10 Interior Design Software Tools (With Features And Tips)

Interior designing is creative work that focuses on making homes, workplaces and public places aesthetically attractive. An efficient interior designer typically knows different materials and colours, along with software applications, to render computer-generated designs and models. Learning about some of the most popular interior design software can help you select the right program to create great floor plans or three-dimensional images. In this article, we learn what interior designing software is, explore some of the popular software tools and their features and examine some tips for choosing the right application for you.

What Is An Interior Design Software Tool?

An interior design software tool is a computer application that helps professionals in this field generate structured models of interior finishing. This overall composition of a design may include various elements, such as lighting, flooring, paintings and furniture. With these software tools, an interior designer can present a mock-up of lines, forms, colours, patterns and textures for different spaces, including homes, hospitals and offices.

The work of an interior designer often includes making schematic sketches by hand. These drawings are part of the preliminary stages of the process. When design professionals work on refining these sketches and creating detailed drawings, they may use some specialised computer programs. These tools allow them to enter the drawing refinement stage of the process. The range of customisation options and convenient user interfaces often define good software for interior designers.

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10 Interior Design Tools And Their Key Features

Here are descriptions of some software tools that you may use for interior design projects:

1. AutoCAD

AutoCAD by Autodesk is a powerful tool for generating interior designs. Engineers, architects and interior designers often choose to use this design software. It offers precision and flexibility to professionals working on two-dimensional (2D) sketches and three-dimensional (3D) modelling. AutoCAD features a connected design experience with which you can create, view and edit drawings via desktop, web and mobile devices. Its many features allow you to automate tasks, such as comparing drawings, adding objects and creating tables.

2. SketchUp Pro

SketchUp Pro is a versatile software tool by Trimble Inc. It can be great for professionals who create 3D models, as it allows them to design, document and share their ideas in 3D. The ability to define, plan and design a project are some of its strong points. This 3D modeller for desktops can also provide insights for design research. With virtual reality headsets, you can show your clients what a project looks like digitally. SketchUp Pro also offers an extensive library of pre-built models.

3. Infurnia

Infurnia is a cloud-based architecture software tool by Infurnia Technologies. You can use it to implement building information modelling in a design. Developing multi-layered walls and defining spaces are among the tasks you can complete using this software. Infurnia features easy integration with some systems, such as pricing engines and company login systems. You can access often it from any platform to create detailed floor plans in 2D and 3D. It allows you to define the shape of a ceiling, create tiling patterns and decorate walls. The Infurnia catalogue also offers multiple designs for furniture and appliances.

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4. Homestyler

Homestyler is an interior design tool for floor planning, modelling and image rendering. It allows you to sketch a room in 2D and build a floor plan in 3D. There are two home decor solutions that the brand provides. One is the web-based Homestyler Floor planner and the other one is the Homestyler mobile application. You can use this tool to decorate a room using a vast model library of furniture. For rendering, the application generates photo-realistic images, and it can even let you create virtual reality tours. You can access this tool from anywhere using any browser.

5. Blender

Blender is a robust computer program that you can use to develop objects in 3D. With this software, you can create the structure of a house and then add materials and textures. Blender is free software that offers a range of modelling tools. You can use them to create, transform and edit your models easily. Since it is an open-source platform, its huge community offers various add-ons that you can use to customise the layout of the interface. Blender uses its own built-in engine called Cycles for path-tracing. With Cycles, you can accomplish ultra-realistic rendering.

6. Morpholio

Morpholio Board is an interior design and decor application that gives you an easy way to illustrate interior designs and architectures. This application offers layers, image controls and text options. The augmented reality option allows you to sample colours from your surroundings virtually to help you design better. It also offers different applications, such as Board and Trace, that can integrate with other interior design software, including Autodesk AutoCAD, SketchUp and Adobe Photoshop. With Morpholio Trace, you get pens, layer controls and rulers for drawing. Using this application, you can even sketch over 3D models.

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7. Archicad 25

Archicad 25 is an interior design tool that helps you collaborate with other team members, design with algorithmic design tools, visualise designs and document with a publishing workflow. Its many modelling systems offer tools like the Curtain Wall and Stair Tool. With the help of Sketch Render, Archicad's rendering engine, you can share your 3D models with clients as an image, using free-hand effects. For a photo-realistic rendering, the tool offers different surface materials, such as wallpapers and metal surfaces. Archicad 25 also gives you an option to export a model to an augmented reality solution.

8. HomeByMe

With this interior design tool, you can create 2D floor plans and 3D home furnishings. Its mobile application enables you to work from anywhere. If you have a plan on paper, HomeByMe allows you to import that plan and turn it into a digital one. The tool includes pre-existing shapes for rooms in different configurations. It also allows you to view your plans in 3D with the help of a virtual tour. Its extensive catalogue of furnishings helps you to personalise your interior designs. You can even change the colour, texture and dimensions of the furniture.

9. Planner5D

Planner5D is a 3D home design tool that you can use online. With this tool, creating complex housing floor plans, office spaces and landscapes can be quick. This program includes a 2D mode that you can use to create floor plans and design layouts. These designs can feature furniture and many other home items. With its 3D option, you can also edit any angle easily. Its vast community has some stunning ideas that can inspire you to create rooms, gardens, gyms, bathrooms and kitchens. The editing tools also provide options to change colours, patterns and materials for different furniture items.

10. RoomSketcher App

RoomSketcher App helps you create floor plans and home designs with an easy-to-use interface. Since the application offers professional rendering, you can use it for both business and personal projects. It stores projects in the cloud and allows you to import a blueprint for tracing. Its wide-ranging library of furniture, fixtures and materials offers several designs for kitchen cabinets, home appliances and bath fittings. It also allows you to visualise your designs in 3D and experience a live 3D walkthrough of your project. You can even share home designs on social media platforms.

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Tips For Choosing The Right Interior Design Software

There is a variety of software for interior designing available on the market. Here are some tips to help you select the right tool:

Determine your goals

First, it might be best to find out what your goals for a project are. Different interior design tools can help you fulfil different design requirements. If you want to create a room design with furniture and appliances, you may want to look for a program that offers a variety of these images. Some tools might be better for creating models, while others may offer specialised features to support excellent rendering.

Decide on a budget

Taking a client's financial needs into consideration can help you decide on a budget. Depending on your needs, you can find a tool for free, or you can choose a subscription plan. It might be beneficial to determine your monthly expenses and what the total funds available to you are. Then, you can decide what you want in a tool. If you have several clients that seek your expertise in floor planning, you can buy a program that offers this in both 2D and 3D. If you mostly create simple models, then a free software tool may prove sufficient.

Use different programs

Testing different programs can help you recognise their distinct features and allow you to find out which software best meets your needs. While some programs are completely free, many companies offer a free trial before you buy the software. You may download a tool to test its features and repeat this step with other programs until you find the one that fulfils your requirements. This way, you can select an optimal tool before working on your projects.

Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organisations mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.