Instant Inspiration

Recently, I’ve been turning to the social media app, Instagram, to get up-to-date trends and inspiration because the app continues to attract many people in the furniture and design industry. Until a few months ago, I only thought of Instagram as an app for people to share infamous ‘selfies,’ envy-worthy meals, attractive compositions, and for me, a place to share too many photos of my dwarf rabbit. Sorry, friends!

Instagram acts as a great platform for both product manufacturers and designers because it allows them to curate a collection of visuals that best displays their story, inspiration, designs or brand. These shared images can create a great network of exchanged ideas within the industry.

Marketing Analytic service, SumAll, recently released a report that shows Instagram is the most effective social network for companies to use that are looking for subscriber growth and engagement, so it’s no surprise that we are starting to see more companies in the design industry using this application. Whether the intention is for sales boosts, or engaging with designers and end-users, I’m welcoming to the idea of my favorite product manufacturers and design companies joining Instagram.

For example, Herman Miller’s Instagram is a great source for inspiration, inviting followers into the company’s past by posting cool mid-century modern installations from the 1960’s. Ironically, you find the lines are blurred between what images are old and new, due to the app’s image filter, and because we are seeing mid-century modern design reappearing in all major commercial furniture and upholstery lines at the moment, (i.e. Bernhardt, Knoll Textiles, Kvadrat, Davis, High Tower, etc). The company also offers contests for its Instagram followers, such as challenging them to design a mini chair out of an old New Year’s Eve champagne bottle, then posting the entry to share with other designers.

In addition, Instagram has helped me stumble upon other professional Interior Designers personal accounts through the use of industry related hashtags – allowing for real-time, behind the scenes, raw snapshots of what other designers are specifying and creating right now. This instant and visual accessibility makes me favor Instagram over other social media apps (i.e. Twitter, Pinterest) for inspiration and trends.

PAYETTE’s Graphic Designer, Karen, recently shared an article with the staff from Dezeen by Alexandra Lange, who also identifies Instagram as a valuable resource for designers to use. Lange writes that it’s a great way for architects and designers to share their first draft of ideas to others, and to capture details of a building that may not make the final press packet.

Related:
Top 15 Interior Designers On Instagram