Kitchen & Bath Business - September 2016 - 64

Tech Savvy

Apps to Change
the Industry
To d a y 's m o b i l e s h o r t c u t s m a k e d e s i g n i n g
easier and more fun
CREATIVITY USED TO LIVE ON PEN AND PAPER. Now with today's mobile
apps, the ideas design professionals see in their minds come to life with ease.
Making a business mobile is simple, and showing clients a virtual reality
design is now possible. Drawing a sketch and lying out a floor plan no longer
takes hours of manual work; with the power of apps and software, time and
energy are saved for more innovation.
Apps produced for professional designers still number just a handful, but
finding just one that works for you and your firm can make all the difference.
Explore the options, experiment, and watch how this technology makes
your job easier.

MAGIC PLAN

About: Magic Plan was designed to work with
20-20 Design, another design software interface
commonly used by professionals. This allows users to create a floor plan on a mobile device before
importing it into the software.
Cool Abilities

"
You can create a floor plan by standing in the center of a room and snapping photos of the corners.
"
The app removes the need to measure, draw or
move furniture.
"
JPGs, PDFs, PNGs and other formats of the
layouts are available.
HOME DESIGN 3D

About: Home Design is a quick and simple version

of the more intricate design software available.
This option would be best for a fast draw-up of
an idea or a stress-free way to ease you into using
apps for designing.

Cool Abilities

"
This app allows the user to easily change the
height and thickness of the walls, the shape of
the room and its orientation.
"
I mport any plan (architectural or handdrawn), and display it on the background.
"
A new night/day function will show exactly where
the light will fall at different times of the day.

ROOM PLANNER

About: One of the most popular design software interfaces, Chief Architect
recently created the Room Planner app. This could potentially be a go-to
app for designers, complete with all the measuring, designing and visualizing
capabilities Chief Architect has in a mobile-friendly version.
Cool Abilities

"
It allows the designer to create rooms in 2D or 3D.
"
The user can change fixtures, furniture, cabinet and countertop designs,
colors and coordinating hardware.
"
The app uses a Bluetooth Laser Measuring device to input dimensions.
"
Room Planner files can be imported into Chief Architect.

BY ERINN WALDO

Moving to an app takes practice and research,
and no app is perfect. The biggest advantage
these apps have is their ability to create a visually
appealing piece a client can relate to in a timely
manner. As app designers begin to see where
the needs fall, technology will likely continue
to give designers more precise results and extra
time for creativity.


Kitchen & Bath Business / SEPTEMBER 2016 / KBBONLINE.COM / The official publication of KBIS (KBIS.com)

http://www.KBBONLINE.COM http://www.KBIS.com

Kitchen & Bath Business - September 2016

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