5 Tools To Make Interior Design Made Easy.

I guess we all have that special combination of ideas that make our houses feel like homes, however there is a difference between your design and having a guiding hand to assist you make the best design ideas shine.

These days there are many tools that you can use to create your ideal home. Let’s look at some of these.

  1. Haveny.com - This website service while based in the US currently has some great ideas that you can leverage. Take their design style quiz to narrow down your concepts into design categories.

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2. Floorplanner

Floorplanner lets you design and decorate your space in 2D and 3D, which can be done online and without having to download any software. While its interior decorating function is an excellent feature, the strength of this tool lies in its functionality as a floor planner. Then, once the floor plan is completed, you can switch view and decorate the space in 3D mode. You can Auto-furnish feature to furnish your plan with a few clicks or pick furniture items one-by-one from our library that has over 150.000 3D models to choose from.

3. Colour911 - iOs $4 app

Create and save color palettes for your next decorating project with the Color911 app. Color specialist Amy Wax has generated more than 80 downloadable color themes, but you can also create a palette based on a photograph taken on your device and organize favorite colors into folders, then share with friends or designers by email.

4. Pinterest is one of the best places to create mood boards. A collection of images on different rooms can start the story of your hew space and make it easier when you are dealing with other professionals to see your ideas. It is a great place to look for inspiration.

5. Morpholio Board - Moodboard

Awarded “Best App,” Board is the interior designer’s dream software. Called “Ideal” by Interior Design, “Addictive” by ELLE DÉCOR and “Stellar” by Design Milk, Board combines your perfect product library with powerful tools and the mobility to work or present anywhere.

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Celebrities share their renovation stories with Houzz

If you are in the mode of renovating then you will have heard of the Houzz app. The latest from Houzz is they are sharing celebrities stories of where the celeb has used Houzz to collect ideas and find the right architect, builder or designer. It is a great idea to share these stories as it show cases their service and makes the content extra juicy.

Here are a couple below that I liked:

Mia surprises her parents with a refurb of their apartment

Kristen surprises her sister with a house reno.

Picking the right light?

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Lighting is often the last part of a project that a client thinks about, however I am always designing to maximise the natural light. Lighting really has a functional and a ambient purpose and so it is worth consulting a lighting expert when designing your home. Picking the right lighting feature is dependant on function and personal tastes. Here are some tips to follow:

  1. Pulling the design together. Sometimes the lighting is simple and understated and sometimes it is the key to pull the design together. Working with colour, shape and size a light is a chance to draw attention.

  2. Frame a space - a lighting feature can frame a space, like a dining room or a reading nook.

  3. Lights can be invisible - but still create drama. Track lighting or LED under a bench or staircase and can really set a mood in the evenings.

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4. Colour and materials - are really a chance to show off your style, especially in the kitchen and bathrooms.

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Narrow spaces can be delightful sanctuaries

If you have a Victorian style home with that narrow hallway or your home is on a smaller lot of land you know all about narrow spaces. There are many ways to use these spaces well and create a special space in your home. Here are my top ideas.

  1. Squeeze in more storage - we can never get enough storage space and that shelving unit can be any dimension and still be very useful.

  2. Use of side gardens - often the blind side of the house gets little attention but we forget that we often look onto these spaces. Creating a lush green haven can really make a view go from dull and boring to wow and beautiful.

  3. Working from the edge of a space to edge can provide just enough space for a power room especially when you can build on your lands boundary and push the wall out a metre or so.

    4. Built in furniture can really free up a space. It is a great way to provide more seating an a cosy atmosphere.

  4. The use of mirrors can amplify a space. It reflects the light and makes a space feel bigger.

  5. Light is another trick to make a space feel bigger. If you don’t have windows, skylights are another great idea