How To Make An Interior Design Mood Board (3 Easy Options)

An interior design mood board is a great way to get ideas for your next project. But, creating one can seem daunting. There are so many options out there! So how do you choose the right ones?

A mood board is a visual representation of your vision for a space. It helps you visualize your ideas before starting a new project. The idea is to create a collage of images or photos representing the feeling you want to convey.

How To Make An Interior Design Mood Board (3 Easy Options)

Interior designers first popularized mood boards as a way to capture ideas before going through the tedious process of designing everything from scratch.

They often consist of photographs and drawings of different elements that will eventually be used in an upcoming project.

But they’re not just for decorating; they can also help artists and fashion designers get inspired. So let’s take a look at three ways to create a mood board.

There are three main ways to create a mood board. You can print them out, draw them on paper or take pictures using your smartphone. Mood boards are great tools for getting inspired and staying motivated. They’re also helpful for making decisions.

So let’s take a look at three ways to create a mood board.

Interior Design Basics

To create an effective interior design mood board, you must know some basic principles. Although you can bend or throw out the rules, it can be handy to know them.

After all, you can’t break the rules if you don’t remember them! The following list gives you some ideas for designing your interior space. 

Paint

How To Choose A Paint Scheme For Your Home

To choose a paint scheme for your living room, start by considering the style of your home. Do you want a traditional or modern feel?

What kind of furniture do you already have? Are there any particular features in the room that need to be highlighted?

These questions will help you determine which type of paint scheme will best suit the overall appearance of your home.

The next step is to decide whether you want to go bold or subtle when choosing a color palette for your living room. Bold colors tend to dominate the space, whereas more subtle hues can blend into the background and allow the eye to relax.

If you like bold colors, consider painting the walls deep red, orange, or yellow. A vibrant color can liven up a dull space and draw attention away from less appealing elements.

If you prefer a softer, quieter look, opt for pastels, neutrals, or earth tones. Neutral colors can easily transition between different styles and give your living room a cohesive look. Pastel shades are incredibly soothing because they don’t compete with other colors.

When decorating a living room, it’s essential to think about what you plan to put in the room before deciding on a color scheme.

For example, if you love reading, you might want to place bookshelves along the walls. However, the shelves will take up valuable floor space and prevent guests from walking around freely. In this case, you would probably want to keep the walls neutral.

When selecting a color scheme for your living room, it’s essential to consider the size of the room. Smaller spaces should feature lighter colors than larger spaces.

You may also want to consider the amount of natural light in the room. Light colors work well in rooms where sunlight streams through windows. Dark colors absorb more light and are better suited for darker areas such as the basement or attic.

Once you’ve decided on your color choices, it’s time to select a wall paint finish. Wall paints come in many varieties. Some are matte, some are glossy, and others are semi-glossy.

Semi-gloss finishes are often recommended for rooms with high traffic since they reflect light evenly. Glossy finishes are great for small spaces where the focus is on the artwork rather than the walls.

For most people, the choice between gloss and matte finishes depends on personal preference. However, we recommend that homeowners in humid climates use matte finishes over glossy ones.

A final consideration is the texture of the paint. Texture refers to the way the surface feels against the skin. Smooth surfaces are easier to clean and require fewer coats of paint.

Textured surfaces are harder to clean but provide a unique visual effect. If you’re looking for something fun and playful, consider using textured paint.

How To Make An Interior Design Mood Board (3 Easy Options)

Mirrors

Add mirrors to reflect light and create a brighter look. Mirrors come in various shapes, sizes, and finishes, so find ones that complement your current décor.

For example, if you have a spacious hallway, try placing a large mirror on either side of the door. This can provide a dramatic effect.

On the other hand, purchase wall-mounted mirrors if you prefer a smaller area. They also look good in bathrooms, hallways, and powder rooms.

Rugs

Keep floors clean with throw rugs. Throws cover hard surfaces such as tile, wood, and concrete, and they can help hide unsightly stains. You can even use them to brighten up dark areas.

Plants

Go green with plants. Plants are often inexpensive and offer instant natural appeal. Unfortunately, many people who live in apartments or condos overlook the benefits of adding greenery to their space.

It can improve air quality, reduce noise levels and lower heating costs.

Cozy Touches

Create a cozy atmosphere with candles. Candles are one of the easiest ways to create a warm ambiance in any room. Place them around your home to add a welcoming glow.

Try using scented candles to create a scent specific to your favorite part of the home. For example, lavender candles could be placed near the bed, while cinnamon candles could be used in the kitchen.

Personal Mementos 

A little bit of personality goes a long way when it comes to bringing a sense of style and comfort to your home. Collect items such as photographs, trinkets, and artwork that remind you of memorable moments in your life. These pieces can help you feel connected to your surroundings.

Art

Use art to inspire your decorating ideas. Artwork adds character to your walls and helps define a particular theme throughout your home. If you’re feeling stuck for inspiration, browse through magazines and catalogs for images that catch your eye. 

Natural Elements

Bring in nature. Adding natural elements to your home creates a calming effect. Raw materials like stone, wood, and bamboo can be incorporated into various aspects of your home’s décor.

Incorporate Accessories 

Accessories are another great way to enhance the overall appearance of your home. Consider purchasing new lamps, vases, or other decorative objects to liven up your living spaces.

