These interior design mood boards are unbelievable, you guys are killing it!
If you feel overwhelmed and unsure of which mood board app to use for your interior design presentations, then you won’t want to miss this video. Here you’ll learn what some of the best programs are, including the programs that my team uses, as well as what other talented designers are using for their client projects.
You’ll see examples of incredible mood boards created in various programs which will help you to make an informed decision on which mood board app would work best for your interior design business.
After you watch the video, scroll to the bottom of this post to find out how I can further help you to easily create beautiful client presentation packages that can equate to further design services. After all, that is always the goal, right?!
Power Point
The first mood board app I’m featuring is the one that I use the most for my business and that’s Power Point.
Power Point is free and simple to use. You can easily change the size of an image and move the images around to exactly where you want them placed on your board. You can also add text in the same way.
Here are some examples of not only my own client mood boards, but other designers who use Powerpoint in their business as well.
Mood Boards by Claire Jefford
Interior Design Mood Board by Claire Jefford using Power Point.
While I personally do not use apple or mac products, my senior designer recently used this program for our client’s beautiful condo presentation. Here are a few examples of the interior design mood boards created for the project.
Mood Boards by Claire Jefford
Next up are 3 more interior design mood board apps available. Even though I have not tried these programs myself, I felt it was important to give you a range of options, so you can make an informed decision on which is best for you.
I reached out to my private Facebook group peeps and here are other programs & gorgeous mood board examples they kindly shared with me.
By the way, if you already use mood boards for your interior design presentations, comment below to let me know which program you prefer and why you like it!
Pages
This next software is also by Apple and is called ‘Pages’. Take a look at these wonderful mood boards created in the Pages program.
Last but not least, the final interior design mood board program I’m featuring here is from Design Files.
Design Files is an online design platform that appears to be geared towards designers looking to run an e-design business. Below are 2 pretty design mood boards from Maria Bowers from Bdesign’D.
The package includes templates of 3 different types of design packages you can offer to clients, a client checklist to keep you on track, an easy to follow process flow chart, drafted emails to send to your client, information on how to measure a space and a video where I walk you through my process explaining everything step by step.
Whether you are looking to add 3D designs to your mood board services or not, these detailed presentation packages are already done for you with and will better organise your process. Go here to find our more or to get it now.
Thank you again to my fellow friends and talented designers who were kind enough to share their mood boards with me so I could share their fabulous work with you!
I’m reviewing eight different gray paint colours today that are all from Benjamin Moore.
You’ll learn: 1) the differences between each gray paint colour 2)what the undertones are and 3) how I’ve used some of them in different interior decorating projects.
Grays are still a very popular neutral that we’re seeing a lot of in Interior Design. This tone works great with pops of colour. I know we hear that all the time, but it really is so true.
I’m starting with Titanium by Benjamin Moore. This gray paint colour has a blue-green undertone and is quite light in terms of the actual intensity of the colour.
TITANIUM OC-49 by Benjamin Moore
Wickham Gray is up next. This gray paint colour has a blue-green undertone but can often look more green. Remember, the undertone that comes out and is more predominant is going to greatly depend upon the lighting that you have in your space & other decorative accessories you pair with it.
Wickham Gray HC 171 by Benjamin Moore
Below you can see where I used Wickham Gray in a fabulous living room design of my client’s. We used Cloud White by Benjamin Moore on the built-ins. Cloud White goes well with most of these grays I’m sharing with you in this post. See more of my client’s custom living and dining rooms in my portfolio here.
This is a blue-gray, so we’re not seeing any green undertones here. Below you can see where we used Stonington Gray in a clients kitchen with orange accents. Boy, how I still love this eat-in kitchen design with the pillows and isn’t the base of that table we sourced for our clients super cute?!
Stonington Gray HC-170 Benjamin Moore
In the same client’s home, we also used Stonington Gray for the front foyer paint colour with Cloud White on the custom wainscoting.
Front Foyer painted Stonington Gray HC-170 by Benjamin Moore
Same client entry, but the opposite side. You can see this entire interior design project in my portfolio here.
I often refer to Stonington Gray and this next gray paint colour, Coventry Gray, as the two true grays. Obviously, we’re always going to get undertones in neutrals, but when I’m comparing colour to show clients the differences in tones, I like to show these two colours as comparisons to other grays.
