What is a moodboard?
A moodboard is a combination of images, fabric samples and objects arranged together to emit a certain style, concept or mood. They are particularly popular in the world of interior design and are used as a place to keep all your inspirational ideas together so you don’t forget them!
Why should I use one?
As interior stylist Holly Becker explains “A moodboard is a way to visually map how you want a room to feel and look, to harness good ideas and build on them.” So, if there is a certain style that takes your fancy, you can really hone in on it by selecting certain colours and fabrics that complement each other to achieve an overall look.
They are also great for keeping your projects and ideas on track. When you start delving into the world of interior design, searching through magazines and scrolling through pages on pinterest, you can soon become lost and lose sight of what you were originally trying to achieve. With a moodboard, you can combine everything you come across together and it can help you work towards a common goal, with a clear vision.
It also allows you to try things out without completely committing yourself to it. For instance, if you’ve been hanging your nose over a certain bold patterned wallpaper for a feature wall, you can team it together with other objects, textures and colours to gauge an overall look and feel. It may be that it doesn’t work out the way you thought it would; in which case you haven’t lost anything. Or it may be that it looks great and you now know it is exactly the right wallpaper for your room.
How do I get started?
You could either start by choosing a theme that you really like the look of. This could be parisian, shabby chic, nautical etc. Alternatively, if there isn’t a particular theme you are drawn to then start with the things you love, such as your favourite colour or a pattern that you really like, and build on them from here.
Some people prefer to work from two boards to begin with. One as a practical board that considers things such as how the room will be used, the appropriate materials, the finish etc., and a separate board for the concept: i.e. the creativity such as furniture styles, textures, colours etc. Merging the two boards together should give you a good idea all-round of what you are trying to achieve.
What should I add?
Try not to think about it too much and go with your gut instinct. What things do you love? Put them all together and then start removing those things that don’t quite fit together well enough.
Work from a colour scheme but don’t be afraid to mix things up. You don’t have to stick to just one or two colours. Try introducing different shades of the same colour for tone, or if you’re opting for a neutral base then you could inject a completely new and bold colour to the scheme for a strong accent.
Overall,a moodboard serves as a perfect gentle reminder to keep you on track and remind you of the look and feel you are trying to achieve. It’s also great for when you’re redecorating more than one room at the same time, as you can reignite your inspiration if you begin to lose sight of what you are working towards.
Paul James Blinds
Here at Paul James Blinds, we are the experts in advising on the perfect blinds for your room so that you can find something that suits your interior and complements your surroundings beautifully. We’ve come up with some mood boards of our own so feel free to have a browse of our gallery for some inspiration!
