I find myself in that situation all the time too. Because, although I’m slowly building a library, I don’t always have the right reference material stored away. And when that happens, my answer is simple: go somewhere new. Travel, explore, get away from the familiar. That is the great reset button for creativity. The moment you leave your routine, you start to look at the world more closely, and everything becomes a potential idea.
When my husband Will and I renovated our first flat, years ago, we had no idea what we were doing. We were both lawyers, working full time jobs, and suddenly we were being asked about tiles and paint colours. Our excitement at starting our new project quickly turned into anxiety over the list of decisions. Fortunately, at that moment, we escaped for a long anniversary weekend in Stockholm. And because my mind was already searching for ideas, I saw inspiration everywhere. Pale paint colours, calmness, unfussy elegance. All of the beauty of Stockholm. I came back full of ideas.
Brandon’s studio in Camden.
James McDonald
The same thing happened many years later with my studio building. It was a sad single-storey white box of a building when we bought it. As I was mulling over how to transform it, I felt like I was spinning my wheels. Then we went to Mexico for a holiday, and suddenly everything I saw, rich paint colours, warm textures, lush green planting, felt like a revelation. As soon as we got back home, the studio was painted orange. And every day when I arrive at work, I get a little flash of Mexico here in Camden.
Of course, inspiration doesn’t require travel. Sometimes it can be found closer to home. When Will and I were struggling to agree on how to decorate the entry area of our current flat (not the Stockholm-inspired one), I happened to be wearing corduroy trousers. Will looked down at my trousers and said ‘is there such a thing as corduroy walls?’. Boom! Although I hadn’t seen it before, I loved the idea, and I figured out how to make it happen. (They were very difficult to install, but worth the effort in case you are wondering!)
Inspired by the age of this Arts & Crafts house, arm-toned teak panelling, with a sleek inset cupboard, lines the walls of this light-filled area.
Paul Massey
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