We’ve announced the new house, talked about all of the projects we want to do and now it’s time to talk about my favourite part: creating the mood board!
As soon as I saw the listing for this house in early February I started thinking about how I would decorate the house if it were mine. I’ve created mood boards in my head for so many houses that were never going to be mine so this is standard practice for me. But now I get to do it for a house we actually own!
I wake up every day in a house that I dreamt about from our small apartment and I feel so grateful to call this place our home. Living in it every day has me convinced that we were meant to be here. I think the word I would use to describe how I feel about this house is delight. I’m absolutely delighted to be here every single day!
Now, enough waffling around because I’m started to get a little sapp. I know you’re really here to see what colours and ideas I have stored in my brain for this house!
But before I show you my vision for our home, I wanted to talk a little bit about how I pull inspiration and compile my ideas into a cohesive mood board.
Creating the Perfect Mood Board
There are so many different ways of creating a mood board. I like using Pinterest as my first step and as I find things I’ll put them all on the organized board. This is the board I’m using for our new house if you want to check it out — and yes, there are almost 500 pins. Oops!
The next thing I do is pull together the key images that inspire me. I usually try to pin it down to five max because otherwise, it gets overwhelming (remember the 500 pins?). I’ll pull the photos into Procreate or Canva and play around to see if they actually work together.
Once I’ve figured out a specific vision for the room, I like to create a physical mood board. I’ll pull fabrics from around my home, little trinkets, cutting boards and paint swatches until I have an idea of how it will actually look in person. Everyone adds crazy filters to their photos these days and the images you see on the screen might not transfer well to your home in real life. With a physical mood board, you can also pick it up and move it around to see how it looks in the room you’re designing. Lighting changes everything so it’s nice to see how the colours work with your natural light.
Feeling at home
Now that we’ve gone over how I create my mood board, I wanted to talk about my next consideration when I was pulling ideas for this house: how it makes me feel.
Overall, the house feels cozy and approachable. A place for people to relax and take a little break from the hustle of city life. We’re about 25 minutes outside of downtown Halifax and to me, this feels like peak country living even though I can still see into my neighbours’ house from our sunroom.
The lighting in the house is incredible because we have so many beautiful windows and french doors to bring the sun in. The fireplace and timber ceilings also add a feeling of warmth that make me feel like I’m living in a cottage. How the spaces make me feel right now, and how I want them to feel when they are finished, helps me decide on the decor.
Our colour palette
I’m so excited to bring colour into this home. I’ve always been drawn to light and bright interiors but part of me has been craving colour for the last few years. In rental apartments, everything is always neutral and impersonal. I’ve enjoyed living in bright white spaces for the last few years but it’s definitely time for a change. I can’t wait to experiment in his house!
I don’t think anyone will be particularly surprised by the colours we’ve chosen to weave through our home. Luckily for me, the colours I’m always drawn to really work here! Pinks, greens and mustard yellow feel right at home with the warm timber and vaulted ceilings.
Layer upon layer
It’s going to take time to create the layers that come together to create a fully fleshed out design. To me, the most authentic spaces are the spaces that flow and grow with you. But, we’re just starting out and I know that as we grow into this home things will change. My life inspires my design choices and not the other way around. It’s more than just the aesthetic.
The mood board I’ve put together pulls from styles that I love, colours that make my heart skip a beat and decor pieces I’d love to own. In a way, it’s inspiration and a shopping list all in one! If I was going out to shop (but I’m not because we’re stayin’ the blazes home) I would have it saved on my phone just in case I stumble across something I like while I’m out. That way, I can double check to make sure a piece works with my vision before buying something I don’t need.
If you’ve read my blog post all about the projects we have to tackle first before our dream home is ready, you know that it’s going to take time for this to come together. The thought of chipping away slowly on our home is the happiest thought I’ve had in a long time.
Take care.
