A cute little idea we saw on Springwise this morning about a new architectural site which launched last week in Edinburgh >
Springwise writes . . .
As anyone who has undertaken renovation or construction in the past will know, the world of architectural specifications and planning permissions can be an overwhelming prospect. Hoping to offer a guiding hand through that world we recently came across Pet Architect — an online platform launched last week to facilitate better relationships between clients and architects.
Aiming to stimulate this improvement in relations and understanding is Pet Architect’s chat service. The service lets clients ask direct questions or ask for advice on any issues regarding construction, planning or architectural work. The local “Pet Architect” will then endeavor to reply to these questions as quickly and as best as they can. Once clients have set up a “project” on Pet Architect, the online platform then offers a wealth of extra services, such as free home consultations, a “quick sketch” service for design plans and a planning permission advice service. Registering on the platform as a client is free, with the option to add the individual services to a project as required. Quotes are then returned to the client for how much each service will cost.
From the client dashboard, it is also possible to add team members to projects, such as plumbers and electricians, who can then exchange messages and files with the client. Throughout the project, all correspondences and sent and received documents are automatically archived into one zip file, with hopes that this will make it easier to manage and keep track of projects as they develop. The platform also host a forum and blog, where advice, news and discussions are available as sources of extra information.
The service is currently being trialled in Edinburgh, with plans to expand to other cities.
Website: www.petarchitect.com
There’s a sense in which collecting monumentous amounts of cool interactive design tools is not dissimilar to hoarding favourite clothes that no longer fit or long held but chipped platters and glasses or in our case, unusual antique chairs we find at industrial auctions. You know you don’t really need them, you rarely use them but let’s face it, there’s something particularly reassuring just knowing you have them. I feel the same with design tools, and any online tool for that matter. But still I persist.
The second one is 
For those of you who love a nifty visual design tool, check out Adobe’s Kuler – the web hosted application which lets you generate colour themes to inspire any project. You can experiment quickly with color variations and browse thousands of themes from the Kuler community no matter what job you’re working on. Intended for print & web. Delightful.