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Interior Design Software: Planning in the virtual world for real success

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Interior design and decorating is all about planning and getting things spot on, even before you actually start moving stuff around and placing orders. Whether it is the experts or the beginners who are looking to shape their dream home, drawing a plan, getting a preview of what it would look like and the altering stuff for improvements is a process that is best tried out in the virtual world. With modern software and fancy tools available at the click of your mouse, interior design software is a hassle-free and cost-saving way of planning. Here are 9 of the best…

#1 Design My Room

While the site, its usage and even the furnishings inside are mainly aimed for the homes in the US, the easy-to-use and wonderfully equipped software allows you to customize it to suit your own needs. It is a special design board which lets you place a variety of 3D objects, including appliances and furnishings, in a range of room types and you can even get down to picking your color scheme, wallpapers, lighting and much more. Complete and comprehensive, this is a great option for beginners and professionals alike. [link]

#2 Autodesk: Project Dragonfly

This up and coming intuitive interior design tool is a very cool way of planning for your own interiors. The web-based software allows you to rapidly create and furnish your floor plan. You can zoom, use a 2D or 3D view, add all sorts of accessories, furnishings and whatever else you need.

Highly useful for anyone who is just starting out with the intricacies of using software programs for interior design. [link]

#3 Planning Wiz 3

Planning Wiz 3 is a professional online room planner that offers flexibility and interactivity. It allows you to customize floor coverings, select wall thickness, create weird shaped walls and curved-structures if you need them. Free software available in five languages with a sharing option for plans (send your blueprint to your friends to comment on it) Wiz 3 definitely gets the job done. [link]

#4 IKEA’s Home Planner

When it comes to fashionable modern interiors and cool furnishings, IKEA is a name that needs no introduction. Some time ago the company has launched its Home Planner software that allows you to do everything and anything in the virtual 3D world. Wall sizes, shapes, designs and of course those IKEA furnishings that fit perfectly into your plan, Home Planner brings in an amazing new feature, price quotes. This not just solves the design headaches, but takes care of the cost estimate— that if you want all-IKEA interiors. Note: Windows Only! [link]

#5 Furnish

Furnish is not just a high end software program that allows you to get very fancy with your blueprint. It’s a free one. Built for Windows, Furnish allows you to see 3-D side-views of your space. You can draw in the furniture items and that’s about it. It is great for someone who just is getting started in this direction and anyone else who wants to have some fun with designing. No fancy rotating 3D views here though! [link]

#6 3D Spacer

3D Spacer is an online home and office interior design software, that offers 2D and 3D views, has floor plans of any shape, size and form you wish. It will help you design not just your home but also your office space with equal ease.

Basically designed for manufacturers who wish to check out the usability of their furniture in real spaces, 3D Spaces is arguably one of the very best interior design tools available today. [link]

#7 Icovia’s Space Planner

Icovia’s space planner software comes in both the free trial version and an extended version with full features that you can buy for a small amount. With an easy-to-use interface, loads of 3D options, designing patterns and schemes available, the software is of great value to professional who need to design many homes and personal users who are looking for plenty of options. [link]

#8 Floorplanner

A simple website that just uses simple Flash, Floorplanner allows you to drag and drop elements to create interiors of your choice and taste. The number of customizable options available here are almost countless and you can create something new everyday, with complex layouts and complete freedom. You can either use the free account or a premium account to get in. With over 900,000 registered users, it looks like the ideal place for a budding designer who wishes to really experiment. [link]

#9 Google SketchUp

Google’s SketchUp product makes the list not just because it’s free software (pro version available, too) that offers great joy and simplicity, but the fact that it is not just limited to interior design alone. You can use it for almost any sketch in mind, without too much of technical hassle. That’s what makes it a great option for beginners. [link]

In addition to using interior design software, you may also want to consult technical papers before you do any construction job you are not familiar with.