Interior design software has become an essential tool for professionals and homeowners who are looking to update their living spaces.
Free Interior Design Software, Apps and Tools
These tools are great to practice your design and styling skills, you can’t make a mistake here. You can really try out all your ideas before you commit to them in real life.
1. Planner 5D
With Artificial Intelligence-based software making waves in the interior design sector, it’s only fitting that we start this lineup with a fantastic tool, Planner 5D. There are 4 incredible features that set it apart. The AI plan recognition scans your room through your phone or you upload a simple jpg and it turns it into a 3D floorplan. With AR-Driven 3D Interior Projecting Feature you can create full-size interior simulations where you can walk through your newly designed home. Automated Furniture Arrangement is the next feature to be launched. Planner 5D is a really interesting tool to explore.
2. SketchUp
SketchUp is a very popular 3d online room planner, and one that I use a lot too. It is used a lot for interior design online. There are some shorter free courses and the more advanced courses are paid. Whilst this isn’t the simplest piece of software to use, there are lots of tutorials to help you get started, and I particularly like the online courses they offer at SketchUp Hub. Using the predesigned models can save a lot of time. There is a walk-around option and SketchUp has additional plugins available that can enhance its use. A very good option for beginners.
3. Floorplanner
Using Floorplanner is one of the easiest and best-looking ways to create and share interactive floor plans online. This free floor planner tool comes with a lot of options for you to customise your plans. With Floorplanner you can recreate your home, garden or office in just a few clicks and furnish your plans with their large library of objects and room layout ideas. They have a basic free option and then tiered paid options that can be allocated to one project at a time. Handy if you only need the upgraded 2D or 3D functionality for one or two projects and not your entire portfolio.
4. IKEA
The Swedish design giant offers an Ikea room planner that’s so simple to use. And you can also use their IKEA Place App as a room designer for free, to put furniture in a space to see whether that sofa that you love actually fits into the space. They have planner options that cover rooms like kitchens, wardrobes, living rooms and offices. There are also storage options that are grouped together to make planning easier. The whole experience is user-friendly and allows you to explore design options without committing to a subscription.
5. HomeBase
Back here in the UK, Homebase offers a similar room planner free for projects like kitchens. Even if you aren’t planning to use their products you can play with colour and see how different colours work as a focal point or in combination with other colours. In addition to the kitchen planner, they also have a range of how-to videos and calculations to help you determine how much paint you need, flooring, wallpaper, tiling etc. Not as automated as some of the apps but something to play around with if you are just starting out.
6. Magnet
If you are looking to design your kitchen, then Magnet is the home planner tool for you. Specifically focused on kitchens, you can start from scratch using a completely empty room, or choose a pre-designed room from our set of templates or saved designs. When you’ve got your space, start to fill it with your favourite kitchen cabinets, worktops and accessories. You can even go so far as to add lighting, chairs and plants to your kitchen to make it as real as possible. There is also an option to book a free consultation with one of their designers and a kitchen quote calculator to give you an approximate cost if you need extra help.
7. AutoCAD
Perhaps you are looking to use room design software that is a bit more advanced. AutoCAD is what most professional interior designers and architects use. They offer a free trial period, with the main difference between AutoCAD LT and AutoCAD being that one offers 2D options and the other provides 3D functionalities. This is a great room planner online if you want to use something in your design process that is more professional.
8. Design Home: Dream Makeover
Just for fun, Design Home is a room planner app that you can download for free to play with. The game allows you to plan your ideal space or home using real, high-end brands. They have everything from paints to wallpaper to furniture like coffee tables and side tables, with a paid option if you want to access ‘My Homes’. They also have daily Design Challenges if you fancy competing or sharing your creativity in their community. This is a great tool if you want to play around with virtual interior design concepts and design a room online for free.
Why Use Interior Design Software
One of the main advantages of interior design software is the ability to visualise design ideas in 3D. This allows users to see exactly what their space will look like before any work is done, which can be useful when trying to visualise the final result of a renovation or redesign.
In addition to visualisation, interior design software can also be a great tool for collaboration. Whether you’re working with a team of designers or simply want to share your ideas with friends and family, interior design software allows multiple people to work on a project together in real time.
Another reason to use interior design software is the time-saving aspect. Instead of spending hours drawing out floor plans and creating 3D models by hand, you can use interior design software to automate these tasks. This frees up more time for you to focus on the creative aspects of the project.
Accuracy is also an important factor when it comes to interior design. With interior design software, you can be sure that your designs are as accurate as possible, thanks to the ability to input precise measurements and try out different layout options. This can help to avoid costly mistakes and ensure that the final design meets the needs of the client.
Finally, interior design software can be a great tool for presenting your ideas to clients or seeking approval from building authorities. By creating professional-quality presentations and visualisations, you can clearly convey your design ideas and win approval for your projects.
