They help you organize your inspirational references, create a visual for the finished look and get all involved parties on the same page. Best of all, anyone can use one, even if you're not a professional designer.
But what is an interior design mood board, and how do you make one? Find answers to these questions below, along with practical guidance and mood board ideas for every room in your home. A mood board is essentially a collection of curated images, materials, words and colors used to inspire a creative project.
Sometimes called an inspiration board or an interior design mood board, the display can be physical such as a poster board collage or virtual built on a digital platform.
In the context of interior design, people often use mood boards before renovating, decorating, or rearranging their homes. The visual arrangement helps to communicate objectives, combine different ideas and determine which pieces may not fit. Since design is an art form, verbal explanations often feel abstract.
For this reason, an interior design mood board can be especially useful in instances where concepts are hard to communicate through words. Home stylists often use mood boards to showcase various concepts and get their clients' wheels turning.
When clients already have an idea or a theme in mind, a board can help them visualize it clearly and get everyone on the same page.
Collaboration think decorating your apartment with a roommate. Mood boards allow you to gather inspiration and ideas from various sources before deciding on a specific style or concept. While it might seem like an unnecessary first step, an inspiration mood board can actually move a project along by helping you figure out which ideas to toss and which to keep.
Remember that inspiration can come from anywhere — architecture, art, nature, clothing, magazines, photography, you name it. Think of it as the brainstorming stage of the project. Bring everything to the table, and then home in on what works.
Once you've eliminated the pieces that may not fit the project, what's left should evoke the style or concept you're going for. Interior design mood boards offer visual storytelling in the sense that they showcase a person's lifestyle, personal history, signature style, taste and emotions, all of which will eventually be translated into their home.
Mood boards are all about providing clarity into what the finished result will look like. Home design projects can take weeks or even months to complete, and having a visual reference of the original goal can help it stay on track.
A mood board layout is a little more abstract than an actual floor plan or architectural blueprint. However, a board can provide visual guidance for different areas of a space, as well as what types and styles of furniture and fixtures you plan to use.
One of the most crucial benefits of an interior design mood board is that it encourages collaboration. If you're styling your home on your own without anyone else's input, you won't necessarily need the reference because the concept will be clear to you though it can still be useful.
However, most projects involve multiple people, and the imagery helps sync everyone's ideas. Additionally, while some individuals can grasp a concept simply by hearing or reading about it, most people are visual learners , meaning they need to see something to fully understand it.
And for the latter group, mood boards, mock-ups, layouts and other visual displays are tremendously helpful. Another great thing about mood boards is that they help you stay organized. When you have all your ideas and inspiration in one place, you can create an orderly plan, visualize the next steps and stay on track.
As mentioned above, this is particularly important when multiple people are involved. Though there are myriad apps and programs for creating a digital mood board, a few of the most popular include Canva, Mophilio Board, RoomStyler, SampleBoard, Adobe Spark and Pinterest.
Here's what you should know. Canva is a beginner-friendly program, but professionals love it too. The platform boasts thousands of templates and images with near-endless styles to choose from, making it easy to find and organize inspiration for a project.
You can set up and edit a stunning collage in minutes from any mobile device. What's more, you can invite others to collaborate with you on your interior design mood board. The basic tool is free, though you can upgrade to Canva Pro to access more features.
Beloved by stylists and recreational design enthusiasts alike, Morpholio Board is among the best platforms for creating a mood board. The award-winning app can be accessed on a desktop, tablet or smartphone, allowing you to edit, collaborate and present from anywhere.
Morpholio flaunts a robust library of powerful yet user-friendly tools, including brilliant themes, smart text and image controls. You can pin ideas, explore brands, browse furniture, search by color palette or category, save favorites, organize your inspiration in folders, create spreadsheets and build multiple boards all in one place.
Not only that, but this interior design mood board app allows you to take color samples from the world around you. So if you see a gorgeous flower or a wood tone you'd like to replicate in your space, just snap a photo and save the hue to your board.
RoomStyler is another excellent mood board creator. The platform allows you to create a decor scheme with upwards of , pieces from top-rated brands. You can find inspiration by browsing popular templates, color palettes and designer collections, then save ideas and build a board of your own.
When you add items or photos, they'll appear in a window on your screen, where you can click and drag to place them in your virtual space.
SampleBoard makes creating mood boards quick and easy. With user-friendly tools and free access to color schemes, design trends, fun textures and popular products, it's ideal for those looking to save time and money.
On the contrary, SampleBoard is beloved by design professionals, who use it to illustrate ideas for their clients. Decor hobbyists love it, too, as they can create pro-level boards with minimal effort and experience. Adobe Spark is a bit more sophisticated than other digital mood board tools, making it a favorite of the tech-savvy set.
The free platform includes access to professional themes, stunning imagery, thousands of icons and elegant typography. You can generate your own designs, build a personal library of inspiration, manage multiple projects, share your creations with others and invite them to collaborate in just a few taps.
Adobe Spark also has a premium version, which offers access to more advanced capabilities and effects for a few dollars a month. Pinterest is a relatively basic platform, but that's kind of the beauty of it. Once you download the extension to your browser or get the app on your phone, you can pin ideas from all over the web and save them to various boards.
