Elevating Home Design: Exploring the Latest Software & Tools for Design Enthusiasts
In the past, some of the most creative people tried recreating their homes in The Sims to visualize some household changes better. Of course, this was back when most people couldn’t access modern design tools. Nowadays, these tools are either inexpensive, incredibly accessible, or have a trial period that you can use.
These tools allow you to try out some home design ideas without making a risky purchase or changing your home, only to realize that it wasn’t a change for the better.
Still, which tools provide the most value to design enthusiasts, and what is their commercial purpose? Let’s find out!
1. CAD Tools for the Visualization of Luxurious Spaces
Computer-aided design (CAD) is a tool for designing detailed models of your home design; these models can be in both 2D and 3D. They allow you to visualize different room layouts and furniture arrangements, which saves a small fortune in time and effort. CAD even allows you to see what major structural changes would look like without committing to it.
While a lot of people have great spatial intelligence, there are a lot of people who struggle to visualize major changes in the layout. With CAD tools, you’ll easily avoid this problem. The thing is that while you have a general idea of an object occupying space, you may struggle to understand how this one element will interact with the rest. However, with floor plan software, you don’t have to imagine what you can easily see.
Another great thing about CAD is its amazing collaboration options. Multiple people can work in the same file, making suggestions. This is especially important because you’re not the only one occupying this space. You may have to consult your roommates, partner, or other family members. This will make the transfer of ideas a lot clearer.
Experimentation and changes are also great selling points for CAD tools in this field. Once you get familiar with your software of choice, it will take you minutes to make minor changes. This allows you to play around in a quest for the optimal layout.
Some of the most popular CAD tools are:
- SketchUp
- AutoCAD
- Revit
You shouldn’t underestimate how fun these tools are to use (aside from being highly pragmatic).
2. AR and VR Apps for Higher Levels of Immersion
In the previous section, we discussed your ability to see changes to your home in 2D and 3D; however, what if you could physically see them? With the help of AR and VR apps, you can do just that.
First, almost everyone has access to smartphones (around 6.9 billion people). Chances are that you’re currently reading this on your phone. So, what if you could just point your phone toward the empty corner of the room and see what it would look like if you added an armchair or a sofa?
Using VR is even better; however, there’s a serious bottleneck here: most people don’t have access to a VR headset. Still, you don’t need to spend too much money when you can just get a Google Cardboard or something as inexpensive.
Is this necessary/wise? If you’re serious/passionate about design, you would be surprised to see just how big of a difference this can make.
Ultimately, in the title, we’ve talked about design enthusiasts. You wouldn’t believe how fun it is to design with the help of augmented reality tools. This can make the already satisfying luxury home interior design concept even more fulfilling.
This is also great for commercial use. Imagine a scenario where you’re trying to make a modern restaurant floor plan. The simplest way to present your ideas to clients is to show them. With AR/VR, it gets a lot easier.
3. AI-powered Design Assistant
No one doubts the power of AI anymore, but what is its use in home design?
- The first step in home design is always inspiration. You see a photo of a luxury living room and want to try it out.
- Then comes the obstacle. Your room is not the right shape or size. The room’s orientation is such that it receives more/less light, so the color palette never looks the same.
- Then, you come up with unique solutions with varying success.
However, what if you could use an AI-powered design assistant to skip a few of these steps? While this will change the world of architecture and interior design as a whole, it will also greatly benefit individual homeowners and residents.
AI algorithms are incredibly advanced, and you have the tools to convey so much information to them. First, enter the room’s dimensions and layout or scan/photograph it. The OCR (optical character recognition) is at such a level that the AI will get an accurate description of the current situation.
Then, you tell the platform exactly what you want. With the help of NLP (natural language processing), you can express yourself in any way you like. Then, with the right prompt and a bit of guidance (giving your feedback), you’ll receive some of the most interesting ideas ever. Just remember that the browsing capabilities of a machine-learning-powered AI assistant are far beyond your own. It can quickly go through millions and millions of ideas online (virtually unlimited data) and find something that meets your description/requirements.
4. Sustainable Design Tools for Eco-friendly Homes
For many people, sustainability is a huge factor in design effectiveness. Eco-friendly homes are not just about using eco-friendly materials. There’s much more to it than just that.
First, an energy-friendly home is less expensive and has much lower utility bills. We’re not suggesting that you live in a tiny home (which is a far better idea than you currently think), but you would be surprised at how much you can save by tweaking a few things here and there.
You’ll get an accurate carbon footprint assessment if you are more concerned with the environmental impact than the utility bill. Through a carbon footprint analysis, you’ll also have an easier job figuring out the real ROI of a remodeling project.
Next, a sustainable home also has a strong societal impact. According to one survey, when a home installs solar panels, the odds of other homes in the neighborhood doing the same go drastically up. People talk, and once your neighbors see positive results in action, they’ll be hit by FOMO. This makes an eco-friendly design a moral responsibility, as well. With the help of sustainable design tools, this will be a lot easier to pull off.
Then, there’s the aspect of materials that we’ve briefly addressed already. With these tools, you’ll get suggestions for alternatives to the materials you intend to use. Also, these databases are interconnected with some of the best vendors in the region. This means you’ll also get suggestions on where to buy (not just what to buy).
The Right Tools Make Your Objectives More Attainable
These tools are designed to help you lower the stakes of design. The mistakes are no longer as costly because you can fix them with two edits before ordering new furniture or materials.
Second, you get to avoid making expensive bad choices because you can see the changes. This will also gamify your design experience and make it more enjoyable for everyone.
For those who lack inspiration, you would be surprised at how effective AI assistants are getting at making great suggestions and even guessing your style. The more you use it, the better it understands you (machine learning will ensure that).
Ultimately, if you’re concerned with your design efforts’ eco-friendliness, there’s nothing beating sustainable design tools.
FAQ:
Are These Software and Tools Suitable for Both Professionals and Beginners?
Even sophisticated 3D modeling platforms are suitable for use by absolute beginners. You’re by no means obliged to use all the features of these platforms. The UI is usually incredibly beginner friendly, and there are many tutorials for your use.
Can I Use VR Applications without Owning Expensive VR Headsets?
VR can transform your home design approach, and with mobile VR sets (like Google Cardboard), you can get what you need on a budget. Still, AR is more accessible and probably a better solution either way.
How Can AI-powered Design Assistants Understand My Personal Style Preferences?
An AI-powered design assistant can quickly understand your peculiar taste and interests through concepts like user profiling, feedback, and machine learning. Keep in mind that OCR and image recognitions also advance at an astounding pace, which should make this even easier.
Are Sustainable Design Tools Only Focused on Eco-friendly Materials?
Sustainable designs revolve around more than just materials: energy efficiency, life cycle assessment, and even social impact matter just as much. Either way, sustainable design tools provide a more holistic approach to design.
Feature Image Interior by KOKET
About the Author
Veteran content writer, published author, and amateur boxer. Srdjan Gombar is a Bachelor of Arts in English Language & Literature and is passionate about technology, pop culture, and self-improvement. His free time he spends reading, watching movies, and playing Super Mario Bros. with his son.
