Design & Architecture

The best interior design room planning tools

The best interior design room planning tools

Turn into an interior designer with the help of these awesome softwares & apps

Words by Ankita Bhowmick in Design & Architecture · Jul 4th, 2018

Designing a new home can be quite a daunting task, especially when one doesn't have ideas to do it. Whereas hiring a professional interior designer can come with a heavy price tag, waiting forever for an idea to strike is not a good idea either. 

If you are also among those, who are looking out for ideas to perfectly design their homes, Luxhabitat's list of software will surely make it easier for you.  

1. Ikea Planners

The design giant from Sweden, IKEA offers a simple and user-friendly planning tool which can be downloaded for free. It is split into multiple versions like kitchen, office and bedroom, and allows you to configure your floor plan and choose from IKEA's gallery of furniture and decor. The tool also helps you calculate the cost which you can take a print out of, and take to any local IKEA store. 

The tool is ideal for those users who prefer the products that IKEA has on offer or can manage to find substitutes for the products.  

2. Floorplanner

One of the most user-friendly tools, Floorplanner offers you an array of options which helps you customise your plans. The tool helps one recreate his home or office very easily which they can furnish using the wide range of products that they have on offer. It has a user-friendly interface and offers a free basic version along with premium features.

It can be downloaded free of cost and can be used within 2D or 3D. The tool is very versatile and is preferred by most for its simple floor, wall and furniture designs. You may also choose their Pro and Plus plans, that will provide you with more storage sub-domains, custom themes, and multi-user tools.

3. Sketchup

One of the most popular 3D modelling software, SketchUp is widely used for interior design. The tool features a range of tutorials that can help you get started as it is not one of the simplest software that you will come across.  It allows you to create detailed 3D models of rooms and spaces, making it a great tool for planning and visualizing your design ideas.

You can download the standard SketchUp free of cost which is perfect for home and personal use. For a wider range of features, you can opt for SketchUp Pro 7 that costs $495 and offers advanced import/export presentation, printing tools, amongst others. The tool offers a number of features like that of the commercial software that are used by engineers but the interface of SketchUp is comparatively easier to learn and use.

4. Autodesk Homestyler

Autodesk is an easy tool which allows you to drag and drop to easily create dimension and even make angled walls within your design and also add decoration ideas. The tool also helps you get inspired by offering you with designs of other designers. Homestyler is a user-friendly online tool that lets you create 2D and 3D floor plans and experiment with different furniture and decor items. It's suitable for both beginners and more experienced designers.

Autodesk also allows you to choose appliances, furniture, cabinetry and decor items and lets you personalise your space with products of several manufacturers. 

5. Sweet Home 3D

Sweet Home 3D is a 3D software that is free of cost and offers you customised options. The tool allows you to choose components from the furniture catalog which can be dragged and dropped into the floor plan. It helps you view a 3D preview while you work in the 2D space where the walls, windows, doors and furniture are placed.

Sweet Home 3D also comes in an advanced version which will help you to save, export and manipulate your home plans.