Even interior design is an industry that has been majorly disrupted by emerging technologies. Things such as Augmented Reality (AR) have already proven to be a big hit in the Real Estate niche, but this has now even trickled through into the design world. Take Dulux for example, who’s app allows you to pick a new paint colour for your walls before actually painting it.
Obviously, such technologies are still in their infancy and therefore aren’t perfect, nevertheless, it’s a great example of how tech is being embraced in multiple industries and not just the obvious ones.
Here are my favourite interior design apps that allow you to test out the products that have caught your eye before you have to fork out for them.
Hutch
Hutch is embracing AR so that you can try out some more daring, statement pieces in your home before you go out and buy an item to realise it looks awful! Available on both IOS and Android this app can very quickly transform your home.
You start by snapping a picture of the current setup and then pick a theme that you’d like to try out and the creative designers at Hutch will get back to you within 24 hours with an all-new redesign totally free of charge. You can even do a side by side before and after to compare the old and new.
If you like the look of it, you can then just click on the links to purchase the items. The app has already seen tremendous success across the globe with many interior design companies backing the innovative solution. Michelle Davis, a designer and blogger from thegoodestate.com, has used the app numerous times for friends, family and clients; “I love how quickly I can transform someone’s living space in such a minimal amount of time” she explains.
Dulux
I briefly discussed this in the introduction, but the app does deserve a mention in the top apps. As I said it allows you to try out different colour paints on your wall to give you a good idea of what the finished product will look like. It’s a huge time saver as you no longer need to head out to the shops to get a million and one testers to find the perfect match.
One flaw I did notice, however, is that if you currently have a dark colour on your walls, the app makes the colour appear darker, so I find it’s best to test it out on a lighter wall. After all, if you’re repainting a darker wall lighter anyway, you’re likely to apply a light base coat first.
Houzz
Last but not least, this interior design app that has been backed by CNN is a must-have in your interior design app collection. Not only do they have tens of thousands of example interior design ideas they have also jumped on the AR bandwagon with their ‘View my Room in 3D’ tool.
The most recent update to the app meant that you can now re tile your floor, add laminate, carpet, whatever you like. It even calculates exactly how much you’ll need to purchase should you decide to go with it. In addition to this, there are over half a million products that you can insert, in real-time, into an empty area in your rooms to see what will and won’t work in your home. Perfect!
