We have made a selection of programs and online services in which you can create a house or apartment interior yourself.
3D modeling of a house or apartment will help you think through all the nuances of the layout and understand what materials will be required. Thanks to this, during real construction it will be possible to complete the work as quickly as possible and without errors. If you do not plan to contact a designer, you can create a visualization yourself in a special program.
How to choose a program
When choosing an editor, consider a few things.
- Convenience. An intuitive interface will make the work accessible even to absolute beginners in 3D modeling.
- Functional. There are no programs yet that would help create a project from start to finish. Therefore, it is necessary to determine in advance the tasks that need to be solved. And then select designers for them.
- Availability of instructions or training video. They will significantly reduce the time spent on studying, allowing you to quickly start developing the project.
- System requirements. It is especially important how much RAM and free disk space the software requires, as well as the requirements for the processor and monitor.
- Trial period. If you’re looking for a paid editor, you should try its free trial first. It will allow you to get acquainted with the interface, and capabilities and understand whether you need the full version.
Now we’ll tell you in more detail about the best programs for designing houses for beginners and more.
Simulation programs
1. Sweet Home 3D
This program is needed for designing individual rooms. It has a built-in furniture catalog, as well as a function that allows you to change the color of any element. There is a built-in hint system for inexperienced users, so creating your first project will not be difficult. Once created, you can save it in a convenient format. The application is regularly updated; new models can be downloaded from the official website for use in standard layouts.
License: free partial version.
2. ArchiCAD
You are allowed to use it for 30 days, then you will be asked to buy a license. Students and teachers of architectural universities can extend the free period up to a year.
In ArchiCAD, you can design interiors, and landscape projects, and calculate the amount of materials to draw up a simple estimate. ArchiCAD has a large furniture catalog built into it. There is also the possibility of editing videos and conducting virtual walks through the rooms of the future home.
License: paid. There is a free trial period.
3.HouseCreator
The program is designed for designing country houses made of timber. There are editors for the foundation, frame, walls, floors, and roof. There is 3D visualization. Using the program, you can create a project of any complexity, number the logs, and obtain drawings, plans, and specifications.
License: paid.
4. Home Plan Pro
A lightweight drawing program that is suitable for designing frame houses. There is no 3D visualization, and the interface is intuitive.
The program allows you to develop the appearance of a house, and design individual rooms, taking into account the arrangement of furniture, and the placement of windows and doors. There are tools for quickly duplicating shapes. Finished projects are saved in popular formats, and they can also be sent by email.
License: paid. There is a free trial period.
5. LIRA-SAPR
A specialized product for calculating loads on structures, in which, in addition, you can model buildings and individual rooms. On the plus side, drawings can be created automatically. There is access to reference information, examples, and ready-made design algorithms. This is a free version, but there are also paid versions with advanced functionality.
License: paid, there are non-commercial and demo versions.
6. SketchUp
Professional software that allows you to create three-dimensional models of houses, surrounding landscapes, interiors, and furniture. All designs are created with high precision and detailed detailing. There is also a function for generating material consumption statistics.
The designer uses simple tools that are found in other graphic editors. The program comes with training videos and manuals. The downside is the inability to create two-dimensional plans.
License: paid, there is a web version for private use without payment.
7. House-3D
House-3D is a simple program for designing a site and a house, it is intended for modeling houses, furniture and interior design, and landscape. The catalog contains many ready-made furniture models; you can change the materials of the floor, walls, and furniture facades. The product was developed for non-professional use, so it is suitable for those who are designing a house or apartment for the first time.
License: paid. There is a free trial period.
8. Interior Design 3D
A convenient program for planning the furnishings of your home or office with a free period of use. The catalog contains more than 100 pieces of furniture and 450 options for finishing materials, everything is easily scaled, and the color scheme is customizable. It is characterized by high speed of operation, and the video guidance system simplifies the work for beginners.
