How Mood Boards Help You Develop Your Creative Identity

As a young designer, creating mood boards originally started as a marketing exercise. I challenged myself to create one every week without realizing how much the process would shape me creatively over time.

The more I created, the more I began recognizing my own style and trusting my instincts instead of second-guessing every decision. I started noticing what materials, colors, textures, and spaces I naturally gravitated toward.

At the same time, I found myself less consumed by comparison. (“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” - Ephesians 2:10)

When you work in a creative field, it’s easy to get caught in the cycle of Pinterest trends, Instagram aesthetics, and the newest issue of Dwell telling you what’s “in.” Mood boards helped me stop looking outward and start developing my own point of view.

That shift was subtle, but it impacted both my creative work and my personal life.

My dream is to become the kind of designer clients hire because they genuinely connect with my style, not because I can replicate someone else’s.

One of the biggest things mood boards taught me was how to trust myself creatively.

When I first started, I would asked other people for their opinions before making decisions. Eventually, I’d become overwhelmed by so many different perspectives that I trusted myself even less.

I even see this happen with homeowners. They become so focused on making the “right” decision that suddenly everyone has input; family, friends, neighbors, Pinterest, Instagram. I call it “too many cooks in the kitchen.” After all you are going to be the one in the space everyday.

But the truth is, there is no right or wrong in design. It’s about creating a space that brings joy to you.

I once toured an industrial building that had been transformed into a home by a woman and her husband. During the tour, I asked her the most basic question:

“Why did you do that?”

Her answer was simple:

“Because it’s interesting.”

That response stuck with me.

No over-explanation. No justification. Just confidence in her own perspective.

Ever since then, that has become part of my approach to design & creativity. I decided to start choosing things simply because I thought they were interesting.

People tend to choose what feels safe.

Not I.

Creativity isn’t about having perfectly original ideas all the time. It’s about developing enough confidence to trust your perspective and create from a place that feels authentic to you.

xoxo Lilianna