You see things everywhere that you know you like, but when you sit down to define what you want in your own project… you’re left staring at a blank screen. You have an idea of what you want up there somewhere, but defining your design style can be a completely different story.
Here are my tips for taking that elusive idea and defining what it means to you. First, choose your medium. Do you like to search photos online, or do you need paper? There is no right or wrong answer. It is ok in this technological age if you still want to flip through magazines. Use whatever you are most comfortable with.
Websites and Apps
If you prefer technology, my top two website recommendations are Pinterest and Houzz. Both allow you to save images you find anywhere online and both allow you to share/collaborate on your design boards. (While I love both, I prefer Houzz for construction and Pinterest for interior design ideas.)
In either case, start by creating a few blank boards labeled the following:
- Exterior
- Kitchen
- Living Room
- Bathrooms
- Bedrooms
- Landscape
- Favorites
Now, spend time just looking through photos and saving them the instant you like them. Don’t stop to analyze. Remove “why” from your thought process. Just scroll and save. Once you are done, here is the hard part, walk away. Yes, walk away for at least a few hours. Come back with a fresh set of eyes, and start combing through the photos you have saved. The patterns will start to jump out at you. You will see that three photos all had the same tile backsplash in the kitchen, and all the home exteriors you saved have the same siding. From here you can start compiling you favorites.
Now you have an inspiration board that you can share with your architect, designer, contractor. This will be your stepping stone for the project. The more you can define your personal taste, the easier it will be to keep everyone on track with your vision.
(If you prefer to look at magazines, it is the same process: flip, tear, and save. Just know that you need to allow yourself more time in the search process.)
Other Platforms
Now, I am not forgetting about instagram. There are great images and great designers that I recommend following at your leisure, but when you are ready to really hone in on what defines your space, the others are your best tools.
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