I love color. I really do. I culled through some of my “nature” photo files the other day–a lot of culling going on these days with switching offices. I was amazed again by the commonalities and subtle differences we see all around us every day. It’s quite inspiring, so I thought I’d inspire you with some of the floral color similarities I found in my collection.

The news around the Pond is that my new office is being painted today! Those of you who know me (and certainly those who’ve glanced at the website) know that I really am a color gal. I love bright colors. I enjoy vibrance. So, what color did I choose for my office walls?

“Realist Beige” — Sherwin Williams 6078

Yep. It’s beige. Or charitably, a warm grey. I know. I couldn’t believe it either. I’ve seen some spectacular examples of grey tones paired with other colors lately (which I’ll share soon), and I suppose it’s convinced me of how inspiring grey can really be. The good thing about the grey/beige walls is that they will serve as a wonderful grounding for the many moods of my creativity. They will easily play well with the multitude of books, scraps of paper and Sonic wacky pack toys that are likely to line my shelves. They will readily co-exist with whatever bright-minded office supplies and bins I choose. They will welcome almost any pattern that strikes my momentary fancy.

The fact is, I need that neutrality. I need something that frees me to pursue whichever path my creativity takes–kind of like a staging area for inspiration.

Inspiration. It seems like we’re constantly looking for it. It’s one reason why I decided to begin writing a blog as part of my launch of Small Pond Graphics. I’m kind of an information-junkie and certainly a web-junkie, so I love finding creative ideas from all the fields of design, the arts and culture that can impact my work or just give me a breath of fresh creative air.

Inspiration and I sometimes have a love-hate relationship, however. As a design professional, I’m required to call on my creativity and design sensibilities on a daily basis — usually in a way that meets specific goals and deadlines. For my entire adult life, I’ve needed to be creative every day. And, before that, my foray into architecture and art school certainly was no different. Whew! That can be quite a drain on the inspiration quotient. But, it’s a joy nonetheless. I’m betting that whatever endeavor my clients and readers are pursuing ALSO requires at least a modicum of creativity, usually a healthy dose. That’s just how life is in the small pond. Creativity and ingenuity are needed no matter what you’re doing.

You never know where you might find inspiration to fuel that ingenuity. Part of my goal with Plop! is to provide frequent updates on what is inspiring my pursuit of creativity and pushing me toward a more well-designed and well-lived life. And, I hope to call on some of my creative and industrious friends to share what inspires their creativity, too. Maybe it will offer you the added inspiration to create that well-designed life in your own pond!

So, what’s inspiring you today? Like beige, what’s that thing freeing your creativity that you never thought could? I’d love to hear about it! Maybe it will inspire the rest of us too!