Through the creation of the moodboard, learners can observe chromatic, compositional, and symbolic choices that reveal important aspects of the learner’s own identity, preferences, and spatial needs.
It is important to note that this first moodboard reflects the space each learner would like to inhabit personally, before any work is done in the actual renovation sites. By starting with their own experience, learners can connect emotions, memories, and aspirations to concrete visual and material choices, creating a foundation for later design work in real spaces.
Useful signals to collect include:
- Preferred palettes: recurring colour ranges expressing comfort, energy, calm, or stimulation;
- Selected textures and materials: tactile or visual surfaces evoking naturalness, protection, lightness, or solidity;
- Presence/absence of furniture and accessories: chosen or avoided elements indicating functional and symbolic needs (e.g., order, containment, openness, personalisation) ;
- Overall coherence or fragmentation: the global composition can reveal balance between aesthetics and functionality, or highlight ambivalences and perceptual misalignments;
- Evoked themes: recurring images, keywords, or styles reflecting specific lived experiences (e.g., intimacy, conviviality, retreat, expressiveness) ;
- Meaningful voids: intentionally empty spaces that may indicate a need for lightness, mental space, or breathing room.
These observations are not evaluative; rather, they provide a guide for translating visual representation into a tailored living environment, aligned with the emotions, desires, and cultural references emerging from the process.
DATA INTERPRETATION
In the moodboards, each choice – chromatic, material, or symbolic – serves as a narrative trace revealing lived experiences, needs, and spatial visions. Interpreting these materials requires careful attention, active listening, and a conscious design reading capable of recognising both explicit and implicit signals.
It is important to remember that these first moodboards represent the learner’s personal desired living space, not the spaces of others. This self-referential focus allows learners to understand their own preferences, emotions, and lifestyle before applying the insights to real renovation projects.
Particular attention should be given to the relationship between the choices made and the living style selected in the Trend Research module, and the needs identified with the User Journey tool. Each style carries specific needs – more oriented toward relationality, protection, functionality, or personal identity – which are reflected in the visual compositions and must be interpreted carefully.
Useful indicators for interpretation include:
- Consistency with the selected style: if colours, materials, and accessories match the needs typical of the selected living style, it shows understanding and the ability to translate preferences visually.
- Recurring patterns: elements that appear across multiple moodboards may indicate shared preferences or common cultural symbols.
- Contrasts and tensions: seemingly conflicting combinations (e.g., cold materials with warm textures) can reflect inner conflicts, transitional needs, or evolving design visions.
- Empty or open spaces: deliberately unfilled areas may signal a desire for openness, lightness, or personal space yet to be defined.
- Keywords and annotations: labels, notes, or comments provide context and reveal the subjective meaning behind each choice.
The task at this point is to translate these visual traces into flexible, inclusive design guidelines, avoiding rigid schemes while valuing insights that can inform layout, palette, materials, furnishings, and atmosphere.
Made with love by Wellhome team
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
