Remodeling and re-decorating requires calculating square footage and space, color matching, drawing a floor plan,
creating a mood board, space planning, and other technical tasks. “It can seem overwhelming,” said Mary Alice Slattery, Cathi’s partner at CM Designs. Mary Alice and Cathi have passed on a collection of tools that they have used and
are available for iOS and Android mobile devices.
“Space planning” - “Measure twice, cut once!”
We’ve all heard that one over and over again. Cathi suggests, “How about, measure twice, purchase once? Practice that one and you’ll save lots of time, money
and heartache.” “Finding the perfect sofa, table, etc. for your space is as much
about size as it is about color and style,” added Mary Alice. Designing your space
to ensure that everything fits perfectly is very important, so here are a few design
apps that we, at CM Designs, love. First, is Room Scan, where you can scan your
space and it will make a floor plan that you can print or draw on. Next, we like paid
pro version, which allows you to handle multiple projects. Home 3D is another
great app for space planning. This paid app lets you design in real time on your device. You can add color, furnishings and more. Last, but certainly not least, is the
space planning layout app from Mark On Call.
Color
One of our favorite brands of paint is Benjamin Moore. Are you looking for
just the right colors for a design project? “Instead of perusing hundreds of
paint chips, we love to look for inspiration in our daily environment,” says
Cathi. “Capture it and match it to a paint color with the Benjamin Moore
Color Capture tool for smart phones, a great convenience app,” she
added.
“But, don’t forget,” added Mary Alice, “The granddaddy of everything color
is Pantone: You can also find a few different app options on their site.” For
more color inspiration check out The Peppermint color app.
Shopping inspiration
Adornably has developed a great app that lets you see furnishings
as if they are in the room. Check out this video demo to see how
the app works. Houzz has an app that allows you to build idea
books of favorite rooms and items you like. This app allows you to
keep all inspirations just a click away when you are out shopping.
Lighting
“In Southern California we love our sunshine. One of the first things
we do when assessing a new space is learn about the direction of
the natural light,” said Cathi, adding, Sun Seeker is the perfect app
for this.” It does cost $6.99, but if your sunshine is important to
you, this is money well spent.
Art
In addition to using the proper hangers for displaying art,
a good level is important. The iHandy level app is great
for this purpose. Art.com has good design tips on both
their website and in their apps. You can play with various
groupings and discover artists that might appeal to your
design sense.
As you can see there are apps for just about everything, whether you’re a casual homeowner looking to redecorate
your living room or a professional interior designer or architect we hope you will find these apps useful.