As a designer, I’m always looking for new ways to find inspiration. One of my good friends, who is also in the creative industry, calls these outings “Artist Dates.” She’ll head to a new street, a museum, or just somewhere outside and let her mind wander to dream up new possibilities. I’ve adopted this method myself, though I usually refer to them as my “Inspiration Walks.”

In a place like New York City, the options are endless; I’m constantly exploring new neighborhoods and absorbing the culture, the architecture, and even the food. It’s like traveling to a new country without ever leaving the island!

Recently, I’ve challenged myself to take these walks a step further by directly applying them to my work. My new series, “If this is the inspiration… Here’s what I’m designing,” explores various sources of inspiration—from local NYC spots and travels abroad to current pop culture (like Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance—hello, designing with grass!). I’ll be showing you how to translate specific feelings, moods, and motifs into tangible designs.

My first vignette is inspired by a snowy walk through Central Park. I love the quiet stillness of a snowfall and how it turns the world into a blanket of white. It always makes me want to curl up with a good book while the snow falls outside. Cue the ultimate cozy reading nook!

For this space, I chose a tone-on-tone style for the main elements—the chair and the blanket—to really capture the essence of the snow. I specifically went with a boucle fabric because its heavy texture beautifully mimics a fresh snowfall. To make the space extra cozy, I added candle sconces on either side of the frame, which introduces a nice contrast with the cast iron.

The standing lamp was a must because it reminded me of the iconic lanterns you see throughout Central Park. Plus, the black metal and copper details add a touch of shine. For the artwork, I chose a winter scene that evokes that specific comfort and stillness of a snow-covered street.

To round out the look, I paired the curved chair with a round, natural wood side table to mimic a quiet forest. On top, I added a fluted glass vase with winter florals (a crackle glass vase would also look amazing!) to represent winter ice formations. It adds one more layer of texture to the space.

Here is the final look: