How to Houzz: Creating and Sharing Ideabooks
Part one in this new series covers Ideabooks, Houzz's cool, collaborative way to collect inspiration for your project
Want to start creating ideabooks? Here’s how.
What can I do with an Ideabook?
1. Collect photos: as already mentioned, you can use it as a personal scrapbook to gather ideas and information.
1. Collect photos: as already mentioned, you can use it as a personal scrapbook to gather ideas and information.
- Ideabooks are great for inspiring projects large and small – for instance, you can gather images of storage solutions for small bathrooms, search visual ideas for your kitchen extension or check out shelf displays; this photo came up using that last search term. Click on any of the links above to see what they’ll show you.
2. Share ideas: using an Ideabook as a communication tool is an additional and really useful option.
- Say you want to show your bathroom designer the overall look you’re aiming for, or to ask her or him if they know where to get hold of the tiles you’ve spotted in a particular photo, or to illustrate some interesting taps you’d like, or to ask if a particular layout would work in your own space – bingo.
- Here’s what to do: save the photos, make sure the designer has a profile on Houzz (which is, as you already know because you’re here, free) and share the ideabook in one of two ways. Either add them as a collaborator (hit the ‘Collaborate’ button at the top of the Ideabook and type in their email), or send them the URL, so they can simply view your Ideabook. Type in questions and notes under relevant photos for them to read before you next meet.
- You can also share Ideabooks with friends and family – especially handy at the ideas stage if you’re working on a project together.
Can I change the order of photos in my ideabook?
- Yes. You’ll notice there are two view modes in your Ideabook: ‘Edit’ allows you to drag and drop your photos into different positions.
Hit ‘Save’ and you’ll enter the other mode, where you can’t drag and drop. You can, however, click onto photos and not only make them bigger, but also see information about the professional who uploaded them.
Can I save photos I found elsewhere to Houzz to my Ideabooks?
This is something we get asked a lot and the answer is – yes!
This is something we get asked a lot and the answer is – yes!
- You’ll need a magic button called ‘Bookmarklet’. Simply download the Houzz Bookmarklet here and it’ll appear in your browser window, top right, as a tiny Houzz logo. Whenever you see a photo you like on your online travels, click on the logo and you’ll be asked the name of the Ideabook you’d like to save it to.
Can I use Houzz to make a mood board?
Now, all you’ve just read is only one way to collect your ideas together on Houzz. You might also want to create a more traditional mood board – using products either arranged on a pinboard or within a room set, something like this one.
What else would you like to know about using Houzz? Tell us in the Comments section!
Now, all you’ve just read is only one way to collect your ideas together on Houzz. You might also want to create a more traditional mood board – using products either arranged on a pinboard or within a room set, something like this one.
- To do this, you can use the Houzz Sketch tool. Start right away, by clicking through to Sketch now (it’s kind of addictive, you have been warned!), or read a guide about how to use Houzz Sketch.
Coming soon: Later in this series we’ll explain more about finding out information about what’s in the photos, making contact with design professionals, where to buy products you’ve spotted in photos and more.
What else would you like to know about using Houzz? Tell us in the Comments section!
Think of an Ideabook as a scrapbook of ideas and inspiration to help you to improve your home. It’s even more useful than that, though. To discover how, read on.