I think they are fun.


This chair would look cute in a girl’s room.

You know from this angle, the leg on this chair remind me of something. I can’t quite put my finger on it….


Oh yeah. That’s it.

How do you get out of a creative rut?


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2 comments:

Ctrl-Alt-Health said...

You should check out the antique radio conversion that was done on epbot.com. It's inspired me to pick up one of the old hifi radio cabinets I see at the thrift store!

Anonymous said...

I love the lights so totally cool.

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