As much as I enjoy styling interiors, there's nothing that saps my enthusiasm quicker than not having the right tools.  Doing things by trial and error quickly devours precious time, and stifles my creativity.

This is especially true when designing and decorating small spaces where every inch, texture and furnishing can be seen in a glance.  

In times past professional designers were the immediate go to for help with styling awkward floor plans, choosing paint colors, or for sourcing great statement pieces.  But thanks to these key apps, you can now style your own digs like a pro.

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There are literally hundreds of decor apps on the market.  This article is designed to take the guess work out of choosing the best and most affordable ones.  Of course, that's just one woman's opinion, but I think you will be please with this line up.    

A Few Decor Apps You Should Know About

Houzz    Free | iPhone, Android

I've been a long time fan of Houzz.com since it's inception in 2009.  For those of you not familiar with Houzz.com, it's like the Pinterest of interior design— on steroids.  Ha!

Not only will you find pretty photos on this website, but you can search out contractors in your area, read decor stories written by decor enthusiasts of every level, ask questions on photos, and shop thousands of high quality products for your home.  Obviously I was stoked when I learned they had created a home decor app.  How it Works:  Take a photo of your space using the app, or choose one from your camera's library.  Browse the Houzz.com library of furnishings and place your selections directly onto your photo to see how it will look in the space.  You can even purchase decor items through the app.  A client sent me a photo of a bookcase.  I styled it with the use of this app and was able to share it with her.  Ah-mazing!  

Adobe Color CC     Free | iPhone, Android

This app is perfect for those times when you can't really tell which colors will look best together.  How it Works:  Simply use your phone's camera to take a photo of something that inspires your room decor.  Adobe Color CC will scan the photo and create a palette of colors that compliment it.  Cool huh?

Photo Measures Lite     Free | iPhone, Android

Of all of the apps listed here, this one will probably be the most useful when decorating your home.  No, it won't take measurements for you.  But it will allow you to record your manual measurements directly onto a photo of a space or object.  How it Works:  Take a photo using the app, or choose one from your camera's library.  Using your finger, draw lines from a start to an end point on a wall, doorway, floor space or even an object.  Once the line has been drawn, enter the measurements you've taken manually. 

he Photo Measures Lite app will save all of your measurements directly onto the photo.  It will even allow you to record the radius of doorways.  Say goodbye to purchasing pieces of furniture and praying they fit through an entryway!  

What's also great about this app is that it allows the user to organize photos by room, order of importance, or even by objects - like say a bookcase. 

Roomhints    Free to download | Fees for Consultation | iPhone, Android

Imagine that you've done all of the above and that your space is now coming together beautifully.  But there's something missing.  WHAT that is you haven't a clue.  Frustrating right? 

This is where Roomhints can help.  How it Works:  Upload a photo of your space to the app, along with your question.  Afterwards , you will be connected with a licensed interior designer who will give you "hints" or ideas on how to style your room by looking for products to fit your space.  Now...when this app first came out, one-off consultations were free.  I'm sure that got old quickly, so Roomhints now assesses a fee of $29 or more for consultations.  But it's well worth the price, and much less than you would pay for a face to face, in-home consultation.  To make things easier, items suggested by your designer can also be purchased through the app. 

Wouldn't it be great to upload a photo to a Roomhints interior designer with measurements you've already included using the Photo Measures Lite app; and the color palette you  created in Adobe Color CC?  Hopefully you're starting to see how these apps can be layered to work for you.

And there you have it, 4 apps that you need for successful decorating right now.  In case you're wondering, yes, I've used ALL of these apps.    

Now it's your turn.  I'm eager to read your feedback and questions!   Tell me now:

• Which of these apps are YOU most likely to use?

One more favor may I ask of you?
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Merci Beaucoup!

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