We all know + love (and hate) Pinterest for the infinite sources of inspiration. But when it comes to home design + decor inspiration Pinterest can often leave us with a feeling of inadequacy that our houses aren’t big, or beautiful, or clean (mine certainly isn’t). But instead of looking at these lust-worthy snaps as sources of despair or desire for the impossible, use your pins to create the things you CAN. You may not be able to re-do the whole kitchen to look just like that French inspired design you’ve been drooling over (what, just me??), but what changes can be made to get that feeling you’re longing for?
The sheer volume of images on Pinterest can also leaving you feeling overwhelmed in finding a direction or even a starting point but here are some ways that you can hone in on your style + starting making your home pin worthy!
1. Find a Common Theme
If you have been using Pinterest for a while or even started planning a new project + have a slew of pins for it, take some time to comb through and figure out what they all have in common. Are they mostly bright + colorful, dark + moody or light + neutral? What feel do you want the space to have? Also pay attention to multiples of the same pin; if an image has been repinned several times, that should be a clue that you’re exceptionally drawn to its elements.
2. Focus on the Details
What are the specifics that you love about each picture. Take a minute and change the description when repinning a picture, this way you can see exactly what it was about the concept that made you save it in the first place. It could be anything from the wall color, to the furniture arrangement, to a pair of ottomans or throw pillows but you might miss it the second time around if you don’t label it.
3. Be Realistic
Chances are the images you’re viewing took hours to stage + photograph. The art of styling spaces is to help you visualize yourself in the space (Hey! That’s me there cooking an elegant meal in an impeccably clean kitchen with no signs of prep work. NOT!). But the reality is we don’t all live like a photograph. Life is chaotic + messy at (most) times so always consider how you live first, then figure out if all these wants will actually fit into your life.
4. Go Beyond Pinterest
Your closet is a great place for inspiration on colors + styles you’re naturally drawn to. If there’s a lot of black + white in your wardrobe it could mean you like contrast. Look at repeat colors + patterns and take note of the specialty things; I have a couple of faux fur vests and it equates to my loves of plush + fur accessories in home decor. Which leads to: look at your existing decor and figure out what you really love and can’t live without. What is it about these pieces that make you hang on to them. How do they make you feel?
5. Be Patient
Unless you’re independently wealthy and don’t mind wasting money on every trend that comes along, take time with decorating + design. Pin some favorite images to an inspiration board then sit on them for a few months and try to envision the space as a finished product utilizing those concepts. Can you see yourself loving all the elements you’ve chosen in a few years? Painting walls, buying new pillows and rugs may be something you can afford to purchase fairly frequently but how often are you planning on renovating a bathroom or kitchen? For the bigger + more expensive projects try to avoid doing too many trends and be sure to really define the style + feeling you want, as well as ensuring you can actually function in the space.
Here is an example of how I used images to begin refreshing our master bedroom. The reality is, we don’t have high ceilings, or recessed lighting (yet) , or a walk-in closet, or a massive amount of square footage + have minimal natural lighting. What we do have (and that I hate) is small windows, dark floors, + dark furniture. But we’re not about to buy all new bedroom furniture, make bigger windows or put in new flooring. This is a refresh on a very strict budget. The overall feeling I want for our room is for it to be lightened up, and more relaxing but still cozy. A true place for us to escape + unwind. So I used these images for major inspiration and below the images are the elements from them I want to incorporate:
1. Love the light + airy feeling and white linens // 2. The overall neutral color with a pop of moody purple // 3. Again, brightness + that faux fur throw // 4. The wall color combined with the throw + gray rug // 5. Warm + luxurious feeling from the soft lighting, plush rug + bits of reflective metals + mirrors…and the contrast of the dark furniture // 6. Contrast again + warmth of this bedroom with layered lighting from the chandelier, table lamps, and glow of candlelight.
The Takeaway: I plan to get the lighter, brighter feeling by incorporating white sheets + a white/gray area rug. This will also allow there to be more contrasting in our room. I would love to add a chandelier or elegant flush mount light in place of the ceiling fan but we currently use it too often. Boo! Bedding accessories in fur + velvet will give it a luxurious feel and adding touches of flowers + candles will bring more warmth + femininity to our overly masculine furniture.
What do you use Pinterest for the most? Is it helpful for attainable inspiration?
Check out my previous post to see how I plan to make this master bedroom refresh plan a reality!