I am in the process of completing the layout/design of my new home studio. We moved in August but I didn’t move the sewing room until late September. One of the things I desperately needed in my new studio was a design wall. With a design wall you can place blocks up on the wall and step back to see if the color and placement is pleasing to your eye. I find it especially useful when making Tshirt quilts so I can be sure the overall design of the shirt is good. I also use the design wall to pin up tops from customers so I can stand and stare to get ideas on custom treatments that will work on their tops.
This photo shows the beginning stages of installing a design wall. You can see the existing paneling between the foam boards. That is the wall I’m covering up.
I went to Lowes and got some 3/4″ foam insulation board that is normally used on the outside of a home. I needed just 2 panels and I think I paid about $15 total for the two. 
The panels are nailed into the wall using a large washer behind the nailhead to prevent the nail head from sinking into the foam eventually. If you decide to install a design wall in your home using foam insulation be sure to put the logo side of the boards AGAINST the wall! (yep, one time I did it the opposite way and a large Dow Corning logo is not very pretty in the sewing room).
The final step will be to cover the whole thing in flannel. Then fabric will stick to it and I can still use pins if needed. 
