This is probably the year I have spotted more mood boards at a trade show than at previous editions. What triggers me most is always how brands use mood boards. They can be introduced as inspiration panels to add some texture and attention to the room or, and that would be my recommendation, they are used in a more strategic way. How do Ikea, Vitra or Carl Hansen&Son use mood boards? Let’s see three examples displayed at the Salone del Mobile 2017:
1// IKEA
Ikea was featuring live art (see image below) and happenings to entertain, educate and inspire during the IKEA Festival at the Salone del Mobile in a 3,500-square-metre warehouse. Swedish interior stylists Anna Lenskog Belfrage and Pella Hedeby created four room installations at the Festival, based around the themes of growing, creation, harmony and compact living. The living room you see featured below curated by Anna, was first inspired by IKEA designer Hanna Dalrot’s modern blue fluid textile patterns for the STOCKHOLM collection. Anna describes it as a studio space where you can both create and recreate yourself.
The mood board behind the sofa is thought as
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an inspiration panel, referring to the textile collection coming back to its colors and strokes
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a way to give inspiration to the artist during her creative process
I see the casual leaning board more as an artsy object than a true strategic technique. What they definitely achieve is the feeling that someone lives here. If you’d like to see a few more mood boards I created with the IKEA Spain team during a masterclass, have a peak over here.
2// VITRA
This is a very different proposal, both because of its size and content. Vitra works with a material or sample board and includes from time to time and few images that refer to their product. You basically are immersed in the color and fabric world observing all together the great variety they offer.
The approach has a more strategic background and covers the following point:
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a nice behind-the-scenes proposal in the sense of “These are the materials we work with in a rather raw moment of the process”
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the viewer realizes how big possibilities can be when choosing a Vitra product
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including a few sketches gives the feeling of making the viewer participate during the creative process (similar to 1.)
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you immediately want to touch the fabrics and interact. This is a very powerful move converting the wall in an interactive panel
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sales people have the best possible tool to explain what other color and fabric options are possible for novelties displayed at the show
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it’s a great source for Instagram lovers and spread the word
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the brand stands out with a different approach to what most brands do on a tree show
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people LOVE color, it is one of therein drivers and triggers (it was hard to get pictures without even at least a dozen people in front of the wall)
You see, this is a very different story and it is well done!
3// CARL HANSEN & SON
This is what I would call a pure inspiration panel where the following techniques have been applied:
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overlaying with many graphic references that add instead of stealing the show
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sticking to a rather monochromatic palette, the many elements do not look too cluttered and provide a calm look
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including a few color samples add interest and provide a nice break (too much of the same material can be counterproductive)
All mood boards are interesting, they accomplish a different purpose and I hope to see much more at upcoming events.
