Kim, Fix My House! Design Apps 101

What are the best design apps to help me with the renovation of my home?

Whether you are a homeowner looking to improve your space or a professional interior designer, there are plenty of design apps available that make it easy and fun to try out new ideas.

HOUZZ

Houzz is the go-to design app for virtually every designer and DIYer out there. Containing more than 5 million high-resolution home images, the photos are tagged and organized according to style, room, and location making it easy to find options for whatever design problem you are trying to solve. Even more useful is their “ideabook” feature that allows users to search and save their favourite ideas for future reference.

This marvelous app is truly a godsend for discovering and compiling images and ideas. I use it frequently when creating a visual inspiration board before meeting with clients, or even suggest that they create a board of their own so I can get a sense of their style beforehand.

C-I-L ROOM VISUALIZER

Struggle with paint colour choices no more! With C-I-L’s room visualizer app, you can browse through pictures of painted rooms or upload an image of your own space and test run their paint colours with no commitment. It even makes it possible for you to draw inspiration from your own photos by suggesting paint colours to match.

INTERIOR DESIGN FOR IPAD

This app manages to score high marks for being both user-friendly and professional. It allows you to create a floor plan quickly and easily, adding details like doors, windows, or even furniture to a room. Once you have created a layout, you can share it with friends or colleagues by posting it to your favourite social media site.

FLOORPLANNER’S MAGICPLAN

This is a truly remarkable app for those of us who are mathematically challenged. Measuring spaces accurately can be one of the most problematic and frustrating design challenges. Floorplanner takes the guesswork out of the process with their MagicPlan tool. Simply take a picture of the space with your device, mark the corners of the room, and it will generate an accurate floor plan instantly.

Text by Designer Kim Bartley, As Seen In Canadian Home Trends Magazine

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Kim Bartley

Kim Bartley, Principal of Kim Bartley Design, brings 25 years of business ownership and management to the table. Kim’s keen eye for design lends her rooms an edgy sophistication while remaining current and functional. Her philosophy is that your home should make you happy and reflect your lifestyle and changing needs. Focusing on unparalleled client care, Kim aims to make the design experience positive and enjoyable at each phase of the project. She works collaboratively with her clients to develop spaces that are clean and modern but still warm and approachable. Kim believes that everyone deserves to live in a beautifully designed space and focuses on truly “getting” her clients.