Ever wondered how designers have the ability to create such polished presentations for their clients? You probably think it’s the years they spent training and refining their creative skills. This is true to a degree, but thanks to the wonderful world of online software, it’s possible for the less design savvy to create visual presentations that will astonish and delight.
One of my favourite and most commonly used interior design tools is a Mood Board, also known as a story board, sample board, inspiration board or concept board. A Mood Board helps convey the overall feel of an interior. It brings together inspiring images, targets desires and facilitates creativity in a way that makes visualizing easier. Mood boards are useful to explore alternative options for finishes, colours, furniture, and accessories, or to act as style guide and are not just limited to interiors.
A common concern among my clients is that they know what they love but don’t have the confidence to pull everything together. They are uncertain as to how each individual item will work with the next. So here comes the secret: I have not one – but three tools, which can assist you to piece the puzzle together.
Play around with colour, texture and pattern using my top 3 online concept creation tools below.
1. Sample Board – sampleboard.com
Sample Board allows for the quick and easy creation of digital mood boards by helping the user to combine product images, fabric swatches, textures, colours, and patterns to convey a design concept. It streamlines the process by putting all of the tools and resources needed in one place. The image gallery allows you to browse 30 000+ products and industry specific images, search by colour, pattern or palette, clip and save images from across the web, import images from Flickr and Picasa or upload your own.
Image courtesy of Moira Mannon for Sample Board
Image courtesy of Lisa Men Design for Sample Board
2. Project Décor – projectdecor.com
Project Décor launched in June 2012. It allows you create your dream room by pulling pieces from different top-notch designers. Users also have access to connect with interior decorators for design services. The best thing about Project Décor is that it’s a one-stop shop. All the products on the site can be purchased directly from the site. There are 40+ mid-level to high-end designer brands represented, and approximately 10,000+ products on site.
3. Olioboard – olioboard.com
Image courtesy of White Linen Interiors for Olioboard
Olioboard is an easy to use, intuitive web app for creating mood boards online that you can save, share and click on products to buy. It provides a fun and easy way to compile ideas and “see” either in 2D or 3D how the items will work together in a space. It is also a community of interior designers and creative thinkers coming together to share inspiration and offer feedback.
