Pinterest…..friend or foe?

I resisted the urge as long as I could.  Now I am one of millions who “pin”.  Before Pinterest, I pinned the old fashion way.  Carefully tearing out pages of magazines and adding them to my “dream kitchen” binder.  I started that binder when I bought my house.  I had collected hundreds of images over the years.  Now I have an electronic binder.

            It is easy to get lost in Pinterest-space.   You know that euphoric feeling of inspiration.  Last week I was going to preplan meals for a month after I organized all the closets in my house.  Then I looked at the clock and realized ten minutes turned into an hour and my inspiration was interrupted by reality. But….I pinned the closet organization and monthly meal planning for someday.

            Pinterest is a valuable tool for those who are building a new home or remodeling an existing home.  For many people, they know what they like but just need a little reassurance to get there.  In the “old days” designers would suggest their clients gather images of rooms and products they liked and create a wish book.  Now with Pinterest we can create “boards” with great detail.  Pinterest is becoming an important tool for our customers.  Selecting finishes for both interior and exterior can be overwhelming when building a new home.  @Home has eased most of this with the state of the art design studio.  Pinterest has helped fine tune the details.  Reviewing a customers’ board allows me to capture their vision and help create the home of their dreams. 

            Another great use for Pinterest is to showcase new products.  There are always new products that pertain to the home being introduced.  It is also an excellent way to track the latest trends.

            Overall I see Pinterest as a friend.  It is full of great ideas.  I hope someday I will get the chance to make that bath rug out of old towels and to paint perfect rainbows on my nails.

-Christy Haag, @home Builders Designer