When it comes to decorating and design people are always looking for ideas, driving from store to store to look at product only to have difficulty visualizing the finished product. The very dedicated stockpile and cart around heavy design magazines messy with post it notes and folded down corners. It helps them keep their ideas in order and up until now was the best way for design inspiration besides show homes.
Clients often come in looking for ideas, looking to me to instantly design their home upon first meeting them — this usually doesn’t work out very well as every design project is a series of stages and requires much planning. The more prepared you can be with ideas and concepts the more successful we will be designing the perfect space for you.
I discovered the most amazing design web site this week and I am hooked. I’m not even working on my home and I have spent hours on this site looking at the thousands of design ideas all from the comfort of my laptop. Get ready for www.houzz.com everyone! Don’t think that you can just quickly view this web site. If you are project planning give yourself some time to peruse at your leisure and be amazed at the design ideas available to you. Thousands of images representing years of work which rivals the most seasoned designers portfolio.
This web site is like having limitless design magazines at your fingertips. You can search by style, room, colours, fabrics, accessories, companies — it is mind blowing. You can sign up for your free Houzz account and start organizing images in your very own idea book, cataloging and saving things you especially like. Here is the opportunity for you to search exactly the project and styles you are looking for, keep them in one place and look at them at your convenience for reference, they even have a smart phone app.
Besides the practicality and usefulness of this web site, it’s really, really fun. Even if you don’t know exactly what you are looking for and even if you cant source every material and finishing it is a place for ideas. This is a place to dream and gather up your favourite things, even if you are just starting out and may not know what they are yet. You will see ideas you would have never thought of and it may be the sounding board for a new inspiration.
Even if you are not Internet savvy, this web site is easy to navigate. Click on photos, then areas or style and spend a few minutes looking at the stunning visuals. You can also search specifics such as ‘modern fireplaces’ and be treated to a bounty of photos. To the right of the photos you will see sub categories and ‘you might also like’ sections that you can also click on to get even more ideas which are related to your original search. It is a virtual buffet of stunning design ideas.
Once you have been on Houzz awhile you will find other secrets such as tags, hyperlinks to designers and suppliers and endless commentary and discussion on the photos. It’s going to be a wonderful ride, enjoy this web site and have fun putting your idea book together. I can’t wait to meet the wide-eyed inspired clients who will come through my door in the near future.
Kim Lewis is an interior designer in Red Deer with Carpet Colour Centre. Contact her at 403-343-7711 ext. 227 or email her at klewis@carpetcolourcentre.com.
