Once upon a time you had to pour over magazines and pin fabric swatches to a bulletin board when you were planning your home decoration projects. Luckily, those days are over, and there is a myriad of programs you can use to simplify this process for you.
Pinterest has streamlined the process and brought it completely into the digital age. Taking advantage of all the great tools offered on Pinterest makes it a useful website in your toolbox.
#1 Pin More Easily
You see the perfect rug on a website, but there’s no handy pin button attached to the post. Don’t despair!
If you have the handy “Pin It Now” button installed on your browser’s toolbar you can pin an image from any website, even from a search engine’s image search.
Need to install the “Pin It” button?
Simply click on the “About Page” and scroll down until you see the “Goodies’ heading. You’ll find instructions for installing the button on any browser or internet device.
A few tips when using the “Pin It” button:
- If you’re looking at a howto on a blog or news site, go to the direct page for an article or post, otherwise, your pin will just take you to the home page. That won’t be useful once the content you want has fallen off the main page.
- Pages sometimes disappear. Pin the image that inspired you, not the first one suggested. Even if the page disappears, your inspiration image will remain on Pinterest.
- Add a few lines to the description instead of using the autofill text. If the image is for the bathroom, or you like the vases but want them in blue, make note of it so your memory is jogged when you’re looking over your pins.
#2 Pin On the Fly
Pinning at home on your laptop or desktop is handy, but you need options when you are out and about. Whether you are just killing time during your child’s soccer practice, or if you see the perfect barn door hardware for your kitchen door at a local interior shop, being able to pin on the fly helps you remember all your inspirations.
The simplest way to do this is to install the Pinterest app on your phone or tablet. You can cruise Pinterest anywhere, taking advantage of those few moments of free time to work on your decorating project.
If you see something you like while shopping, simply pin the item from their website while you are still in the store – no need to remember to look when you get home.
#3 More Is Better
Wading through the chaff to find the wheat on a Pinterest general search can be time-consuming and frustrating. When you see something you like, click on it and look at the page below the pin.
Pinterest provides a useful list of other boards that contain the coveted pin. How does this help you? Chances are, these pinners have similar tastes, so cruising through these boards may provide more targeted inspiration you can use to build your own interior decorating boards.
Bonus Tip: Get Everyone on Board
Redesigning your home doesn’t have to be a solo project. Group boards allow your family, your friends, or even your interior designer to work together to find just the right inspiration pieces.
Anyone you allow can pin to a group board. If you’re redoing the mister’s office, why not have both of you add pins to the same board so you can view them sidebyside? More heads are better than one, so use group boards to get ideas from those with similar tastes.
To set up a group board:
- Go to your profile and create a new board.
- Set the board category from the drop-down menu.
- Go to “edit” for the board.
- Choose users from your friends list that can add to the board.
- Save changes and start pinning.
Pinterest is one of the most useful tools online for a home decorating project. Taking advantage of all the features will save you time and make your next Pinterest interior design project more enjoyable.
Update: Wallmural is an app you can use to compare various wall art on real rooms in your home. Check it out!
