Software & Apps > Apps The 8 Best Home Decorating Apps of 2023 Design and shop when the inspiration comes right from your phone By Andy Wolber Andy Wolber Twitter Freelance Contributor Southern Methodist University Spring Arbor University Andy Wolber is a former Lifewire writer who has been writing about technology for 15+ years. His focus is G Suite, iOS, and nonprofit sector apps. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on January 23, 2023 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Apps Best Apps Payment Services The apps listed below can help you through every part of the decorating process. They’ll also give you a glimpse of the power you often hold in your hand. Our list begins with apps that let you explore alternatives, moves to apps that help you organize your concepts, continues with apps to help you find perfect pieces, and concludes with apps that let you map out each exquisite detail. 01 of 08 Browse for Hours: Houzz What We Like Great place to begin your decorating journey What We Don’t Like Quantity of options may overwhelm If you like to look at designs, you can spend hours browsing the photo-filled pages of the free Houzz app for kitchens, living rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, and more. You’ll find not only photos and products, but also professionals who can help you design and build the home you want. Download Houzz for AndroidDownload Houzz for iOS 02 of 08 Find a Deal: Wayfair What We Like Room idea photos with tags overlaid on items you can purchase What We Don’t Like Can’t always easily filter by some criteria (e.g., size) With Wayfair, you can take a photo of a room, then search the site for similar items. Of course, the app offers a traditional keyword search, too. With millions of items and many sales, you’ll likely find at least a few objects you want to save to your list to look at later. The app is free. Download Wayfair for AndroidDownload Wayfair for iOS 03 of 08 Discover a Modern Look: Dwell.com What We Like We wish every design and decor magazine site included Dwell’s social media-style features What We Don’t Like Look elsewhere if you dislike modern, uncluttered interior design Yes, we know Dwell is a website (and a magazine to which you can subscribe). But the Dwell site also acts like an app. Create a free account, and then you can favorite specific photos, or add articles you like to a collection, no other software needed. 04 of 08 Capture a Concept: Pinterest What We Like Follow decorators and designers you like for a steady stream of decorating ideasProbably the best social app for home decorators What We Don’t Like Sometimes promoted search results are a significant portion of the pins shownCan take several taps to discover product dimensions and details By now, you likely know that Pinterest is one of the best free ways to create collections of items you want to see or share later. Visual search lets you look for items in a photo or with your camera. And Product Pins let you see if something is in stock. Download Pinterest for AndroidDownload Pinterest for iOS 05 of 08 View Virtual Products: IKEA Place What We Like Can place several items to set a sceneVisual search locates IKEA items similar to those your camera sees What We Don’t Like Placing objects accurately isn’t always smoothAdditionally need to install the ARCore app on some Android devices The free IKEA Place app lets you see how items from this assemble-it-yourself home furnishing store look in your room. Select an item, hold your phone camera up toward your room, then tap Try in your place. Move the virtual object around your room. Tap the Check mark to drop it in place. Download IKEA Place for AndroidDownload IKEA Place for iOS 06 of 08 Pick a New Palette: ColorSnap Visualizer What We Like Easy to experiment and see how a color changes a scene What We Don’t Like Wall and object recognition sometimes inaccurate This free app from Sherwin-Williams, the paint company, helps you select and see how color changes your room. Aim your camera in your room. Once the app recognizes a wall, pick a color, and you’ll see how that color might look in your room. Or, work the other way around. Take a picture, and the app can create a palette from the colors in your captured image. Download ColorSnap Visualizer for AndroidDownload ColorSnap Visualizer for iOS 07 of 08 Create a Floor Plan: magicplan What We Like Point and tap to make a floor map What We Don’t Like You’ll need phone with a gyroscope to capture a room with your camera Magicplan may be the fastest way to create a floor plan. Point your phone at the floor, then point your phone at a corner and work your way around the room, tapping to mark each corner as you go. Tap done to view the room’s layout. You can create one plan for free, pay per plan, or subscribe to create an unlimited number of plans, enable plan export, and access all objects. Download Magicplan for AndroidDownload Magicplan for iOS 08 of 08 Visualize Your Room: Planner 5D What We Like Works on macOS and Windows systems, in addition to Android and iOS devices What We Don’t Like Objects are abstract items, not specific products for purchase Planner 5D seeks to meet both your 2D and 3D design needs. Build a 2D floor plan with accurate dimensions, then move to a 3D model as you fill your room with objects. On some mobile devices, you can view your room in virtual reality with a VR headset like the Samsung Gear VR. Pricing for access to all 3D objects, customization, and high definition renderings varies by device platform but is generally in the range of a couple of dollars per month, or an option for lifetime access, with yearly options also available. Download Planner 5D for AndroidDownload Planner 5D for iOSDownload Planner 5D for WindowsDownload Planner 5D for macOS Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! 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