Looking for the perfect vintage chair? Want to envision what a new paint color would look like in your space, without getting out the rollers? Need a floor plan for your home? Whip out your smartphone. From shopping and color planning to measuring and arranging, there’s a home design app for nearly every step of the process. Now you really have no excuse to put off that renovation. Read on to discover 19 apps that will help you design a room or house from from start to finish.
SHOPPING HOME DESIGN APPS
Anyone who has ever tried to find the absolute perfect piece for a room knows that navigating all the options can be exhausting. But these apps will put a wide selection of antique, vintage, and new furnishings right at your fingertips—and thanks to new augmented-reality technology, many will let you see how the pieces would look in your space.
Available for iOS; free
If you’d like to buy or sell high-quality, preowned decor, Chairish is a one-stop shop. Sellers can upload photos of furniture via the app, and then Chairish’s curators decide which items to sell. The company takes care of payment, shipping, and returns for most sales. Listing items is free, and the seller keeps 80 percent of the final sale. Buyers can look forward to finds from Knoll, Herman Miller, Christian Liaigre, Ligne Roset, and B&B Italia, among other brands.
Available for iOS; free
A newer venture from the cofounder of Chairish, Decaso offers high-end furniture and decor from vetted dealers. Expect to see top-notch items from such respected names as Studio Van den Akker and Fat Chance Los Angeles.
Available for iOS; free
Browse lots from live auctions around the world without leaving your desk, armchair, or bed. Invaluable allows you to place advance absentee bids and bid in real-time at live and online auctions.
Available for iOS and Android; free
This app merges the worlds of rendering and shopping, virtually outfitting rooms from photos users upload and allowing them to shop the look directly. Says Ben Broca, cofounder and head of product and technology, “Our photo technology recognizes the structure of the user’s space and places products in it. It’s similar to what Snapchat filters do to your face, but for furniture shopping.”
COLOR & PAINTING INTERIOR DESIGN APPS
Available for iOS; $4
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.
Available for iOS and Android; free
Spot a brilliant color while out that you’d love in your home? This app from Benjamin Moore allows you to snap a photo, and its technology will spit out suggested paint options to match it. Though some users say the colors skew dark, it’s a useful starting point, and the grouped color format will give suggestions for pairing colors.
SKETCHING & RENDERING HOME DESIGN APPS
Whether you’re a professional designer or just like to approach a project like one, these apps will let you keep sketches, mood boards, and notes organized.
Available for iOS; free
The Paper app lets users make sketches and take handwritten notes that can be combined with photos and typed text. It’s a popular tool for architects and designers such as Daniel Libeskind and Kelly Wearstler.
Available for iOS; free for basic use and $4/month or $12/year for pro tools
