You've heard them called by many names: mood board, aesthetic board, interior design sample board, house vision board — the list goes on. What are these boards? Why are they so beneficial? And how the heck do you make one of your own?
These are the questions we tackle in today's blog as we share the design boards for some of our favorite projects at Copper Sky Design & Remodel. It's best to start with a mood board to establish an overall aesthetic, and ultimately refine specific elements such as tile, countertop materials, paint colors, and more on a design board. Get the examples, inspiration, and tips you need to create a design board for your remodel!
What Is a Design Board?
In interior design, a design board is a grouping of images depicting colors, materials, furniture, lighting, and other elements you're considering using in a project. It's a way of testing out how each piece of a design will work together. By using a design board to envision the final product of your remodel before construction begins, you can ensure satisfaction with the design and prevent having to alter the plans mid-construction.
How Do You Make a Design Board for a House?
Making a design board is one of the most enjoyable parts of remodeling (besides seeing the final product come together). And it's not as difficult as you may think! Here are three steps you can take to create your own design board.
Pick a Medium
First, you must decide what medium you want to use. Do you like cutting pictures out of magazines and gluing them to a poster old-school style? Or do you prefer utilizing online resources like Pinterest, Canva, or Houzz Ideabooks where collecting images is as easy as swiping (and your fingers get much less sticky)? The choice is yours, and there is no right or wrong answer. But keep in mind that both options have limitations. You might not be able to personalize a digital board like a physical one; however, you have a whole world of online inspiration at your fingertips. Physical boards take more work to complete, but some swear that having a tactile connection to the images and the ability to view them in different types of light makes all the difference.
Gather Inspiration
Now, let's get to the good stuff. Put on your favorite music, sit at the computer (or stack of magazines), and look for images you love. To narrow your search, you can start by looking up an aesthetic — such as transitional, modern, bohemian, or farmhouse. But you don't have to. Wade into the ocean of interior design inspiration and see what you find! Collect images that produce an emotional response for you. They don't have to make sense and don't think about how everything will work together (that comes in the next step). Simply pick out images that make you feel excited, energized, happy, relaxed, or whatever you want the mood to be in your newly remodeled home!
Experiment & Refine
It's time to dive into the details. Once you have bountiful inspiration, look at how all the images you gathered work together. Most likely, your mood board's aesthetic won't be perfect immediately. It takes refining to narrow down the elements you actually want to include in the remodel. Here is where you start experimenting. First, note the images that you adore. These will be your base. From there, experiment with mixing and matching specific selections and finishes such as tile, paint colors, and cabinet hardware. Say you're working on a kitchen remodel, and you have two images of flooring: one is a herringbone wood floor, and the other is terrazzo tiles. If you're having difficulty deciding between the two, imagine how each option would work with the elements you've already decided you want in your space.
Design Board Examples
Making a design board is just the beginning. Bringing it to life to create a home you love is where the real magic is. Check out these three design boards from Copper Sky Design & Remodel to see how we translated our inspiration into beautiful remodels.
Design Board #1: A Modern Twist on the Art Deco Kitchen
It might be 2022, but the influences of the 1920s are as big and bold as ever. So, we channeled our inner roaring twenties for this kitchen remodel!
Art deco interior design is hallmarked by patterns, geometric motifs, dramatic colors, angular lines, curves, stunning lighting, and materials like stainless steel and gold-brushed metals. We started piecing our kitchen mood board together with these design principles in mind.
To keep the look refined and modern (remember, this is a contemporary take on art deco), we decided to keep most of the color palette neutral, with the room's two main characters being deep green cabinetry and a plethora of gold fixtures. Of course, we had to nod to geometric patterns of the era with statement tile flooring and further evoked the period with a gorgeous gold and glass chandelier. The faucet brings in a needed curve, and everything from the cross on the cabinets to the gold mesh and backsplash tile creates lines.
If you think these elements work well together on our design board, wait until you see the finished product.
Green and gold never looked so good! All the elements from our design board sing together in glorious harmony in this kitchen. The colors feel fresh and lively yet grounded; gold accents everywhere elevate the entire space; bits of wood on the open shelving and stairs create a connection to nature that's a must-have in today's interior design world. And don't even get us started on the step ladder! Functional and beautiful, this detail adds a sense of playfulness to the space characteristic of art deco design.
Design Board #2: The Vintage Classic Bathroom
Our inspiration for this design board goes back a little further than the 1920s. A charming vintage vanity was our starting point. We built from there using a classic gray and white color palette with gold accents. Victorianesque wallpaper meshes with soft marble tiles and white amenities. The design board might look understated on paper (or screen — you get what we mean!). After all, it's a lot of gray and white, and how exciting can that really be?
It turns out it can be very exciting indeed! With the wallpaper up and the tile installed, this bathroom is bursting with visual interest. We converted an antique dresser to a functioning vanity, complete with a sink, marble countertop, backsplash, and vintage-inspired faucet. The ornate cabinet pulls add just the right amount of pizazz, while the understated color keeps from distracting from the centerpiece mirror above.
Everywhere you look, the patterns and textures are just a little different, close enough to be cohesive but variable enough not to be boring. This brings up an important note about design boards: they don't show scale very well. Something that's only a small image on your design board might take up tons of space in practicality. It's essential to consider the scale of the design features on your board so you don't end up with many different elements jostling for dominance when applied to your space.
Design Board #3: The Timeless Bathroom
Many clients have come to us asking for a timeless design they'll love now and 30 years from now. How exactly do we do it? This timeless bathroom mood board breaks it down!
Neutrals are a must in timeless design because they never go out of style. Here, we mixed multiple hues of cream and gray to promote visual diversity while a moody blue takes center stage. We also combined modern and vintage design elements, which we consider the key to timelessness. Gracefully textured tiles and stone feel modern yet earthy, while the gold fixtures, shaded wall sconces, and stunning vintage mirrors make a statement. But how do all these pieces come together? Take a look!
Beautiful, isn't she? The calming colors combine to create an elegant yet comfortable bathroom. The rustic diamond flooring adds softness while ensuring the floor is just as polished as the rest of the room. And the flower tile design in the shower is just too cute! Though each element is unique and has its own personality, everything works together.
How Do You Start a Mood Board?
It’s time to get your mood board started! Check out our gallery of photos for inspiration on different design styles and elements.
When you're ready to take your design board and make it real, call Copper Sky Design & Remodel. There's nothing we love more than making home dreams come true.
