How to Create an Interior Design Mood Board for Your Renovation

A step-by-step guide.

You might have heard the term “mood board” being thrown around before, but what exactly does it entail, and why is a mood board important when planning your renovation?

In this article, we walk you through the answers to these questions, as well as the steps to creating a mood board to bring with you when meeting interior designers.

What is a mood board?

An interior design/renovation mood board is a digital or physical collage to help you visualise the design concept you have in mind for your home and bring it to life.

It should therefore contain keywords and images that capture the overall style and feeling you want for your home, as well as a breakdown of details like colours, materials and textures to incorporate.

Why it’s good to have a mood board when planning your renovation

While it’s not 100% necessary to prepare one, it is highly recommended that you bring along a mood board when meeting interior designers for the first time.

The first reason is that interpretations of interior styles/features can differ, so it’s best to have pictorial references to ensure alignment with the ID you’re speaking with.

Secondly, a mood board will make the meeting productive because he/she will be able to tell you if what your vision is feasible based on your budget, timeline, and floor plan.

Should the answer to any of the above be “No”, this will be an opportunity for you to assess the ID based on the alternative solutions he/she is able to provide.

How detailed should your interior design mood board be?

This is where it gets tricky. On the one hand, some interior designers appreciate it when homeowners give them room for creative freedom (interior design is, after all, a creative profession!), while others prefer it when homeowners have a clear idea of what they want.

What we’d suggest, then, is to provide as many details that you’ve already thought of, but remain open to the ID’s professional input and alternative suggestions.

Can I go straight to a contractor (instead of an ID) if I already know what I want?

If your mood board already provides a really clear, detailed breakdown of what you want and you simply need someone to execute renovation works for you, you can of course engage a contractor instead of an ID.

That said, homeowner Sam shares that even though she knew very specifically (right down to the measurements!) what she wanted in a home, she still needed an ID to tie it all together cohesively. Plus, IDs are also trained in space planning – something most contractors do not offer as a service.

How to create a mood board for interior design/your home renovation

1. List down your preferred interior design styles/themes

Like the hotel look? Modern luxe is your best bet. Want a home that’s truly unique? Eclectic might be an option to explore. For more information, read this comprehensive guide on different interior styles and what they entail.

Listing your preferred interior design style(s) will help to set the scope in the subsequent steps, as each style has characteristic features, commonly used materials and so forth.

That said, most homes today combine influences from different interior styles, so you don’t have to be a ‘purist’ and stick to one.

2. Collect photos that reflect the general look and feel you’re going for

As we’ve discussed, it’s best to have reference images of actual homes that have caught your eye.

Such images can be found on the likes of Pinterest and Instagram. For local examples IRL, a convenient alternative would be to log in to your Qanvast account and click on the ‘bookmark’ icon on any photo you wish to save.

In fact, Qanvast lets you create different boards of these saved photos that you can categorise by room, feature, or anything you want, really!

3. Indicate what you’d use each space for

Next, think about how you’d like to utilise each space on a daily basis. From relaxing me-time in your bedroom to family bonding in the living room, WFH conference calls in the study to movie nights in the entertainment room, each of these requires a different setup.

Do also think about how you’d want each space to ‘flow’ into the next. For example, do you want a semi-open study that can be opened up when you’re off work?

4. Indicate the colour scheme, materials and textures for each area

5. Do the same for furnishings and appliances

Lastly, do the same for any furniture, fixtures, decor and appliances you have in mind, or that you’re bringing over from your current home. This is particularly important for larger items, so that your ID can factor the space required for them when doing up renders for your review.

Tools/programmes for creating a mood board

The most intuitive options for lay users would be to create a mood board using PowerPoint or online tools like Canva, where images and text can be dragged and dropped easily.

If you’re up for it, you could even take things a step further and use software like Coohom to come up with initial stage 3D renders based on your mood board.

Far from negating the need for a design professional, homeowners like Jian Hong opine that doing so actually helps with shortlisting IDs, based on how each one enhances the ideas you already have.

Other tips for an effective mood board

With that, you’re all set to create an interior design mood board for your renovation! While you’re at it, do be mindful of the following:

• Keep it focused and not too cluttered
• Be realistic with your budget and timeline
• Review and refine it with your significant other before showing it to IDs

Then, when you’re ready to meet with IDs, click on the button below and we’ll connect you with interior designers based on your requirements – free of charge!