How to Use Pinterest for your Renovation
On info calls, I ask if the caller has collected any inspiration imagery on either Pinterest or Instagram. If so, I request that those images are sent ahead of time so I can study them before a Boutique Consultation. That way, we can be as efficient with our time together as possible and I can nail down exactly what your wishlist and top priorities are for the space(s).
Pinterest is what most of our clients use to collect inspiration imagery and I use it as a tool in the office to organize ideas and source products during design development.
What’s Pinterest?
Pinterest is ultimately a search engine that provides results based on imagery. You can easily use this tool on a computer, and their mobile app is fantastic as well.
The website allows you to search imagery and save and organize these images to what they call “boards.” Each image save is referred to as a “pin.”
Pinterest as a Design Tool
This platform is a great way to compile and save inspiration imagery for a future renovation. Before Pinterest, I used to have a million bookmarks or just hope I would remember where I found certain images. Neither methods were ideal solutions.
With Pinterest, you can create a board for each space you plan on improving and save (or pin) images to a dedicated board. You’re essentially saving all these links, but there’s a photo attached to it. So that when you’re ready to order that chair you saw on a website three years ago, it’s much easier to find.
Save Images from Anywhere, Not Just Pinterest
One of my favorite features is that you can pin images that you find on any website, you’re not limited just to what you find within Pinterest. So if you find a really awesome chandelier on a lighting manufacturer’s website, you can “pin” it to your Dining Room inspiration board. When you click on a “pin” it automatically takes you to the webpage where you found the image.
Easily Share Ideas
I love when my clients have a Pinterest board (or boards) for their project. It makes it very easy for my team and I to grasp what the client’s end goals are for their renovation. It also allows us to know when to ask for clarifications (i.e. did you pin this image for the backsplash or the cabinetry style?). It’s so much easier to click on a link that takes me to their Pinterest board rather than receive 10 separate emails of random links–that’s much more likely to get lost in the shuffle.
In fact, when we set up client projects in Asana, we always include a link to the client’s Pinterest board(s). We constantly reference these images during design development.
You Can Also Keep it Private
Pinterest allows you to have public and secret boards. For example, all my design related boards are public, but I also have a board full of cute shoes that’s secret because it has nothing to do with SG23 Design. I find secret boards especially come in handy when you’re saving ideas for birthday or Christmas gifts.
Don’t Overthink It
Just save whatever catches your eye. I have had many clients send me a link to their Pinterest board(s) with a note that says something like, “sorry, my pins are all over the place.” 90% of the time, I get a pretty clear idea of what design would work for them, because there are many repeating elements throughout their pins that they haven’t even picked up on.
My team and I can more easily see patterns because we’re a bit removed. It’s not our space, we’re looking at things from a more neutral perspective. We’re also trained to observe what our clients’ needs and wants are, so that we can implement what’s most appropriate for the project.