Coventry Gray HC-169 Benjamin Moore
The next gray paint colour from Benjamin Moore I’m highlighting is HC 165, Boothbay Gray. This gray is much bluer than a lot of the other ones.
Boothbay Gray HC-165
I used this Benjamin Moore paint colour in one of my favourite rooms that I’ve done to date, which is a secret Xbox room! We pulled this colour from the super cool graffiti tile which we used on one of the walls. See more of that secret room here.
Now we’re getting a little darker and we have this color here, which is Storm, AF-700 from the Benjamin Moore Affinity line.
Storm AF 700 Benjamin Moore
And lastly, we have HC – 166 Kendall Charcoal. This is really deep in tone, it’s intense and has more of a green undertone to it. This gray is great for exteriors like a bold front door or garage doors. It’s also a wonderful way to add drama to any interior design space.
Kendall Charcoal HC-166 by Benjamin Moore
Kendall Charcoal was used for the cabinets in my sister’s main floor bathroom.
Do you live in my area and want help choosing the right paint colours for your home? Professional design services are just a click away. Contact me here and let me help you to Live Beautifully.
We are located in Burlington Ontario in Canada & service the following areas: Burlington, Oakville, Milton, Stoney Creek, Grimsby and the surrounding Greater Toronto Area.
Which is your favourite gray paint colour? Comment below to let me know!
Convenience at your fingertips
Remember, it only takes one mistake to take your home decorating project from divine to disaster. Don’t let the paint be what stresses you out!
Choosing Paint Colours
If you struggle with choosing paint colours, be sure to check out my Perfect Colour Palettes.
I now have over 50 individual guides to help inspire you.
Collections
I also offer 3 collections dedicated to Benjamin Moore paint colours, 2 collections showcase a group of 10 similar colours from Benjamin Moore,
What’s one of the first things you do before booking a holiday or trying out a new local restaurant? Do you look at reviews? A lot of people look at reviews!
Consumers are heavily swayed one way or the other based on the feedback from these written testimonies.
I can confidently attest to this, as for more than 4 years I have ranked as the #1 Interior Design professional in the Greater Toronto Area with 100 reviews and let me tell you, this has been HUGE for booking clients.
If you know me, you know that I am always eager to see others succeed in this industry. For this reason I want to share with you my proven tips for getting client reviews, as well as the exact wording that I use when requesting a testimonial.
Please feel free to copy and paste my verbiage when sending your own review requests. Some minor edits on your part will be required in order to personalize the wording specific to your business and your clients, but at least you don’t have to start from scratch.
First, You Can’t Get There Without This
Before we move too far ahead, it’s important to know that for anyone to willingly take time out of their busy day to write you a 5-star review, you need to have provided them with an incredible overall experience and built a strong working relationship based on trust.
You must have confidence in your processes & the ability to handle client projects in a way that makes the experience of working with you, an extremely pleasing one.
If you don’t have a clearly defined & organized intake process and you aren’t confident in the way you walk into that initial consultation meeting, you are missing out on a major opportunity which will make it difficult to land incredible interior design projects with wonderful clients who are eager to review you when all is said and done.
Click here or on the image below to see a video to find out more.
With confidence, comes reviews
The exact wording we use to ask for a review is below, as well as my step-by-step process and further helpful tips to successfully get clients to review you.
First, I like to mention to clients in person if they would be happy to review me.
You can mention it to them either at the end of the consultation if it was just a one-off appointment they hired you for or at the end of a project when they are crying with tears of joy over their newly decorated space!
This client hired us for my ‘Designer For a Day’ service to assist her in choosing finishes for her new kitchen
NOTE – In the past, some designers have questioned how I am able to ask for a testimonial if I have only met with them one time for an interior design or colour consultation meeting. Let me tell you, at these one-off appointments I am giving as much valuable advice as I can!
My ultimate goal is to help homeowners in any way that I can, bringing as much value as I can, no matter what type of interior design or decorating services they need.
Let your clients know that you would really appreciate a review and ask if it’s okay for you to send them a request or a link, depending on where you want them to post the review.
I used to do this on Houzz, but if you are familiar with that platform you probably are aware that they are not overly supportive of Interior Design professionals now and only seem to be out for themselves.
Therefore, I’ve also included my copy to show you how I am now reaching out to past clients who previously reviewed me and asking them to provide me with a Google review.
We’ll get to that in a minute.
