Design apps to spruce up your place in 2015

By Lucy Cohen Blatter | January 16, 2015 - 12:59PM

We seem to start every new year with a trip to the Container Store, a peruse through furniture websites and a resolution to finally get our apartment looking better and more organized. Apparently we're not alone. To kick off 2015, Paste magazine has rounded up their five top decorating apps. Bonus: you can do most of your redecorating without ever braving the cold.

1. RoomScan. We can never find our tape measure when we need it, and now we don't have to. This app lets you touch your phone to each wall in a room and it'll digitally render a floor plan.

2. FurnishUp This app allows you to digitally fill your space with furniture from places like Ikea, CB2 and Pottery Barn. The 3D rendering technology allows users to drag and drop real-life items into a virtual apartment.

3. Houzz The website to go to for design inspiration, Houzz's app allows users to save crisp photos of every type of room and design style imaginable to their “Ideabooks,” while little green price tags mark objects available for sale direct through the app.

4. Nous Decor Paste describes this app as "Pinterest meets Amazon" because of its curated inspiration boards that are connected to stores, where users can actually buy the items. Another cool feature: You can take a photo of a piece that catches your eye, and the app will scan its 8 million-item library for something similar—and often cheaper.

5. Laurel & Wolf This is a pretty cost effective way of hiring a decorator. First, you share pictures of your space and ideas for its decor, and interior designers submit competitive style boards. Once you've chosen a winner, they'll send personalized shopping lists and instructions to create your dream space. It's all done with a flat-fee pricing system.

For more handy apps, check out our 7 best real estate apps for New Yorkers.

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