Dreaming of building a new home, rebuilding your current place, or just remodeling your master bathroom? With Honolulu’s current shelter-in place-order still in effect, many new construction projects are on hold in order to keep Hawaiians healthy and safe. Fortunately, you can still make progress on planning your next construction project from the comfort of your own home. There’s never been more online resources available to help homeowners make design decisions, so now is the perfect time to get comfortable and bring your dreams a little closer to reality. From finding the perfect paint color to calculating your budget, here’s our favorite (free!) online resources for home planning and design.

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Floorplanner: Developed by a team of architects and engineers, Floorplanner makes creating your own floorplans easy—with no expensive software or plugins required, since it works through any browser on your home computer. Draw your own original plans or modify existing ones, and then decorate your virtual space to see how your new sofa will fit in your future remodeled living room. While it doesn’t replace professionally rendered plans from an architect or designer, it’s a great way to help your building professionals understand your vision, plus it’s incredibly fun.ColorSmart by Behr Paints: We’ve all had the unfortunate experience of repainting a room only to realize the color in the can looks nothing like the color on your walls, especially during certain times of the day or when the lighting changes. Prevent future color mishaps with Behr’s color-testing program that allows you to upload photos of your home and digitally test out paint colors and adjust the light based on time of day.Got a preferred paint brand? Most major paint suppliers like Sherwin Williams, Glidden, and Benjamin Moore offer similar color visualizers, so spend the afternoon finding your perfect shade— all without leaving the house.Floorvana by Shaw Floors: This online tool helps you find the perfect flooring for every room in the house, whether you’re planning to build a new home in the future or hope to update an existing space. Just like the paint color visualizers, you can upload photos of a room in order to “test” out different flooring styles, and you can create custom design palettes to help coordinate different flooring options throughout the entire house. From hardwood to laminate to carpeting, Floorvana has it all.Reece 3D Bathroom Planner: A dream home requires a dream master bath, preferably one that looks straight out of a high-end spa. Whether you want to design an entirely new en suite from scratch, browse pre-designed bathrooms for inspiration, or check out the latest products in bath and shower, it’s all possible through Reece’s site. There’s even a help page with pointers to help you get started.Instant Online Estimator: Trying to calculate your budget for an upcoming remodel or new home can be difficult. We help you get started with our free online estimator. Simply choose your project type and follow our guided questionnaire regarding project size, level of overall finish (anything from economy to high-end,) and architectural style. Whether it’s a kitchen remodel or a brand-new custom-designed home, we’ll provide an idea of how much you’ll need to spend to make your dream home a reality.We hope you continue to stay safe while spending time at home. We’re here to answer any questions you may have about Hawaii’s ever-changing construction industry, connect you to building professionals capable of offering their services remotely or via teleconference, and helping you start budgeting for your future home. Contact us via our website or by phone to get started.