Do-it-yourself house planning program. The best programs for designing houses and rooms. Also programs for arranging furniture and creating interior design. What to consider when designing your own home yourself

The layout, placement of furniture and even the consumption of materials used - all this is provided for when constructing a home. This is time consuming and requires the right approach.

But I want to say a huge “Thank you!” programmers who have developed applications and programs for designing a 3D house. They were able to introduce their computer technologies even into our everyday life. This is what our article will be about.

We present to your attention the top ten programs for designing houses.

So, what opportunities does the first program present for us?

We can create drawings and 3D models, as well as developments, sketches, plans, etc.

This is an excellent assistant for both beginners and experienced professionals for designing a home.

Thanks to this successful development, you can make both two and three-dimensional plans. The finished result can be imported into several of the most common formats.

Another plus we would like to point out is the function of a demo video of your project.

The program is completely free.

FloorPlan 3D as a design planning tool

Draw up a project for a private house without the help of others.
Create a plan for several floors at once.
Add windows.
“Furnish” a virtual apartment.
Add decorative elements.
Add comments and notes to a particular element.

Overall, an ideal program for developing projects.

ArchiCAD - the application that captivated architects

This program is equipped with all the useful functions that are needed for the full design of structures. Many professionals appreciated the program. Even furniture and landscaping elements are available when planning buildings.

Advantages and disadvantages

What are the benefits of this program? To begin with, there is an inextricable connection between the parts of the building and the elements. If you change something in one part of the house, it will affect everything else, i.e. this software will automatically calculate and rebuild the structure. All the customer’s whims can be easily incorporated into an existing project and not bother with the complete processing of the entire structure.

Disadvantages include difficulties in designing non-standard projects and some limitations in capabilities. And yes, the cost of the program is also decent. But here there is an alternative: the developer gives a choice of a demo version for training and a paid version for those who appreciate the merits of the program.

Arcon: planning of all kinds of structures at the highest level

Arkon can rightfully be called a universal program for designing offices and residential buildings, industrial facilities and design structures.

Advantages - the ability to approach interior design in a comprehensive manner, without the need for modifications in other programs. Users rightly noted that the documentation and projects that were prepared through Arkon did not cause inconvenience or problems during verification.

However, there is still a small drawback - there is a price for both the full-scale version of the program and the educational one. In the second case, the cost is lower, but you still have to pay. This is a professional tool that requires design skills.

Autodesk 3Ds Max

Autodesk 3D is a multifunctional and affordable program for designing and building a house.

In the advantages column, we can safely note the possibility of creating three-dimensional objects and images.

This is a very relevant software for those whose creative approach to work comes first.

But a noticeable disadvantage still makes itself felt - the high cost and complexity of training, as well as a not very user-friendly interface.

But this can all be solved: fortunately, there are many video tutorials on the Internet, thanks to which you can master the basics and learn how to make masterpieces of architectural art.

But the cost is a disadvantage for the most part for beginners and amateurs, but professionals pay without hesitation and remain very, very satisfied.

The program's capabilities are wide - you can design not only buildings and their interiors, but also cars, streets, and even cities!

K3-cottage

But this program differs from all of the above. The K3-cottage makes it possible to design from logs and beams for further construction, to work out everything down to the smallest detail.

Advantages:

Wide functionality.
Widely used among those who work in construction companies.

And disadvantages:

There are bugs in version 5.5 of the program, so it is better not to abandon licensed software.
The demo version 6.4 does not have an autosave feature, which can sometimes cause inconvenience.

Chief Architect as a tool for designing frame structures

And the latest program for today for designing 3D houses.

Everyone who plans to build their own home thinks about drawing up a project. It's nice to feel like an architect and try your hand at creating a visual plan for your future home. Well, there are programs for designing houses, and you can choose free versions.

SketchUp Make

This program is intended for creating relatively simple three-dimensional objects; it allows you not only to create a project for the house itself, but also to work with interior design and furniture arrangement. SketchUp Make belonged to Google, there is also a paid version of SketchUp Pro, but we will talk specifically about programs that can be used for free.

Users note that SketchUp is a simple program, has a built-in crack, and is designed for beginners in the field of 3D modeling.

In addition to creating and editing 3D projects, the program allows you to work with landscape design, interiors, engage in virtual archeology, that is, model disappeared buildings, and master engineering design. There is a lot of reference information, SketchUp has simple graphic tools such as eraser, brush and others, and can convert created projects into various graphic formats.

Another advantage of SketchUp is the ability to create statistics on the consumption of building materials. Structures are designed with millimeter precision. The program does not work with 2D drawings.

Another program for 3D modeling of buildings, which can be used for free. A detailed two-dimensional plan can be made, which is then converted into a three-dimensional model. The program allows you to work with interiors, it is quite simple, you can change the viewing modes of the finished project from a transparent frame to the location of the building among the landscape. The finished project can be easily printed and saved in various formats. Envisioneer Express is less popular than SketchUp, but overall has quite a wide range of functionality.

nanoCAD

This is a Russian development, there is a free version not for commercial use. nanoCAD has quite a wide potential - the program allows you to work with various drawings and even allows you to generate a complete package of documents that are included in a construction project. Files saved in nanoCAD are compatible with other applications from the AutoCAD category.

Home Plan Pro

Free program for creating a house plan that supports BMP, GIF, JPG formats. It has a fairly simple interface, can work with color palettes, different levels and layers, and is distinguished by a large number of ready-made structures, such as windows, doorways, and furniture. The finished house plan Home Plan Pro can be printed in several projections. Intended specifically for beginners, not professionals in the field of architecture.

