Starting with a blank slate in designing a room can be an amazing opportunity but for many it can also be an overwhelming experience.  There are too many options, too many possibilities!  How is one to decide?  A space that is inspired and involves some form of personal expression will always be more appealing.

Sometimes a color palette may catch your eye or you see a fabric or wallpaper that you just *have* to incorporate.  More often than not, the design concept for a space doesn’t come so effortlessly.

Take some time to think and explore.  You may peruse websites like Pinterest and Houzz or many of the decorating and design blogs that seem to abound.  Or, you may be addicted to house hunting online and find dream spaces on Zillow and Trulia.  In this case, compile images of interest and see how favorites might be incorporated into your own space.

Others find inspiration in nature — a color palette or texture that may be just outside your window or in another distant country.  You may have brought home a rug, art object or a textile from an adventure in another country.  Or, there may be a very special piece of furniture passed down from a relative that is too special to part with.  Each of these options can give you a springboard in getting started and can make the space more personable in the end.