What makes a great creative space? Personality, evolution and imperfection
- Natural and neutral colours, inspiring objects and plenty of plant life are common in creative spaces
- A small survey of 23 creatives showed that most creative spaces are in a state of evolution
How do you create a space conducive to creative thinking?
A number of recent books explore the working environments of creative people in search of hints and inspiration.
“They’re not highly produced spaces. They are spaces that reflect the real lives of people,” says Ted Vadakan, co-author with Angie Myung of the new Creative Spaces: People, Homes, and Studios to Inspire. They talked to 23 creative people in a range of disciplines.
“One common thread we found is that things were in a state of progress,” Vadakan says. “Things often felt sort of unfinished, in the midst of changing … The space changes over time as they grow and change and explore.”
“Many creative spaces feel like a continuous work in progress. That was very enlightening. It’s easy to be critical of ourselves. But we realised that everyone is in that state of constant change and work in progress. They’re always trying to be their better selves.”