I Love Swatches!

Paint Chips. Fabric Swatches. Samples of finishing materials. Wallpaper. You name it, I love it!

Being relatively old school, I am used to collecting ideas from magazines into a folder – if I didn’t keep the entire magazine. I also had a Special Place for paint chips, etc.

Now, however, I am not adverse to using idea boards like Pinterest or Shoptagr – or even building my own using Word – to collect ideas. Shoptagr has undergone some serious renovation and is a fantastic (and free) app to use for all kinds of projects where shopping is a necessary part.

These “Idea Books” provide a place, and a space, to see what I like, pinpoint what I prefer, discover colors and combinations that appeal, and basically get a visual of things I might want to incorporate into my home.

The beauty of this is that I don’t have to spend a lot of money on things I find I don’t care for or lose track of things I want to try.

At the most basic, this is a tool that you can use in any way you like in the way that works best for you.

One thing that is a bit of an ‘extra’ is that paint chips, wallpaper samples and fabric swatches can be used in craft projects. I recently came across a collection of cards using shapes that were either punched or die cut from paint chips. 😉

So, get out there and start collecting ideas, colors, possibilities, tips and tricks!

FOOTNOTE: I came across this article and had to share it with you: Before and After A Dated Kitchen… There are hundreds of thousands of homes just like this one where an update as simple as a can of paint can make huge impact. Personally, I love the color choices, the shift of the fan, the addition of the plants. Enjoy!