Mood Board Inspiration + How To Create Your Own

Ready for some serious mood board inspiration?

Real talk: mood boards are one of the most underrated ways to get your creative juices flowing.

They do take a fair share of time to put together though – which is a deal-breaker in today’s crazy world.

Why bother to create your own when you can just scroll through Pinterest?

And I get that, I really do.

But here’s why you really *should* give it a try: a mood board will keep you inspired for an entire month!

I make mine on a monthly basis and it’s the best thing to have around. It keeps me focused and inspired!

And here’s the best part: you should make yours IRL.

Forget Pinterest, elaborate templates and finicky editing programs.

Just go at it old school with printed paper, scissors and a basic cork board.

So easy and fun!

Step 1: Curate & Visualise

I made it a habit this year to create a fresh mood board at the start of every month and let me tell you, it’s LIFE CHANGING!

A few days before the end of the month, I go through the ideas, goals and aesthetic I want to channel.

Then, I select the images that best illustrate what I’m going for.

Personally, I mix images from my Pinterest account (see above for tips on how to do this) with my own photographs, lettering and illustrations.

Step 2: Find A Base

If you’re doing your mood board IRL (as you should, so you have it in front of your eyes at all times), choosing the right base is crucial.

Think about how big you want it to be and pick a material strong enough to hold it up. Things like a foam board, a piece of thick cardboard or a cork board are all inexpensive solutions.

If you want to redo your board monthly, a cork board may be your best pick, since it is sturdier and super easy to reuse.

Step 3: Edit + Print

Once you have your base, look at the number of images you’ve chosen in Step 1 and try to figure out how big they’d have to be to cover your board comfortably.

Remember to account for overlaps (they make the board more dynamic!) and leave out a few extra images – you’ll see why in Step 5!

Once you have your selection ready to go, print it out. Choose a denser paper. Something between 115 gsm and 160 gsm will do just fine.

I usually get my selection printed at a professional print house.

Of course, if you don’t have convenient access to a print shop, but do have a home printer, feel free to use it. In that case, use regular A4 paper – thicker paper might just get stuck.

Step 4: Put Everything Together

Now’s your time to shine: gather your “ingredients” because this will be one visual cocktail to remember!

You’ll need:

• Your base;
• Your stack of printed images;
• A bunch of push pins of your choice;
• Regular paper scissors;
• Optional: ribbons, watercolour paints, Sharpies or scalloped scissors.

The steps are pretty self explanatory:

Clean up your board, cut out all the images and pin them to it.

As a last step, you can also tie everything in with a few paint splashes or Sharpie strokes! Have fun with it and really pour out your ideas and creativity.

Step 5: Go Beyond The Mood Board

Finally, the last step would be to hang your finished mood board in a place where you can see it all the time.

I keep mine right next to my favorite armchair where I do most of my blog writing.

Aaand, done!

Except that there’s still a fun twist you could try out: not all of your inspiration has to go *on the board*. As mentioned in Step 3, if you were careful to print out a few extra bits and pieces, you can now scatter them on the wall, all around your mood board.

I love this trick because it fills up those small and awkward wall spaces that result between furniture and light fixtures.

To keep them in place, use paper masking tape. It’s strong enough to hold up a piece of paper, yet it does no permanent damage to the wall. I use this trick pretty liberally because it adds personality and spontaneity to the finished display.

Ta-da!

Now your mood board is finished and ready to be admired all month long.