ARE YOU IN THE MOOD FOR FALL!

Who is ready for fall?

If you are anything like me the slight cooling of the temperature and the quiet house with all the kids gone to school brings out a new found energy to clean, organize & update!

So just in case you want to try your hand at something new. I am excited to share some super easy tips and tools for creating a mood board.  I love mood boards because they help you stay on track with the feel you want in a room.

You can pull it up on your phone when you are out shopping and all the wishy washy, back and forth is done at home in your comfy clothes.  Now that is the honest truth.

So let’s get into it, shall we?

What is a mood board?

We can safely quote from Wikipedia here: A mood board is “a type of collage consisting of images, text, and samples of objects in a composition. It can be based upon a set topic or can be any material chosen at random. A mood board can be used to convey a general idea or feel about a particular topic.”

Start with the room or space you are wanting to work with

  • Analyze the room and ask it some questions.
  • What is basic function of the space?
  • Who uses the space?  (kids, teens, everyone, adults etc.)
  • Does it need to be kid friendly or professional?
  • Of the items in the room, what can stay & what needs to go?
  • What can change and what cannot?
  • What elements need to function better?
  • What problems need to be solved?
  • What overall feeling or mood do you want the space to have? ( I think this is the most important question! )
  • If it was a person what kind of personality would it have, fun and fresh, cute & casual, cozy & relaxing, moody and dark, trendy and modern with a sophisticated eye for accessorizing, we could go on all day right.
  • Once you have efficiently written down your interview and personality of the room you will want to STOP.  Now is a great time to take some before pics! ( look for a handy planning tool at the bottom)

Find your inspiration!

Inspiration can come from anywhere decide on a mood and a color palette.

  • Spend some time in the paint section of your local hardware store.
  • Think of things that change your mood a favorite painting or picture from a family vacation.
  • Jump on- line and search images for certain color families, time periods or styles.

Make a list of the items you need and the items you want in your new space. Your vision or boards can go deep into light fixtures, paint and flooring, or keep it simple, rugs, pillows and a few accessories, or anywhere in between.
What's my mood board living room

Curate your inspiration & your images –

  • Here is my go-to list of resources—mostly online—from which I gather and curate images I can use in my mood boards.
    • Pinterest, Houzz, or even Google Images. These search engines are filled with great photos you can use for your mood boards. I personally prefer Pinterest because of its beautiful curation of quality images. Simply type in keywords related to the look you want, e.g., Boho Home or Mid Century Modern, Modern Farm House, Vintage Chic.
    • Websites of your favorite home brands. Almost all brands have their own websites now, which makes our image curation much easier. I usually think of brands that I feel will fit into the overall look and concept. Then I look over their styled room photos, their product catalogues. I even find actual furniture pieces or home items that I love, even if they are out of my budget then I work to find more reasonable replacements. Ikea is a great example, as well as West Elm.  all have their products up on line, but try to look up Facebook pages and Instagram accounts too.
    • Instagram accounts of interior designers, decorators, and stylists.
    • Offline, visit actual places with interiors that make your jaw drop. This includes furniture showrooms, restaurants, hotels, real estate model homes, and even your decorating-geek friend’s house, whose home style you’re dying to replicate.  Take pictures (or google nice photos) of places and things that inspire you.

My Top
TIPS
TRICKS
SECRETS

  1. Use your board as a creative MAP not a set in stone template.
  2. Designing a room should be a very fluid and flexible process.
  3. You want your home to look gathered and inspired rather than planned and overly intentional.

These super simple small boards took all of 10 min in Canva Download the Template for FREE here.






What elements to include in your mood board, this depends on the type of mood board you are building.  Like I mentioned earlier you can go in deep or just create a new seasonal theme using the basics you already have.  The beauty of it that you can get as creative as you have time, budget and need for.

I normally start off with 1 to 2 inspiration images of actual rooms or spaces, to really help me stick with a mood and direction.

Then, I get swatches of colors, wood stains, and metals. I try to see which hues and shades and tones go together. Colors in an interior normally appear in the big surfaces: walls, floor, and ceiling, and even big-ticket furniture items, which is my next task, furniture

But the small details also contribute to the palette, like lamps, faucets, door knobs, cabinet handles (hence the metal swatches)

I also pick textures and patterns that I feel will go well with the space. These include wallpapers, fabrics (curtains, beddings, or upholstery),rugs, throws and throw pillows.

Then I get pictures of furniture pieces and light fixtures with lines and forms that match the look I’m going for.

Whether it’s the modern curve of midcentury pieces, the intricate tufting of traditional sofas, the casual roll of a coastal armchair…these all contribute to the cohesive visual I want to create with my board.

Spend some time playing with size and mixes of designs and styles.  Focus on the things that speak to the mood and feel you are going for as well as things that are needed in the room, like seating, storage space, lighting ect.

Down Load Clean Modern Mood Board Here

Down Load BOHO Modern Mood Board Here

Back in the day I would make a mood board using Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop.  Today www.canva.com has blessed us with an easy button.  If you are not familiar with Canva don’t worry it is very intuitive.  Click on the links for any of the templates and it will open up a window for a template.  Simply create a FREE account and you will no longer have free time ever again!  Maybe that’s just me!  Canva has lot’s of images you can search and use also.  I have created a quick video just to show you a couple short cuts, you can thank me with cookies! ( video below )

What’s My Mood 6 page Template for design, Down Load here

What's my mood board living room
What's my mood board Family Room
Mood Board Design Trends

Large mood board 4 pages Down Load Here




A love for interior design, family and home is something I think I was born with! Home has always my happy place and a place of safety and comfort for my always growing family. I didn’t pursue real estate until later in life, but it’s been a passion for as long as I can remember.
I can sit here and tell you I have strong negotiating skills, local market knowledge, and so forth – and of course, I do – but one thing I want to share with you, the thing that is the most important tool I can provide you in your home sale or purchase is my passion and my love for people.
My focus goes beyond the professionalism, experience and market knowledge, my focus is to facilitate your WHY, selling or buying your WHY is my priority? You need a real estate agent who understands that, and seeks to know the answer to those questions, and all of the other important ones that make buying and selling a reality for you. You don’t need a computer to find your dream house, you need a professional partner who has your best interest at heart from the moment you call to even after we close. I’m doing more than just selling houses, I’m providing you the keys to bring your dreams home.