4 Online Tools For An Interior Design Hobby
BoCo Interior Designs works with home builders and homeowners in Upstate South Carolina to design, renovate, and remodel interiors, as well as empower our clients with resources that continue the design journey over the course of many years. Our clients love to call us for insight on “what’s next” for their interiors, either because they want to breathe fresh ideas into their spaces or because they’re looking for tools to nurture an interior design hobby of their own. Is decorating a hobby? Yes, and whether you’re just starting on the interior design journey—exploring what do interior designers do—or you already know a few things and just need a few great tools for your interior design business, we’ll share resources to help you imagine, design, collaborate, and integrate timeless interiors for your home.
As always, if you’d like our Greenville SC Interior Designers to help, call or text Grace at (864) 556-3922 for a free estimate, email at bocointeriordesigns@gmail.com or click “Get Started.”
1) Dropmark to Collect Interior Inspiration
As you already know, interior design is all about inspiration. When you step into a space that inspires you, your curative creativity is ignited. Your imagination begins to dream about what is possible in the rooms of your own home, and though not every inspiring room/space/picture is a fit for your layout or cost of a designer, exploring design ideas is always the place to begin nurturing your interior design hobby. Use a free tool like dropmark to collect the photos/websites/videos you love, and organize them for each area of your home. Note: Be careful, too many ideas can cause sensory overload, and though Pinterest and Instagram can be a wonderful resource, it’s often distracting and overwhelming.
A great way to combat the massive clutter online is to choose a handful of inspiring websites that fit your design style.
https://studio-mcgee.com/projects
https://beckiowens.com/blog
https://pepperandvetiver.com
Then, begin exploring the pictures, videos, portfolios, and decor in detail and assess how each designer is successfully implementing the basic principles of interior design. Look for how the room incorporates balance, pattern, color tones, repetition, and contrast, as well as harmony, emphasis, proportion and scale.
2) Sketchpad for Home Floor Plan
There are many principles you’ll want to learn along the path of implementing your interior design ideas. Once you’ve collected design inspiration, you’ll want to sketch a floor plan for the room you intend to design, remodel or renovate. But wait! You need to know the measurements of the room first. While taking measurements requires a little extra time, the process will help you plan in advance for the ideal space & dimensions needed for each room’s furnishings and wall hangings. If you’re wondering what measurements to take, start with 5 key measurements—the floors, walls, perimeter, ceilings, and entryways. You can use a simple measuring tape and measuring ruler, or use something that combines measuring tape and laser measurement.
Armed with the necessary measurements you can use a free online tool like sketchpad to sketch your floor plan. Don’t worry if you’re not the best artist, as you can learn to do a simple floor plan sketch with whatever skill level you have. The goal is to lay out your ideas with spatial intention, so that you’re aware of the dimensions of each room and can visualize the spatial flow of your interior design furnishings and decor. Even a crude sketch can immediately reveal whether your space will feel cluttered or empty.
3) Pantone Colours Shade Book
It’s time to break out a Pantone Shade Book. The Pantone shade cards empower you to select the colors of your room, and ensure that your furnishings will complement your walls, ceilings and floors. There are several options when choosing a Pantone color guide, and the great news is you can also use a free online tool like Pantone Colours as a digital Pantone shade book. As you curate your furnishings, it is very useful to have a physical shade book as well, especially when you are mixing modern and vintage decor or integrating new pieces into an already existing room. The Pantone shade cards also allow you to get a sense of the color in a particular room as you observe it alongside natural light throughout the different times of day.
Color is one of the most important elements of interior design, and is often used to evoke a particular emotion. Color theory and the psychological effects of color are vital to understand as you explore your interior design hobby. According to the Interior Design Academy, color is also used strategically to make a room feel bigger or smaller. As it relates to interiors, color is often described in terms of warm tones or cool tones. Warm tones like red, orange, and yellow bring energy to a space, whereas cool tones like green, blue, and purple create calm, peacefulness, and a soothing atmosphere. As world interior designer Kelly Wearstler says, “Everything is about color. If you look at magazines and advertising and television, the thing you remember is the color.”
4) Planner5d For 2D and 3D Room Decorating
You’ve been inspired, measured your space, sketched your floor plan and chosen your colors. Now, you have the option of getting a little nerdy and designing a 3D model of your interior(s). Do you have to do this? No. Why would you do this? This aspect of design highlights the difference between interior designers and interior decorators. Interior designers conceptualize the final result in virtual renderings before they pull the trigger on curating and implementing an interior design. This step can save you a lot of money and heartbreak, and keep you from making small (or large) mistakes. Many interior design hobbyists recognize the importance of this step, but don’t have time to learn the AutoCAD software. This is often where BoCo is sought for a virtual interior design consultation and we’re always happy to come alongside you.
Another option is a free online tool that can help you create home design and interior decor in 2D and 3D without any special skills. Though this is a powerful (and free) tool, as with any technology, there is a learning curve involved. So take a deep breath, and decide if you have the time to devote to this level of detail. If you do, there is nothing more valuable than being able to virtually design your space, with specific measurements reflecting the exact detail of your final design. Seeing is believing, and when you’re able to fully visualize all of the furnishings, art, flooring, colors, textures, lines, and wall hangings—as you have them pictured in your mind—you’ll feel a tremendous confidence about moving forward with your projects.
Interior Design Services
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![Living Room Interior Design with Brick Fireplace]()
Residential Interior Design
It all begins with an idea. Our residential interior designers guide you to the best options for decorating your home .
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Construction Consulting
Before you even start construction, consider dreaming and planning every space to have intentionally and beauty.
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![Comfortable arm chairs, a bench, bed, and Armoire within a bedroom looking our of bay windows windows]()
Furnishings
Whether you have furniture pieces you want to work with or a blank slate, our interior decorators help you make the most of your space.
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![Remodeled Kitchen Greeville, SC]()
Kitchen Remodeling
The kitchen is the heart of the home. Gourmet chefs and microwave masters alike, delight in the kitchen remodeling Greenville SC loves.
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![His and Hers Bathroom countertop against stylish green wallpaper]()
Bathroom Remodeling
Your walls may need an update, or you may be considering a full renovation. Create bathroom spaces you enjoy.
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Lighting Design
Lighting design and fixture selection make an incredible impact on a room. BoCo curates interior decoration Spartanburg SC trusts.
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![Beautiful living room with pink arm chair and gold lamp with brick fireplace]()
Styling
Style your rooms with art, colors, and cherished pieces. Boco’s Greenville interior design can be functional and safe or palatial and decorative.
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![Color Selection and Interior Painting Greenville SC]()
Paint Selection
Paint is a foundational element to your spaces. Our selections and interior painting relationships provide a finish you will love.
“While deciding on an interior designer, trust was a huge factor. BoCo delivers just that and was the key to an overall successful build. Grace started helping us from the blueprints, to paint and stain colors, to cabinets and lighting to shades and decor. During each step she was willing to hear my thoughts and ideas as well as my husbands and then offered her resources and expertise. Sometimes this would lead us to a new and even better result that my husband and I could of imagined. Each step was so detailed and she always could see the end result. BoCo is aware of time frames and when things need to be ordered or decided on to not hold up the contractors on your new build or renovation. They know about different aesthetics and could pull some new things that would be paired perfectly with the old. We have a modern farmhouse style with some rustic elements. Grace and Jenny were able to tie in all of those styles while mixing some antique elements in as well. BoCo will lead you in the right direction while truly making your space home. They are a great team and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them.”
— Custom Home Build Greenville, SC | BoCo Interior Designs Reviews
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