COPY FOR INITIAL REVIEW REQUEST
“Hi XXX,
As discussed, I would really appreciate it if you could take a few moments to write a review for me. If you would be so kind to provide feedback on the level of service I provided and how you benefited by hiring me to assist with your project, I would be very grateful.
You will also be asked to rate my services, with 5 stars being the highest ranking.
Thank you so much ENTER FIRST NAME, it’s been a pleasure working with you and ENTER PARTNER’S NAME IF APPLICABLE on this fabulous project.
If you need any assistance with your home decor or a re-design in the future, please know that I would welcome the opportunity to work with you again.
Please let me know if you have any problems in accessing this site. Thank you!”
Custom kitchen design by Claire Jefford. Photography by Stephani Buchman.
Notice how both reviews mention my previous excellent reviews that they read on line? I’m telling you, this works!
COPY REQUEST FOR CLIENTS TO PUT THEIR HOUZZ REVIEW ONTO GOOGLE
Google is ultimately the best place to ask for reviews. It’s the top search engine and your website is the only thing you can control and own online, so I recommend this for building up your SEO -Search Engine Optimization.
In the past, I always asked for reviews on Houzz because that’s where 50% of my inquiries were coming from. This was before houzz changed their algorithms and the way in which people search for professionals.
By the way, I NEVER paid Houzz a dime for advertising. This is how I know that reviews are a big part of what homeowners take into consideration when choosing a professional.
Here’s the copy I created recently to send to clients who previously reviewed me on Houzz, but whom I would now like to have their testimonial on Google.
By copying their previous review & including it in the email, you will make it super easy for them to do this. Although it’s an extra step, it’s worth it to show how easy you’ve made it for them to do.
“Hello XXX,
I hope you and your family are still enjoying your ENTER PROJECT YOU DID WITH THEM HERE! (ie- beautiful kitchen remodel that we designed for you!)
Previously, you kindly reviewed me on houzz with a 5 star rating and I really appreciated that. Reviews are one of the things that people look to most when searching any type of service.
I’d like to build up my reviews on Google and am asking if you wouldn’t mind taking 40 seconds to add that same review to Google. (Honestly, it takes less than a minute!)
To make it easy for you, I’ve included your original testimonial below. All that you need to do, is copy and paste this into a Google review. Here are 5 easy steps to do this:
) Copy your review listed below by right-clicking on your mouse and clicking over the word ‘copy’.
) Click here (link to your own Google search result for your site here) and on the right side of the screen, you should see my listing pop up.
) Click on the ‘Write a Review’ on the bottom right of that box.
) A window will pop up where you can hover over the stars to enter your 5-star rating, then underneath, right-click your mouse and hit ‘paste’. Your previously copied testimonial should appear.
) Hit the ‘post’ button on the bottom right of that window and you’re done!
Here’s Your Original Review: ‘We hired Claire to remodel our bedroom and we couldn’t be happier with the results. We had no previous experience working with a professional designer prior to working with Claire but instantly she made us feel at ease with our decision. Claire did an excellent job understanding what we were looking, and bringing it to life. She was very organized and made sure that no small detail was being overlooked. Her network of professionals that contributed to the job were all top notch as well. We highly recommend Claire and will not hesitate to work with her again in the future.’
Thanks, Tim, I really appreciate you taking a minute out of your busy day to do this for me. I hope to work with you and Marie again soon!”
IMPORTANT PLEASE READ
Google Gets Suspicious
I’ve been told that Google apparently gets suspicious if you receive too many reviews at once. Therefore, aim to ask for requests no more than once or twice a week.
Also, someone did tell me that when you copy and paste, Google knows this and it’s frowned upon, but that has not been confirmed. I’m giving you this heads up so you can decide if it’s something you feel is worth doing. Google reviews should help your SEO and have you rank higher when a search for Interior Design or Decorating services occurs in your local area.
What if client’s don’t respond to my request?
While you can’t force anyone to write a review for you, you can follow up within a couple of weeks of sending the initial request. Note – Houzz will automatically resend the request within a week or so if the recipient has not replied.
If you are asking for reviews on another platform, consider logging in your calendar for one week’s time to do a follow up on the review request. People get busy, don’t take it personally, but don’t hound them either.
Should I ask all past clients to review me?
Obviously you want glowing reviews. Use your judgement to decide which clients you feel would be happy to review you and who were thrilled with the overall experience of hiring your services. If things did not end well on a project for whatever reason or you know that you were not on your ‘A’ game, then I would not recommend you ask in those instances.
