Search

How to Create A Mood Board

Alyssa Price
May 1, 2013
2 min read

Mood boards are a great way to get inspiration for a space or concept. The images which make up a mood board can be completely random but all have a coherent theme or concept. For example the color scheme created for this Mood Board is blue, this is communicated and achieved through placing multiple random images which have blue in them.

Start with a base image this will be the focal of the Mood board and the other images will tie into and correlate with this main image. The images do not need to be specifically Interior Design related.

Step 1: Create a canvas in any software such as Word, Power Point, Photoshop etcetera. For this Mood Board I will be using Photoshop. I created a custom canvas which is 1920x1080 Pixels with a resolution of 300ppi.

Step 2: Using the internet to find an image you want to base your design on or use an image you already have on your computer if you have one which you like. I have used this cat image that I found on Pinterest. The reason I chose this image is because of the strong contrast between the white fur and blue eye. This image creates the overall mood and colour scheme of the Mood Board.

Step 3: Continue finding images which complement the main image. in this case, I went for something that adds texture. When picking images make sure they all serve a purpose and fit your view as you don't want to have conflicting ideas unless this is purposeful. Using imagery of nature is also another way to create depth, texture and mood. When sizing the images adjust this in order of importance. The biggest image should be the main source of inspiration and the focal point. In my example the cat is the main inspiration. The layout of the images is also important, I have chosen to space them out all over the page, this creates the idea of and open and airy space. If the Images were bunched together in the center this gives the illusion of a dense, cluttered and cramped space which could hold a lot of impact and communicates a more alternative and eccentric atmosphere.

Step 4: When you are happy with the layout and have resized and moved the images around take a moment to imagine what this mood board communicates. For me, this mood board is soft, cute, warm, cozy, cold, open, spaces, friendly, pretty, classic, traditional and antique. Try imagining the space from this Mood Board, what would the furniture look like, the walls, the flooring, the windows, the layout, the colour scheme and the feel of the room. When you have finished your mood board you should be able to imagine it turned into a space.