Product review – Room Sketcher

How many times have you watched HGTV and wished you had the money and the resources to redesign your home? How about the interior designer inside you just begging to come out? Maybe you thought it was impossible to create and share your vision because you weren't able to draw or it was slowing you down when you had too much to do. It's not impossible, though. These days, you don't have to draw to be able to decorate—not when you have awesome software to generate your ideas! However, architectural software such as CADD and Chief Architect is expensive and complicated to use; you'd probably need to take a class in it to figure it out. Thankfully, there are free solutions. One of those free solutions is Room Sketcher.

Room Sketcher is awesome. It's easy to use and it comes with so many options—plus it's fun! You can create your own designs; choose everything from where windows are located (and what kind they are) to furniture and accessories. You can create additions to the basic floor plan by adding walls – and you can move and delete all items too. Add in windows, doors, furniture, and flooring, then position it to make it your own. Everything you can think to add to a home is available on Room Sketcher.

When picking out decorations, you can choose from many categories of items, which you can roll over for a bigger view, the dimensions, and the artist/manufacturer. One of the things I love most about Room Sketcher is that it uses real world products from stores like Ikea and Crate and Barrel, so you can actually go out and buy the items you designed with. It allows anyone to be a designer—without having to take all the messy drawing classes and remember all the details, so you can get to the fun part instantly.

Another thing I love is that you can use a camera and fix the settings to get the snapshot you want, which will appear in the upper right hand corner. If that's too small for you, you can get a bigger view of the snapshot by clicking on Gallery and checking out the Current Snapshot. You can also use something called Home 360, which gives you a 360 degree view of your current snapshot, as though you were actually in the room. There's another feature called Image Gallery which gives you snapshots from every room that you can save and print. You also have the option of using different floor plans (a level image, 3D floor plan (with 3D rendered items), and a 2D floor plan that just shows the architectural features) if you want to upgrade your account.

To access all the features, you will have to sign up but I say it's worth it! It lets you save everything in one place, so you won't have to fumble with everything on your hard drive trying to find where you saved your files (though backing up on a hard drive is always recommended).

All in all, Room Sketcher is one of the easiest design programs I've used. It's also much faster than drawing elevations and perspectives from scratch using a board and a straight edge. So if you want to create your own designs or if you are a designer and want an additional tool, then check them out at www.roomsketcher.com.

About FlexiRuggz

FlexiRuggz are awesome customizable rugs that you can design yourself! Pick out the color, fabric, and pattern of your squares – then have fun mixing and matching. And it's completely machine washable too!

Check us out at www.flexiruggz.com. It's hip to use squares!

Decorating with rugs

As homeowners shift away from using carpet throughout their entire home – instead preferring hardwood flooring – there has been a rise in demand for rugs. One might think this phenomenon is strange, figuring hardwood floors were chosen for a reason. However, rugs have a lot to offer and are more versatile to design with. If you're thinking of breathing new life into your home, here are a few tips on how you can do just that with area rugs!

Use rugs to spice up your room and add interest. You can use a rug to add a pop of color, a contrasting texture, or an interesting pattern to a plain or contemporary room. Usually, when you use neutral colors throughout your room, there's a need for some sort of visual interest. And, if you're living in an apartment, it can be difficult to achieve that because you might not be able to paint the walls the colors you like. It's no problem – you can get a similar effect just by using accent colors through throw pillows, art, and your floor coverings! That brings us to the next tip.

You can use rugs to tie color and design elements together. This is particularly true if you're using accent colors. The best way to keep continuity and flow is to make sure you're consistent. So if you have a piece of art you really like, pull colors from it to help you choose other accent pieces – and your rug. You can also work the opposite way and design your room around the rug. Just make sure you blend the colors through several pieces; the whole room doesn't have to be monochromatic, but it does need to have pieces that echo each other in color and style.

Use rugs to create a focal point. Every room needs a focal point, whether it's a fireplace or a mirror hanging over your sofa. But did you know you can also use your floor coverings to create a focal point? In a simpler space, a brightly colored or patterned rug can draw attention to where you want it—including grouped furniture, such as a living room sitting area or a dining room set. It can be used to draw these elements together in a cozy, designated area—and also visually set it apart from the rest of the room.

Use more than one rug. If you want a shape other than a square (an L-shape for corners) or to make a bigger (or layered) rug, you can combine two. Just make sure the colors work well together to prevent it from upsetting the visual balance; you can also use different sizes to provide interest and keep them from making the room seem smaller. Finally, make sure the styles and patterns match (if you use more than one). Mixing patterns can make a space seem too busy—and could even draw attention to the room's flaws.

Spring is the perfect time to redecorate and reinvent your home. There are so many ways you can go about it that it might be difficult to choose! So tell us—what are some of your favorite ways to redecorate? Leave your tips and ideas in the comments!

About FlexiRuggz

FlexiRuggz are awesome customizable rugs that you can design yourself! Pick out the color, fabric, and pattern of your squares – then have fun mixing and matching. And it's completely machine washable too!

Check us out at www.flexiruggz.com. It's hip to use squares!

Why area rugs? Because they're rad!

As a homeowner, you might have already faced the decision – what type of flooring is best? There is no clear cut answer because everyone has his or her preferences, but there are pros and cons to anything. A lot of homeowners don't always have a choice right off the bat; most houses these days come with carpet already built in. So why should you shoot for area rugs when you have a carpet already down? Well, there's a few points you might want to consider:

They're easy and cheap to keep clean. You can't rip your carpet up and throw it in the laundry; instead, you have to use steam cleaners or hire someone to come in and do it for you. The money can really add up because you have to stay on top of a carpet to keep it nice and smelling fresh. Carpets – especially those with thick, long fibers – absorb a lot of dust and dirt. Plus, in humid climates, carpets can harbor mildew if they're not cleaned often. You can save a lot of work and money if you stick to area rugs!

They're allergy friendly! Since you can wash them more often, you'll have less dust and pet dander lingering in your home. That means less risk of allergic reactions. Plus, with area rugs such as FlexiRuggz, the base isn't made of latex – which can be a serious problem for people with latex allergies.

They protect your floors. But what if you already have carpet? You can always remove it or, if you want to keep it, you can use an area rug to help protect it. So if you spill that soda in your living room, it's no problem – just throw the rug in the wash. If you have hardwood, area rugs can also provide some extra security against scratches and dings.

You can take them with you. Not only are rugs easier to put in your room (all you have to do is put the base down and hook the squares in; how easy is that?), but you can also take it with you! When was the last time you were able to do that with your carpet? So even if you feel like a carpet would be a better investment, think again – you only have it as long as you have the house, and when you move, you have to shell out more cash to personalize your home.

You have more options when designing your room! Wall to wall carpets look best in neutrals, but there's not much fun in a beige or white floor covering. If you want to spice your room up, why not spring for a bold color or texture in an area rug? It brings the room to life and adds a wonderful pop of color. You can also use rugs to tie your design together or to set certain spaces off (like a conversation area between your couch and a couple of chairs). It can make your room cozier and more you!

So next time you're wondering whether you should buy carpet or a rug, keep these tips in mind. FlexiRuggz are the perfect solution to an easy, bold, and fashionable statement. Check us out today at www.flexiruggz.com!