Welcome to the Blog

The Power of Mood Boards: Why You Should Create One

By Laura Carson Miller

In a world filled with endless possibilities and creative ideas, staying focused and inspired can sometimes feel overwhelming. Whether you’re an artist, designer, entrepreneur, or simply someone looking to bring clarity to your thoughts, a mood board can be a game-changer. Let’s explore the benefits of this powerful visualization tool.

1. Clarifies Your Vision

One of the main advantages of a mood board is its ability to turn abstract ideas into a clear and tangible vision. By gathering images, colors, textures, and words that resonate with your concept, you create a cohesive visual representation of your thoughts. This can be particularly useful for projects such as branding, interior design, fashion, or event planning. Almost two years I was overhauling my website and while I was super excited about the it, I found the process, just ask my friends and family, quite frustrating at times.Trying to hit on the right look visually and getting the voice to an authentic place was harder than I had anticipated. There were times when I thought the design team didn’t get me at all. Using my inspiriation board helped me to hone in what I did not want for my site as much as what I did. I’ve since deleted pages from my site on my own and found that a minimalist yet colorful aesthetic looks and feels most true to me.

2. Boosts Creativity

A mood board is a playground for creativity. It allows you to experiment with different styles, aesthetics, and themes without any pressure. By visually arranging elements, you may discover unexpected connections and fresh ideas that you wouldn’t have thought of otherwise.  If you’re plotting a room or even an area referesh in a room in your home  – or you’ve decided you are ready to change up the key elements in your wardrobe to facilitate a new and different look, placing items together on your inspiration board can help you understand what does or perhaps doesn’t look good together. You may also find that certain colors and patterns are complimentary that you never would’ve imagined!

3. Enhances Focus and Direction

It’s easy to get lost in the sea of inspiration, magazines, the internet, movies and television, but a mood board helps you stay on track. By curating your vision in one place, you can filter out distractions and stay aligned with your goals. This is especially beneficial when working on a long-term project, as it serves as a constant reminder of your initial direction. A few years ago we undertook a painting and restoration project invloving our living room and bedroom. We studied paint colors and I would put them up together on my inspirtion board along with photos of each room. Seeing wall and trim color samples together really helps you to invision the final product. I was in a specialtiy paint class on Wednesday and learned that Sherwin Williams Alabaster is the most popular paint color for walls, be it a new build or an older home and if the home is being staged as a rental or is for sale. Did you know SH also says you will sell for 6% higher if you paint your fron tdoor black? Wowza. The more you know, right?

4. Facilitates Communication

Whether you’re collaborating with a team or working with clients, a mood board makes it easier to communicate your ideas. Instead of relying solely on words, which can sometimes lead to misinterpretation, a visual representation provides a clear and shared understanding of the concept. When I worked as a personal shopper for Simon Malls, I would ask clients to send me photos of wardrobe or home related items they coveted, or to create Pinterest board with said items so I could beging to get an idea of their style and personality. I would also request they send me photos of favorite items they already owned.  With the knowledge of what they desired plus what they ownded and loved, I was better able to understand their preferences and ask questions that produced their desired results. 

5. Acts as a Source of Motivation

Having a visual reference of your aspirations can be incredibly motivating. Whenever you feel stuck or uninspired, revisiting your mood board can reignite your enthusiasm and remind you why you started in the first place. I know this is true for me! My inspiration board is in our office. It is placed strategically on the wall so I see it every time I round the corner from the living room to the kitchen or from the dining room into the kitchen. I love knowing this glorious board of people, places and things that inspire me is always there.  I add and subtract items often to keep it fresh. Some months I remove everythng and start completlely anew. I use a lot of magazine photos, beauty product samples, fabric swathces, paint samples, pages I’ve colored from my adult coloring books and garden seed envelopes I’m waiting to plant. Whatever moves me!

6. Adaptable for Any Purpose

Mood boards aren’t just for creatives. They can be used for personal development, travel planning, wedding organization, and even setting the tone for your home decor. The possibilities are endless! As many of you know, I love the book The Secret, all about the law of attraction. (I’ve actually been re-reading parts of the book lately and just in the last two weeks I have postitievley seen the power of the law of attraction in my own life! This includes people, places and things. Thoughts become things, my friends. Don’t you ever doubt it!) The Secret has a teriffic chapter on the visualization and how it bolsters the law of attraction. A mood, vision or inspiration board, whatever you’d like to call it, helps you to clearly visualize the people, places and things you want to attract. When I was a kid my mother had a picture of a Jaguar automobile she cut out of a magazine. She attached it to our fridge with a magnet. Years later she drove this very car. My parents worked hard and beleived it could be in our driveway. I was lucky enough to see the true power of visualization and the law of attraction from a very young age. 

Whether you create a physical mood board with magazine clippings and fabric swatches or a digital version using platforms like Pinterest or Canva, the benefits are undeniable. Mood boards offer clarity, inspiration, and direction, helping you turn ideas into reality. They can be big or small. They can reside in your office or your bedroom or kithchen. So, why not start your own today and see where your creativity takes you? Let me know if this article motivates you to start your own vision board. You can drop me a line via the link at the top of the page.  

Why Not Live Beautifully Each Day?