J.Jordan Design

I live in a house divided. Not in the usual Purdue vs IU way. No, I live in a house in which (gulp, deep breath, sigh…) the idea that ALL areas should be well-organized, clean, and…well….pretty…isn’t widely accepted. I mean, can you even believe that?

Of course I notice these areas of non-compliance to the “Pretty Rule,” whether it be in the garage where I organize the workbench but within a matter of minutes  a few days it is piled halfway up the wall, or the kids’ cubbies in the mudroom, that overnight become stuffed full of dirty laundry, toys, school papers, candy wrappers, and a ridiculous number of pencils (the new, guiltless birthday-or-holiday-or-any-other-fathomable-event classroom giveaway).  I very recently had a literal LOL moment, though….

I was growing tired of the accessories I had displayed in our linen closet (yes, you read that correctly…I accessorize closets; in my defense, the linen closet of which I am speaking is a DOORLESS closet in our master bath). So, on a mission to the basement storage room where I keep a little stash of “resting/retired” decor, I took note (and a pic) of an area that I have absolutely no say in…primarily because I don’t have a clue what any of it does or means! See the following:

I mean, I’m all for safety (note the fire extinguisher, as I’m sure it would come in handy if that crazy mess of cords spontaneously combusts someday).  But I dare you to argue that my closets aren’t more user-friendly, and…well…pretty! 

Even if you’re an avid user of Pinterest, which I most certainly am, you know that it’s a great resource for keeping track of ideas of all kinds, grouped together in themes. There’s another way to keep track of design elements and ideas when you are focusing on one particular room or project.  Designers have been creating idea boards for ages. Typically, an idea board consists of an actual board with samples attached to it (think paint chips, fabric swatches, photos, carpet and/or tile samples, etc.).  Idea boards help create a visual representation of a designer’s ideas for her client.  Let’s be honest, it can be overwhelming and difficult to put together all those elements in your mind without seeing them in person, all together.  And if we’re talking about carpet and furniture, it’s all about the feel.  However, there are instances in which a virtual idea board can come in just as handy…say, when a client lives in a different state!

I am currently working in that exact scenario…a client who lives in a neighboring state, too far to “pop over” and work together in person.  So I began by creating an idea board that I could easily email to her, add to, take away from…you get the idea.  This idea board was a way for me to visually show my client the types of items I had in mind for her space — the shapes, colors, and textures that I was recommending.  My client was able to choose which items she wanted to pursue, and in some cases, it gave us a starting point for finding a similar item but perhaps in a different size or color.  Admittedly, working online only to put a room together is not ideal, and it’s not easy (remember my above comment about seeing things in person?)!  It’s time- consuming and requires a lot of back-and-forth, but  idea boards are the next best thing in this type of work arrangement.