If you’ve ever worked with a designer, you’ll know that they often use mood boards to help their clients visualize what their space will ultimately look like. These boards can help designers and clients alike to edit, enhance, and make decisions about the elements they are incorporating into a space.

Since designers usually have large sample libraries at their disposals, their mood boards often include tactile elements including tile and wood samples, fabric memos, and rug samples. But don’t worry; you can still create a mood board of your own to help you design your dream space without even leaving your home.

There are many ways you could create an electronic mood board, but my favorite by far is by using Canva.com. Canva is a free, online design program in which you can choose a template and customize it in any way you can imagine. They have lots of colors, fonts, shapes, and backgrounds to choose from, and you can upload and use your own photographs as well. So how do you use Canva to create your mood board?

Say you saw a sofa you loved in a store and you took a photograph of it. You can upload the photo of the sofa and drag it into your Canva template. Then, say you want to see what paint colors could look good on the wall behind the sofa. You can change the background color to reflect the paint colors you are thinking about, testing out different color schemes. You can also add in photos of lamps and accessories, or simply add colored squares or circles to create a color palette. You can also layer photographs to create a collage-type board.

Here is an example of a mood board I created with Canva. I chose to go with a monochromatic color palette in shades of gray. Mixed woods and metals give the mood board a cozy yet modern feel.

Sheers: Wayfair/Sofa: West Elm/Chair: Dot and Bo/Coffee Table: Restoration Hardware/Lamp: Arteriors/Wood Floor: Home Depot/Rug: Target/Throw Pillows: Serena & Lily/Fireplace: Sonoma Stone

In another example, a friend of mind was trying to decide how she wanted to style her room. She already had one purple accent wall and a throw pillow with blues and greens. Here are two mood boards I created around the pieces she already had.

Helpful Hints:

Colors in photographs aren’t always true, so if you are investing in a staple piece or lots of paint, make sure you do get a sample before you buy, even if your mood board looks fab.
Proportions are very important when selecting a color palette. Make sure your photographs and color choices reflect the proportions you plan to use in your space. If you are using a green accent color, for example, make sure it only appears in hints on your mood board.
Test out different styles and pieces! The great thing about this method is you can get an idea of what your space could look like in several different styles before you commit to one concept.