Unusual Inspiration

Much to my surprise, our small crowd of runners survived this weekend’s White Rock Half Marathon. There was no doubt in my mind that we had prepared well for the 13.1 mile trek, but when race morning dawned cold and rainy, I was definitely concerned. In spite of the weather, we all crossed the finish line, more than a little soggy, and more than a little proud of ourselves for kicking winter’s grizzly rear end.

As always, I spent much of the race drinking in my surroundings. As we cruised through Highland Park, I gave myself whiplash taking in the Christmas decorations on the multi-million dollar mansions. When I wasn’t busy ogling homes with annual property tax bills that exceed the value of our home, I was turning a little green with gear envy – my other favorite way to wile away the miles.

My two favorite trends that I spied on the course were zebra print leggings and tons and tons of neon. I searched the Interwebs for my very own zebra leggings, and came up empty. Whaaaaa? The closest I could find was this pair from Under Armour. If you can find the real striped deal, please put me on the top of your “needs to know” list.

As far as neon goes, these Newtons caught my eye. I would look SOFAST in these, even if I ran my normal 11-minute-mile pace.

And then the thought occurred to me – the trends I adore in running gear also happen to be some of my top picks when it comes to interior design: pops of animal print and insanely bright colors. Here are a few that totally float my boat.

This look rocks all of my elements – a neutral, white backdrop, paired with a blast of zebra and two crayon-bright shades. From Style at Home.

Another one that combines some uber-bright colors with a pop of animal print, from Elle Decor.

Love the super sneaky cheetah in this Elle Decor image, which I couldn’t resist tearing from the magazine.

Neon pillows + a giant hide = love. From Houzz.

This slightly-more-subdued color palette rocks a pale grey zebra chair for a little added interest. From House Beautiful.

How about this amazing room from Tobi Fairley, with candy-colored walls and a little zebra on the floor?

The master bedroom of a blogger favorite of mine, Emily A. Clark! More hides. Hmm, where can I find a vegetarian version?

I’d live in any of Sarah Richardson‘s houses, but this living room from Sarah’s House 2 is to die for. You’ve got two kinds of animal print on the pillows, plus zebra wood on the storage. Yum.

All that to say, inspiration is all around us – it’s just a matter of taking a moment to appreciate your surroundings. Do you get inspiration from any unusual sources?