One of the most common questions we get these days is what we’re doing for work. We talked about much of that in a previous post, but in short it’s a mix of things we did before blogging—copywriting and ad consulting—and newer skills we picked up while blogging, like product design and helping a local builder design spec homes. Maybe you saw the Instagram photo of the blue herringbone backsplash we chose for a kitchen we recently worked on. It was hard to get that shot because Sherry kept reaching in to whisper sweet nothings to it. True story.
This update isn’t about that day-to-day work, though. It’s about one of the most fun projects we’ve ever toyed with, and we’re excited to share it: our very first app concept.
Over the years we’ve been pitched plenty of app ideas—many were simply repackaging blog content, which felt unnecessary—and we’ve daydreamed about creating something useful. Recently the right idea landed, and we found the perfect development partner to take it from a late-night thought to a real, downloadable prototype. It’s not finished yet, but it’s close enough to finally reveal.
So what is it?
We wanted a tool that makes decorating decisions easier and more fun: a simple way to test new looks, furnishings, and accessories without spending a dime or doing any heavy lifting—just a few taps and swipes. With the evolution of image-swap technology, the timing felt right to create something playful and useful. Introducing… decorSwap!
In essence, decorSwap uses the same underlying principles as face-swap apps, but applies them to home accessories and objects. To illustrate the idea, here’s an obligatory swap of us. Yes, splitting facial hair between two people is as absurdly entertaining as it sounds.
Here’s how it works: open decorSwap and choose to start a new swap or load a saved one. Starting a new swap launches your phone camera so you can point it at the room, corner, or wall you want to edit. Then use your finger to draw a selection box around the object you want to replace. The app recognizes edges, so the box doesn’t need to be perfect.
If the app doesn’t capture the object perfectly on the first try, zoom in a bit to help it identify the edges. Once the app locks onto the item, it remembers it even if you step back or shift your angle.
You’ll know the selection is locked when the object outline changes from white to yellow. Hit the big blue button to capture the photo and then watch the swap happen.
From this…
…to this!
Yes, it’s silly—and deliberately so. Imagine solving decorating dilemmas with it, like wondering whether your partner’s face would start the next “put-a-bird-on-it” trend, or testing how many chihuahua faces are too many on a single wall (spoiler: there’s no such thing as too many).
We even planned a few tongue-in-cheek upgrade packs for $1.99—examples we joked about include “The Many Expressions of Jenny McCarthy,” “Random People Mid-Sneeze,” and “90s Celebrities.” Because if you’ve got a problem, a ridiculous 90s pack might be the answer.
Of course, an app that lets you swap in different accessories rather than faces would be more practical—and we love practical things—but this version was crafted to be intentionally absurd and playful.
HAPPY APRIL FOOLS!!!
There isn’t a decorSwap app in the works—this was our April Fools’ joke—but we hope your day is full of silly pranks, fake cereals, and whatever small mischief makes you smile. If you want to revisit past April Fools’ posts, here are a few highlights from years past:
- 2015 – Siri for home decorating
- 2014 – A household crafting challenge
- 2013 – Our debut music video “Hush”
- 2012 – A totally reasonable toilet purchase
- 2011 – Burger’s very own playroom
- 2010 – A super classy curb appeal upgrade
- 2009 – The purrfect light fixtures
Psst — speaking of fools, you can see us live on stage next week in Richmond for an NPR One podcast recording at the historic Hippodrome Theater (this event supports a great charity). We’ll also be appearing in Northern Virginia the following weekends and traveling south later this summer, so check our events page for more details and other upcoming stops.