Image taken by Steve Snodgrass on flickr

The release of Apple’s iPad has provided artists and designers with all kinds of powerful digital tools to complement their natural creativity. Below are some of the essential apps for interior designers.

Moodboard

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/moodboard/id355893506?mt=8

Cost:£6.99/$9.99

An app designed to organise the images and references that inspire you. You can create a mood board and browse the library of images contained in the app, copying them to your board when you find a suitable one. The real bonus of the app is its inbuilt web browser, which allows you to source images online and add them to your board with a single tap. You can also write text labels anywhere on the board and move the images around as you wish.

Houzz

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/houzz-interior-design-ideas/id399563465?mt=8

Free

Houzz is an app that has rapidly become one of the first ports of call for interior designers seeking a handy source of all things design. Houzz consolidates useful information, including photographs, supplier contacts and design ideas, storing them all in one place. It contains exclusive articles written by design professionals, and a feature called ‘ideabooks’ that brings together inspirational mood boards and frequently asked questions.

Users can also create their own ideabook from any of the information contained in the app. The photographic file contains almost 200,000 images organised by room. You can further refine your search to view images by criteria, such as combinations of styles (for instance, contemporary and Asian), or local availability of products featured.

Dream Home HD

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dream-home-hd/id368191349?mt=8

Cost:£2.99/$4.99

Consistently among the top 50 paid-for apps at the Apple store, Dream Home HD is a vast library of interior design images. Photographs of the interiors featured in the app can be viewed by different criteria, such as room type, colours and styles.  All the images are high resolution and you can zoom in to check out specific details. Save your favourite images in designated folders for easy access both on- and off-line.

Remodelista

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/remodelista/id377290615?mt=8

Cost:£1.99/$2.99

Remodelista provides daily content on what’s hot in the world of interior design and architecture. From style guides to DIY projects, this app provides up-to-date news and views. You can set up your own folder in the app and add relevant pages so that you can keep all your information in one place. All items of furniture and fittings have hyperlinks, meaning that in just a couple of taps to your iPad you can make a purchase.

Room Design

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/room-design-for-ipad/id443102569?mt=8

Cost: £5.49/$7.99

This app is the digital equivalent of the designer’s easel.  It allows you to select components to design the layout of a room. You start by selecting a library layout then adapt it to replicate the actual room you are designing. You can edit everything as you go, including the room shape, thickness of the walls, and the placement of doors. Once the room is set up you can insert furniture and fittings, resizing them and moving them around until it’s just right. When you have completed your design, you can save the image and upload it to Twitter and Facebook – a very handy way to engage with your clients.

These are just some of the many apps available on the iPad that will inspire and facilitate interior designers in their work. Containing up to date news and inspiration, as well as practical tools, digital platforms are now an integral part of the design process. So download an app and get creative!

It’s amazing what a lick of paint or a new sofa can do to brighten up your home, test out a few ideas with some of these apps to help get some home decor inspiration!

This article is on behalf on sofa.com who produce high quality sofas and beds to suit every home