Let me start by defending myself: I still love Pinterest. Like, a lot. I use it weekly, if not daily, for mood boards, vision boards, color palette inspo, and the occasional interior design spiral. It’s one of those rare corners of the internet that still feels oddly soothing when everything else is chaotic.

But as someone who works in creative direction and design, I’ve been noticing a shift. Pinterest isn’t quite the same magical, idea-generating rabbit hole it used to be. And lately, I’ve found myself asking a question I think most designers and content creators should:

Is this platform helping me or lowkey limiting me?

The Golden Era of Pinning (RIP)

Remember when Pinterest felt like a moodboard made by a dozen cool art school friends and your effortlessly stylish cousin? It was full of unexpected gems: experimental typography, forgotten album covers, under-the-radar interiors, and half-baked concepts that made you think, huh, what if I tried that?

That era is pretty much over.

Now, when I scroll, it’s a parade of same-same content. Minimalist moodboards with serif type. Recycled branding mockups. AI-generated dream homes with no soul. The trends aren’t just obvious — they’re overexposed. And instead of feeling inspired, I often feel like I’m being creatively corralled into a lane I didn’t choose.

And sure, some of that is the nature of the internet in 2025. We’re in an age of curation overload. But Pinterest, with its algorithm-driven feed and heavy emphasis on repins and engagement, has turned into more of a mirror than a window. It shows you what everyone else is saving, and not what’s actually new, exciting, or different.

The Repetition Problem

Here’s where it starts to get tricky: if you’re a designer, brand strategist, artist, or really any type of creative who uses Pinterest for project work, the repetition can start to sneak into your process.

I’ve had moments where I’ve opened a new board for a client — full of good intentions and open-ended curiosity — and realized half of it looked suspiciously like a board I made two months ago. Same font pairings. Same muted color palettes. Same layouts.

That’s when I started asking myself: Am I really building something new here? Or am I just remixing what I’ve already seen 100 times?

Pinterest has this way of nudging you toward what’s “proven”, what’s popular, well-liked, broadly appealing. But creative work isn’t supposed to be broadly appealing. It’s supposed to be specific. Contextual. Human. Messy. When every brand starts looking like a Pinterest board, something gets lost, and it’s usually the originality.

Client Work and the Creativity Trap

When I’m working on a new brand or web design project, I want the work to feel true to that person or business, not just trendy. But Pinterest makes it really easy to blur that line. Because if you’re pulling inspo from a sea of pins that already echo each other, your output is going to reflect that sameness, even if you don’t mean for it to.

If you remember one thing from this post, remember this: Pinterest is better at showing what’s popular than what’s possible.

So unless we’re actively questioning what we’re pulling from, we risk narrowing our creative vocabulary without even realizing it.

Better (Less Algorithmic) Places to Find Inspiration

Now that I’ve dragged Pinterest a little, let’s talk about where else to look.

Lately, I’ve been exploring some lesser-known platforms that feel more expansive, more curious, and less commercial. Here are a few I keep going back to:

• Are.na — This is probably my favorite at the moment. There’s no algorithm, no “likes,” no pressure to be pretty. It’s just blocks and channels of ideas. You can connect images, links, text, and actually see how your thoughts evolve over time. It’s great for non-linear thinkers and multi-disciplinary projects.
• Savee.it — Savee is highly visual, beautifully curated, and has a strong design/fashion/art focus. I use it when I want to break out of the Pinterest bubble and see what other creative circles are into.
• Cosmos.so — Cosmos is newer on my radar, but I like where it’s going. It feels like a visual inspiration library for serious creatives, with fewer distractions and more intentional uploads.

Of course, no platform is perfect. But the act of switching it up and exploring new corners of the internet, trusting your instincts, or even just going analog and flipping through a magazine, can make a huge difference. It reminds your brain that there’s more out there than what’s trending.

Inspiration Is Personal

At the end of the day, Pinterest isn’t the villain. I still use it. It’s accessible, easy to navigate, and client-friendly — especially when you want to collaborate on a board or show visual references without getting too deep into design jargon.

But I’ve learned to use it with more intention.

If you’re feeling stuck in a creative rut or like all your client projects are starting to blur together, try switching up your input. Look at zines. Go to a museum. Dive into a niche subreddit. Hell, walk around your neighborhood and take photos of weird typography.

Your creativity deserves better than an endless loop of the same five pins, so give it new fuel.