Mood boards- a tool not only for designers

In this article, I’ll try to convince you that keeping and maintaining a mood board as a business owner is a brilliant practice that will help you stay creative and aligned with your mission and vision. Mood boards are staples in many creative studios, and I believe they should also be embraced by most business owners. So, let’s start with the basics.

Mood boards usually begin as a creative storm, filled with all sorts of elements – from fabrics, pieces of paper stock, newspaper and magazine clippings, and printouts of things found online, to colour swatches, texture samples, a dried leaf, an old photograph, or even three words scribbled on a napkin you jotted down while picking up coffee three days ago. These bits and bobs trigger emotions, connect with concepts, and create a visual context for the mood, feel, and look of your brand. Once all the creative chaos is out of your system and up on the wall, you can begin the editorial process of removing anything that feels too remote or that’s included just because you like it.

There’s only one way to do a mood board wrong
– and that’s by not starting one at all.

The editing process should be ruthless. You’re distilling your ideas into a select few elements that best capture your vision for your business. Filtering out anything too vague creates space, not just for more precise additions, but also for reminders of what you’ve achieved so far. The beauty of a mood board is its ability to grow and evolve alongside your business. Building a business is a never-ending story, and as long as the market dictates what’s in and what’s out, we’re always on the move.

While the great World Wide Web offers countless digital tools for creating mood boards, I’d argue that a physical one is far more effective. Here’s why: once it’s up on your wall, you don’t need to remember to load it on your screen every time you need a refresh. It’s right there, ready. We’re wired to process visuals in a flash, and that split-second is all it takes to refocus and ignite a spark.

That’s why my mood board is strategically placed by the entrance to my office. It’s the first thing I see when I start the day, and every time I return with a bucket of coffee, it’s there to remind me what I’m here to do, how I want to do it, and what I’m proud of.