Sometimes when getting ready to do a project we haven’t done before, we gather TMI (too much information) ,if you’re concerned about wasting hard to find wood, make a practice box out of pine or poplar and just go for it . If you’re doing woodworking for fun,then expect to make mistakes,take the fear and pressure out of the project,use each project as a learning experience.Enjoy!
I find so many folks are much more creative than myself ,so I often do the same thing as you Mike , I get inspiration from other folks work,there’s nothing wrong with that, unless we claim someone elses design as our own.

woodworking classes, custom furniture maker