With the colder weather approaching New York, you may be more inclined to stay indoors which could potentially have you double-checking your space for any potential design projects. Maybe you have been longing to add that accent wall to your living room. Or perhaps you’ve been dreaming of revamping your bedroom to have a beach house vibe.
Regardless of your design ambitions, it is important to know where to find the right design inspiration to fuel your ideas, and possibly motivate you to get started with a design initiative. But you may be wondering - where and how do you get started?
Laying out the plan for a designed space can be a tricky obstacle because when it comes to architecture and design, there are a lot of aspects that you need to consider. Color palettes, lighting, furniture selection - all of these equally contribute to creating a well-designed space. Space planning is a very intricate practice, but with the right sources of inspiration, it can be made easier to get started.
At Stewart-Schafer, we are experts in interior design & architecture that provide our design services in New York & Connecticut. As professionals, we always strive to stay on top of the latest design trends and innovations within the design realm. To do so, our team constantly reviews a rich selection of sources to hone our design and architecture expertise.
In this blog, we will share some of our picks of where you could get inspiration from when it comes to design and architecture. Books and magazines serve as one of our favourite sources of inspiration, as they are insightful but also quite engaging.
Knowing that the design industry is dynamic and always evolving, it is important to have a foundational understanding of where to find design inspiration, and one of the best places to find this is through architecture and design books.
Of course, this is a very large genre, but don’t feel overwhelmed, as these suggestions below are some of our recommendations to help you get a general understanding of architecture and design.
Everyone has a different approach to design, but the main takeaway from these pieces of literature is that design can be ambiguous, but it does not hurt to understand some basic design principles to make your design ambitions easier to achieve.
Elsie de Wolfe: The House in Good Taste: Design Advice From America’s First Interior Decorator
It is often said that taste is subjective, but it takes time and practice to cultivate a particular style that aligns with your interests, while also being on-trend. Elsie de Wolfe is regarded as the first interior decorator in America. This book was published in the early 20th century, particularly in 1913. Combining both guides and practical style advice, this timeless book is set up in a way that is easy to digest for novice interior designers. What makes this book quite special is the fact that some of these design principles are very much still present in current, modern design.
Phaidon Press: By Design: The World’s Best Contemporary Interior Designers
Get inspiration and learn from the best of the best with this book published by Phaidon Press. This book covers a comprehensive list of designers who are renowned world-wide for their exceptional interior designs. With a combination of projects that includes commercial spaces and residential spaces, this book would certainly be recommended for those who take a strong interest in the contemporary design style. It is also worth noting that the designers and projects selected in this book are put together by experts in the design and architecture industries.
Corey Damen Jenkins: Design Remix
Classic styles never go out of fashion, but it doesn’t hurt to give them a personal and revamped touch to create something special. This is the focus of this book, which aims to refresh styles that may often be viewed as dated, and give them a complete reimagination to fit right in with today’s trending styles. Adding particular design objects and miscellaneous additions to designed spaces is made easy with this book, which also provides an overview of simple how-tos to answering practical design questions that may captivate the interest of interior designers who are still learning the ropes of design.
The three books above provide useful insight towards interior design and architecture to help you stay inspired. You may have noticed that they all have different design styles, but familiarizing yourself with different styles is a good way to not only learn some basic design principles, but to also get an understanding of what design style best resonates with yourself as everyone can have unique design preferences.
For those who may want content that is easier to digest, it may be a good idea to look into magazines that focus on interior design and architecture. If you prefer something that is more image-heavy, magazines are the ideal choice as the focus can be more geared towards those who may learn better by visually seeing a design style in practice.
Covering both interior design and architecture, Architectural Digest can be considered as a staple read for those in the design community. The monthly publication features the works of many interior designers and architects, and it also brushes on other topics such as landscaping and fine art. With a wide scope of styles being covered on a monthly basis, Architectural Digest is a great magazine for those who may want to seek inspiration from a variety of different interior designers and architects who have distinct and particular design styles. Beyond the work, it can also profile certain designers to get their insight on design topics.
With a focus on premiere design and interior decorating, House & Home is another magazine that can feature a rich selection of content to those who want to gain inspiration. Featuring design projects in North America and beyond, this magazine covers both practical and unique spaces. Apart from featuring beautiful projects, House & Home also discusses the latest design trends, and it also goes into insightful discussions with interior designers to talk about practical design advice to help you create the ideal space for your lifestyle.
Although Vogue is known as one of the most prestigious magazines when it comes to fashion, the publication also has a division that is solely focused on interior design, which is called Vogue Living. From the current design hype that is taking the design community by storm, to more seasonal and laid back coverage of interior design, Vogue Living is an essential magazine for those who want to read a little bit more about interior design and architecture. From time to time, the publication also covers more in-depth content about interior design which may cover design history, as well as famous figures who have pioneered interior design styles.
These magazines are just some of our picks, but keep in mind that there are plenty of other options that are available. You may have noticed that some magazines can be very general, but some other magazines are more niche with the design styles they cover. Depending on your style of preference, you may be more inclined to give certain magazines a try if their content captures your interests.
Seeking Design Inspiration Beyond Books and Magazines
While these six books and magazines may give you the gist of what you are looking for in interior design, it is important to note that you do not need to be reliant on books and magazines to motivate you to partake in interior designing.
Sometimes, the best way to learn something is by doing the practice itself without having to rely too much on other sources. But take this advice with a bit of caution, designing a space is no walk in the park, but it can certainly be made easier with the assistance of an interior designer and/or architect.
The key to working with an interior designer is that they already have the knowledge and skills required to create the ideal space that you have already visualized. It can be easier to plan something out, but actually doing the work can be a major obstacle, but an interior designer can help take your design ideas for a room and make it a reality.
If you have an interior design project in New York or Connecticut that requires some professional expertise, contact us today! We offer no obligations phone calls to answer any of your questions or concerns.
Stewart Schafer is an Interior and Architectural firm based in New York and Connecticut, click here to view some of our past projects and see how we can help.
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