The Digital Tools You Need for Your Next Home Improvement Project
Whether you’re thinking about renovating, thinking about changing your landscape, or just thinking about a DIY project, planning ahead is key. Communicating your ideas to a contractor, making sure everything matches how you think, or getting a clear idea of your color palette can be tricky. Luckily, there are some digital tools you can use to model, sketch, plan, and get inspired for all your design and craft needs.
Beginning
Getting started with digital design tools seems daunting, but you might be surprised at how easy these apps are to use. To get the best results, you’ll need a tape measure and, in some cases, a photo of an existing room or project to create a detailed idea of what it will look like when you’re done. Remember that the visualization you create can only be as realistic as the information you enter is realistic.
Sketchup
For an inclusive app that helps you create 3D renderings of everything from a room to a lamp, Sketchup is a good option. Although it works in the same way as other computer-aided drafting (CAD) programs, it is more intuitive and less intimidating than some of the other tools. The free version of Sketchup is likely to be enough for a beginner, but there are subscriptions for more advanced rendering. Sketchup’s downside is that it doesn’t translate curved surfaces well; On a positive note, you can choose from a wide variety of tools, color palettes, and textures to get the look you want. With Sketchup, you can be as accurate as you want, down to 64 inches, or you can use the eyedropper tool to compare paint colors. You can get the app for free on your phone or tablet, or you can access the free tool from a web browser.
My garden
For building beds, there’s a simple 2D tool from Gardena called My Garden , which includes various surfaces, shapes, and some preloaded plants and furniture. In addition to creating a layout using your yard dimensions, you can also choose from pre-made templates for inspiration. The tool will run in your browser – no download required. You can save your plan from the main screen.
Room Creator
For a fun, inspiring tool, the zmo room tool is a good choice. Upload any image of a room and enter the type and style of the room, and the tool will offer you several ways to decorate it. While many of the rooms generated by this tool aren’t accurate (or don’t even match the code), you’ll find it a useful way to render a room in different ways. Premium access is free for the first seven days after registration. The site has a video tutorial that shows you how to use all the tools the page offers.
moodboard
Whether you want to focus your inspiration, share your vision, or compare samples of colors, materials, and arrangements, a moodboard can help you do just that. Moodboardly is a free online mood board tool that can help you with the concept of artificial intelligence and let you draw on your own preferences. You can also enter product images from the web or use the drawing tool to create color swatches. Their page also has a warehouse of fabrics, textures and furniture.