The Best Apps To Download If You Love Home Improvement Projects
If you treat your home as your personal sanctuary, then you're likely one of those folks who have their noses buried deep in home improvement projects every weekend. Maybe you're building a more visually appealing header for your gate or redecorating the study room so you can focus better. Whatever the case may be, these projects bring you immense satisfaction and joy, and they're easily one of the most fun parts of having your own space.
However, as enjoyable as they are to undertake, they're not always the simplest endeavors. Chances are you're having a hard time sourcing the right materials or drawing out detailed plans by hand. To minimize the stress and bring back the fun, it's a good idea to utilize apps tailored to the needs of DIY enthusiasts like you. We'll explore five of the best home improvement apps every aficionado should have installed on their device.
For getting DIY home project ideas: Hometalk
Improving your home is all fun and games until you've run out of knick-knacks and projects to make. Instead of scouring YouTube and Instructables for cool home improvement ideas, you can just check out Hometalk. This app is essentially a community of home DIY enthusiasts who willingly share their projects with the world. Here, you can explore a diverse collection of more than 140,000 do-it-yourself home and garden projects, making it perfect for those who can't figure out what home improvement activity to pursue next.
To find a project, you can either type some keywords in the search bar or browse through sections like "Today's Top Projects" and "New DIY Projects." Each project provides information on the materials needed, estimated cost, duration, and difficulty level. You can then read the detailed blog-like instructions to guide you through the process. If you prefer learning through watching instead of reading, you can head to the HometalkTV tab, which features tons of instructional videos for your perusal. You can save these blog-like guides and videos to your account for future reference.
Just like other social media apps, Hometalk also offers a conversation section for you to interact with project creators and other users. Whether you have questions about a project or simply want to commend the creator, this feature allows for easy communication. Just think of it like leaving comments on an Instagram post. Additionally, you can follow your favorite DIYers to stay updated on their latest projects and ideas.
For trying out new paint colors: Project Color
Picking a favorite color is easy, but choosing what to color your kitchen is a whole other story. There's just a vast array of paint colors available in the market, and it's easy to get overwhelmed. To avoid spending hours on end staring at the paint options in your nearest hardware store, you should already have a specific color in mind before even leaving the house. That's what Project Color can help you with.
Developed by home improvement retailer The Home Depot, Project Color simplifies the process of selecting paint colors for any room in your home. It features an extensive catalog of all the colors available at The Home Depot, categorized by color family and complete with coordinating colors to make it easier for you to pair them with your furniture. The app also lets you visualize the chosen color in your room. Simply take a photo of your space and tap on the walls to apply the paint digitally. If you're happy with the result, you can also use the app to place an order for a sample or an entire bucket. No need to hop on your browser to go to The Home Depot website.
If you're still having a hard time picking a color, Project Color offers an integration with your Pinterest account. This way, you can find matching colors based on what's on your Pinterest board. There's also a section where you can check out the popular colors people are buying.
For furnishing your room: Houzz
Your house, your rules. Whatever way you want to design your home is solely at your discretion. However, if you're looking to turn your space into a real-life Pinterest board, consider using Houzz. One of the main highlights of this app is its compilation of high-resolution photos of different home interior designs. It boasts no less than 25 million pictures, so you'll surely find a style you love. You can browse the photos by room type (e.g., kitchen, home office, bedroom), style (e.g., Asian, eclectic, contemporary), room size, budget, and even color. Once you find a photo that suits your taste, you can save it to your account to refer to later. There's also an option to annotate the picture with drawings or text to add some personal touches.
Houzz even comes complete with an in-app blog where you can find informative articles on how to improve your home. If, however, you have specific questions or require advice, you can turn to the Discussions section to engage with other users, comment on posts, or initiate your own discussions. Another handy highlight of Houzz is the shopping section filled with various indoor and outdoor furniture and decor. They provide free shipping with a minimum spend to select U.S. states. Aside from furniture shopping, you can discover building and design professionals, furniture dealers, house repairpeople, and even professional organizers in your area. Houzz lets you message them directly via the app, but their contact details are readily available, as well.
For making 2D and 3D room plans: Room Planner
Whether you're redesigning a room or building it from scratch, the hardest part is always imagining how to fit and arrange all the furniture and decor. This is where Room Planner comes into the picture. This design app allows you to create both 2D and 3D floor plans to help you get a clear mental image of the space. All you have to do is draw the room with its exact measurements and select your favorite furniture pieces from the in-app library.
Everything in the library is sourced from popular brands like IKEA, Hickory, and Amazon and is accurately sized so you can see exactly how they would look in your room. You can filter the furniture items by style (e.g., Scandinavian, classic, industrial), price, size, and color. After you finish designing your space, Room Planner lets you export the 2D plan as an image or PDF. You can also do a 3D walk-through of the room to check if the furniture arrangement is to your liking.
Another nifty feature of the app is its ideas catalog. If you can't figure out what style you'd like for your space, Room Planner provides a host of ready-made rooms for inspiration. Some of the rooms can be customized, while others are view-only. Similar to the furniture library, you can filter the ideas catalog by room type, style, size, and even color. Room Planner comes in a free and pro version, with the upgrade offering access to more furniture items.
For designing your front and backyard: iScape
It's easier to style your garden when you can visualize exactly how the finished space will appear with your chosen materials and furniture. Lots of editing apps like Photoshop and Canva can help with that, but for a more straightforward and user-friendly solution, try iScape instead. This app is specifically focused on helping you design your front or backyard with ease. You simply need to upload a photo of your space, draw where you want to put specific elements (like the pavers, wall, or grass), and finally pick the type of material you want to use for such elements.
For instance, you can have artificial turf or Asiatic Jasmine for the grass, curvy bricks or multi-color squares for the pavers, limestone or lava rock for the gravel, and white stone or molded for the stone walls. If you upgrade to iScape Pro, you'll have access to more material types. Once you're done editing your photo, you can readily share it with family members and friends to get their opinions. You can then export the project to get a detailed list of the materials used in your design.
What's also great about iScape is that you can also find useful blog posts right within the app. The articles tackle a wide range of garden improvement topics, from how to DIY a water-positive landscape to what you can replace traditional grass with. There's also a host of design inspiration and nifty tips and tricks shared in the blog.