“I’ve never felt comfortable looking perfect or being perfect. My taste is weird and I couldn’t make a perfect room if I tried.” Jenna Lyons
I am excited about interiors that give me a feeling for the person or family that lives in the space. I think perfect rooms and perfect homes don’t exist in the same way that the perfect person doesn’t exist. I think if you try for perfection, you’re likely to end up with a home that feels rigid and unforgiving. Model homes and a certain type of hotel give me this uncomfortable feeling. They’re pretty to walk through, but I’m not comfortable in them. I really love spaces that have some imperfect magic to them – magic that comes from personality and life and sometimes age. Here are a few images that have been resonating with me the last few weeks as I try to hold onto my own magic during a tough time for the world and our country.
When I was a kid, I remember being told by an adult that red and pink don’t look good together. I filed it away under “Important Wisdom That Adults Know” and then, as a teenager, realized, maybe seeing Molly Ringwald in Pretty in Pink, that red and pink look fantastic together.
Speaking of Pinks and Reds, have you seen the pinks and oranges in the Lily’s bedroom from the Christmas special Dash & Lily? I LOVE this room. (Photo Source)
I could do without the taxidermy, but I love everything else. I used to have a yellow, velvet sofa and, with confidence, I can say it improved my mood. (Photo Source)I adore this mustard yellow wall behind the layers of fun art. This is from a favorite Instagram account I follow “A Spoonful of Benjamin” His apartment looked good before he went yellow on the wall but now it really sings. (Photo Source)This table is in a kitchen and I like the European style of having a table instead of a big island. It may not be as practical, but it’s very chic! I wish I had room in my kitchen for one. I would sit too long at it and dinner would be late every night. (Photo Source)I’ve gone a few blogs without professing my love of Leanne Ford – I figure I’m due! Leanne’s old dining room – simple, unfussy, thrown together and perfect. (Photo Source)I like this modern and simple record storage tucked under the stairs. It looks great contrasted with the older herringbone floors. (Source)
“One of the basic rules of the universe is that nothing is perfect. Perfection simply doesn’t exist…..Without imperfection, neither you nor I would exist”
― Stephen Hawking
I love the look of this little loft office even if I could never be successful with white floors. (Photo Source)Textiles really add some punch to this room. More is more! (Photo Source)
“Surround yourself with objects and colors that speak to you and make you dream, and don’t be afraid to mix patterns.” – Carolina Irving.
Carolina Irving’s absolutely fabulous living and dining room. I might never leave the home if I lived here. (Photo Source)
I could sit in that reading nook all day long (a common theme for today’s blog). This cute nook also follows the old style advice of go big with your branches. If you can barely fit them through the door then you’re doing it right. (Photo Source)
This is a Jasper Conran hotel in Marrakech. I love the atmosphere the red stripes, orange flowers and red lampshades bring. I’d love to bring a little bit of this feeling into a home. (Photo Source)
“Imperfections are not inadequacies; they are reminders that we’re all in this together.”
Laura is a Denver Interior Designer who runs an Interior Design Studio based in sunny Colorado with a strong commitment to livable and interesting interiors. She also runs The Colorado Nest, a Denver blog about Design, Art and Life in the Mountain West and co-hosts the book podcast "The Inside Flap" on iTunes, Stitcher and Google Play.
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1 thought on “Imperfectly Perfect: Design Inspiration”
The Colorado Nest 
These spaces look so cozy and beautiful!
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