The Latest Apps For Home Layouts, Inside And Out

Planning out how to arrange furniture in your home — or plants in your garden — used to involve a pencil, graph paper, a measuring tape and a lot of imagination.

The process has gotten easier — and way more streamlined — thanks to a burgeoning selection of home and garden apps.

Furniture companies, interior design firms and even landscapers have been rolling out a new generation of apps and online programs to make the process more foolproof for novices and pros alike, often using virtual and augmented reality technology.

“Design apps are really great for generating ideas, and deciding on materials and sources for do-it-yourself projects,” says Margaret Mayfield, an architect in Los Osos, California. “And they’re also very helpful for communicating design ideas to contractors and architects.”

The technology allows you to see what furniture would look like in your home before you buy it, using just the camera on your phone, for example, instead of dealing with the hassle — and back pain — involved in returning, say, an ill-chosen sofa.