Interior designers typically produce sample boards to give the client an notion of the design proposal they have developed. They place the colour samples, images of the furniture selected, examples of the materials to be used and accessories selected for the project on a board. The number of sample boards created depends on the size of the project. Modest one room projects typically only require one board. Larger projects quite a few will need a number of different sample boards.

Some examples of distinct kinds of sample boards

Colour  (typically used by colour consultants)
Furniture
Drawings (perspective)
Plans (floor plans)
Supplies (carpets, laminates…)

There are a number of reasons why designers use sample boards. Firstly they can be used as a way of communicating design ideas. It can also be employed to act as a reference tool during the life of a project. The tools will need to make a board consist of the board, tape, adhesive, Stanley knife and labels.

Tools required to produce a sample board

Board (paper, foam, illustration, museum boards, or Gator board for heavy materials)
Tape (masking, double sided, Velcro for heavy items)
Cutting tool (Stanley knife, pinking shears, sharp scissors)
Rulers (metal for cutting, scale rule for measuring)
Pens and pencils (felt tip, soft pencil, coloured pencils, coloured pens)
Adhesive (Clear all purpose, spray adhesive)
Cutting mat
Labels (generally white)

The size of the board selected to produce the sample boards normally depends on the size of the project. In these eco friendly times the smallest board size possible should be utilized for the project. The most common sizes used by designers A2 or A1.

Creating the board

Most designers leave a border of at least 1cm from the top and the 2 sides of the board
A larger space is left at the bottom of the board
The border can be coloured to coordinate with the colour scheme

Tip:  A sample paint pot of the colour to be utilized in the room could be employed for the border or the space inside the border

Work out the size for every item (for example the carpet sample would be bigger than a lamp)
Trim the items to be placed on the board
Fabrics can be cut with pinking shears to stop fraying
If far more than 1 room is involved in the project then every board ought to be labeled (living, bedroom……)
Create labels for each item (labels can be produced on your laptop or computer or by hand)

Tip: Have all the tools and items ready before you start

Position every item on the board according to where they would be placed in the room (for example carpet at the bottom of the board, ceiling paint sample at the top of the board)
When you are happy with the arrangement you can use adhesive to place each item in place
Bear in mind Velcro can be employed for heavy items (tiles, timber….)

Tip: A hairdryer can be used to remove some glued items if they have been position incorrectly

The eco friendly way to generate sample boards

Quite a few designers are now creating sample boards electronically. Last year I wrote a tutorial on how to generate a sample board using Word Publisher. This was before I discovered the internet site http://www.sampleboard.com Sample Board is a brilliant totally free, straightforward to use, eco friendly tool designed by designers for designers.

The exact same principles can be applied when creating a sample board electronically as those mentioned above. Even so there are various schools of thought on the subject.The most crucial thing is the board is clear, simple to follow and is self explanatory.