Introducing My Skillshare Class: How to Go From Pinterest to Real Room Design
My friends! Today is the day I’ve been anticipating since last November: the launch of my Skillshare class. If you’re not familiar with Skillshare, it’s a membership website that’s an online hub of curated workshops you can take to learn everything from graphic design to creative writing to pottery to interior design! I’ve been a fan of the site for years, so it’s hard to believe that now I’m one of the teachers.
My class is called Interior Design: Create a Plan For Your Perfect Room, and here’s a little intro video to give you an idea of what it’s about:
I wrote this over on my Instagram post yesterday, but this truly is me being ripped out of my zone of comfy and cozy. I’m a writer, a dreamer, a designer. I take time with things. I think about them, edit them, re-do them. But video is right now. There’s no time for that thinking really. Sure, you get a few takes, and the ridiculously amazing producers at Skillshare had SO much patience for me and my flubs, but man, it feels so vulnerable to do something that pushes you.
To be honest (and vulnerable…there’s something to it that’s addictive I tell ya), I wasn’t sure originally why I was picked to be part of this series—I’m one of three teachers in a showcase of “rising stars in the interior design world” that my old boss, Emily Henderson, put together with Skillshare. Yes, I worked for Emily, but as a content director, not as a designer. There was a whole grabbag of amazing talent that could have been plucked for this. That fact is not lost on me. The funny thing is, my friends have long been telling me I could teach people how to put together these moodboards I do when I’m working on a room design, or walk people through a very relatable way to plan a room, as humans, not designers. I always shrugged it off, but life has a funny way of forcing its hand sometimes.
There isn’t a room I’ve done that I haven’t created a moodboard for, and I don’t just mean putting colors and furniture together in one place. I take it to the next level and try to create a point-of-view work up, like this (you’ve seen them before if you follow me):
It’s the best way for me to work out all my ideas in a clean, cohesive way so I can feel confident about what I’m about to spend my hard-earned money on. I usually do a moodboard for every angle of the space I’m working on so I can see the finished plans side by side when I’m done and make sure things are cohesive. It also really helps me plan my room “zones” and figure out their function. I play around with paint colors, furniture options, rug and curtain patterns, even lighting. Instead of going into a design feeling blind, the moodboard is your walking stick. Your guide dog.
If you’re like so many people I know that have Pinterest boards full of pretty room pictures and products but you’re not sure how to take inspiration and turn it into something you can actually live in, well…not to get all salesy on you, but…I’ve got the class for you! 🙂
Here’s a rundown of what you’ll get out of my class if you take it:
- How to decode what style and look you’re actually after for your space (i.e. figuring how the difference between what you like and what you want to live in)
- How to research and find inspiration for your home
- The best way I’ve found to organize product options, inspiration images and everything you need to pull together a moodboard
- How to actually MAKE the moodboard (I use Photoshop in the class, but all the tips are pretty applicable regardless of what program you use. Heck, you could still follow along if you print out everything you want to include in the moodboard and glue something together old school)
It’s a quick but hands-on 35 minutes (with a bonus video chat I did with Emily at the end).
Like I mentioned earlier, Skillshare is a membership model, but if you’re curious about my class and so many others, you can try it for two weeks free (Skillshare usually has seven days free, but my link gives you twice the time, yay!).
Here’s the link if you’re interested in signing up for the trial and checking out my class: http://skl.sh/ArlynHernandez
Who is this class for, exactly? Well, everyone. Who is this class NOT for? EHHH trick question. It’s for everyone!
If you’re already part of the Skillshare community, or you do sign up and take my class, make sure to pop into the discussion board with me! I’d love to see the moodboards you end up putting together and also talk through anything you might be stuck on or need help with. And if you’re feeling extra nice, a review of my class is always welcome! 🙂
Thanks for indulging me in this moment of self-promotion. Know that it’s *not* easy for me, but I think we need to be kinder to ourselves. I really do wish I had this class for five-years-ago-Arlyn. I figured it out on my own—with a hefty dose of Photoshop help from my DH Charles—so hopefully I can save you a few steps…years…if you’re embarking on a room design any time soon. If it ends up helping you, please feel free to share it with friends.
See you tomorrow, friends.