The 3 DIY Apps You Need To Know About To Avoid Decorating Disasters
The Dulux Visualizer gives you an instant idea of how paint colours will look in your home.
Out of the decorating disasters that I've made in the past, there are three that have been reoccurring and incredibly frustrating. First, painting a room in a colour that ended up looking nothing like I had imagined it would in my head. Second, hanging shelves & pictures on the wonk and having to fill in the holes and start again. Lastly, wallpapering and realising that I didn't have enough paper, or I'd massively over-brought. Luckily, due to the wonder of technology, there are now a number of awesome free DIY apps available that can minimise making the mistakes I've just listed.
1. Dulux Visualizer (free)
When I first learned of the Dulux Visualizer app I was totally floored at the brilliance of the idea. Simply hold your phone or iPad up in the room you wish to paint, select a colour from Dulux's extensive colour range, then click on the walls via the camera that you are interested in painting. The app then gives you an amazing sharp image of your walls in your chosen colour. It's brilliantly done, with nice clean lines rather than a rough 'colouring in' effect, so you can really get a good idea of how your room will look.
Of course you can only use Dulux colours in this app, and it's not going to give you and exact colour match due to colours looking different on phone screens than in real life. It also won't account for how colours look different at different points of the day due to the light. Yet if you are planning a dramatic colour change, you can really get a good idea of the end result via the app, without even picking up a paintbrush.
2. iHandy Level (free)
You can purchase a iHandy pack app that includes a ruler, plumb and surface level; but the most useful and best tool from iHandy is the level bar, which is completely free! This simple but super helpful app will help you level any pictures you hang (really helpful if you use Command Strips where you can't level the picture after its up without removing it from the wall completely).
3. Count Wallpaper (free)
Decided on a wallpaper design, but no idea on how many rolls you will need? With designer wallpapers often hitting the three figure bracket for one roll, you would want to work out how much it is going to cost you in total before you get started. At the same time, running out of wallpaper half way through is a complete pain. The app Count WP is an easy app that works out all the calculations for you. Simply add in your room calculations and the wallpaper dimensions, and the app will tell you all you need to know.
Do you use any apps for decorating that i've not listed here? Are they good? Let me know in the comments section below!
Do you browse Instagram, Pinterest or interior magazines and ogle peoples rooms that they have painted a dark or a really bright colour? Are you wanting to experiment with these colours in your home, but need to dip your toe in first before making a big commitment? I'm a really big fan of strong colours - bright fushia pinks, inky blues, period greens, dark greys and deep teal colours are a favourite. Yet when it comes to painting a whole room this colour, like you may be, I'm hesitant! I think if it was just me on my own I'd take the plunge, but as the rest of the family have to live with it day in, day out, I just can't bring myself to experiment painting our sunny living room dark (for now, anyway.)
I've recently started painting furniture that I already own in paint colours that I love and want to feature in the house, but haven't yet plucked up the courage to paint the walls with. This is a win-win situation as i'm introducing pops of the colour into my interior scheme, saving money by only requiring a small amount of paint and updating existing furniture rather than replacing it.
If you have moved house and your old furniture doesn't look right in your new place; perhaps you have brought a new dining table and need your old wood chairs to match; imagine what your existing furniture could look like with in a whole new colour? Or, if you love bright orange, imagine what an orange chair could do to transform your space and make it a focal point? It's easy and budget friendly to update what you already own with paint!