Joann and I spent the last two days at  ADAC (Atlanta Decorative Arts Center) for a portion of 2014 Discover ADAC's week of keynote presentations by some of today's top design experts. We made a point of attending Barry Dixon's keynote yesterday called "The Mix: blending the history of Eastern & Western aesthetics into all-American design.."

We saw Barry speak last year at Design Camp Atlanta and all I can say is he is a wordsmith like none other. I wish I could have made a list of the vocabulary words he used during that one hour so that I could incorporate them into my vernacular.

Both times we've heard Barry speak, I walk away with a heightened sense that inspiration is all around us. It's a matter of slowing down long enough to open up all of our senses and notice these inspirations. (Ok, it also helps to travel the world as Barry has).

Barry made the point over and over that mixing influences from all over the globe - particularly Eastern and Western - is what makes his designs so special.

Whether you are a designer, a writer, a chef or just somebody who wants to be inspired by beauty, listening to somebody like Barry Dixon is a lesson in what to look for.

When Barry was in Instanbul, Turkey he went to the market and fell in love with all the little shoes. They inspired his color line for C2 Paint as well as some of the hues and textures for is fabric line for Fabricut/Vervain.

On his farm in Virginia, he is inspired by the textures and colors of the eggs produced by his five different breeds of hens.

The texture and color of his puppy's fur has inspired him.

Barry's drafting table in his office becomes a collection of items that inspired his new fabric line for Fabricut/Vervain - bird eggs from his farm, a page from a children's book he loved in his youth, a brass gift from an old friend .....

Dahlias cut from his garden provided endless inspiration for his collection for C2 Paint.

It's amazing to witness colors and items from nature and travel transpire into the beginnings of a new fabric line....

or a new paint line.....

I love the "no rules" approach that Barry Dixon has to design. If it's beautiful, you love it and it has a travelled story, incorporate it into your living spaces no matter what. To me, that's what  makes a house a home.

What inspires you?

Do you take TIME to be inspired? Fall is a beautiful season of colors, textures, shapes and smells that might just change the way you think about things ......

Kelly