If you were planning to redecorate your home, would you be able to confidently execute what you picture in your mind? What about if you were sitting down with a design or decorating professional — do you think you could effectively describe what you imagine for your home?
One big hurdle for interior designers and interior decorators is taking the vision of a client and translating it into a design that suits their unique space as well as their individual style and personality. If it’s a struggle for them, think about how challenging it can be to do it on your own!
In cases such as this, it’s safe to say that a picture is worth a thousand words — which is why design professionals often ask clients to collect photographs, magazine articles, internet images, and even sketches that best reflect what they envision for their home. If you’ve personally done some remodeling or decorating, it’s likely you’ve done the same. Considering that home remodels and such are looked upon as a visual industry, this makes total sense!
Designing and Decorating in a Virtual Age
We don’t see quite as many interior design magazines these days — at least not physical copies we can hold. Instead, we often look to the Internet for inspiration, ideas, and how-tos. The challenge that comes along with that, however, is narrowing down the seemingly endless information out there into something more streamlined — that process of turning the “what could be” into a more concentrated list of “what I want.”
The good news is that this process is so much easier thanks to idea-sharing websites such as houzz.com and pinterest.com. Whether you are considering hiring a professional or an avid DIY-er, these two sites have enabled us to design and decorate on a whole new level.
How to Navigate the World of Design & Decor Idea Sharing
While two independent sites, both are very similar. With Pinterest, you create virtual pinboards. With Houzz, virtual idea books.
Both of these methods allow you to organize and share all the beautiful and creative ideas you find on the web. It also allows you to browse the pinboards and idea books of others — professional designers and decorators included — to get inspiration for your home projects.
Houzz alone has millions of photos in their database you can sort through but their filtering options allow you to really hone in on exactly what you want. Pinterest, on the other hand, is a little broader in scope, but there are still some ways you can narrow the focus as well. Here are some tips to help you create a fully functioning pinboard on Pinterest:
- Create: Start a few project boards and then gather and pin ideas whether they come from — other boards, websites, magazines, blogs, etc. Sometimes the pins can look like clutter, making it hard to remember their purpose, so be sure to make notes on each pin as to what it was you liked about it. After a while, you’ll start seeing clarity as to where your project is headed.
- Share: Social media is a wonderful tool, especially when it comes to sharing ideas. If you’d like to see how well your project would be received, share selected pins (or your entire board) on your Facebook page and ask your friends for feedback. If this isn’t a personal project, but a professional one, be sure to share your pins and board with any designer or client you are dealing with.
- Downsize: Here’s where all that note-taking will help. It’s time to downsize your boards to something more manageable and realistic. Start by looking over your pins. Are there things that need too much DIY work? If so, remove them. Is there something that exceeds your budget? Yes? Remove them or replace them with an affordable alternative. A project will be much easier to start once you have a more streamlined approach.
- Finalize: Now that you have filtered through the pins, your board should have only the images that truly reflect the result you want to achieve. Finalize any last-minute tweaks, start making lists as to what you need, hit the store, and get started on your new home design project!
- Follow: There is a wealth of pinners out there, but eventually, you’ll find a handful who design and decorate in a way that brings you joy. Those are the ones to follow so you can keep up with the current trends going on within your preferred design style. You might also want to follow other pinners such as HGTV and Pantone.
A Great Way to Get the Family Involved
If you have multiple projects you’re tackling, both of these sites are wonderful tools for getting everyone involved. The kids can help share their ideas for the playroom, basement, and bedrooms, while you can focus on gathering ideas for areas like the kitchen and bathroom.
Share Your Ideas With Us
When you have your ideas collected, stop by the showroom so we can get involved. Have some favorite pattern styles or colors for your fabrics? Show us what you’ve saved and we can help find comparable products that will turn your vision into reality. Visit us at CUTTING CORNERS, to pick out your favorite fabrics for your next project!
