Have a space in your home that’s in dire need of a makeover? Do you wish there was an affordable way to enlist the help of an interior designer to create a blueprint for transforming your room from drab to fab?

Let me introduce you to Olioboard.

Olioboard is an online moodboard tool used by interior designers & enthusiasts to create 2D and 3D room designs using real products from the most popular home decor retailers.  Historically, mood boards generated by this design tool were reserved for paying clients.  With the recent introduction of Olioboard’s free e-design service, this is no longer the case.

E-design customers get matched with their very own e-designer who will provide custom “shoppable” designs for their space. You can choose which items (if any) you want to purchase from the room design and make your purchase directly through Olioboard. Items are shipped for free to your door (for orders over $50).

When I learned about this new service, I decided to try it out for myself. I’m ready to give my family room an overhaul this year, and although I have my own vision for how I want the transformation to unroll, I thought it would be fun to incorporate ideas from one of the Olioboard e-designers as well.

After creating an Olioboard account, I initiated the e-design consultation by completing their client questionnaire.  During this information-gathering process, I communicated my overall vision for the space, my style & color preferences, the room dimensions, my budget, and my preferred shopping sources (e.g., Pottery Barn, Pier One, West Elm). I was also asked to upload photos of the space. Olioboard uses this information to pair you with a designer on their team who specializes in your particular style preference (e.g., modern, traditional, coastal, etc.).

My e-designer contacted me within a few hours of submitting my client questionnaire to ask a few clarifying questions. In less than 2 days, the first draft of my design mood board appeared in my inbox (wow! that’s quick!). I was really impressed with the design, but wanted to tweak a few things. I was able to communicate directly with my e-designer via email in order to provide feedback on the draft. In less than a day, the revised mood board arrived.

L-O-V-E  I-T!

This interior designer clearly understood my vision and delivered a completed room design within my specified budget. I love that she provided a few options for key pieces, such as the coffee table and t.v. console. The mood board is an essential component of the design, but…where should all of these lovely pieces be placed in the room?

This is the question I posed to my e-designer, and in response, she sent me this detailed floor plan, which left no question unanswered.

The free mood board and floor plan are awesome, but what’s beyond awesome is this feature:

Your e-design consultation culminates with an item-specific shopping list with links that enable you to purchase the items in your design board directly from the Olioboard website. I know what you’re thinking…and you’re wrong. The price you see on the retailer’s site is the same price you will find on Olioboard. Too good to be true? I know, right?

I did mention that all orders over $50 include free shipping, right?

So my question to you is…what are you waiting for? Take advantage of this amazing resource and go tackle that room makeover! When you do, be sure to come back and share your experience with the Olioboard e-Design Service (as well as an AFTER photo of your space).

To learn more about Natalie Gallagher or Refined Rooms LLC, visit www.refinedroomsllc.com.