Your First Project

Complete walkthrough of creating a project in Palett: setup, material discovery, board creation, and team collaboration.

7 min read

Let's walk through creating your first complete project in Palett, from setup to client presentation. This guide assumes you've already signed up and completed the Quick Start.

Creating a New Project

Step 1: Start a New Project

  1. Click "New Project" from your dashboard

    • Or use the + button in the sidebar if you're already in a project

  2. Enter project details:

    • Name: Something descriptive (e.g., "Smith Residence - Living Room Redesign")
    • Description: Brief project overview or client notes (optional)
    • Cover Image: Upload a photo or leave blank (you can change this later)

  3. Click "Create Project"

Pro Tip: Use a consistent naming convention (e.g., "[Client Name] - [Space]") to keep projects organized.

Understanding Project Structure

Every project includes five core sections:

  • Library: Your saved materials specific to this project
  • Boards: Pinterest-style mood boards and material collections
  • Visualize: AI-generated design concepts and renderings
  • Files: Project documents, contracts, PDFs, and notes
  • Schedule: Timeline and milestones (coming soon)

Gathering Materials

Step 2: Search and Save Materials

Let's build a library of materials for your project.

Search for Materials

  1. Open Search (⌘K or click search bar)

  2. Try different search approaches:

    Natural Language:

    • "Light oak flooring with warm undertones"
    • "Durable outdoor fabric for high-traffic patio"
    • "Matte black fixtures under $200"

    By Specification:

    • Use filters: Category → Flooring, Price → $5-10/sq ft
    • Vendor → Interface, Loloi, or RBW
    • Lead Time → Ships in 2 weeks or less

    Visual Search:

    • Upload your client's inspiration photo
    • Crop to focus on specific materials
    • Adjust similarity to expand/narrow results

Save to Library

For materials you want to reference later:

  1. Hover over a material in search results
  2. Click the bookmark icon or "Save to Library"
  3. Material is now accessible in your project's Library tab

When to Save: Save anything you're considering or want to compare later. Your Library is project-specific, so save liberally!

Creating Boards

Step 3: Organize Materials on Boards

Boards help you organize materials by room, concept, or client preference.

Create Your First Board

  1. Go to Boards in your project sidebar

  2. Click "New Board"

  3. Name it descriptively:

    • "Option 1: Modern Minimalist"
    • "Living Room - Final Selections"
    • "Client Approved Materials"

  4. Choose a color to visually group related boards (optional)

Add Materials to Boards

From your Library:

  1. Go to Library tab
  2. Select materials (checkbox)
  3. Click "Add to Board" → Choose destination board

From search:

  1. Search for materials
  2. Hover → "Add to Board" icon
  3. Select board from dropdown

Drag and drop:

  • Open a board and your Library side-by-side (split view)
  • Drag materials directly onto the board

Organize Your Board

Add notes and context:

  1. Click any material on your board
  2. Add notes: pricing, lead time, client feedback
  3. Add tags: "approved", "backup option", "over budget"
  4. Set status: Considering, Approved, Ordered, etc.

Rearrange materials:

  • Drag and drop to reorder
  • Group related items together (flooring with wall finishes, etc.)

Create nested boards:

  • Click "New Board" while inside a board to create a sub-board
  • Example: "Living Room" → "Flooring Options", "Wall Finishes", "Lighting"

Visualizing Your Design

Step 4: Generate AI Concepts

See your materials in realistic room settings.

