BEFORE YOU BUY…VISUALIZE!


I recently wrote about upgrades that are WORTH THE SPLURGE? , which got me to thinking about remodeling, refreshing, and rearranging your home.

In the good old days, homeowners had few options when it came to “test driving” potential purchases and/or changes to their home. This led to a lot of driving back and forth to stores to return items (and lots of sore backs after lugging heavy furniture through the house!).


Today, thanks to ever-improving technologies, that has changed. Let me share a handful of free apps for your phone or tablet. Whether you’re purchasing a single product, or renovating your entire home, you’re sure to find one or more of these helpful!

Measure Up

This app asks you to capture the corners of the room. Once you’ve done that, it can estimate the amount of carpet or paint you’ll need to complete your project. You can also use Measure Up to create a floor plan. There are over 1,000 furniture options within the app. Macigplan. Available for iOS and Android.

Master Plan

The measuring tape is a thing of the past! Simply point your device at the floor, then slowly rotate until you’ve made a complete circle while adding and labelling doors, stairs, and windows. The app can generate a room plan as well as CAD files you can share with your designer or contractor. Plnar. Available for iOS.

See Change

The folks at IKEA have created an app that lets you easily preview their furniture in your room. Just hold your phone at waist level and scan an empty space in your room. Then browse their products and place them in the photo. No need to drive to the store until you know if the piece will look right!  Ikea Place. Available for iOS.

Drag and Drop

Fully rendered 3D models of furnishings and accessories can be dragged and dropped into a variety of configurations. You can view objects from any angle – and in any light! Think of all the aching muscles that will be eliminated when you no longer have to lift heavy furniture to audition it in a new place in your home! Housecraft. Available for iOS.

Placeholder

You’ve fallen in love with a faucet in the showroom but aren’t sure if you will love it in your home. Simply point your device at the area you want to install it. You can even toggle between different finishes! Retailers have partnered with the makers of this app to generate to-scale 3D products in a range of finishes. There’s even a feature that allows you to tap into free advice from experts, track orders, and get alerts when prices drop on items of interest. Build.com. Available for iOS and Android.

Do you have a favorite app for remodeling and renovating? If so, please share. I’d love to hear from you!

Marti Reeder, Realtor, Managing Broker