While you can share your Pinterest mood board with others and invite them to add to it, that's about as far as it goes. Having said that, there are lots of excellent mood board examples and design ideas on the platform, so it's a great starting point if you're looking for inspiration.
Anytime you have a home decor project on the horizon and aren't sure exactly where to start or what style to use, consider creating an interior design mood board. As mentioned above, there's no right or wrong way to go about it.
But if you're a mood board novice, the following steps can put you on the right track. Before you begin looking for inspiration, you'll want to figure out where to save it.
Whether it's a giant poster board or a sophisticated app, have it ready to go so you don't end up forgetting your ideas or where you saved them. Next, you'll start gathering materials both online and from the world around you.
Maybe you see an autumn leaf color you'd like to include, notice a seashell in the perfect shade of ivory or fall in love with the unique blue hue of a clear sky. Take a picture or, if possible, bring the inspiration home with you. There's a reason online retailers allow you to save favorites while browsing.
If you see something you love but aren't quite ready to buy it or aren't sure whether it'll complement the rest of your decor, you can save the item and come back later. A digital interior design mood board works in the same way.
You can collect inspiring ideas, images, color swatches, product links and even videos and save them all in one place. Once you have a library of inspiration, you'll have a clearer image of your personal taste and can pick and choose pieces for your space.
The Most Popular MyParachuteHomes of Spring. Summer Home Decor Ideas: Room by Room Inspiration. Fall Home Decor Ideas: Room by Room Inspiration. The Most Popular MyParachuteHomes of Winter. With materials gathered and inspiration saved, you can hone in on a style for your aesthetic mood board.
You might have clarity upon seeing your favorites right in front of you, but if you're still unsure, consider separating them into different style categories and going from there. From rustic, farmhouse and traditional to midcentury, modern and industrial, there are virtually endless routes you can take.
And don't feel like you have to pick just one style. With the right approach, transitional design schemes can be beautifully alluring.
For expert tips on making a transitional space look cohesive, check out our guide on How to Create a Modern-Industrial Style Look for Your Home. Theme isn't the same as style, but the two are closely related. The theme of your mood board design is about honing in on a concept, whereas the style is much broader.
For instance, you and your neighbor might both embrace a modern home style, but the finished appearance will likely look quite different.
Your theme helps define the project, provides direction and ensures consistency. It could be a specific concept or a descriptor, like beachy, boho, sophisticated, tranquil, energizing, welcoming, relaxing or organic.
Additionally, you can access pre-curated themes on the digital tools mentioned above and browse by style or category. The Colors and Comforts of Ashley Hosmer's Los Angeles Home.
Creating a Nature-Inspired Home with Macy Evonosky. Next, you'll want to decide on a color palette. Canva is a widely used design tool with a simple and intuitive user interface.
You can design unique mood board layouts using a variety of ready-made templates in a matter of minutes. This software allows you to add photos, text and shapes to your mood board in order to bring your concept to reality.
PicMonkey is another great option for creating mood boards. With the help of their collage maker, you may produce lovely, professional-looking mood boards in no time. You can also add filters and effects to your images to further customize your mood board. With Photoshop, you have complete control over the look and feel of your mood board and can create something truly unique.
Creating mood boards is an essential part of the interior design process, and with the help of the right software, it can be easy and fun.
So, if you want to surprise your interior designer with an idea for a project, get started and see how design mood boards can help you make your vision a reality.
Start by collecting images, fabric swatches, paint samples, and anything else that catches your eye. Pinterest is a great place to start, but you can also tear out pages from magazines or print out images online.
There are a few different ways you can do this, but one easy way is to create a collage on a large piece of poster board. You can also create a digital mood board using the online tools mentioned above. Use it as a guide when looking for furniture and decor, painting your walls, and more.
There are various types of interior design mood boards, each with its own unique purpose and style. Here are four of the most popular types of mood boards used by interior designers:.
These boards can be created using various materials, such as fabric swatches, paint samples, photographs, and magazine tear-outs. Collage boards are similar to inspiration boards, but they tend to focus on a specific element or theme. For example, a designer may create a collage board that highlights a certain color scheme or one that only contains pictures of nature.
Mood boards are designed to capture the overall feeling or atmosphere that the designer wants to create in a space. Interior designers will typically use a mix of images, textures, and colors. Concept boards are the most specific type of interior design mood boards, as they convey a particular concept or idea.
Interior designers have access to a wide range of resources that can help create a unique and stylish look for your home. They are experienced in working with different materials and can help you choose the right ones for your project.
Finally, interior designers can offer valuable advice and suggestions based on their experience and knowledge of current trends. Trusting your interior designer to create a mood board is a smart way to ensure that your house looks its best.
All images credit go to Canva. I am an expert color consultant with over 30 years of experience in interior and fashion design.
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Portfolio About Services Contact Menu. Book a discovery call - it's free. Interior Design Mood Board: How to Make Your Own. Kathryn Marsh May 30, What to include in your interior design mood board Colors: Include a range of colors that you are drawn to.
The Interior Design Moodboard template contains beautifully composed placeholders for images, video, color swatches and notes. Just drag and drop your content Go to Canva and click the "Photo Collage" option in the middle of the home page (oddly, Photo Collage doesn't show up under the Templates drop- Learn how to create interior design mood boards with this step-by-step guide and template. Find additional examples and classes