Inspiration!

The matte white geometric shapes of this fireplace inspired the side table, while the built-in bookcase niche inspired a single-arm chaise rather than a dual-arm sofa, keeping the walkway open and inviting.

My favorite word in the English language is "inspiration".

It signifies the genesis of something brilliant, beautiful, and bold. It’s a visceral moment that is hard to describe with any other word. The moment inspiration hits feels like nothing else. A jolt that runs through your body. We rely on metaphors to describe it—a lightbulb turning on!

It also signifies the sharing of ideas, given from one to another. A gift from which springs that awesome burst of excitement in its recipient. What could be more special? Your creation, inspired by someone else’s creation, now inspires my creation.

This realtor on this home requested modern while signaling the home’s architectural charm. Inspired by the eras of both past and future owners, we brought together modern and classic elements to stage a new lifestyle within a storied home.

One thing I love about what we do here at Ashley Provost Design is how deeply rooted it is in inspiration.

We are inspired every day by the beautiful, diverse homes we get to see and work with. And also by the families who inhabit them, and the unique stories they offer to enrich our days. Grandma selling her home after 50 years, showing us her special treasures within it, each a memory and testament to a beautiful life well-lived, and excited to pass the proceeds to her grandchildren for college, or to start their own families. Grandpa built the shed outside, she planted the rose garden with her kids. Meaningful things, which inspire us every day.

But then something just as special happens. We are able to do our very best to translate this home for the next owners, to inspire them to dream about what could be. Help them imagine what they will do here, who they will meet, where the kids will play, and of course where they will put Grandma’s china hutch. Maybe they will paint it, but it’s still Grandma’s china hutch.

Sometimes inspiration is difficult as it signals the end of a past phase, necessary for the beginning of something new. But there is beauty in the cyclical nature of it all.

The passage of a home from one family to another is more than a transaction, and it’s full of inspiration. The most beautiful word in the world.

Thanks for reading my first post. Please follow me as I share what inspires me, from beautiful decor to teamwork and collaboration to nature. Inspiration is everywhere!

Inspired by the rural lifestyle this farmhouse will offer its new owners, we brought vintage bookcases salvaged from a floral shop to create a backdrop of collected items.

Home is currently for sale…see more here.

An interior designer (Julie Miller) invited us to stage this bathroom after she completed it. The simple, shapely tub inspired the basket of towels while the tall, thin, black windows inspired the art piece. And of course, the greenery adds a nod to the star of this room—the tree branches outside.

We were so inspired by this room’s tall, carved wood doors. Previously whitewashed wood which did not coordinate with the style of the rest of the home, we painted them dramatic black to create a focal point and a unique architectural detail. The carving is now more pronounced and appreciated on a painted surface.

Home is currently for sale… see more here.

The dramatic window frames in this room inspired the cognac-colored leather ottoman. Repetition of color highlights the room’s best feature.