Popular Programs Interior Designers Use

Photo: Hand sketches, from https://www.needpix.com/photo/856996/technical-drawing-architecture-project-rules-autocad-scale-work-interior-design

We are in a new era of interior design.

Gone are the days of painstaking, hand-drafted floor plans. Computer software allows for easy, painless drafting and visualization. Plans can be made infinitely more quickly. Innovations in design software have created a whole new world for interior designers and architects, expediting the entire design process.

Curious about what design software is out there? Read on to learn about four popular programs.

AutoCAD

AutoCAD was first released by Autodesk in 1989. CAD stands for computer-aided design. Interior designers depend on this tried and true software. This is often the first software designers learn, and it takes some effort to learn all the commands and the way the software works. Once a designer has it down, though, it makes drafting a breeze. Users can create 2D floor plans or 3D models of furniture, among other things. AutoCAD is a flexible tool that allows users to play and see many design possibilities.

Learn more: https://www.autodesk.com/products/autocad/overview

Revit

Revit is similar to AutoCAD in some ways, but there are key differences. This is the software architects and engineers frequently turn to. While AutoCAD specializes in 2D renderings, Revit is more suited for 3D renderings. AutoCAD is a drafting tool, and Revit is a modeling tool. Revit takes the drafts a step further and identifies the physical properties of the building components displayed on a rendering. Modifying drawings is easier, as Revit will automatically apply all changes to every view of a rendering. This must be done manually with AutoCAD. Revit does not allow for as much freedom as AutoCAD, however, as drafts must follow certain rules.

Learn more: https://www.autodesk.com/products/revit/overview

SketchUp

Like Revit, SketchUp is also modeling software. This means 3D models are its specialty. Users can make realistic looking models. While AutoCAD and Revit must be paid for, SketchUp offers a free web-based version. Some argue that SketchUp is a little easier to use than other programs, but it really depends on what users are using it for. SketchUp is a great tool for dreaming up design possibilities and bringing them to life.

Learn more: https://www.sketchup.com/

Homestyler

The best part about Homestyler is the price—it’s free. While professionals may want to stick to the other programs, this website is especially useful for those wanting to play around with different design ideas. It may not allow for design specifics that a contractor would need, but it gets the job done for those who simply need to visualize something. Users can even decorate with real furniture products. Homestyler also has a handy mobile app.

Learn more: https://www.homestyler.com/int/home

Design software creates exciting opportunities for interior designers, architects and homeowners alike. With visualization tools like these, the sky is the limit. Use these four programs, or one of the many other options out there, to bring design ideas from your imagination to your home.

Michaela Satterfield

James Décor Writer

The Art and the Science of Interior Design

There is much confusion surrounding the field of interior design. Many wonder if it is a valid field, thinking there is little skill required in choosing sofa fabrics and drapery colors. Some believe you just have to have a “knack” for it — designing spaces requires little more than some extra creativity.

What many don’t realize, however, is that interior design is not just an art. There is a science to it.

While there are many similarities between interior decorators and interior designers, the fundamental difference is in education.

Interior decorators work to help clients choose décor for their homes. There is no doubt that this requires plenty of interpersonal skill and creativity. Decorators have a natural talent for deciding which things would work together. They are experts on finishes, accessories and furniture.

Interior designers, on the other hand, have obtained a formal degree in interior design, whether that be a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts in interior design. The big concepts of interior design — like sustainability, universal design and an understanding of the construction of a building — are what interior designers may understand better than interior decorators.

Designers look beyond the surface of each building they design. They understand how homes and buildings work on a structural level. They work with architects and contractors to design the building from the blueprints to the finished product, keeping in mind important things like building codes and space planning.

The choice of hiring a designer or a decorator, then, depends on what kind of work you need done. If the work is primarily aesthetic, either a decorator or designer can get the job done. If there are more structural changes needed, a designer will have the education to get that done as well.

Michaela Satterfield

James Décor Writer

Sources:

https://newschoolarch.edu/academics/school-of-design/bachelor-of-interior-design/interior-designer-and-decorator/

https://www.thespruce.com/interior-design-vs-interior-decorating-1976740

Interior Design Software