As I mentioned the other day, I’m planning on including an inspiration board in my office (read more about the plans for the office here). I also mentioned that I’ve been dying to have one in my office for what seems like forever. There’s just something about having a designated place in an organized office where you have permission to clutter it up with things you love and gain creative inspiration from. It’s almost like creating a piece of art that completely captures your creative senses. When you think about it, an inspiration board can be a pretty powerful thing to get the creative juices flowing.

I think my love affair with inspiration boards started when I was about 13 years old. At the time, my mom wasn’t too crazy about me hanging posters in my room. Now, before you go there, no, my mom wasn’t Mommy Dearest. She just liked things neat, orderly, clean, etc. After bugging her for months to let me hang the Jonathan Taylor Thomas “Got Milk?” ad in my room like my cousin Dana, we came to a compromise. She hung a giant bulletin board (the kind you get from the teacher’s supply store) on one of the walls in my room. She painted the wooden frame to match the rest of the room then glued wooden letters that spelled out “Ashley’s Stuff”. To tie everything together (of course) she painted the letters to match the jewel-tone color scheme of my room.

I really, really wish I had a photo to go here. Hopefully, I’ll come across one someday! In the mean time, here’s a little love for my fellow JTT fans out there…

Brings back memories, right?! I think it was the hair.

Inside the four borders of that bulletin board, I had free reign. I collected photos from magazines, postcards of places I wanted to visit, notes from friends, and, yes, the occasional Jonathan Taylor Thomas photo – until it was covered by a Hanson poster. All in all, it was my creative outlet. To this day, I’m pretty sure I owe that bulletin board – and of course my mom, for my ability to think on the artistic side of things. Is it weird that I’m getting teary-eyed as I write this??

When I went off to college,one of the first things I did was drive 30 minutes to the nearest Target to buy a bulletin board. Over the next few months, I made it into my little piece of home away from home. Now this, I have a photo of…

Now that you know my “heart” behind the concept of an inspiration board, let’s get to the how. Until I figure out exactly what kind of board I’ll be making, I’ve been having fun collecting photos of inspirational spaces with inspiration boards (how many times can I say “inspiration” in one sentence?). So far, here’s what I’ve rounded up…

How about you…. Do any of you have an inspiration board somewhere in your home (or office)?

Btw, if you haven’t entered the $100 Pottery Barn Giveaway yet, go do it! The awesome people at HomeTalk are going to up the prize to a $150 gift card if we collect over 500 entires! Everyone has THREE chances to enter, so get clicking!

Inspiration board in the office of Holly Becker found here. Flash back Jonathan Taylor Thomas photo found here. Inspiration photos found here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.