Creating an Inspiration Board

Are you feeling unmotivated when it comes to decorating a room? Or overwhelmed by the choices out there? Then an inspiration board might be the answer for you! I am hoping to create an inspiration board for our art room, which is a work in progress and often feels a bit cluttered with materials.

So what is an inspiration board (also called a mood board)? An inspiration board is a collage of images to inspire your imagination.

Why can an inspiration board be helpful? It is useful way to help to visualise ideas, especially when beginning a new project.

How do you go about making one? When creating an inspiration board, you can either make an actual physical board (see this HOUZZ article "12 Ways to Make that Inspiration Board Truly Inspiring" ) or you can create a digital version by using Pinterest or other digital media. Carrie Anton's "Inspiration in 6 Steps: A Guide to Mastering Mood Boards" discusses how to do this as well as the pros and cons of a physical versus digital form.

The following step-by-step guide outlines the process of creating a physical mood board for decorating a room:

First of all consider what items you already have in the room. Then reflect on what you would like to stay and what you need to go. It may be helpful to make a list for both categories. While you are doing this consider the purpose and functions of the room and plan sufficient furniture and storage to fulfil these needs.

Next look for inspiration in magazines and on sites such as Pinterest. Try to establish a mood, colour scheme and style that appeals to your imagination. Gather your materials as you go. In your inspiration samples you could include:

• Paint chips or colour charts
• Fabric swatches
• Wallpaper scraps
• Magazine cut outs and/or printed out photos of entire rooms, furniture pieces, accessories and soft furnishings
• A few words to describe the mood and style of the room

Then lay out your images and samples. Try to create a focal point for the room that ties all the elements together - this may be an artwork, a feature wall or even a fabric. Ideal Home magazine suggests that the largest area of colour in your room (walls and floors) have a generous size sample. They also suggest that for an harmonious room, you use the 70-20-10 rule: Keep 70% of the elements in a room one colour, add 20% in a second colour and 10% in an accent colour.

Finally, when you are pleased with your arrangement you can attach your collection to a board or possibly glue the collage onto cardboard to include in a home file or journal.

Have you used an inspiration board to plan a project? Did you choose a digital or physical board? What are your tips for creating an effective and helpful inspiration board?

This Valentine’s Day: Love Yourself Too!

When did you last spend time caring for yourself? 

Photo by Felix Russell-Saw

Looking after your own well being may be misconstrued as being selfish or even unnecessary, but it is actually a really important component of physical and mental health. By spending time on your own care you are giving yourself the capacity to keep up with the demands of caring for others.

I found that the Self Care Needs Checklist by Jill Conyers very helpful as a tool for evaluating how regularly you are meeting your own self-care needs. Her post reminds us that self-care involves many aspects of our our beings.  She advocates having a sustainable plan for incorporating self-care into our weekly lives as a means to nurture the soul. Her questions also probe our attitudes to ourselves. For example: Do you forgive yourself when you make a mistake?  Do you accept yourself for who you are?

Another helpful resource is Melanie's advice on How to Develop a Multidimensional Self-Care Routine. She explains that self-care involves more than just the occasional spot of physical pampering, but instead it requires a multifaceted approach. She also reminds us that self-care should be a positive experience rather than a stressful extra job on the "to do" list!

As Valentine's Day approaches next week, I encourage you to spend some time developing your own self-care plan and putting it into action. You might also like to read my previous post on Developing a Self-Care Plan to give you some more ideas on how to go about doing it.