A mood board is a collage of images, colors, materials and objects that captures the intended look and feel of a space before it is designed in detail. It can be physical (pinned samples, fabric swatches, paint chips) or digital.
What to put on one
- Inspiration images of rooms you like.
- A color palette: three to six colors.
- Materials and textures: wood, stone, fabric, metal finishes.
- Key furniture pieces and lighting.
- Words: three adjectives for the mood (“calm, warm, natural”).
How to use it
- Collect widely, then edit hard: remove anything that does not fit the three adjectives.
- Check the board against the real room: light, existing floor, furniture you are keeping.
- Use it to brief a designer or contractor, or to stay consistent when buying.
Physical samples matter: colors on screen are rarely the colors in your room. For the AI-generated version and how it differs, see AI mood board.