How to Use Pinterest Like an Interior Designer

You have probably used Pinterest before, right? Maybe for that delicious ceviche recipe that whisked you back to Spain. Or maybe inspiration for your kid’s Halloween costume. But can Pinterest actually help you with the design of your home? Or is it just for looking?

We say yes. In fact, our designers use Pinterest all the time for…

• Gathering inspiration
• Curating mood boards
• Working collaboratively with clients to pin, share and comment on ideas
• Making purchasing easy— just click the link and buy it!

Who knew, right? But there’s more to using Pinterest than just clicking away at random. We pin with purpose. Today, we’re sharing our step-by-step guide to using Pinterest like (and with) your designer.

Step 1: Create a Pinterest Board with Categories

This step is all about gathering inspiration. Start by creating a board with sections segmented by room or by space. At Coddington Design, we create one board per project. Then, each room within your project gets its own section. Yours might look something like this:

Pro Tip: Download the Pinterest extension on your browser. This places a Pinterest icon on your toolbar so that you can easily pin from any website you visit.

Step 2: Pin with Wild Abandon

Remember when I said not to pin away at random? Ignore that advice right now, and DO pin whatever sets your pulse racing. Use the search function to look for spaces that speak to you — but at this point, don’t think too hard about why the space works. Just follow your gut. Not sure what to search for?

• Take our style quiz and use your result to begin searching
• If you like clean lines, use the terms “modern”, “fresh”, “mid-century”, “airy”
• If you like historic character, use the terms “traditional”, “vintage”, “cozy” or “transitional”
• If you like funky art, use the terms “eclectic”, “colorful”, “bold”, or “boho”

Step 3: Identify Your Design Themes

Now that you’ve gathered all your inspiration, it’s time to get intentional and start noticing themes and patterns. If you’re working with us, we will help you sort out the themes in your board. Our goal is to understand your design style clearly. You may even be surprised by what you find out about yourself.

If you’re doing it independently, it may take a minute to sort through all the pins. But you can use these prompts to help you identify what you like:

• Is there a theme with the color palette you’re attracted to?
• What is the overall vibe of the spaces you pinned? Are they clean and modern or cozy and welcoming?
• What kind of materials are there? Mixed metals? Textured or sleek finishes? Natural stone or hardwood?
• Do you see any similar features repeated, like types of lighting, flooring, or decor?

The dining room (left) is a traditional style with curves and coffered ceilings, while the kitchen on the right is a modern feel with natural wood elements.

Step 4: Refine Your Pinterest Board

This may be the most challenging step. It’s time to archive pins that don’t match your themes from Step 2. You may have to give yourself some tough love and let go of pins that don’t positively impact your room design. What’s left will be a hyper-focused Pinterest board that you (or we) can use to begin identifying which purchases you will want to make.

Step 5: Final Presentation

If you’re working with us, this is the moment when we will take our learnings and channel them into creating a board with the exact items that will be included in your design. We can show how a room will look, from furniture and rugs to lighting and fabrics — yes, both retail and to-the-trade exclusive resources.

If you have hired us to help with procurement, we’ll use this Design Presentation to get your approval on the direction and then we’ll make purchases on your behalf. If you will be procuring the items yourself, you can click each item for more details on pricing, dimensions, lead times, and purchasing. Who knew Pinterest could help with all that?

Ready for some assistance with your project? Book a complimentary discovery call and let’s find your perfect balance of hands-on and hands-off support.

Cheers,
Melanie