How to Style A Glamorous Pin Board with Decorative Push Pins

Pin boards are such basic objects, but with a little bit of planning and a handful of decorative push pins, they can easily become a stunning part of your home decor.

In this post, I’m going to show you how to decorate a cork board (or a memo board, bulletin board, or whatever you call it!) to take it from plain to pretty!

From choosing the perfect board and picking out some cute push pins, to arranging your layout, this guide will help you put together a pin board that’s as beautiful as it is useful!

1. Choose the Right Board

First things first, if you don’t already have a pin board, it’s time to get one! There are so many options out there, from simple cork boards and memo boards to magnetic pin boards, white- and chalkboards, and some that even combine all of those things! 

If you’re decorating on a budget, a plain cork board is a fine place to start. Depending on your style, you can keep it simple or upgrade your memo board with some paint, fabric, or even patterned paper.

Got a little more wiggle room in your budget? Treat yourself to a more decorative pin board! There are tons of really stylish push pin boards out there. Here are a few of my favorites:

1. Kate and Laurel Leanna Decorative Scalloped Metal Pinboard
2. Farmlyn Creek Fabric Bulletin Board
3. DesignOvation Macon Framed Linen Fabric Pinboard
4. U Brands Rustic Linen Bulletin Board
5. Antique White Linen Fabric Pin Board
6. Amanti Art Natural Cork Board
7. Kate and Laurel Calter Framed Linen Fabric Pinboard
8. Kate and Laurel Oakhurst Rectangle Framed Linen Fabric Pinboard
9. Kate and Laurel Hogan Framed Scalloped Decorative Wall Pinboard

2. Choose Your Aesthetic

Before you start pinning anything to your board, it helps to decide on the overall look you’re going for. Having a clear aesthetic in mind will make everything feel more cohesive.

Start with a color palette. If you’re going for a more glamorous feel, think metallic accents like gold or brass. Pair those with rich tones like navy or black for a dramatic flair, or soften things up with pale pinks, creams, or soft white. 

Think about textures too. The frame and surface of your pin board already bring in texture, so consider how you can add contrast. For example, if your board has a wooden frame, you might want to add some metallic or velvet accents for a touch of luxe. 

Finally, think about the vibe you’re going for. Do you want something busy and creative, minimalist and clean, or cozy and boho? If you’re going for a glamorous style, aim for balance: not too cluttered, but not overly sleek either. 

3. Curate What Goes on the Board

Now that you’ve picked your board and nailed down your aesthetic, it’s time to think about what you actually want to display. 

If you’re going for a mood or inspiration board, start collecting magazine clippings, fabric swatches, aesthetic prints, your favorite quotes, and some personal photos.

If you’re going to use your pin board to keep yourself organized, gather together your calendar, trackers, sticky notes, and anything else you plan to use. 

Whatever you plan to use your pin board for, you’ll want to try and balance style with substance. By all means, prioritize the items that will help your board serve its main purpose, but try to keep aesthetics in mind.

For example, try to vary the materials you use. Combine photos, paper, and small mementos like kids’ crafts or wristbands. This will help make your pin board look more interesting. 

4. Choose Your Decorative Push Pins

The right decorative push pins can take your board from basic to beautiful. Seriously, there are so many styles out there, from elegant pearl pins to simple gold push pins. It’s so hard to choose!

Here are some super cute push pins you might like to try out:

1. Norma Jean Designs Flower Push Pins
2. Jim Clift Design Flower Pushpins (Gold Finish)
3. Jim Clift Design Leaf Pushpins (Gold Finish)
4. IMZAY Wood Push Pins
5. Norma Jean Designs Large Queen Bee Push Pins
6. JAM PAPER Gold Pushpins
7. Jim Clift Design Butterfly Pushpins (Gold Finish)
8. Vitalili Metallic Color Map Tacks
9. Norma Jean Designs Hand Push Pins (Antique Gold)
10. Jim Clift Design Bird Pushpins (Gold Finish)

Don’t limit yourself to just one style though. A bit of variety will make things interesting and let your personality shine through. 

You could even use different pins for different things. For example, you could use one style to pin up reminders and another to hold up inspirational quotes. Or you could use some pins purely to decorate your board, by arranging them in pretty shapes.

5. Arrange Everything on the Board

Once you’ve chosen your decorative push pins, board, and items to display on it, it’s time to bring everything together. Anticipate that this step will take a bit of time to get right. 

Start with a focal point that you can build the rest of your layout around. To do this, choose one kind of “statement piece” to anchor your board. You could choose an art print, a calendar, a photograph, or anything else that’s particularly big or striking. Put that in the middle of your board and arrange everything else around it.

You don’t want your cork board to look too polished, so overlap pieces slightly to create layers. But don’t go overboard. A bit of blank space is good too!

Your goal is to create visual balance. That means, if you place something large or dark on one side, you’ll need to balance it with something equally eye-catching on the other side. It doesn’t have to be identical, but it needs to carry the same kind of visual weight, otherwise your board will feel “off.”

One way to balance out larger objects is by grouping a few smaller ones. For example, you could balance a large art print with a few polaroids clustered together. 

Keep stepping back and looking at your display to see what needs tweaking. Remember, there’s no right way to do this. You just need to find a composition you’re happy with!

6. Decorate Around the Board

Styling the space around your decorative pin board can really help make it a part of your decor.

Treat it like you would a framed picture or mirror. Give it some breathing room, avoid nearby clutter, and make sure any objects around it help to frame it.

You could make a vignette on a tray, using a small plant, a stack of pretty notebooks, and some pretty pots to hold your spare push pins. 

You could draw attention to your pin board by adding some fairy lights or a picture light above it. If you’ve gone for gold push pins like the ones I love, they might even sparkle and shimmer in the light!

I hope these ideas have inspired you to give your cork board, magnetic push pin board, or fabric pin board the glow-up it deserves. Have fun!