TechMiso

I’m a homeowner, and only just recently decided to move into the house that I own. You may wonder what this has to do with TechMiso and why you should care. The answer is pretty simple: technology is all-encompassing and simplifies so many things in life. While I may have said that I’m unlikely to write about interior designing, I will write about the tools available to the average internet user that will simplify designing, decorating and making a dream home reality.

It has to be said that deciding how to overhaul a house and what to put in it is overwhelming. There are so many things to consider. First is, of course, the cost. Second is how to make the house comfortable and home to you by reflecting your personality. This kind of thing is highly subjective and is where I got stuck. How am I supposed to decide what to do to the damned pile of bricks if I don’t have anything in front of me to visualise? Especially since after a few trips back and forth to and from the place, I discovered that the house in my mind fits any amount of couches and tables and chairs, but the house in reality fits substantially less. After talking to a few people, I discovered that these were common issues with new homeowners, especially for those who can’t afford interior designers.

The answer was, of course, the internet. I thought, “Screw this. There has to be something on the net to help me.” Simple Google and Bing searches with the right search strings gave me several answers that ridiculously simplified my tasks.

• ColorSchemer is a website that helps you generate colour schemes for your home. You can use it to help you decide what colors to paint your walls or what colour furniture you need. There is also a downloadable version for your PC. The program isn’t just for choosing colours for your home, but for anything involving colours.
• The Plan Collection is essential if you’re starting from scratch and have no idea what to do. The website has a huge library of sample home plans. This really is like playing the Sims, except it’s much more detailed. The downside of the website is that it doesn’t seem to show plans for terraced or town houses and the like. Even so, it will really help a n00b to visualise what could be home.
• Of course, there are also softwares that allow you to design 3D models for your home. For example, there’s DesignWorkshop Lite, a free home design software which offers a good selection of basic features for someone who may only need it for just one home. For those who plan on doing it quite often, you may want to spend a bit (or a lot) more on more user friendly and extensive software. Here’s a selection of home design softwares with reviews and a list of specs. Some of them even let you design your landscape.

In general, there’s a lot of useful advice out there for those moving into their first home. The most useful I’ve found so far are:

• Decide what style you want your house to be. A green house? A modern house? Would you prefer something more kitschy? Once you decide on this, you’ll find it much easier to decide what you actually want in the house.
• Set out a budget for everything, including any renovation costs, installation costs, and the cost of furniture. It doesn’t matter if you keep having to change the figures. What matters is that you have an idea of exactly how much you’re spending.
• If you’re not sure how much to spend or if a brand you’re looking at is a good one, the general rule of thumb is to look around and see what people say about it. This especially applies to things that you want to last forever, like your bathroom tiles or your appliances. Googling or Binging for user reviews are essential to make sure you’re buying a good product.
• Don’t forget to think about the little things: security systems, fire extinguishers, power points, insurance, etc.
• Don’t be swayed by discounts or sale items. Before you go shopping, spend some time in the place and think about what you need. Take extensive measurements so you know the size of the furniture that should go into a particular spot. Otherwise, you may end up with a couch that’s way too big or a desk that’s too small.

Decorating your house really is a little bit like playing the Sims, especially if you use design tools that you can find online. Unfortunately, there’s no Undo command for real life, so make sure you know what you want. This is, of course, just a brief article on some things that I’ve found useful so far. If you have any tips or online tools that were useful to you, do feel free to share.