An Unexpected Way Designers can Leverage Pinterest per Chandler Oldham - Episode 225

We’ve talked about how designers can leverage Pinterest with their social media marketing strategy. But is there another way to use Pinterest, both internally and externally? Chandler Oldham certainly believes so. In this episode of Wingnut Social, she shares the unique way her firm—DXA Studio—uses Pinterest. Don’t miss it!

What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social

• [0:43] Check out Desi Creswell’s coaching group!
• [1:05] Head on over to Build Lane for customer furniture 
• [2:49] Mini News Sesh: Live audio groups on Facebook
• [6:30] Learn more about Chandler Oldham
• [11:16] How COVID changed the landscape
• [13:26] How Chandler is using Pinterest with clients
• [19:07] How Pinterest helps with the creative process
• [26:04] How to combine Pinterest and other resources for inspiration 
• [29:40] Pinterest applies to hospitality and commercial design as well
• [32:00] How Chandler sources products and vendors on Pinterest 
• [38:36] The What Up Wingnut Round
• [41:12] How to connect with Chandler Oldham
• [46:12] Blooper Reel!

Connect with Chandler Oldham

• Connect on LinkedIn
• Save her pins on Pinterest
• Follow on Twitter

Resources & People Mentioned

• DXA Studio
• Pinterest Save Button
• Episode #218 with Kate Ahl
• Watership Down by Richard Adams
• DXA Ten Years

Pinterest for collaboration

As a way to collaborate on ideas, Chandler’s team likes to create a Pinterest board for projects so people can save things in it. It’s also great when you have clients who want to be more hands-on, which developers seem to be moving toward. During COVID, it was also one of the easiest ways to communicate and not waste time going in the wrong direction.

Chandler points out that their use of Pinterest is heavy-handed during the concept period when they’re doing most of the designing. But Chandler loves to use it throughout the entire process. You can send a detailed image to a client or a contractor and it conveys so much more than trying to explain with words. Plus, it saves you from having to make a sketch. 

The only downside of Pinterest is that you can go down the rabbit hole trying to find something. Their algorithm tends to send you the same images repeatedly and you have to know how to get to what you’re searching for. 

Tips and tricks to best utilize Pinterest

When you find a furniture maker or designer that you like, Chandler emphasizes that you should spend time on their websites. Use the Pinterest plugin so that you can save images from their site. That way, you’re constantly saving things to Pinterest for yourself. It gives you a new place to get images and it changes what the algorithm gives you versus solely searching inside Pinterest. She makes sure the original owners of the image get the credit for the image. Lastly, Chandler recommends that you create as many boards as you can for yourself and save, save, save photos. You’ll be upset if you didn't save an image and try to recall it later, only to realize you can’t find it.

How Pinterest helps with the creative process

Chandler uses Pinterest all the time because she’s always thinking one project ahead. She wants to always insp