Creating Your Vision Board
If you have read my previous blog: ‘Dreaming of Renovating your Home Do this First!!’ you will have created Your Lifestyle Statement.
With this information you are now ready to create your Visual Board / Statement.
Let’s consider the VALUE of the Vision Board.
Your vision board is a tool of communication - to trades, professionals and for sourcing.
It expresses your vision - how you want your home to look
It assists you in your choices of materials, fabrics, furniture & colour
It helps you make the right decisions on the overall design layout
It will also keep you on track to your goal
It gives you the confidence to make the right choices
It will steer your project in the right direction
I create a Vision Board for every interior design project undertaken. The client can see that I have heard them and should there be any changes with the scheme it can be addressed at this conceptual stage.
Your Vision Board is your tool of reference empowering you to be confident with your choices.
And there will be so many choices
Just like clothes shopping, if you don't focus with a list of what you need, you will end up buying something you didn’t really want and spend more money than you wanted. £££$$$
And , the individual spend on interior products and finishes is normally permanent and expensive. Nobody wants to afford that mistake.
For instance, flooring finishes are are permanent, covering the largest square meterage in your home. This therefore attributes to a major spend and a pricey investment. Furniture items can also be fixed, fitted or free standing and also an investment.
Therefore it is imperative that your decision making be considered in terms of budget, maintenance and lead time which will impact the site programme.
Having the Vision Board as a reference tool will enable you to make the right decisions and choices for your home design scheme. You can then match the tones and finishes
At this point it is important to highlight that:
Without viewing a finish or fabric in situ can be a costly mistake and may also delay other trades or installations on site.
I highlight the following example as one of the most common and frustrating mistakes many of us have made with paint specification.
It’s an easy mistake make - a basic white paint colour will be a simple and effective choice so we choose and order from a paint chart.
And, like all paint colours the multitude of whites on the market have different base colours which change their attributes.
Various whites can appear too harsh and brilliant in bright light, too greyed when there isn’t enough light and all whites don't necessarily harmonise with adjacent finishes.
That’s because:
There are close to a thousand whites on the market
Every white has a different base colour
It can either be warm or cold depending on this base colour and therefore it is a critical choice when specifying
Aspect will change the warmth or coolness of the white
Adjacent finishes will affect the energy of the white.
Viewing the white in various aspects of the home and under different lighting conditions will highlight the need to sample first.
In fact, EVERY paint colour, finish and fabric needs to be viewed:
In its proposed place
With other existing and proposed finishes and
In the proposed lighting conditions
‘Try it before you buy it’ - always order /loan a large sample of the fabric, finish or paint colour...
So let’s get started...
Collating Images:
When you are collating your images organisation is key. Creating order on the desktop will allow you to easily prioritise. It also avoids having a chaotic pile of images floating on your desktop.
The advantage of organising your images will allow you to have quick reference to share with suppliers and trades working on your project.
Organising into Folders:
Create 3 folders on your desktop:
1. VISION BOARD - primary folder
2. A list (BEST)
3. B list (2ND BEST)
Searching for Images:
Take the time to source your images from all available sources - it’s creative, inspirational and a valuable process
Take inspiration from:
Sites like Pinterest which houses thousands of interior/colour/ material images
Google subject lines to find your product or interior scheme
Research product from the companies you know and like
Take photos from magazines and scan them so they can be included on your Vision Board
Don't worry if the chosen image has an excess of unnecessary detail
Don't over analyse - don't spend time debating on the right or wrong image
Rip, tear and screenshot - enjoy the creative process!
Ordering Your Images into Folders:
Once you have gathered a number images on your desktop it is time to either cull or prioritise.
Remember: if you are finding it difficult to decide whether an image is destined for Folder A or Folder B refer to your Lifestyle Statement.
Separating and ordering your images into Folder A (Best) or Folder B (2nd best) is a quick way of prioritising your selection.
Creating order frees your mind to either move on to the next step or continue process of sourcing.
In this way, your images can’t be confused with anything else on the desktop. I find this very useful when I am working on a few projects at a time.
In summary:
Select your images
Order them into:
A List - Best and
B List - 2nd Best
Select images that are visually cohesive
Editing Your Images
Taking screen shots from a photo allows you to select design element/s, colours, materials and portions of an interior scheme that fits your scheme and ambience.
In this way, important elements to your scheme will be emphasised.
How to take a Screen Shot
On a Mac:
Command / Shift / 4
Draw a box around the element you require
Screenshot will be that which you included in the box
On a PC:
Press Print screen Button on your Laptop
Open Paint Tool
Click on Paste or press Ctrl + V
Edit Your ScreenShot as you want with the snipping tool
Save It
Selecting the important bits:
Screen shots are particularly beneficial when you only want one element from a photo eg portions of pattern, section of rooms, items of furniture.
The Process:
If you find the exact colour, item or pattern for your scheme in a photo
Duplicate the photo
Screenshot the desired section on the photo
Creating Your Vision Board
Now that you have collated and then ordered the images into folders on your desktop your are ready to create your Vision Board.
For the purpose of this exercise, I have simplified the process so that:
You will not have to download design software
You can make the board in a Word or Pages document
Before you add the images to the page: check your A list - are the images depicting your Lifestyle statement? Check your B list - are there any images you would like to move up to your A list? Remember, you don't need many images to portray your vision just the right compilation to represent your scheme.
The Process
Open a new document in either Word or Pages
Decide to choose a portrait or landscape page view
Upload or drag image your first image from your A List onto your new Word or Pages page
Centre this image on the page
Add other images from your A List onto the same page to create a collage
Scale each of the images to fit onto the page
How to represent your images on the board
Just like a group of photos or art on a wall the selected images should read as one storyboard.
Now that all of the images from your A List are set up in collage design- evaluate:
Is the compilation representing your vision in pattern, colour, materials, style of objects and/or furniture
How are the images are sitting together and communicating as one image? • Is the visual link harmonious between public (more active areas) and private (quieter) zones?
Perfecting your board:
Centre your images with excess space on the perimeter of the board
If there are a few images of quieter areas like the bedroom sit them together and do the same for other zones
Keep the negative/white space between the images consistent so as not to cause visual distraction
Saving Your Vision Board:
Once you are happy with the vision board you have created
Save it as a PDF, screen shot or jpeg on your desktop
Place the vision board in your 3rd folder: Vision Board
Referencing your Vision Board:
File a copy of your Vision board into your photo library so that you can access it when you are out and about sourcing and it is easy to send to trades and professionals
Photocopy it and paste it into your office space and your fridge - it’s your guide and inspiration and will help you throughout your project
Two ways I can help you:
Interior Statements Ltd
UK: +44 (0)7805 054 354
sue@interiorstatements.co.uk