The dilemma over which interior design software is best for a beginner.
I must confess, I have very little patience when it comes to reading manuals and sitting through training videos and an even lower tolerance for poorly designed software. I enjoy and appreciate using software that is intuitive and easy to grasp. As I sink my teeth into interior design and get started with the basics of space planning, I needed to decide which software I was going to use.
Below is a lowdown on what I found on the web, the factors I considered in making a choice, what I chose to go with, and why.
Popular Software recommendations for Interior Design
Like most of you, the first place I go to when I need some insights or recommendations is Google. So I did exactly that and got a whole sleuth of software products to choose from. Here are just a few of the software programs that were recommended by sources like Architectural Digest, Udemy, Bobvila, and House Beautiful.
Autodesk Autocad LT
SketchUp Pro
TurboCAD
Autodesk Revit
Archicad
Easyhome Homestyler
Infurnia
Floorplanner
SmartDraw
Planner 5D
HomeByMe
RoomSketcher
These are notable sources, right? I think so too. But honestly, it would probably have been wiser to reach out to a designer through my circle rather than do a Google search since the numerous options only overwhelmed me.
Factors for Evaluating Interior Design Software
I do not use the word overwhelmed lightly - I am a person who evaluates every option available to me before I make any decision and I go through multiple rounds of evaluation to make sure that the odds are on my side. So having a choice of fifteen to twenty different software programs is not a good position for me to be in. Imagine the time I would have to waste on evaluating each of these programs!
Solution: I made a list of factors that were important to me based on where I was in my learning journey and what I wish to achieve eventually.
Here are some of the factors that I considered:
Learning Curve
UI Design
Scalability
Demo Version
Affordable Paid Version
2D and 3D modeling
Could Storage
Customer Support
Evaluating Interior Design Software
During my initial Google research phase, I noticed that there were a few names that popped up on every list so I did myself a favor and narrowed down my options to only five of the many software suggestions - Autodesk Autocad LT, Autodesk Revit, Archicad, Floorplanner and SketchUp.
Autodesk Autocad LT - Of these five options, I had already used Autocad during my time as a bachelor's student in Mechanical Engineering and did not enjoy using the software. It had a very steep learning curve and nothing intuitive about the design. In addition to this, it is also very expensive software for a beginner like me and I was not willing to spend that time or money. They do offer a free trial, however. Autocad LT is a good option for engineers and/or architects but, a little too much for interior designers IMHO especially if you're only decorating and not considering renovation projects.
Autodesk Revit - Given my experience with Autodesk products in the past, I wasn't too excited about Revit but, I did give their free trial a try and liked it. Like with other Autodesk products, they have great features but the learning curve is definitely steep as is the cost of acquisition. So, this option was not for me either. However, if you do know how to use the software and are willing to spend the moola, Autodesk Revit is a good option for designers. However, it is worth noting that the product itself is geared more toward architects and builders.
Archicad - First off, this software is for architects which means that there are a lot more features than I would probably ever need as a designer. Second, there is no free trial, or at least not one that I could get my hands on but there are some videos on Youtube by Arhcicad that show what the UI looks like and its capabilities. There is also no pricing information I could find on their website. Needless to say, this software was out of the running for me.
Floorplanner - This software ticked all the boxes for me - the simplest to use of all five software products I considered. I really enjoyed using the demo version which had a simple and clean user interface with tools you would need as a designer and a very short learning curve. It is definitely scalable, affordable, and can generate both 2D and 3D models. They also offer a basic version that is always free and great for getting started. The downsides to me were the low resolution of files when I downloaded a trial floorplan (above) as well as the pricing structure. The pricing structure is a little quirky and might get expensive if you are working on multiple projects.
SketchUp - Another software I loved for interior design. They have a free 30-day trial version which is great for getting a basic idea of how the software works. It has a clean and simple UI and is very easy to learn. It took me three to four hours to get a hang of the different tools and create a floor plan (below). I could also import an existing floor plan and edit it, create 2D documentation, and 3D models. They have a desktop version so you do not have to be connected to the internet always. It is easy to scale with this software and the pricing is straightforward and quite affordable. If you are a student, you only pay $55/year which is less than $5/month and if you are a beginner without a student code, then you pay $119/year which is less than $10/month which is still an affordable option for me.
Interior Design Software of My Choice
Final Verdict: SketchUp was the winner for me. It is very easy to learn, navigate and build 2D and 3D models that are fantastic and professional. They offer more relevant features for an interior designer in comparison with some of the competitors, all in a clean UI and at great value for money. The offerings for each version are clearly laid out and the pricing structure is straightforward and easily scalable in the future. They also have a great blog, forum, and customer support channel.
P.s. This is not sponsored content. The opinions are based on my personal experience with each software.
Do you use SketchUp too? Tell me what you love or do not like in the comments. You can also drop me a message if you have any questions.
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Until next time!
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