Textures

Play with textures. Textures are another simple way to transform your home. Wallpaper, carpeting, and drapery all add visual interest and texture. Experiment with different patterns and designs until you find something that feels right.

Digital Mood Board

How To DIY Your Own Mood Board Online

Once upon a time, making a mood board meant sketching every element of a room, gathering inspiration, and then sticking it all together somewhere. Today, tons of online services allow you to build a virtual mood board.

We tried out five of these sites: Clutter-Free, Houzz, Pixability, PicMonkey, and PicsArt, and found some cool uses for them. We recommend that you play around with these.

Pinterest 

The first option is to use Pinterest. This site lets you pin any image from the internet. Once you have pinned a picture, you can create a “board” around it. This means you can organize the photos into categories and save them for later reference.

For those who don’t wish to use Pinterest, Google has created its own website called Picasa.com. Here you can upload multiple images at once. Then you can search through them by category, keyword or date added.

How To Make An Interior Design Mood Board (3 Easy Options)

How To Use Pinterest For Interior Design Ideas

Learn how to use Pinterest to inspire your interior decor. There are many other ways you can use Pinterest for interior design ideas.

We’re a massive fan of Pinterest because we think it’s a great place to learn about different styles, trends, and brands.

Plus, it’s enjoyable to browse through pages full of gorgeous photos. So what inspires your interior design? Let your imagination run wild!

You can also download apps like Evernote to help you keep track of everything. These will add notes tags and even allow you to share images with others.

Creating A Picture Mood Board Using Software

The third option is using software to create your mood board. One example of such a tool is PhotoGrid. It works much like Pinterest, but you only have a few instead of having hundreds of photos.

Also, the grid layout is customizable, so you can choose where the images go. Another feature of this software is that it makes adding notes to each photo easy.

Another excellent example of a software tool is Adobe Photoshop. First, create your mood board by importing the images into the program.

Then select each one and drag it onto your canvas. You can reorder them based on their importance or place them anywhere within the canvas. You can also edit text on each image or add hashtags and keywords.

There are many other tools like these.

If you’re looking to save money and time, we highly recommend printing a plan out. Printable mood boards are available online for free. They come in all different shapes, sizes, and colors.

Physical Mood Board

Use paint samples from your local home center store to select a color scheme that works well with your existing décor. The selection of colors in a sample pack is often limited.

However, you will still find plenty of combinations that work well together. Choose four shades from this small collection, mix them together and choose two more colors to bring out the brightness of the first pair.

Collage 

To make a mood board using collage is pretty straightforward and affordable. You’ll need glue, scissors, magazines, a newspaper, and paint.

Start by cutting out magazine pages into small pieces. For example, cut out a page from a fashion magazine into four equal squares.

Next, take a bit of newspaper and tear off a few strips. Cut the strips into smaller pieces. Finally, cut out shapes from newspapers and magazines.

Now mix all of the materials together to create a colorful collage.

In addition, you can bring in your favorite photos to the collage, which can help you pick different images you want to frame.

You can either place them on top of the college or overlap the corners of other elements. If you choose to put them on top, be careful not to cover up any necessary details.

A beautiful thing about a collage is that you can use different textural elements, such as leaves you pick up from a walk. In addition, you can add quotes or sayings that are meaningful to you.

This abstract approach is perfect for those that don’t need a super structured plan for their interior design scheme. 

Once you’ve completed college, you’re ready to start decorating!

Drawing Your Mood Boards

Another option is to draw them yourself. Some people prefer this method because they enjoy being creative. Others may not feel comfortable drawing images. Either way, here’s a quick tutorial on how to draw a simple mood board:

Step 1: Start out by brainstorming some themes that interest you. Try to think outside the box. Don’t worry if they aren’t necessarily related. Just try to pick something that feels fun and exciting.

Step 2: Take a sheet of scrapbook paper and cut it down to 5×7 inches.

Step 3: Find inspiration on Google Images or other websites. Look for images that inspire you. Then, sketch them onto your paper.

Step 4: Now, add color to each one. Pick out bright colors that match your theme. Remember to avoid solid black or white backgrounds.

Step 5: Add text to each picture. Use words that fit your theme and give you inspiration.

Step 6: Layout your mood board in order of your chosen topics. Make sure to put the most inspiring pictures upfront and work your way back toward what you really want. Don’t forget to include keywords near the bottom to make finding that perfect image easier.

Interior Decorating Planner

How To Make An Interior Decorating Planner

As part of the mood board creation process, it can be super helpful to make an interior decorating planner. This is one of the many easy tips and tricks to plan your home decor projects. This is a valuable tool for any home improvement project, whether big or small. 

This planner is very flexible and can be customized to fit your needs. This allows you to easily track your progress and manage your budget.

You will find many benefits using this tool, such as organizing your thoughts, saving money, and giving you peace of mind during home improvements. Then, it is time to start planning your next home renovation or remodel.

Final Thoughts

Mood boards are an excellent way to sketch out ideas for decorating your interior space. These can be beautiful mementos to look back on, and you can easily keep them in a scrapbook.

I hope the tips we talked about in this article were helpful. Also, don’t forget to check out our other posts for information on how to get started designing your own home and how to furnish your new house. 

Ida Oliveira
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