There’s a moment that happens in great design—the instant when you walk into a room and feel that something is missing. The furniture is beautiful. The finishes are refined. The layout works. And yet… it falls just short of extraordinary.
That moment is not a problem. It’s an opportunity. It’s the beginning of inspiration.
The spaces that truly stand out are the ones that go beyond good design and into something more expressive—something that feels intentional, emotional and unforgettable. And often, the element that can create that shift is custom art.
Custom art inspired by mixing nature, water and metal. Interior Designer: Rodeo Builders. Mural by Hattas Studios.
But how do you get from a quiet, well-designed room… to a bold, inspired idea that transforms it completely?
Start by Noticing What’s Missing
Inspiration rarely arrives as a fully formed concept. It usually begins as a subtle awareness.
Stand in the room and ask yourself:
What does this space feel like right now?
What do I wish it felt like instead?
Where does the eye go, and where does it stop?
Is there a focal point, or is everything competing quietly?
Inspired by Hudson River School art movement. Monochrome landscape mural with crackle finish painted inside existing architecture of home in Los Angeles. Mural by Hattas Studios.
A room without art often lacks a sense of identity. It may feel calm, but also incomplete. What it’s missing is a moment. It needs a visual anchor that draws you in and gives the space a voice.
That’s where inspiration begins. It’s in recognizing the gap between what a space is, and what it could become.
Follow the Spark, Not the Rules
When people search for inspiration, they often look outward first—Pinterest boards, design magazines, trending styles. While these can be helpful, the most compelling ideas often come from something more personal.
Instead of asking, “What’s popular?” ask:
What excites me right now?
What imagery do I keep coming back to?
What places, textures or stories are you drawn to?
Inspiration can come from anywhere:
• a landscape from a favorite trip
• the movement of light through trees
• a piece of fabric or wallpaper pattern
• a memory from childhood
• a favorite book or fairy tale
• the architecture of a place you love
Inspired by the idea of an overgrown garden wrapping the walls of an historic home. Interior Designer: Rachel Scheff Design Studio. Mural by Hattas Studios.
The key is to notice what creates an emotional response. That response is your “lightning bolt”—the first signal that you’ve found something worth exploring.
Let the Room Guide the Idea
A powerful way to generate ideas is to let the space itself participate in the process.
Look closely at the room:
• What colors already exist?
• What materials and finishes are present?
• How does light move through the space?
• Is the architecture formal, modern, organic or eclectic?
The best custom art doesn’t fight the room. It elevates it.
Inspired by an imaginative tale of a past world traveler who collected treasures on his many journeys. Interior Designer: CH Projects. Mural by Hattas Studios.
A bright, airy room might invite something expansive and atmospheric. A moody space might call for depth and richness. A minimal room might be waiting for one bold, defining gesture.
When you combine your personal inspiration with the natural language of the space, ideas begin to take shape.
When Inspiration Strikes: A Real Moment from Pasadena Showcase
A perfect example of this happened during our work for the Pasadena Showcase House of Design 2026.
Identical twins Jeanine Hattas Wilson (CEO & Creative Director of Hattas Studios) and Julie (Hattas) Kennedy (Senior Art Director) walked through the home during the early open house, searching for a space that sparked something—anything—that could be transformed into something unforgettable. Room after room, we looked for that feeling. That moment where imagination starts to take over.
And then we opened a small, unassuming door.
Inside was a 4' x 4' storage closet. It wasn’t even listed as a design space on the official map.
Twins Jeanine Hattas Wilson and Julie (Hattas) Kennedy searching the Pasadena Showcase House of Design 2026, for a room that sparks inspiration.
At first glance, it was easy to overlook. But something about it stopped us. It was tucked away, just outside a bedroom. Private. Hidden. Almost secret.
And that’s when the idea began. What if this wasn’t a closet at all? What if it was a child’s escape? A place just for them—quiet, imaginative, and entirely their own?
And then the spark turned into a lightning bolt. What might be inside that secret space?
An enchanted forest.
We could see it instantly—the walls wrapped in trees, branches weaving overhead, a world unfolding in every direction. And within that forest, subtle moments of story. Little Red Riding Hood moving quietly through the woods. Goldilocks discovering something unexpected. Hansel and Gretel just outside the candy house.
Jeanine Hattas Wilson (CEO & Creative Director of Hattas Studios) researching imagery to develop an inspired concept.
Not literal illustrations, but vignettes, woven into the landscape like discoveries waiting to be found.
The ideas started flowing rapidly. One thought led to another, each building on the last. The space, once overlooked, had completely transformed in our minds. We knew we had found it. And we were determined to bring it to life.
Turning a Spark Into Something Extraordinary
That moment in the closet is a perfect example of how inspiration actually works.
It doesn’t always come from grand spaces or obvious opportunities. Sometimes it’s hidden in the smallest, most unexpected places—waiting for someone to see the potential.
The key is to stay open to it. To look beyond what a space is, and imagine what it could be.
Inspired by the feeling of bathing in the secluded mountains. Bathroom in Los Angeles. Mural by Hattas Studios.
To let your mind wander just far enough to ask, what if? And once that spark appears, to follow it.
From Idea to Reality
Once inspiration takes hold, the next step is to shape it into something real—and that’s where collaboration becomes essential.
Working with an artist or interior designer allows you to take that initial idea and develop it into a fully realized concept. Together, you can explore:
• how the artwork will flow within the space
• how to balance storytelling with sophistication
• how to integrate color, light, and scale
• how to create something that feels both imaginative and refined
Inspired by bringing nature inside the home in a light and airy way. Designer: Rachel Scheff Design Studio. Mural by Hattas Studios.
What begins as a fleeting idea becomes a thoughtful, layered design—something entirely original.
Finding Your Own Lightning Bolt
So the next time you’re standing in a room that feels like it’s missing something, don’t rush past it.
Pause. Look closer. Open the door you might have ignored.
Inspired by nature. Once a solid wall outside a basement window, is not an endless landscape of flowers and rolling hills. Mural by Hattas Studios.
And ask yourself:
What could this space become?
What idea would make this unforgettable?
What story could live here?
Because inspiration doesn’t always arrive with certainty. Sometimes, it starts with a small, overlooked closet… and becomes something magical.