Once I get a review, what should I do?
The first thing you should do is write a response to say thank you for the review. Most platforms allow you the opportunity to reply, as well as to add photos of the project.
Below is an example of what I have written in the past:
Share it to your social media, announcing that you have another happy client from a recent project. Below are a couple examples of how I’ve done this on my Facebook Business page.
I created this graphic in Canva. This is my old branding, but you get the point!
Also create graphics to share milestones, such as this one where I shared when we hit 90 reviews.
Who Else Should I Ask To Review Me?
In addition to your happy clients, ask your trades and local suppliers to review you. Let them know that you will be happy to return the favour and review them as well. You can also ask employees or colleagues.
I like to sprinkle those reviews in with the client reviews, don’t go gang busters on asking a slew of other professionals all at once. While getting suppliers and trades to review you is great to support your other testimonials, the client reviews are the most compelling and convincing for potential clients to see.
Do you have something you want to ask or wish to add on this topic? Comment below.
Please don’t forget about hitting up my shop page. Remember, you can’t get rave reviews and build your credibility without being well organized in your business.
One of my very first clients whom I met with for an Interior Decorating consultation meeting was eager to hire me for further services.
YAY!!
Then she backed out and cancelled our next appointment.
BOOOOOOO.
I knew exactly why she got cold feet and I also knew that something needed to change in my interior design business.
The Harsh Reality
The truth is, after becoming a Certified Interior Decorator, although I started my own business, I didn’t have a clue as to what I was doing.
I had no clear outline for my services, nor did I have organized processes of next steps past the initial consultation meeting.
Yes, I know what you are thinking – that is completely absurd! How could I not know what services I offered in my own business?
But it was true. I literally stumbled through the first few months, making it up as I went along.
It’s a good thing I turned it around when I did though, because one of marketing strategies that I share in Episode #8 of my YouTube video series, was my biggest breakthrough yet.
Watch the video to see how I found myself working for a big HGTV celebrity.
It’s one thing to learn as you go, heck we are always learning and I do love that about the interior design industry.
But to not be clear on the value you provide nor have a good understanding on how you will work with clients, is a dangerous place to be as a small business owner. How can you convey what you can do for your clients if you don’t even know this yet yourself?
It’s a good thing I was determined with a passion to succeed!
My previous work experience in Human Resources helped me to turn things around rather quickly. Perfecting business processes became an obsession and before long I was ROCKING my Initial Consultation.
ROCK YOUR CONSULTATION – FIND OUT HOW HERE.
Thank goodness I did because the amazing opportunity that I talk about in my video, could’ve easily passed me by had it not been for my impressive organizational skills and the ability to confidently convey the value I bring to every project.
If my story as a new entrepreneur sounds familiar and you are struggling in gaining confidence & taking control in business, don’t suffer through that any longer. It’s a miserable place to be.
DM me here on IG if you have any questions and I’ll likely reply with a voice message.
This weekend I’m in New Jersey for the launch of a new Interior Design Business Book that I am a co-author of and a huge event where I’m also speaking. I couldn’t be more excited!
Although some marketing tactics may seem like great initiatives that will be hitting your target audience, how often does that really happen?
Early on in my career as an Interior Decorator, I had a luxury golf magazine reach out to me. They were local to my area and pitched an advertisement in two of their publications. I really thought this was going to see a good return on my investment, but did it yield me clients?
In the video I also reveal another way that I created an incentive for potential clients which was also a strategy that allowed me to network with other local businesses.
Have you advertised in a local magazine similar to this? Did you get clients and see a good return on your investment? Comment below to share your experience.
From having met many interior design professionals in the industry, as well as having done numerous coaching calls, I know that different strategies and service offerings work for different business models.
Agreeable Gray, SW 7029, by Sherwin Williams is one of the most popular neutral colours out there now for Interior Design and Decor.
While I haven’t had a project professionally photographed with this paint colour yet, I have specified it a fair amount to homeowners in my local area of Burlington and Oakville Ontario.
Explore this Colour More!
In this video of Agreeable Gray by Sherwin Williams, and as always, in my colour review videos I share:
The undertone of my featured colour
Colour Comparisons in order to easily ‘SEE’ the different colour tones
Best White paints to pair for the trim & ceilings
Beautiful Colour Combinations to inspire you for your next decorating project
Comment below if you’ve used this colour or if you’ve had a space professionally photographed where you have used Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray.
