Keep up with the times when decorating, designing and renovating your home by using apps. That way you can instantly look for references, try out furniture pieces before buying them, check the right color schemes and even get the measurements accurately It's as if you’re working side by side with your handyman.
1. Houzz. Houzz is an interior design website that lets designers and design enthusiasts share photos, create idea books and even shop for home products. The free Android and iOS application lets you access thousands of professional designs which you can also categorize according to your design preferences.
2. Ikea App. If you are a stylish, money-savvy apartment dweller, then you’re probably the proud owner of one or two of Ikea’s pieces as well. And if you’re thinking of purchasing another furniture piece or accessory for your home from Ikea, then try using the app first which will help you visualize how your planned purchase will look in your home. All you need is the 2014 Ikea paper catalog and the free Android or iOS app on your smartphone. The application will determine the size of your room and the sized-to-scale dimension of the furniture to help you check if it fits the space or not.
Similar applications for these would be from Adornably which is free for iPhone users and Home Depot’s app which is free for Android, iOS and Windows smartphones.
3. BEHR and Pantone App. Behr’s Color Smart app for Android and iOS lets you explore color choices so you can get the right shade for your room. In addition, the app will help your estimate how much paint you will be needing for that particular room and then direct you to the nearest Behr paint store within your vicinity.
Pantone’s MyPantoneApp is a handy colorizer if you are considering working on an entire color scheme rather than an individual shade. Other features work pretty much like Behr’s ColorSmart but in addition, you can also create annotations for your palettes through voice or text and share them through social media or through email. MyPantoneApp is priced at $8 for Android and $10 for iOS.
4. Photo Measures. If you need to measure room dimensions and your contractor is not with you, then Photo Measures is a handy app. You can take photos of the room, plug-in measurements on the photo, place text comments and even catalog the photo according to room category. You can then export these images to PDF so it will be easier for you to discuss them with your designer, contractor, engineer or to your client if you are a designer.
5. iHandy Carpenter. iHandy Carpenter offers more measuring features as it is used as a toolkit app with its virtual plumb bob, surface level, bubble level, protractor and ruler. The app costs $2 for both Android and iOS.
