Room Makeover? Create a mood board to keep your colour palette and ideas on track!

My daughter and I are in the process of organizing her move to Toronto and setting up her apartment there. She has been using power point to create a mood board to organize her ideas and keep her colour and design on track.

If you are not as tech savvy as my girl, you can use other computer programs or good old fashion poster board from Shopper’s and magazine or computer print outs.

Don’t get overwhelmed and don’t be shy. A mood board is the perfect way to see how things will go together and help guide your vision for the room.

Start by bookmarking your favourite pieces or inspiration on your computer. Save screenshots in a file or take photos when you see an inspiring colour or texture. Go to Houzz.com and start a file. This is one of my personal favourite sites to use. Pinterest and instagram are also good sources of inspiration and ideas.

A mood board is the map that keeps you going in the right direction while navigating the end result. It will help you make sure everything coordinates. It will help you avoid mistakes. You can easily see if there is too much of one colour or if things are too bland and you need to liven it up with accents.  We love the Living Lab and CF Interiors for furniture accents like pillows and bowls. Urban Barn is great for candles, pillows, accent pieces, art and furniture. Canadian Tire and Homesense are great for faux plants indoors and out. My daughter discovered some great places while creating her mood board; Article (furniture), Urban Outfitters (accents), Structube (furniture), and Crate & Barrel (accents and furniture) to name a few.

Now, a few tips:

  • Always try to get a sample. Don’t buy off a brochure or online. Colours and textures look very different in person.
  • If possible, it’s nice to be able to move things around on your mood board or remove and add as you go and change your mind.
  • Find things that really speak to you. You know that “I have to have it” feeling.
  • Be mindful of budgets but treat yourself to one or two special items that are meaningful to you or you can’t live without.
  • The main components are colour (choose one you love and live with for a long time), texture, pattern and light. Keep things to a three-colour palette or monochromatic neutrals with one accent colour. It is easy to swap out pillows but hard to swap out large expensive furniture pieces. In the interest of longevity choose neutrals for large expensive pieces and classic styles. Likewise, be trendy with accent pieces not substantial furniture pieces.
  • Collect as many samples as you can. Wood and tile floor samples, paint samples, drapes or blind samples, fabric swatches,
  • Take lots of pictures of furniture, accent pieces, and pillows that you love and add them to the board with your paint colour, flooring choices and fabric. Take stock. Is the room taking shape? Does it coordinate? If yes, than proceed. If no, start swapping things in and out or pair things down.

Need a second opinion? Call us, we are available and happy to help!