Create a Visualization Session

  1. Go to Visualize tab
  2. Click "New Session" or "+ Generate"
  3. Describe your vision:
    • "Coastal living room with natural light, woven textures, and neutral palette"
    • "Modern kitchen with waterfall island, brass fixtures, and marble backsplash"
    • "Boutique hotel lobby with velvet seating and statement lighting"

Attach Reference Images

To incorporate your actual material selections:

  1. Click "Add References" (up to 14 images)

  2. Select from your boards: Click materials you want featured

  3. Upload inspiration photos: Client's mood board, Pinterest images, etc.

  4. Choose visualization mode:

    • Room Scene: Photorealistic interior with materials in context
    • Mood Board: Styled arrangement showing all materials together
    • Material Study: Close-up details and textures
    • Inspiration: Creative interpretation of your concept

Generate and Refine

  1. Click "Generate" (costs 2-6 credits depending on quality settings)

  2. Wait 30-60 seconds for generation

  3. Review result:

    • ✅ Love it? Save to your session folder
    • 🔄 Need adjustments? Modify prompt or add different reference images and regenerate

  4. Create variations:

    • Try different lighting conditions
    • Adjust color palettes
    • Test materials in various angles

Pro Tip: Generate multiple options (3-5) to give clients choices. Each costs credits, but variety helps clients feel invested in the decision.

Collaborating with Your Team

Step 5: Invite Team Members

If you're working with colleagues:

  1. Click Project Settings (gear icon)

  2. Go to "Members" tab

  3. Click "Invite"

  4. Enter email address

  5. Choose role:

    • Admin: Full control (edit, delete, manage members)
    • Editor: Can add/edit materials and boards
    • Viewer: Read-only access
    • Creator: Can create but not delete

  6. Click "Send Invite"

Using Project Chat

  1. Click the chat icon in your project header
  2. Send messages visible to all project members
  3. @-mention teammates: Type @ + name to notify them
  4. Tag materials: Reference specific materials in your discussion

Sharing with Clients

Step 6: Create a Client-Friendly Presentation

Export a Board as PDF

  1. Open the board you want to share

  2. Click "Export" → "PDF"

  3. Choose options:

    • Include material images ✅
    • Include specifications ✅
    • Include notes and pricing (optional)
    • Watermark (Professional+ removes)

  4. Download and email to client

Create a Shareable Guest Link

For interactive client review:

  1. Click "Share" in your project or board

  2. Click "Create Guest Link"

  3. Configure settings:

    • Access level: View only (recommended) or Comment
    • Expiration: 7 days, 30 days, 90 days, or never
    • Password protection: Optional

  4. Copy link and send to client

Clients can:

  • ✅ View materials, boards, and visualizations
  • ✅ Leave comments (if enabled)
  • ❌ Edit, delete, or download original files (unless permission granted)

Security Tip: Set expiration dates on guest links and revoke access after project completion.

Finalizing Your Project

Step 7: Track and Document

Use the Files Section

  1. Go to Files tab in your project

  2. Upload documents:

    • Client contracts
    • Vendor quotes
    • Technical specifications
    • Mood board PDFs

  3. Create notes:

    • Meeting notes
    • Client feedback
    • Design rationale

  4. Organize in folders: Create folders for different document types

Mark Materials as Ordered

As you finalize selections:

  1. Open your board
  2. Click a material → Change status to "Ordered"
  3. Add order notes: PO number, expected delivery, tracking info

Tips for Success

Organization Best Practices

  • Name everything clearly: Future-you will thank you
  • Use consistent colors: Assign meaning (green = approved, yellow = pending, red = rejected)
  • Create backup boards: Always have "Plan B" options for out-of-stock items
  • Document decisions: Add notes explaining why materials were chosen or rejected

Collaboration Best Practices

  • Set expectations: Tell clients response times for feedback
  • Version control: Create dated boards ("Living Room - Option 1 (Dec 8)", etc.)
  • Over-communicate: Use notes and tags liberally so everyone stays aligned
  • Regular check-ins: Share updated visualizations weekly during active design phases

Cost Management

  • Budget AI credits: Plan generations strategically (3-5 final concepts vs. 20 test renders)
  • Use drafts wisely: Lower-quality generations (fewer credits) for internal review, high-quality for client presentations
  • Buy credit packs: If you exceed monthly allocation, credit packs (100 or 350) are available

What's Next?

Explore advanced features:

Learn collaboration workflows:

Master search:

Need help? Chat with us (bottom right) or email support@palett.space.

Happy designing! 🎨✨

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