Recommend Home Design Software

NVP · 2 Jul 2016 at 11:11

Hi all,

Does anyone here have a recommendation for software for helping design interiors? Where you can get quite a match to the rooms and pretty accurate views of different concepts?

Also, any software for creating a blueprint of a outdoor structure (eg. Shed)

Thanks

Simon42 · 3 Jul 2016 at 16:05

I've recently 3D modelled my whole house and garden as I am making some significant changes and Home Designer has worked well for me: https://www.homedesignersoftware.com/. I use the 'Pro' version which is actually the top of the DIY range, not to be confused with the companies professional products.

I've tried a number of free or cheap web based products in the past but in the end decided the cost of the works justified something better and more accurate. The ability to create and replay 3D walk throughs with different colours, lighting and designs is great. When anyone comes to quote for something I just print or email them the plan relevant to them.

The Home Designer products (four versions from memory) are siblings to a professional product so the inherent capabilities are excellent but the more capable home versions aren't cheap. It all depends on how much you want to spend and how much time you have to get results that are better than the cheap and quick online designers.

Pho · 3 Jul 2016 at 20:01

The above looks pretty interesting. It's too much of a pain to use Sketchup to do anything complex.

For lighting I came across Relux which is free and lets you model and simulate lots and lots of different lights from various manufactures. You can use it to generate a 2D/3D map of light levels /shadows all over the room

.

Sample output here.

NVP · 5 Jul 2016 at 18:20

Thanks both.

I've got a copy of Chief Architect Premier (the professional version of home designer) so will see how I get on

Looks very good and complete and should be able to do all I wish.

Thanks

Abyss · 7 Jul 2016 at 13:58

I use sketchup for anything like this. It takes a bit more time than some of the packages that let you just drop cells in but it's far more versatile.

To put it in perspective the architect I am using at work is using it on a £20m+ new build project to model 2D plans in 3D for stakeholder engagement/sign off.

If you take a look at the below thread on page 1 and 2 you will see a few screen shots of a design I knocked up for 2013's bathroom. It took about an hour from memory:
https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18724616&highlight=username_abyss