Let me start off by saying: this is not an idea thread. This is about what inspires you to make levels and where you get ideas.

Yeah, basically what I just said. What inspires you? What gives you ideas? For me it's real life places and the 3D Mario games.(Yes, all of them.)
_________________________
Currently working on:
Unnamed NSMB hack

I get my ideas from the sprites, as I'll mix and match them according to theme or an idea I've thought up, but sometimes if I want to make a castle level, I'll make one.
_________________________
... and they all lived happily ever after.

I watch twitch and I scroll through threads. Eventually this leads to one thing or another and I have found some cool concepts I can put into a level. I start off simple then use them in more complex ways. Then I test the hell out of the level and figure out if that was a good part or not. At that point if its not good, I will tweak it and delete it if I it's to much of a hassle. Note, I make hard/kaizo levels.

I usually draw some lines and then start drawing different ideas out until I can "prove" it if that makes sense.

I use things like papers and pencils or Mario Maker as a scratch pad to flesh out different kinds of things.
_________________________
"I strikingly thought you would know how but it clearly seems you have no knowledge of hacking" - MiiU 2017

For me, I look at the original levels before building. I also check the wiki clever level ideas and mix everything into something new.

Also I've never used a scratch paper or anything. I just test it a million times on DeSmuME.
_________________________
Check out these awesome hacks! Beyond DS is now my major hack!

I just get inspiration out of nowhere when I'm bored (mostly in class) basically.
_________________________
Nothing to say, so jadnjkfmnjamnfjkldnajfnjkanfjdksan jsdnvj m.

I think i played so much Mario games in my life that I know what could be a cool level idea and what not. And then I test until it fits my imagination.

_________________________
previously (un)known as BooChewbaca

I draw my inspiration from playing other peoples levels. Then I try and find ideas.
_________________________
Working on something.