(Statepoint Media) Will you be remodeling your home or doing any home improvement projects this season? Planning ahead and using new available technologies can help you design and prioritize your updates and projects.
Get Inspired
What does the ideal kitchen look like to you? What does your dream bathroom include? Whereas those with renovation aspirations may have once scoured home design magazines for the perfect idea, clipping photos and filing them away, new technologies are helping people digitally organize this process.
No matter what your style is, finding an example of the design you’re going for online can help you communicate your vision to the contractor or architect doing the work.
And there are many free resources available to help you in your quest for the perfect look. For example, the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) has a gallery of free ideas that can help you get inspired and free project planners to help in every step of the remodeling process.
Share
The major decisions that happen during the home improvement process are rarely made by one person alone. It’s all about collaboration between friends, family and professionals.
Consider using a free iPad app such as DesignMine to share your design ideas. DesignMine allows you to create personalized albums and design boards by browsing through thousands of high quality photos of exterior and interior spaces of real homes.
These personalized design boards can then be saved for later additions or shared with friends, family and design professionals. Collaborating on ideas can smoothly transition the project from design to reality.
“The most common cause for home projects taking longer and costing more than budgeted is lack of planning,” said DesignMine’s chief designer, Alison Victoria. “Collaborating on ideas with a professional from the beginning is key. It can help you avoid these extra costs and time associated with having to make changes in the design halfway through the project.”
Create
When you’re ready to bring your vision to life, you can find a local service professional by using a free resource such as HomeAdvisor. All of HomeAdvisor’s service professionals are pre-screened and customer-rated and reviewed.
Whether you remodel your home with a fresh look, or return to a classic aesthetic, let modern technology help you design, plan, and create your dream home.
