How to create a moodboard

If you’re focusing on an Interior Design project, we recommend a moodboard per room or specific zone. This way you can really hone in on your ideas, rather than getting lost in an array of ideas. It almost becomes a visual check list instead. Has the floor finish been considered? Perhaps its an existing floor finish, does the paint colour work with the existing floor? How does the sofa fabric sit with both of these? Whats the overall style and look and feel going to be? All of these will help you to make informed decisions, rather than rushing the process. 

Don’t forget to get as many different forms of various take aways as you can! Having a three dimensional moodboard will really elevate your moodboard, whilst helping to give you a true representative. If you can’t get your hands on a free sample of something that is important to your scheme, make sure as a last resort you have a photograph of the finish to use within your moodboard.

Tip: We strongly do recommend obtaining samples of important pieces like the floor finish, paint colour, window coverings and large upholstered items like sofa fabrics.

Your chosen supplier should be able to give you these free of charge or you might need to cover the postage. Alternatively, go along to the nearest showroom, take the finishes you have obtained along to see how they fit. Photograph the finish so you can look back and add to the moodboard.

Maybe you’re completely unsure what ‘your style’ is. If thats the case, begin to collect a range of images you are drawn to. What you should find is a style begins to form. Perhaps you see an image where your ideas have been illustrated but the styles are slightly different. Crop as much you can out of images which is irrelevant to your project so that it stays really relevant and tight to the project you’re working towards. 

Look for different types of images. Don’t just collect overall interior images, think about the small yet really important things too.

For example;

• What kind of accessories will be introduced?
• Will there be wood accents?
• Which type of fabrics are best suited to the scheme? Include an image of this in situ, whether thats a pillow case or bed linen…
• Will there be a table lamp?
• What is the finish of the taps?

Include as many different mediums possible to make it really interesting and give a full picture of everything which will be within the space.

What you will find is as you go along, the pieces you had originally thought would work really well within your scheme, might not work quite as well anymore. This is one of the key elements to remember whilst you’re bringing the project together. Creating a moodboard can really help you save time and money too, as well as being a really exciting and creative project.

I’m sure we have all been in a position where we are choosing from 10 shades of white. How do you really know what’s going to work and what you’re really going to like? Look at the inspirational images you are working towards.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed refer to the images you have chosen and the ones which you are particularly drawn to, try and match your samples as closely as your inspirational imagery.

Furthermore, follow the next two steps for more guidance on narrowing down your samples.

Having a second or third opinion is always a great way of reassuring your ideas, especially the people who you are also sharing the space with. Perhaps you have been a little unsure on a paint colour or fabric choice, ok it might not be your partners thing as much as it is yours, but their opinion matters too. They might point something out that is blindingly obvious that you haven’t thought of before. For example “Will that floor finish show up the dogs muddy foot prints when they come into the house?”. If cleaning isn’t your thing especially, make sure all of the finishes are really suitable for you and your lifestyle.

So you feel like you’ve really started to get somewhere with your defined ideas, your style, your samples in hand. Now make sure you check the samples within area they are going to be positioned in. Both in natural light and artificial light, paint colours and floor finishes in all of the different angles they will be seen. This is a crucial step and it might set you back a little because you will review each sample completely differently but thats part of the process! Try and be as thorough as you can, this way you can avoid any expensive mistakes.

Now your ideas have been approved by your loved ones, they have been narrowed down and you’re feeling confident. Pulling your moodboard together to create something beautiful is the fun part of the exercise. Layer up your samples and create interesting compositions. Keeping certain finishes together and organised in way that makes sense to you will help you later down the line. Perhaps the paint is at the top, floor finishes at the bottom and fabrics in the middle, that way you know what each finish is for if you want to put it down and revisit at a later date.

Think about how you can really make the moodboard exciting but still relevant to the space. Are you having a floral arrangement on the dining table? Add a branch in a mini vase for a nod to the styling. Go back to what inspired you initially.

If you are doing a visual moodboard of images, think about a heirachy of images, perhaps you have an overall look and feel image. If that is the case, keep this as large as you can to try and make sure you are constantly referring back to that. Make this piece of work something you can truly be proud of and get excited about your new project…

Good luck!

Chloe x