You can choose one of the standard layout options or draw the house yourself. There is an option for creating simple estimates. To arrange furniture, it is more convenient to switch to a 2D plan. You can view the result by switching to 3D modeling mode. A good alternative to the discontinued Floorplan 3D editor.
License: paid. There is a demo version without payment.
9. Home and Landscape Design
Shareware program for creating three-dimensional models and two-dimensional plans. Suitable for designing the interior furnishings, the exterior of the house, and surrounding areas. To make it more realistic, you can print the project on cardboard or paper and assemble a model of the house.
License: paid.
10. Chief Architect
Available in two versions. The first is a program for designing houses, it is possible to plan the environment inside the house. The second is suitable for planning kitchens, bathrooms, and interiors.
License: paid.
11. KZ-Cottage
A narrowly focused program. Designed for designing wooden houses, all functionality is aimed at this. The editor’s capabilities allow you to plan the architecture and interior design of your home in the smallest detail, working with different types of wood and sections of any size. To simplify the work, some actions (for example, connecting logs) are automated.
License: paid for companies. It is possible to download the free version of “KZ-Editor” and the demo version of “KZ-Cottage-Expert”.
12. VisiCon
An excellent option for those who need to plan the interior of an apartment. A simple, intuitive interface is suitable for beginners. The editor has many options: you can arrange furniture, model the space of a room, and make an apartment layout.
License: paid (temporarily not for sale). There is a free demo version.
13. Autodesk 3Ds Max
With Autodesk 3Ds Max, you can create realistic designs, detailed 3D models, and hand-drawn objects. Powerful design software, which is used mainly by professionals: architects, creators of visual special effects, and game developers. It will be difficult for a beginner to understand the program, but it is considered one of the best on the market.
License: paid. There is a free demo version.
Comparison of home planning programs
Each option has pros and cons. To simplify the choice, we have compiled the main points in a comparative table.
| Name | Furniture catalog | Load calculation | Windows version | Mac OS version | License | Suitable for beginners |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweet Home 3D | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | free incomplete version | Yes |
| ArchiCAD | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | free trial period | No |
| HouseCreator | No | No | Yes | No | paid | No |
| Home Plan Pro | Yes | No | Yes | No | free trial period | No |
| “LIRA-SAPR” | No | Yes | Yes | No | there is a non-commercial and demo version | No |
| SketchUp | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | web version for private use is free | Yes |
| House-3D | Yes | No | Yes | No | free trial period | Yes |
| Interior Design 3D | Yes | No | Yes | No | demo version without payment | Yes |
| Home and Landscape Design | Yes | No | Yes | No | paid | Yes |
| Chief Architect | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | paid | No |
| KZ-Cottage | No | No | Yes | No | free demo version | No |
| VisiCon | Yes | No | Yes | No | free demo version | Yes |
| Autodesk 3ds Max | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | free demo version | No |
Online editors
1. Planoplan
For those who do not want to install the software on their computer, the Planoplan editor offers a free online version. The modern and simple interface is suitable for beginners; a modern furniture editor is built into the program. You can work with 2D and 3D projects, as well as visualize interior drawings. The disadvantages of the browser version are that it works quite slowly, and only basic functions are available in it.
License: free.
2. Roomtodo
Ukrainian service, which is completely designed for online use. There is an English interface. The editor is completely free for personal use, the paid version is only for companies that want to integrate it into their website.
Roomtodo allows you to use different modes for viewing 2D and 3D models of the future interior. In the editor, you can not only draw a plan of an apartment or a separate room, but also select finishing materials, arrange furniture, select the sizes of windows and doors, and also draw on top of the drawings.
License: free. There is a paid version with extended functionality.
3. Planner 5D
This project exists as software, an online service, and even as a mobile application. Thanks to a large set of tools, this free program for designing houses and apartments allows you to create high-quality visualizations and realistic renderings.
In Planner 5D you can not only create a layout and arrange furniture but also load your own textures to create a unique interior.
License: free.
To create a high-quality project, it is not necessary to pay a lot of money to specialists or purchase professional software. Even free editors can provide the necessary functionality and high-quality images.
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