Who knows what 2019 will bring? Pinterest has an idea: Think side hustles, self-care, mini-moments and painted floor tiles.
“So many places do recaps and best-ofs, but we’re all about looking ahead,” said Larkin Brown, researcher and in-house stylist at Pinterest.
Every year, the company crunches its user search data to forecast the trends for the year ahead.
And why look to Pinterest for a glimpse into the future?
Well, over 250 million people use the social networking platform to discover picturesque holiday recipes, rustic home décor inspiration to tips on how to wear boyfriend jeans.
It’s prime real estate for DIY wedding ideas, the one-stop-shop for Instagrammable quotes about life, and the go-to website for helpful life hacks using safety pins, rubber bands and twisty ties.
Since adults from various walks of life use the platform as a visual bookmarking tool and shopping guide, Pinterest has its finger on the pulse of consumer behavior across numerous industries including travel, beauty, health and food.
“This year, two big things stood out. We are seeing an emphasis of people searching for sustainable and ecofriendly ideas across parenting, travel and beauty,” Brown said. “The other is around style. People are becoming bolder in their style choices, embracing global influences.”
How does Pinterest work?
Users save ideas or photos known as “Pins” on a board that they can revisit later. Pinners use the website to search for ideas such as pagan (paleo and vegan) recipes. Users also share
how well the experience went and add helpful tips for anyone who might want to give the idea a try.
How does a Pin become a trend?
If an idea like side-hustles or body painting gradually receives more searches each month, and that upward trajectory holds steady for over 6 months, then it becomes an official Pinterest trend.
The company’s insights team selected the top 100 trends that they project will have longevity well into 2019 by taking into consideration search increases from the first nine months of 2017 to the first nine months of 2018.
“In a time when so much seems to divide us, these ideas represent what we share in common – from everyday inspiration to dreams-for-someday stuff,” Pinterest said in a statement. How accurate are these projections? Sometimes they’re spot-on, according to Brown. She said the team looks forward to finding out which trends take-off, becoming their own “product category of sorts.”
“Cauliflower rice was something we talked about four or five years ago, and now Trader Joe’s is selling it frozen for people to take home.” Brown said. Here are some key takeaways from Pinterest’s top 100 trends for 2019:
Travel:
Off the beaten path
For 2019, people are expected to continue to use the social networking site to dream up new ways to travel, from atypical destinations to unusual, earthfriendly modes of transportation. Pin-
terest users are diverting to less-traveled islands for rare experiences. Searches for less traveled islands increased 179 percent. Pinners are also projected to search for surprise destinations, which increased 192 percent in the year-over-year period.
Travelers are swapping sea cruises for hot springs (up 32 percent) and skipping the long entry lines at Versailles in favor of dilapidated castles. Searches for abandoned castles increased 142 percent, according to Pinterest.
Heath and wellness: What comes naturally
Unlike other popular social networking websites, Pinterest isn’t all about Likes. “Pinterest is where people come to reconnect with themselves and try something new, without worrying
about who Likes it,” the company said in a statement. Self-care is expected to continue to trend on the platform, with a 140 percent increase in searches.
Bakuchiol, a natural alternative to retinol, was trending among beauty enthusiasts. And ginger oil, a product used for baths and massages, saw a massive 659 percent search increase.
Hobbies and interests: Freelance to full time
In today’s gig economy, many adults are turning to freelance opportunities and side hustles to make ends meet. That trend is reflected across Pinterest searches as well. People sought out side hustles at home 690 percent more often in 2018, which the trend experts at Pinterest believe will continue to increase. Searches for other side projects multiplied more modestly.
How to grow an avocado tree sprung up 101 percent while activities like boat building and body painting were also trending.
Celebrations: Mini moments
From last-minute picnics to im-
promptu staycations, people used Pinterest over the past year to search for visual inspiration. Searches for mini-moment celebrations, godparent proposals and backyard weddings were trending along with smoke bomb photography.
Number-shaped cakes also saw an uptick in searches that are predicted to continue well into 2019.
Home: Small DIY projects to full-scale remodels
Adults this past year took to Pinterest in droves for tips on how to paint their parquet floors with bold colors and mosaic patterns. Search results for painted floor tiles shot up over 1,000 percent, according to Pinterest.
What else are people doing to their homes?
Installing vertical gardens (up 287 percent), putting up bold print wallpaper (up 401 percent) and finding ways to use mustard yellow (up 45 percent).
“It’s the marriage of big bold interiors and natural plant elements,” Brown said. “Geometric paintings on walls and tin interiors are brought together with something natural and organic in the home like natural swimming pools.”