6 Hand pick and best free home interior design APPS, Software and tools.
If you are planning design , new bathroom or finally getting around to landscaping the garden? Whether you’re doing everything yourself or turning to the pros, there’s plenty of professional home and interior design software readily available, user friendly, affordable and in many cases, free.
Regardless of what project you’re working on, you’ll want to communicate your ideas with everyone involved in your project as accurately as possible. And the most accurate way of doing this is visually of course and we have some of the best free design software currently available to home designers and interior decorators.
Sketch Up Make
Sketch Up Make is the most comprehensive free 3D design software you’ll find on the web. This powerful home design tool is immersive enough to make it seem like you are moving through your future home, while being flexible enough to make it feel as if you’re working with pen and paper.
The free version is perfect for hobbyists, while the pro version is more suited to professionals in architecture, construction, engineering and commercial interior design.
Whether you’re building an extension for your home, a treehouse, or conceptualising your debut on Grand Designs, the thoroughness of this software will help you bring every aspect of your design to life.
Floorplanner
Floorplanner lets you design and decorate your space in 2D and 3D, which can be done online and without having to download any software. While its interior decorating function is an excellent feature, the strength of this tool lies in its functionality as a floor planner. Then, once the floor plan is completed, you can switch view and decorate the space in 3D mode.
It’s simple to use and easy to get the hang of, so if you’re after something that doesn’t require a steep learning curve, Floorplanner is a good choice.
Smart Draw
Smart Draw is another powerful tool in the world of floor planning. It’s easy enough to learn so no one is excluded from using it, while being advanced enough to facilitate intricate designs for more advanced designers.
With a seemingly endless selection of furniture, cars, building materials and thousands of templates and floor plan examples, you’ll be able to explore an infinite amount of possible designs and layouts for your new space. The only downside to this tool is that it’s only free for the first seven days, so if you plan on using it for longer or for multiple projects, it may be worth the upgrade.
Planner 5D
Planner 5D is the best-looking home design tool. Like the free version of Sketch-Up, this tool is immersive, which means you are able to explore your design with your feet virtually on the ground.
With Planner 5D you’ll be able to start from scratch or use a template which is perfect for throwing together a quick floor plan if you don’t have the time or don’t want to make a complex design. What’s especially great about this software is that it works on iOS, which means you can create plans on your phone or iPad while you’re on the move.
Getting started couldn’t be easier. Start by adjusting the floor shape, size, materials and colours. Then add furniture and accessories, switch to 3D and add windows and doors. Add a second floor if you want to, and then the roof. The only downside is that if you want to use the in-app furniture, it can get expensive for anything other than the most basic beds, chairs or sofas.
All aspects of the design can be changed in terms of colour and texture and, when you’re ready to share your plans, it can be printed in a photorealistic format.
HomeByMe
As far as we can tell, it’s genuinely free throughout and so are all its features. The way it works, is brands add their products to its catalogue, which means you’ll be using actual products to furnish and decorate your home. The perks of this is that you’ll be able to plan your design through to the very end and have access to the actual furniture and decorations you used to create your space imaginatively.
Like with Planner 5D, you’re able to switch from 2D to 3D after you’ve finished your floor plan and design the look and feel of each room. Or, you can start with the décor and hit ‘summary’ and the software will produce a floor plan with all your furniture and appliances in the right places.
Roomstyler 3D Home Planner
There’s a lot to like about Roomstyler. Like HomeByMe, it’s very easy to use. In fact, it’s so intuitive that there’s almost no need for the tutorial video’s available. Which is another plus for this software. Of all the home design tools, this one has a tutorial video available for every question you might have about the tool.
The greatest perk about this software is that you can create a custom room in a matter of minutes. This app also allows you to furnish your space using products from real brands, meaning you’ll be decorating your plans with items you can purchase when you’re ready for your design to materialise.
