plan our home decor

[movie zombie]

i was reading another magazine and came across this: http://floorplanner.com/

not sure if its been posted here before or used by pricescopers but since its free, i thought i''d share.

apparently you can create a digital replica of a floor in your home, choose furnishings, and arrange them in the virtual rooms, including houseplants [which can be shrunk, expanded or stretched as need be].

and if its already been posted here and is being used by pricescopers, my apologies for double posting!

movie zombie

 

[Skippy123]

Vera cool! Thanks!

 

[miraclesrule]

My daughter just sent me that link last week. I was shocked to find out that when I hired an interior design company that they didn''t have softward to do that, so that I could get an idea of what their suggestions looked like. I wasted a lot of money on that firm. Blech

I am now going to try to do it on my own, I suppose. Or hire that one PS''er who just graduated SDSU. I need to track her down.

 

[moremoremore]

Cool movie! My method is usually trial and error and error

You didn''t nec waste your money miracles...I find that designers help most with the things that we can''t do ourselves...the final touches which are the most important touches...I am really good with lighting, furniture, etc...but when it comes to accessories and some accent furniture placement? I''m a mess...I wish I could hire someone...I actually met a gal at the paint store who is a designer and also will just come in for a few hours and give you pointers...

 

[miraclesrule]

Oh trust me, it was a huge waste of money. I could have had a huge pair of diamond studs for the cost, which I ignorantly paid up front. I understand that the designer was distraught because her brother was murdered a few days later, but I didn't realize that she would go MIA and then leave the design company.

For $3500, I got someone to help me pick out blinds (which are a PITA for the type she suggested I order because they slide out of place every time you open them). She spent 15 minutes drawing my tile design on the wall and another half hour drafting plans for my bathroom cabinets. I was supposed to get 20 hours of tile choices for two bathrooms and design, floor coverings, wall color all rooms, window coverings all rooms, furniture selection. Anyway, it's in the past. I learned a lot about independent firms and why they try to sell you on certain services because they are on commission etc.

It was an expensive lesson but at least I learned a lot.

ETA: Everyone told me I was crazy for not suing and pursuing, but it was during the period of time that my Dad was getting really sick and I was pre-occupied with his medical care and working full time. When he died, I think I had three days left that I could have filed a small claims action, but I was in mourning. But if I had to do it again, I would have filed.

 

[pennquaker09]

You need assistance with space planning?

 

[somethingshiny]

Yay!! Thanks for the cool link, especially helpful now that I''m looking at houses!!

 

[miraclesrule]

Date: 8/12/2008 2:38:22 AM
Author: pennquaker09
You need assistance with space planning?

I need assistance with everything!! I have a tree branch growing into my incomplete master bathroom because the previous contractor didn''t seal the windows correctly or replace the wood siding that his subcontractor removed to install the wrong size windows. I had to stop using him. Then my Dad''s condition started to worsen and I had to deal with that. I do finally have the cabinets installed, but I need to get a tile design for the shower and floor and counter top. Purchase sinks and have them installed. Oh, and the toilet. Once that is completed I can do a refinance, because I am using an interest only equity line and this mini-facelift was supposed to take a few months. That was over two years ago.

Yet, I work all day and don''t have anyone else to rely one to assist. Good contractors are hard to find. I am especially cautious because I am single and I don''t like giving out my house key to strangers when I am at work all day. I think I am going to go with Lowe''s or Home Depot, because if nothing else, I trust that they are working with reputable contractors...I hope

Oh, well, I thought I would be doing this on my vacation, but it just would have burnt me out. So, I will do it after I get back to work. I may even talk to the contractors who are building the house across the street. Feel free to send me some PS fairy dust for the house situation. When I am done, I will have one couch. I purged everything else so I could start fresh.

 

[portia]

Ooohhh... I like FREE software! Looks pretty cool!

I''ve used Better Homes & Gardens software and it worked great (although you have to buy the software). My SIL used it to plan the sunroom they were going to build off their kitchen. I was amazed at the 3D viewing option it provides... it was like walking through their house. Very cool!!

Miracles, I can totally relate to your expensive learning lesson as I did the same thing - completely blew 3K for 20hrs. with a ''designer'' that 1) didn''t get my style AT ALL and 2) didn''t give me ANY breaks on pricing. What a waste! Some examples:

I spent an entire weekend putting together a portfolio of things I like. Went through all my magazines, tore out pages and put them in a nice 3-ring binder for her. She said it was her job as designer to figure out my style. For some reason she totally missed my european contemporary style and kept bringing transitional furniture options. I even told her my favorite store is Ligne Roset and I showed her what pieces I have that came from there. You think she''d go over there and familiarize herself with that style.

She went way over budget with single items. Like adding wood paneling and built bookcases around our fireplace wall - that alone was OVER the budget I gave her and that was not a priority task. She quoted us $7700 to install slate on our patio (small 30'' x 9'' area) and that was LABOR ONLY! My DH was like ''Are they flying this guy in from Italy and putting him up at the Ritz Carlton?''. We ended up getting it done with our BIL for $2600 including materials and it looks beautiful!

