Is your living space ugly or out of date? Here’s how to redesign it without spending a fortune – Albany Times Union

Sometimes I'll survey my living space and recall Will Smith's advice to farm housewife Beatrice in "Men in Black":

"Hire a decorator to come in here fast because ... damn!"Even if you don't share Beatrice's love of 1940s wallpaper and stuffed deer heads, there's a good chance your living room, or kitchen, or dining room could use a fresh look.

Before you redesign your living room, kitchen or bedroom, check out the gallery above for what's hot and what's not for 2020.Maybe there's too much stuff for the space. Or it's awkwardly shaped, which makes furniture placement a challenge. Or your last update was sponge-painting the walls right before Y2K. Or there are knickknacks everywhere.

The new year is the perfect time to make some changes. For starters, see what's trending. We compiled the above gallery of what's in and out for 2020, according to several design firms.

Interior decorators and designers work with homeowners or renters to come up with a decor plan that fits their style. Decorators focus on aesthetics and furnishings of existing spaces, while interior designers must have formal training. Each conducts an analysis of how the current space is being used and then recommend fundamental changes for a redesign, such as a new floor plan.

One advantage of hiring a decorator or designer is that customers can give immediate feedback on whether their ideas suit the space. For many people, there's no substitute for face-to-face collaboration with a seasoned pro.

But the typical range for an interior decorator job ranges from $2,000 to $11,300, according to Home Advisor. That might be too steep for some budgets.

One alternative is to hire an online design firm such as Modsy, which offers professional advice via your computer screen to help you create your design at a modest price.

Modsy queries customers on their style preferences and needs and uses their photos of the living space to create custom design plans in 3D. Their experts then revise the schemes until you are satisfied with the final design.

"Our customers love that they have a dedicated designer who works with them through the entire process who carefully selects the products and layouts that are fully customized to their style, budgets and lifestyle all set within a realistic 3D model of their exact home," Modsy founder and CEO Shanna Tellerman said in an email. "Modsy is the best of interior design without the hassle, putting customers in the drivers seat while also providing the design support they need along the way."

The company said the furnishings their designers recommend are from well-known retailers and are never marked up. Some items are even discounted.

The base cost for a one-room redesign is $79; a premium package goes for $149. Other similar online design companies include Havenly and Decorist.

RELATED: 12 ways to maximize a small living room

Don't want to spend any money? Numerous free apps are available for do-it-yourselfers. They typically offer design inspiration and limited visualization tools, but not expert consultation from professionals. Last January, U.S. News and World listed its choices for best free interior design apps:

Houzz, for connecting with professionals.Wayfair, best marketplace.ColorSmart by Behr, for choosing paint colors.IKEA Place, for experimenting with room design.magicplan, floor plan creation.Hutch, for designing for fun (currently not available for iPhone).

Another free app, Homestyler, invites users to snap photos of their space and switch to a 360-degree panorama perspective. You can pick color schemes, floor plans and furnishings, and plug them into layouts for living rooms, kitchens or bathrooms.

Mike Moffitt is an SFGATE Digital Reporter. Email: moffitt@sfgate.com. Twitter: @Mike_at_SFGate

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Is your living space ugly or out of date? Here's how to redesign it without spending a fortune - Albany Times Union