This blog introduces you to my special brand of BIKE. I show you how to find your Best self, access your Inner strength, tune in to your Killer instincts, and use your Expressive voice. It's inspiring, spiritual, quirky, and it's all in your head. It's about ATTITUDE, not exercise, though that might be a side benefit.

Friday, May 7, 2010

What inspires an interior designer?


I sometimes, as often as I can, write about interior design, art, construction, architecture, and other forms of design, including that which appears in nature. I studied these things on a limited spectrum in college, and my first job after graduation led me to editing a construction magazine. I spent a lot of time talking about design, engineering and buildings with the experts. It was fascinating work that stays with me to this day whenever I see a project I once wrote about in my hometown.

It's a background that led me to admire what I see when I'm out in the world: color, texture, fabrics, woods, metals, renderings, floorplans, glass walls, a building's facade, furniture, and so much more. I often photograph such things, just to have it. You never know when or where or for what a photograph might be useful. Such imagery can inspire new ideas to write about, think about, or file away for another time. Maybe in a previous life I was an artist. I'm a big doodler in this one. Or maybe I was supposed to be a botanist, except I'm lacking that green thumb. So I take photographs of organic things with the right texture or color, and admire them that way. Can any of you relate?

I think it's about being an observer, and that's also part of the BIKE philosophy discussed here. To be aware, I think, is to live, and to live to is observe.

That being said, if you've ever wondered what inspires an interior designer, meet Katja van der Loo, originally from the Netherlands, now living in New Jersey. A public relations consultant sent her link to me today, thinking I might want to write about her. Of course, curious, I clicked. I expected to find her portfolio, which I did. Impressive. But I didn't expect to find photos like these--her inspirations. Are you inspired by anything she's photographed:

_a repeating image?
_an animal in the wild?
_a doorway or entrance, or simply, doors?
_flowers?
_children?
_a home's landscape?
_a building, a very large building, in the distance?
_foreign architecture?
_someone you meet in a faraway land?
_the texture of a flower?
_a family of animals, or maybe their spots?
_sculpture?

If any of these things have ever inspired something within you, what was it? Did you do anything about it? I find that the best inspirational moments lead to an action that will take you some place you might not have discovered otherwise. What are your thoughts about this?

(Photo of the London Plane Tree was taken at Battery Park on Liberty Island, New York City, by Jackie Dishner, April 2010)

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh, and and I'm going to have a giveway because of this post. If you can catch my word swap in this post, I'll enter your name in a drawing to win a copy of my travel guide.

You cannot post anonymously to win. You must post the sentence as it's written as part of your comment, followed by the correction.

I generally fret over the errors in my posts and correct them post-haste. This one I missed and decided to have fun with it.

How's that for a contest?!

Unknown said...

The contest is for today only, May 7.

Thank you for participating--and commenting!

Alexandra Grabbe said...

I love the photo of the plane tree. And the cafe in Paris, with the chairs. I wish I had more time to comment efficiently on this blog post, which I found so very interesting, but I don't even have time to look for the word swap.

I am inspired by nature, too. All the time. I take photos to try and share that inspiration on my blog.

Unknown said...

Alexandra,

Thanks for continuing to visit. I tried to post a comment on your blog today but it didn't take for some reason. I wanted to tell you that if I keep going there, I'm going to wind up making a reservation at your B&B. You make it and Cape Cod sound so lovely.

Su-sieee! Mac said...

Jackie, your blog is the last one I'm reading tonight. What a way to end my evening. Your voice and your messages have given me a reminder to pause, to listen, to watch, to wonder, to not worry about where my path is now taking me. Thank you. I'm going to list you on my blog roll for others to meet you.

One of the things I like about this blogathon is meeting fellow bloggers like yourself. Peace. :-)