2. Moodboards Make Sense of Mayhem
As I alluded to in the intro, if you’re like me, you’ll have a million and one things running through your mind at any given moment.
So, when it comes to decorating, it can be hard to a) make space for even more ideas to buzz about, and b) organise, think through and figure out all the decor inspiration that you’ve come across to decide your next step.
With a moodboard though, it slows you down, organises your thoughts and gives you a gathering point to lay down your ideas and test the waters. It could be that an idea you loved in your mind’s eye, doesn’t quite cut the mustard when it’s staring back at you from your board. And more often than not, you’ll discover new ideas that naturally come together when you see them clearly side by side, but might never have otherwise come to the surface…
3.
Moodboards and Sample Boards – What’s the Difference?
You’ll typically only hear sample boards being banded about in interior design speak. For most of us, they’re one of the same thing.
Some interior designers will begin with a moodboard to, as the name suggests, present different design directions. That’s the starting point where it’ll be chock-a-block with image references depicting complementary detail shots and full room sets to help their client settle on a mood and a few key features.
From there, they’ll likely develop another moodboard that confirms that look and shows it in more precise detail as well as a sample board which starts to pull together fabric swatches and paint cards. This is where the pinning kicks off as different swatches are swapped in for others until you reach the combination that feels most like you. In the case of a kitchen remodel, you might have a
cut tile sample for your floor and wall on there, a cutting of the
paint colours you’ve chosen for your cabinetry and walls, and references to the hardware or brassware tone – or even an actual cabinet knob or handle laid on the board.
Whether you decide to do a separate mood and sample board or combine them onto one, the fact is you’ll start to see not just opportunities of things that go together but gaps too. Your scheme might feel lacking in pattern which could encourage you to bring in another fabric on a curtain, blind, or again in the case of the kitchen, an upholstered bench cushion at your kitchen table or a sweet café curtain for under the sink.
