Kitchen & Bath Design News is the industry's leading business, design and product resource for the kitchen and bath trade.
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ONCE A HIGH-TECH NOVELTY , apps have become a way of life for many design professionals who go nowhere without their smart phone or tablet. Whether tracking fnancial expenditures or time, making project notes on site or staying in touch with clients, apps can lighten the work load and streamline and simplify everything from drawing and designing to ordering, pricing, tracking shipments and more. Business apps can help with everything from connecting for online meetings to updating client contact info, while the newest manufacturer apps help designers and their clients with a variety of functions, including comparing and visualizing diferent color combinations, custom designing products, fnding up-to-date product and design information and more. This month, KBDN looks at several apps of interest to kitchen and bath dealers and designers. Color Capture WHAT IT IS: The Color Capture app allows users to put a name to a color that inspires them. WHAT IT DOES: After taking a picture, the Color Capture app will identify a color by ac- cessing Benjamin Moore's library of more than 3,500 paint colors. Users can create custom color combinations and tag them to the picture that inspired them. WHO IT'S FOR: Anyone who is inspired by the colors surrounding them. WHY KITCHEN AND BATH DESIGNERS NEED IT: Because when inspiration hits, it is important to be able to make it a reality. For designers who see colors in objects or places around them that they want to use in design, this app will let them fgure out exactly what that color is, identify it as a Benjamin Moore paint and show it to clients on their mobile devices. AVAILABLE SINCE: June 2009 WHO MAKES IT: Benjamin Moore & Co. PLATFORM: iOS and Android OS WHERE TO FIND IT: On the iTunes Store and on Google Play FOR MORE INFO: Visit the Benjamin Moore Web site at www.benjaminmoore.com Mark On Call WHAT IT IS: The Mark on Call app lets users create customized foor plans, whether for an entire house or just one room. The plans can also be customized to include specifc furniture dimensions as well as fabric and paint samples. WHAT IT DOES: The app creates architectural foor plans that can be seen in color or in a grid with actual dimensions. Actual fnishes, fabrics, rugs and fooring can be taken from photos taken with the device and included as a "skin" surface in the plan. The app also ofers preloaded colors, patterns, a space programming check- list and wood and stone choices. Other users' published rooms can be seen and downloaded. WHO IT'S FOR: Anyone who is interested in fguring out a room foor plan for either a real or hypothetical project. WHY KITCHEN AND BATH DESIGNERS NEED IT: Kitchen and bath designers can work with a client or fellow designer on the spot to quickly put together a rough foor plan of a redesigned space from their mobile device. With easy access and fexible customization, the Mark On Call app can make a designer's meetings with clients more interactive and minimize behind-the- scenes designing time. AVAILABLE SINCE: December 2008 WHO MAKES IT: M.O.C. Interior Designer, LLC PLATFORM: iOS on the Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch WHERE TO FIND IT: On the iTunes Store FOR MORE INFO: Visit the Mark On Call Web site at http://markoncall.com/ Fuze WHAT IT IS: The Fuze app allows users to host and attend online meetings. The free version allows up to three participants, while the paid plans allow up to 12. WHAT IT DOES: On the free version of Fuze, the user can manage online or mobile meetings with up to three participants, three HD video feeds, unlimited VOIP calling and 1 GB of free cloud storage. The host can share PowerPoint presentations, Word documents, PDFs and videos with attendees. Instant messaging between the host and participants is available. Additionally, meet- ings can be recorded and shared with others. WHO IT'S FOR: Businesses with remote employees or clients who need a way to host professional meetings and presentations for multiple attendees. WHY KITCHEN AND BATH DESIGNERS NEED IT: This tool is particularly helpful for kitchen and bath designers who own or work for small busi- nesses that do not have a showroom in which to host clients. If in-person meetings are not possible, designers can conference with clients and show them pictures and plans for kitchens and baths in real time. AVAILABLE SINCE: June 2013 WHO MAKES IT: FuzeBox Software Corp. PLATFORM: iOS on the Apple iPad and iPhone, Android OS, OSX and Windows WHERE TO FIND IT: On the Fuze Web site, on the iTunes Store and on Google Play FOR MORE INFO: Visit the Fuze Web site at www.fuze.com 36 Kitchen & Bath Design News • January 2016 WHAT'S APP