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How soon are you remodeling your home? Whether it is a simple DIY or professional job, you’ll need a perfect design that helps you estimate a near-accurate budget. You’d also need a plan that summarizes all your ideas and imagination. After all, one of the main reasons for doing home upgrades includes enhancing the aesthetic appeal. You might also remodel your living space to improve functionality, property value and lower energy costs.
Leveraging the best home design software gives you a realistic vision of your project before committing time, money, and resources. For instance, you can develop your kitchen area floor plan, wall accents and colors, furniture designs, and even tile patterns. We spent more than 30 hours reviewing several market products to bring you the eight best home design software. Besides falling within relatively affordable price ranges, these software products are easy to use and will give you a real-life experience.
• Best Online Product: Planner 5D
• Best Overall: SketchUp
• Easiest to Use: Floorplanner
• Best for Landscaping: Lands Design
• Best for Mobile Use: Homestyler
• Best Floor Planning Tool: SmartDraw
• Best Redecoration Software: DFS Room Planner
• Best Planner: Roomstyler 3D Home Planner
1. Planner 5D
Planner 5D is the best online product on the list as it gives stunning home design results in three easy steps. It features both 2D and 3D modes, allowing you to edit and explore your desired home design from multiple angles. That means you can incorporate various household items like furniture and appliances into your virtual design to get a realistic look at what to expect after the remodeling project.
This software features intuitive furnish and edit features for adjusting your desired home design into a perfect fit. You begin your designing process without worrying about size, as you can tweak it at the end. The editing features can create various walls and floor plans.
Planner 5D software allows you to share your visual design with friends and other professionals, thanks to the Snapshots feature. Shared images don’t loose their quality. You can leverage the shadows, lighting, and color properties to make your pictures look realistic.
Key Features
• Snapshots
• Furnish and edit features
• 2D/3D models
• 5000+ item catalog
Benefits
• Ideal for amateurs
• Easy-to-use interface
2. SketchUp
SketchUp home design software is the best overall product accessible from as little as $119 per year for the basic plan and $299 for professional designers. Leverage the SketchUp Pro Desktop mode to incorporate different plugins. This can include multiple editing, furnishing, and home building tools from other brands.
Switch between 2D and 3D modes to create a stunning home design from different angles. The 3D model in the professional subscription plan is mainly for modeling, while 2D will help in documentation. The $299 subscription plan features online and offline editing capabilities.
However, the type of subscription plan doesn’t affect or limit some of the basic designing features with the software. For instance, you’ll still have access to unlimited pre-built 3D models. This feature makes the software ideal for both amateurs and professionals. Another salient feature is unlimited access to cloud storage.
Key Features
• Customized pre-built 3D models
• Augmented reality mobile viewer
• Design research capabilities
• Experience Reality (XR) headset viewing
Benefits
• Unlimited cloud storage
• Two subscription plans
3. Floorplanner
Floorplanner Software started its operations in 2007 and attracted more than 25 million subscribed users. This software product is popular because it is easiest to use, regardless of your project’s scope. You can create accurate 2D dimensions in a matter of minutes. That means you don’t need to spend months on a single project.
Unlike other software, you can quickly upload an existing blueprint to get started. For instance, you can upload your current house blueprint for an upgrade. Other apps will require you to create your plan from scratch, even if you intend to use the current floor measurements. Amateur users can leverage the step-by-step guides available in the room wizard section.
Access your projects anytime, from any part of the globe. This web application supports multiple devices, including PCs and tablets. Most importantly, you can access it from any browser without limitation to some features or downtime.
Key Features
• Multiple device compatibility
• Works in all browsers
• Blueprint upload support
Benefits
• Easy to get started
• Step-by-step guide
4. Lands Design
Beautiful, evergreen lawns improve the aesthetic look of your property. A yard embodies your taste and preference for luxurious outdoor environments. Thus, you’d want the final design to reflect your dreams and wild imaginations. Lands Design generates 2D and 3D layouts to give you a realistic view of your lawn-to-be before channeling a significant investment towards it.
Use Lands Design’s powerful editing features to add shrubs and trees to your desired spots in the landscape. You can also create vertical gardens and green roofs thanks to the software’s green infrastructure. This software product’s best feature is the BIM technology that allows you to visualize season changes and yearly plant growth.
Are you fascinated by self-developed games? Lands Design can help take your designing creativity beyond just house renovation or planning. The software can generate computer graphics for creating 3D and 2D game assets. Besides games, you can also create animated motion pictures.
Key Features
• Powerful landscape designing tool
• Detailed plans and drawings
• Multiple file-sharing options
• Dynamic 2D and 3D modes
Benefits
• Can create games and animations
• Extensive plant database
5. Homestyler
Homestyler will change your perspective about home designing. This software product allows you to relax and practice your creativity without breaking the bank. The service provider offers up to three months of free membership for first-time users. The free subscription gives you access to 2D and 3D floor plans with accurate measurements. Whatever you see on the screen is how exactly your kitchen or living room will be when the project is complete.
This software has intuitive features for nearly all home designs to give you real-time visualization. For instance, the lighting tool comes with wall lumps, floor lamps, table lamps, and ceiling lights. You will have access to other templates that feature office design, children’s bedroom designs, and even landscape designs with tools to add vegetation.
Homestyler app is easy to use, and you’ll have your desired plan in three simple steps. You only need to design, decorate and explore your final project through a photo-realistic 720 panorama view. However, you’ll only access all these features when online.