Email me the image and your details & I may feature you in a future vlog! Send to info@clairejefford.com
For future colour videos, I’d like to feature inspiring spaces by talented designers. Seeing a paint colour in a space and how it varies with lighting, plus the many ways that it can be paired with other fabulous textures and finishes, is always fascinating to me.
I know I’m not alone!
Colour Comparisons
In this colour comparison below, you can easily see the difference between the colours and their undertones. Fleur de Sel, the top colour, is a blue-green gray; Agreeable Gray in the centre is a Green Gray and Wool Skein is a Green Beige.
Fleur de Sel SW 7666 & Wool Skein SW 6148
Best Whites to Pair with Agreeable Gray
Of course, there are many more whites that would work wonderfully with this colour, but I’ve pulled 3 of my favourites from Sherwin Williams.
Pure White SW 7005
Dover White SW 6385
Alabaster SW 7008
Fabulous Colour Combinations with Agreeable Gray
All colours paired here with Agreeable Gray are also from Sherwin Williams.
My good friend Maria Killam designed this gorgeous living room that is painted Agreeable Gray by Sherwin Williams. How fabulous does it look with the blues and yellow accents?!
Room design by Maria Killam.
Speaking of Maria Killam, do you love my large painted colour boards and want your own set?
// DISCLOSURE: Thank you for trusting me with my truthful and reliable opinion on any future purchase you may make. I always disclose affiliate or sponsored information when it is the case. If you purchase Maria’s boards, I will earn a small commission from the sale. This doesn’t affect you in any way, the price remains the same regardless. Thank you for supporting me and entrusting me to be your go-to for all things Colour and Interior Design!
Sherwin Williams Collection of Neutrals
Agreeable Gray is also part of my newest collection of Perfect Colour Palettes – Sherwin Williams Neutral Collection, 10 popular neutrals all in one convenient place.
In order to get the best results & maximize the potential for serious growth of clientele in your business with this style of marketing, watch my video here or click on the image below. I help you to thoughtfully consider your strategy!
Have you worked with a Realtor or dropped postcards in your local community?
Comment below to share how these initiatives worked for you or if you plan on trying these marketing strategies.
You’ve landed clients, now what?
See below for more of my helpful resources for running a successful interior design business. Plus, don’t forget to follow me here on Instagram where I post daily stories to inspire you in both your business and in the world of design!
It’s so exciting to unbox something when you have no idea what it is, especially when you know that it’s related to paint colour.
I was thrilled to receive a package at my Burlington Interior Design Studio from the lovely Jamie Martin, National Sales Manager at Farrow & Ball. See what was inside in my latest video below.
But first, based on the goodies in this box, I created a new download just for you!
Okay, now onto the unboxing. Join me and let’s make our lives and our homes more colourful.
Love colour and want to book a consultation with me? Click here and let’s do this!
I service local areas in Ontario of Burlington, Oakville, Mississauga, Milton, Hamilton, Carlise, Grimsby and the surrounding GTA area. Contact me here.
Convenience at your fingertips
Remember, it only takes one mistake to take your home decorating project from divine to disaster. Don’t let the paint be what stresses you out!
Choosing Paint Colours
If you struggle with choosing paint colours, be sure to check out my Perfect Colour Palettes.
I now have 40 individual guides to help inspire you.
Collections
I am also offering collections with 10 amazing colours altogether in one place.
When it comes to blogging or creating video content, do you get stumped on what to post about?
I often have designers tell me that figuring out what content to create can be very frustrating, as well as knowing where to start.
To make the most of your content, I always suggest referring to your most Frequently Asked Questions and address those first.
That is one key point that I like to drill down into when I do speaking engagements on managing client’s expectations, because you can get a ton of mileage out of those posts and/or videos, referring people to them over and over again.
But what about quick and easy videos? Are they possible to do and why are they necessary?
The good news is, YES, IT IS POSSIBLE. The other bonus is that in our industry, the possibilities are endless!
If you are still stumped and want to see the kind of videos you can easily share, watch the video below.
Did you know that I also have my VIDEO FOR PROFITS course where I take you through the ‘who, what, where, why, when and how’ of leveraging video for your Interior Design Business?
Master video and go further. Link here to learn more.
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