I also found out that the lighting fixtures she quoted me could be purchased from this huge lighting showroom in our neighborhood for less. When I asked her about this she requoted me for slightly less on some but then changed the quantity on another line item so it looked like less $$. I''m very detail oriented so I caught that and asked her about it (via email). She responded to me saying that she would not prefer to quabble (yes, that is the word she used) over $100. Um, it was like $600 and that is enough for me to ''quabble'' over. I was so mad! Argh...I wish I had that money back!

I''m guessing she worked on commission so that was why she was quoting me on the larger projects and pushing really high quality materials - lacquered wood and onyx I found out are *very* expensive! LOL!

 

[pennquaker09]

Date: 8/12/2008 1:15:59 PM
Author: miraclesrule

Date: 8/12/2008 2:38:22 AM

Author: pennquaker09

You need assistance with space planning?

I need assistance with everything!! I have a tree branch growing into my incomplete master bathroom because the previous contractor didn''t seal the windows correctly or replace the wood siding that his subcontractor removed to install the wrong size windows. I had to stop using him. Then my Dad''s condition started to worsen and I had to deal with that. I do finally have the cabinets installed, but I need to get a tile design for the shower and floor and counter top. Purchase sinks and have them installed. Oh, and the toilet. Once that is completed I can do a refinance, because I am using an interest only equity line and this mini-facelift was supposed to take a few months. That was over two years ago.

Yet, I work all day and don''t have anyone else to rely one to assist. Good contractors are hard to find. I am especially cautious because I am single and I don''t like giving out my house key to strangers when I am at work all day. I think I am going to go with Lowe''s or Home Depot, because if nothing else, I trust that they are working with reputable contractors...I hope

Oh, well, I thought I would be doing this on my vacation, but it just would have burnt me out. So, I will do it after I get back to work. I may even talk to the contractors who are building the house across the street. Feel free to send me some PS fairy dust for the house situation. When I am done, I will have one couch. I purged everything else so I could start fresh.

.
miracles, I am so sorry that happened to you.

 

[miraclesrule]

Thanks pennquaker. It really was distressful.

portia: My designer did the same thing to me. She brought over a book with some lights tagged and when I asked her how much they cost, she said she didn''t know. These were two hanging lamps over the bar/counter in the kitchen. She brought a board with carpet swatches on it, and I thought one of them was a gorgeous color that I would have loved in my family room. I asked her how much it cost. She didn''t know. She said she would get back to me.

I got an email that the carpet was $49 a square yard, I think. That was without installation or padding.

wth? Did she realize how much that would be for a mere 12x20 room? The little hanging lights would have been $350 a piece before tax and installation. Jeez, let''s just pergo the thing. Now, I wish I would have chosen carpet, but I could get it for a lot less than $6500 for a small little room.

Anyone that sees my little crappy 1350 square foot house and the new kitchen and appliances would know that those were way out of my price range. When I stated the obvious like "Come on, can''t you tell by my house and my car and everything that I have told you that I need to be more "Trading Spaces" than "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous?" After her brother died, I talked to another girl in the firm who said to me "Well, I will have to find different vendors for you than I do for my clients in Rancho Bernardo and Scripps Ranch" I pointed out that although I don''t think she meant that to be insulting, it sort of was insulting. Yes, please...source my stuff at the border for all I care, just show me some creativity. I didn''t want to work with that girl. Yes, the people in those areas live in million dollar homes and I don''t. But it IS my home thankyouverymuch, and I did pay $150 an hour to get design services. I can get insulted for free. If I performed that way on my job, I would have to fire myself.

 

[movie zombie]

Date: 8/13/2008 3:39:52 AM
Author: miraclesrule
Thanks pennquaker. It really was distressful.

portia: My designer did the same thing to me. She brought over a book with some lights tagged and when I asked her how much they cost, she said she didn''t know. These were two hanging lamps over the bar/counter in the kitchen. She brought a board with carpet swatches on it, and I thought one of them was a gorgeous color that I would have loved in my family room. I asked her how much it cost. She didn''t know. She said she would get back to me.

I got an email that the carpet was $49 a square yard, I think. That was without installation or padding.

wth? Did she realize how much that would be for a mere 12x20 room? The little hanging lights would have been $350 a piece before tax and installation. Jeez, let''s just pergo the thing. Now, I wish I would have chosen carpet, but I could get it for a lot less than $6500 for a small little room.

Anyone that sees my little crappy 1350 square foot house and the new kitchen and appliances would know that those were way out of my price range. When I stated the obvious like ''Come on, can''t you tell by my house and my car and everything that I have told you that I need to be more ''Trading Spaces'' than ''Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous?'' After her brother died, I talked to another girl in the firm who said to me ''Well, I will have to find different vendors for you than I do for my clients in Rancho Bernardo and Scripps Ranch'' I pointed out that although I don''t think she meant that to be insulting, it sort of was insulting. Yes, please...source my stuff at the border for all I care, just show me some creativity. I didn''t want to work with that girl. Yes, the people in those areas live in million dollar homes and I don''t. But it IS my home thankyouverymuch, and I did pay $150 an hour to get design services. I can get insulted for free. If I performed that way on my job, I would have to fire myself.

LOL!

movie zombie

 

[pennquaker09]

Are you in San Francisco or San Diego?