Apps help visualize design before diving into change
Along with costs and inconvenience, one of the biggest stressors in redecorating is not liking the outcome.
It’s difficult to envision exactly how it’s going to look when the job is done. Will that new dining room table match the decor of the room? Does the paint colour look as good on your walls as it does on the swatch you brought home? What kind of hardwood floor style should you go with?
You might want to spend some time with apps that show you the completed look ahead of time. Paint perfection Major paint brands — such as Benjamin Moore, Behr, Sherwin-Williams and CIL — all have free apps that not only feature their colours, but offer a few different ways to get that perfect look. For example, with Benjamin Moore’s Color Capture app (or website), you can snap or upload a photo of your space, select paint colours for your surfaces from Benjamin Moore’s extensive colour collections, and then tap on a wall in your photo to see it magically apply the new colour. Voilà: you can see if it gels with your furniture, fixtures and paintings.
ColorSmart by Behr Mobile also lets you take a photo of something and the app will suggest the closest matching BEHR colour.
Sherwin-Williams’ ColorSnap Vi- sualizer for mobile devices also lets you take a photo, tap to select a colour you like, and it will instantly match your virtual swatch into the paint it matches. For CIL paint, it’s called CIL Colour Studio, also available for iOS and Android. Digital decorating There are furniture apps that can show you what a new couch, table or recliner will look like in your home.
Ikea, for example, has an app that serves as a digital catalogue for all its products. Tap on the icon that says “Place Furniture in Your Room” and you can superimpose the furniture in your home.
Crowdstar’s Design Home is a simulation that has you select from thousands of furniture and decor items to decorate a room. Compare your work and compete against other players, and earn new items, including many from many high-end brands. Game on.