Feeling uninspired

I am working on a new furniture project. It’s a family of furniture which we are lacking in our range.

I don’t want to reveal too much, but I feel that this area has been done to death by other designers and furniture makers, so I am finding it hard to find inspiration for the project.

Maybe I have looked at too many images provided by our sales/marketing team and am suffering from inspiration overload. I’m not sure. Just don’t know how to get out of this funk.

Maybe I need some Tumblr pages, pinterest or something to look at. Not sure. Any suggestions would be great.

Shut down your computer, get out of your chair, leave your desk and head for
the open road.

Go for a long walk in the woods.

Do your own user centric “research” in a real world setting.

Sketch.

This works at least for me…

mo-i

Go to museums, exhibitions or shops and check what they have there and see how can you apply it to your project. There’s always a new way of doing something.

I’m with mo-i, go for a bike ride.

Or whatever you do to clear your mind. For me, it is riding a bike.

Usually something good comes in when there is nothing in my head.

Gonna put out a cynical response here but…if it’s inherently a weak brief, and you’ve got other stuff to work on, then just complete it to it’s clichéd level and don’t waste any more thought on it. Some projects just pay the bills and not much more. Disregard this advice if the project is meant to be your primary effort going forward.

Try looking to things outside of furniture for inspiration.

Maybe research some new materials and manufacturing methods, you know, start with the clay…

Totally agree. Let you mind percolate freely in the background. Everyone has their tricks. I go to a movie, or an art museum, or a long run. The best way to stop beating your head against a wall is to stop beating your head against a wall.

Thanks for all your thoughts.

It’s a long weekend coming up, so I was thinking about taking my dogs to the forest anyway. Might take a sketchbook and camera with me.

For me knowing that I have the sketchbook in my backpack would already be too much
“pressure”. I get the best results out of the avalons of halfasleep mornings and the second
bests out of “damn where is my sketchbook?” moments…

But others might be able to cope with actually bringing a sketchbook in the first place, better.

Have a nice weekend everyone.

mo-i

I agree with the above advice to go out and get a change in perspective. I also find that changing up my medium of design can un-stick me sometimes. Do a lot of Cintiq-based work? Break out the paper and pens…on 3D software? Go get some foam/cardboard/wood/paper and build instead.

-D

I also find that changing up my medium of design can un-stick me sometimes.

Make it a 3"x 5" notepad and describe your ideas.

Same thought here. My best ideas usually are when I’m doing something unrelated and mundane. The point is to free yourself from whatever’s clogging your pipeline. Bringing the sketchbook with you will only keep your mind fixed on what you’re aleady stuck thinking about.