Do you spend hours imagining your new room? The perfect paint. The most beautiful lawn, deck or kitchen? Can you imagine it but have a hard time putting it on paper? Several clients have asked me recently, if I know of any design software or web-sites that allow you to design a room, a yard or an exterior. There are in fact several. I’d like to share them with you. They come in various styles and all but a few are free. Some require you to remove your pop-up blocker or install Active X controls. I’ve tried most of them and enjoy using them (though you can lose hours if you’re right brained like me!). Keep in mind they are promoting their products, so the flooring sites, for example, have large expanses of floor. The painting sites show large expanses of wall, and the tile sites have tile on everything but the fixtures. But I digress…Check them out for yourselves and let me know which your favorites are!
Swatchbox.com. The Granddaddy of them all. This site compiles many virtual design web-sites including: cabinets, carpet, tile, countertops, flooring, garage doors, and painting.
Benjamin Moore Personal Color Viewer. Use sample images, or import your own house to sample BM brand paint colors on house exteriors and inside rooms. Download or available on CD. A neat feature is that you can apply a specialty finish once done, such as sponging, ragging, etc.
Dal-Tile’s Design a Room. Allows you to play with tile patterns and grout colors. Can change walls and trim as well.
National Wood Flooring Association’s Design A Room. Another basic site where you can change wall and floor colors, print, save or compare room projects.
Mannington Floors My Virtual Decorator. You can download your photos or use theirs, then save the samples you create. It even gives you a shopping list when you’re done.
Bali Virtual Decorator. At this site, you can change the style and color of the shades, the color of chairs, sofas, trim and walls, by simply clicking on it in the photo.
BHG.com. A wide array of coloring rooms, exteriors, closets, gardens, decks and arranging rooms. You can designate the size of your room and then click and drop furniture, windows, etc.
Showoff.com. A fun interactive web-site and home makeover web-site for Landscape and Outdoor living products.
Isn’t technology wonderful? After you’ve created your masterpiece, if you need additional help or advice, River City Referrals, LLC. can put you in touch with top notch professionals to bring your vision to life. If doing it yourself is not your cup of tea, we can also refer you to some of the best landscape, interior and kitchen and bath designers in the area.