House Digest Survey Discovers The Most Popular Source Of Design Inspiration

Imagine you are sitting at a desk with nothing but a blank piece of paper and a ballpoint pen. How would you express yourself on the paper? Would you write a grocery list or a poem? Maybe a short story? Perhaps you'd doodle your name or draw pictures of your pets and family. An empty sheet of paper can be a freeing blank slate, but it can also feel intimidating when you're tasked with describing yourself.  

Staring at an empty room can be a lot like staring at that blank sheet of paper. According to Well Doing, our homes communicate a lot about our personalities, social and economic standing, hobbies, hopes, fears, and more, so it makes sense to feel a little stressed when deciding how to decorate. Of course, your interior design choices don't have to be permanent, but furnishing and decorating a home can be expensive and time consuming. Getting some outside inspiration certainly helps you learn how to express yourself throughout your home, So, when you need some ideas, what's the best to go for help — should you head online or call a professional designer? House Digest surveyed a total of 629 people with this question: Where do you turn to for design inspiration? And the results are in.

According to our survey, nearly 25% of participants like to find hot décor trends on Pinterest, a website and mobile app that allows users, or pinners, to browse and save photos, articles, and videos from all around the internet. Known as pins, the images can be saved onto personal boards with titles like Home Inspo or Spring Fashion. Pinterest has been extremely successful in connecting people with ideas and inspiration, and even allows pinners to make purchases directly through the app. For anyone looking to update their décor or remodel their home, creating a Pinterest board is a convenient way to keep a ton of ideas in one organized place. 

In a partnership with Black Swan Data, Pinterest analyzed how trends develop and move across their website. Upcoming trends spotted on Pinterest tend to grow in popularity by about 56% after just six months, and they remain relevant for about 20% longer than trends from other sites (via Pinterest). Designing your home can be a tricky and expensive undertaking, but people who find inspiration on Pinterest can rest assured that their ideas will stand the test of time and be well-liked by their peers.

Almost a quarter of participants surveyed said they find their interior design inspiration from Pinterest, but where does that leave the rest of the crowd? Television shows still offer a lot of great ideas; over a fifth of poll takers (21%) said they like to draw inspiration from design shows like those found on HGTV.  According to Pacific Standard, people who tune in to HGTV frequently spend over two hours watching the channel. Even if we're not planning to buy a new home or remodel, we still enjoy the thrill of before-and-after photos and trendy home design inspiration. 

Our social groups are also a major influence on our interior design preferences; close to 19% of participants said they gain ideas from their friends and family. Todayz News explains that family experiences play a major role in the psychology of interior design. We're typically drawn to things that evoke positive memories, like grandma's copper tea kettle or dad's grand bookcase. Our interior design choices also communicate our values and passions to family and visitors, making a statement about who we are as individuals. Following behind friends and family, around 17% of survey participants said they gather most of their inspiration from social media outlets like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Home improvement and design magazines inspired 12% of voters, while only 6% of poll takers said that they like to follow the guidance of a professional interior designer.