As any decorator – or wannabe decorator – knows, great home design apps are few and far between (and often flawed). Sure, you can find a home design app that allows you to virtually arrange furniture, turn blueprints into 3D renderings, create floor plans, and “paint” your rooms. And these apps are cool enough – and useful, when you’re planning, redecorating, or renovating – but they don’t have the same addictive pull as your other favorite apps (and time wasters).
Don’t you think it’s time for something a little more fun?
Decorating lovers, rejoice: there’s a home design game free for use on iPhone and iPad.
Design Home is a new game by CrowdStar, a developer most well-known for their Covet Fashion app that allows players to create stylish ensembles with clothing and accessories by real designers. Their home design game, currently available in Canada, works on a similar principle: users can choose from thousands of real furnishings and decor from high-end brands, including – but not limited to – Serena & Lily, Design Within Reach, Noir, and Loloi.
Here’s how it works:
Your job is to style a room fashionably and comfortably. You’re offered a variety of furniture, decor, rugs, art, and even plants from actual retailers – going beyond just photo-real! – to arrange in three realistic dimensions.
Once your virtual decorating is complete, you vote on other players’ setups to unlock more rooms and furnishings and add them to your “warehouse” for future use.
With the feedback on your own design from other players, you’ll learn what works, what doesn’t, and how to hone your skills. A high rating can also win you prizes on the app.
The decor fits virtually every style – as stated by the developer, “from chic metropolitan high-rises to exotic beach-front estates and cozy mountain retreats” – so you can practice decorating like you’ve never done before. And, to make it even better, since you’re working with actual furnishings you can order your favorite pieces directly from the game!
With daily challenges and an alluring concept, this revolutionary home decor game promises to be addictive and, yes, useful for everyone, regardless of their level of professionalism in the design world. If you’re in Canada, you can download it now for free; if you’re anywhere else, keep an eye out for it!
What’s your favorite home design app? Do you plan on trying Design Home yourself?
I do have Design Home app and it is addictive but it is flawed. The designs that get five stars are sometimes absolutely awful so it can be very frustrating. They need someone more qualified to do the voting because some of the players wouldn’t know a good design if it slapped them in the face. I try to take in consideration what they say about the home, where it us and who lives there. Clearly there are many who do not and if you are competitive it is frustrating to see a great design not do good and an awful one beat out the good ones which happens on every single one. I was hoping there was a community of other players who have problems to discuss and have a conversation with but not yet. Also they cheat you a lot and that’s not good when you feel like you put money into the game. Things will disappear from your inventory after one use or they will say what you own is too large when clearly most of the time it isn’t. Occasionally it is but it is their way of getting you to purchase more furniture which seems unfair to the players. When I see a design for a mountain it cabin with things that do not suit it and it get a high rating I want to give up and am thinking of deleyeing it as much as I enjoy it because of these issues. It could be a great game if it was done right.
Thanks for the feedback, Jackie!
I just purchased a new device and I can’t pick up where I left off and I’ve spent way to much money and unlocked alot of levels to start over! Someone PLEASE help me with on what to do about this!!