How To Create A Mood Board That Inspires
With so many new ‘looks” and interior products to choose from, it’s really important not to get distracted when creating the overall look for your property. That’s because design continuity has a welcoming effect that is not immediately obvious, but definitely noticeable if it’s missing!
Your theme can be anything from an industrial feel, to a relaxed Hamptons look, or a super minimalist contemporary theme. The important thing is to maintain design consistency.
For most designers, creating consistency in any interior starts with a mood board. This collection of images pulls together an overall theme that will inspire everything, from the finishes and colour palette, to your choice of furnishings.
You can easily create a mood board on your computer by copying photos from the internet.
Creating a theme helps me clarify the finer details. I love placing together physical samples of the finishes and materials I intend to use, so I become familiar with these items, and get to touch and feel them with my own hands,
However, your mood board doesn’t have to be a literal board, like the ones I present to builders or clients.
Try to pinpoint the elements, colours and finishes that attract your attention.
You can easily create a mood board on your computer by collecting photos from the internet and placing them into a Word document or PowerPoint display. Keep it handy for further additions and scrutiny. You may even find when you revisit a few days later that those images you loved at the beginning of the week no longer resonate with you. Out they come!
For example, below is a mood board for the desert, mid-century vibe of Palm Springs.
Or perhaps you may find an App to easily use on your smartphone or tablet; there are many available, both free and for purchase. Pinterest and Houzz are inspirational sources of ideas and images, and you can create mood boards within those sites, using their digital tools available.
I admit to being ‘old school’ and love magazines – the touch and smell of them – so I still cut images out and use them as reference material. And yes, I am also guilty of ripping images out from a magazine in a dentist waiting room.
When it comes externals, don’t be afraid to take a pic of someone’s facade as you walk by (NOT while you’re driving!!). When you start clustering all these images together over time, the look you’re after will become clear.
A Treble of Tips
- Take notes and pics when something captures your attention – otherwise you’ll probably forget it
- Collect images from magazines and samples from retailers
- Choose ‘a theme’ for your project, to help narrow your focus and achieve a cohesive look
Thank you for this blog.
I got excited when I read the lines “…old school and love magazine…”. I though I was the only one left on this earth doing that. I feel better now that this approach still works.
Thank you James, I always collect too much and become overwhelmed and a theme is not carried through! How do you work with the miss match of furniture that you have purchased over the years. Replacing the furniture is not really a fiscal option. When the house is tired and needs a minor modernising and spruce up! I’m a hoarder and have trouble letting go of stuff most is stored under my house! I have seen you do a declutter on tv The Project it was great, I’d love to see more of that on tv as it does inspire people to manage their stuff and move forward! I need to do major building works on my house, like restumping and add drainage and a bedroom downstairs( I own a Queenslander) not sure where to start? Keep up your inspiring work! Margaret