Key Features
• A great variety of design templates
• Extensive furniture library
• 3D/2D floor plans
Benefits
• Three months free membership
• Simple to use
6. SmartDraw
Whether you’re an advanced or beginner designer, SmartDraw software has all the floor planning features you may want in creating intricate designs. You don’t need a video tutorial to make your first design as this product is relatively easy to use. Moreover, you get to enjoy a free trial period for about seven days before upgrading to your preferred plan.
Take advantage of an endless variety of cars, building materials, and furniture to visualize how your design will look in a typical day full of activities. That means you can easily tweak the design to create more space in the garage or a more extensive backyard area for an outdoor garden.
SmartDraw software features thousands of templates and floor designs that give you a starting point. Remember, you don’t have to craft everything from scratch, especially if you’re an amateur. This feature gives you endless design layout possibilities to match your need and preferences. However, you’ll need to be online to use it.
Key Features
• Free templates
• Free floor plans
• Upgradable features
Benefits
• Free seven-day trial
• Access to building materials
7. DFS Room Planner
DFS Room Planner software will serve you well if you’re moving into a new home or remodeling the current house. This software product allows you to switch between 2D and 3D modes to input various floor and wall dimensions. It gives you accurate measurements to plan your budget. Remember, you already chose DIY home design plans because you want to cut the renovation costs as much as possible.
Browse a catalog of different accessories like sofas and appliances to see how your new living space will look. The editing platform features a décor tool that allows you to tweak your accessory colors to match different tastes and aesthetic preferences. You can also use the décor tool to try different wall paintings and see whether they match your accessories.
Even so, you’ll enjoy all these furnishing features when connected to the web. Users need to sign up to access different subscription plans. If you’re an amateur, starting from the lowest subscription plan while upgrading to the next as your needs arise sounds like a good plan.
Key Features
• Accessories catalog
• Sofa decorations
• Wall and floor dimensions
• 2D and 3D modes
Benefits
• Multiple subscription plans
• Easy to use
8. Roomstyler 3D Home Planner
Lastly, you might also want to use Roomstyler 3D Home Planner for your next home remodeling project if you like easy-to-use home design software. This product still comes with an online instructions video if you find it challenging to get started. The instructions video features nearly all questions that an amateur user may have about the built-in tools.
You’ll need to connect to an internet network to use this product. The best part is that there is no limitation to the type of editing and furnishing features that you can use. Get customized home design products from your favorite brands and export them to this app. You get to try some products virtually before committing your money to them.
This software features a dedicated 3D mode that makes it possible to customize your design plan in minutes. You can design your house remodeling project in phases by saving your gradual progress. You can also export your work to other 3D online planners.
Key Features
• Online instructions videos
• 3D design model
• Outsource furnishing features
Benefits
• Easy to use
• Intuitive user interface
Buying Guide for the Best Home Design Software
The options for the best home design software are overwhelming. As you explore and research different projects, it gets challenging to discern which will work best for you. What are some of the features that you should consider before investing your money into a subscription plan? How do you know that a specific software will match your intricate needs and specifications? Consider the following factors to make an informed acquisition decision:
Free Trial Plans
As an amateur designer, you won’t tell which software is best unless you try it fast. Free trial plans allow you to try different subscription plans before choosing what best suits your needs and preferences. Thus, you need to go for free trial plans that give you unlimited access to primary and premium features. Some software brands will provide you with up to three months of free trial plans, but most give you a week or two.
2D and 3D Modes
Any modern home design software should feature 2D and 3D modes for a real designing experience. 2D mode allows you to input accurate floor and wall dimensions. On the other hand, 3D will enable you to explore and edit your final plans from different angles. 3D modes give you a realistic view of the final plan. You’ll also find 3D modes useful when furnishing your plan with various accessories such as furniture and appliances.
Online and Offline Capabilities
Sometimes you want to access your plan and show it to friends without connecting to an internet network. In that case, you’ll need software with a remote desktop application. Even so, it is essential to note that offline access may limit you to some features. Home design software products with offline capabilities save you time, especially if they can’t support all browser connections.
Intuitive User Interface
The more fun you have when using any software, the more creative you can be. Look for options that offer intuitive interactions with easy-to-start processes. For instance, you can go for a software product that outlines step-by-step guides to using every tool, especially if you’re an amateur. You’d also like access to secure cloud storage that allows you to save your work’s progress. Remember, plan designing is not a one-time job, and you may need to do it for days, if not weeks.
Editing and Furnishing Tools
You might also want to consider the editing and furnishing tools. Besides having the floor and wall plan, you also want to visualize your space with appliances and furniture. That way, you can tell whether to add or reduce dimensions to match your desired area. It will also help you to budget for all the accessories needed to complete your DIY remodeling project.
While most software will come with these tools, others will allow you to import directly from your favorite brands. The latter sounds like the best option since you get to practice with your targeted products. Most importantly, you’ll have access to an endless variety compared to built-in features.
The Bottom Line
Home design software makes your house renovation project fast and less complicated. In the long haul, you end up spending less compared to hiring a separate designer. Depending on your needs, you can choose software products that have both interior and exterior design capabilities. Remember, you don’t need to be a homeowner to use the above software products. You can use them to build your real estate or designing career. We even suggest sending out surveys to past or potential clients to get more insight into what’s trending or how you can optimize your process. More practice means enhanced creativity by discovering features that require experienced users.