A program with many functions that allow you to experiment with three-dimensional images of buildings, landscapes and interiors. It is noteworthy that professional designers often work with FloorPlan 3D, which indicates its high functionality and advantages. Information is automatically created not only about the quantity, but also the cost of materials, levels and floors are designed, texts, roofs, windows and stairs are added, the library is very extensive. There are several versions. Works with effects such as snow and rain, the sketch can be viewed from any angle, and the design can be designed down to the smallest details.

This program can be called shareware - you can use it only for 30 days from the moment of installation, after which, if you wish, you should buy a license. CyberMotion 3D-Designer 13 allows you to create three-dimensional models, animation, and rendering. The program is used not only for creating projects and designing houses, you can simply do animation, making your own characters.

Among more specialized programs, one can note Sweet Home 3D, created specifically for modeling interior design, as well as LIRA-SAPR 2013, designed for calculating the load on building structures.

Most of the positive reviews on the network are about SketchUp, as a software product best suited for use by beginners.

Construction and interior creation begins with a project. House design programs in Russian will help you design a cottage of any number of floors, make an unusual layout, and think about what the garden or yard will be like.

Today, an amateur developer does not need to draw primitive diagrams of his future home with a pencil on paper.

On the Internet you can download the simplest programs for designing buildings and structures that do not require experience or special knowledge. They are usually offered to users free of charge. More complex software for the work of experienced professionals, designers and architects costs a lot of money, and it is quite difficult for a beginner to understand all the intricacies of their use.

The choice of software for developing a design project depends on the goal that the user sets for himself.

Selection options:

When designing a bathhouse or cottage, you need to determine whether it is enough to create a three-dimensional image of it. Or you need to see it in a real area, surrounded by existing objects.
Do you need a project estimate?
Would it be useful to use materials from real companies?
Do I need to put dimensions, names and other notes on the layout?
How accurate should the transfer of dimensions be?
Do I need to save the project in the cloud to ensure that other people can access it at any time?
Do you plan to work with ready-made libraries or will you create objects yourself? Do we need separate topics on landscape design?

One tool is better suited for interior design, and another for architectural structure.

House-3D

Any person who is not involved in architecture and design can understand the free Dom-3D program. It is Russified, easy to use, has a clear interface, and does not require special knowledge and experience. Works on the latest versions of Windows and does not require a powerful computer. A large selection of functions allows you to perform tasks of any complexity.

The main function of the program is the design of houses and buildings, as well as three-dimensional visualization of objects designed with its help.

Dom-3D software interface

Features of this editor:

Comprehensive, detailed modeling of residential buildings. The graphic editor has a built-in architectural module for designing walls, roofs, window openings, door structures and others. It allows you to edit them, resize them at the user’s request, and then view them in 3D format, which is very convenient for a preliminary assessment of a future home.
and interior furnishings. Using a software editor, you can come up with a room layout and furnish it with furniture. At the same time, you can experiment with color schemes and furnishings to achieve the greatest coziness and comfort. Each housewife is given the opportunity to walk through a virtual house to see the advantages and disadvantages of the project.
Designing the most diverse. Viewing it on a flat drawing and in 3D format allows you to identify design flaws in order to eliminate them in a timely manner.
View the varieties of ceilings, laying floor and wall tiles.
This is necessary to assess the overall color scheme, texture, toilet, kitchen in order to choose the most suitable option.
Selecting products from the existing catalog. you can add ready-made designs of upholstered or cabinet furniture, as well as various additional accessories that the program has. Selected objects can be arranged, rotated, moved in rectangular or perspective projection.
Design of auxiliary structures: fences, handrails, railings. Not a single mansion, especially a country cottage or villa, can do without them.

Software developers are constantly working to improve it. Users are recommended to download the latest version, which is more functional in operation.

Watch the video: design lesson in House 3D software.

SketchUp

The 3D modeling program SketchUp has functions for creating interiors and landscape design. In it you can make a model of a mansion, sauna, utility rooms, steam room. It was developed as a tool for rapid sketch modeling.

The main task of SketchUp is to create accurate and correct geometric shapes.

New project created in SkatchUp

Software features:

Control over project parameters, for which instead of many windows there is a frame at the bottom right.
Scaling and dividing created projects into sections for convenient adjustment.
Creation of three-dimensional models of houses based on one or several photographs.
Access to various graphic effects that significantly improve the quality of project presentation: the use of watermarks, volumetric text, integration of two-dimensional photographs, texts with three-dimensional models.
Imitation of landscape, ground surface, graphically accurate shadows.
Providing a library of styles, materials, components that you can expand yourself and then load them into the project you are developing.

Thanks to such wide capabilities, the program is used in various fields. It is convenient for developing solutions in architecture, modeling buildings, and interior design. Stove makers use it when constructing stoves and fireplaces, so that they can later view their models in 3D format.

The program of Russian developers is effective for other architectural elements, creating the interior of office, retail premises, apartments. There are basic and professional versions, differing in price and capabilities.

Elements of a design project can be created or selected from a thematic library. The basic package includes more than 100 themes, the professional package includes more than 700.

The objects included in the library are taken from real-life catalogs of Russian companies.

This allows you to record the data of the element used when developing a layout:

vendor code;
Name;
dimensions;
quantity per box;
unit of measurement;
price.

You can change this information and export it to HTML or DOC files for preparing estimates and calculations.

Main themes:

Building construction. The section includes architectural elements, for example, balconies, stairs, windows, columns.
Office. Contains everything needed to furnish workspaces.
Kitchen. The library includes all the necessary elements for designing a kitchen.
Living spaces. We offer a large selection of mirrors, shelves, chairs, and beds.
Retail store equipment. The library has display cases, slides, counters, and cash desks.
Textures. Allows you to change color, transparency and even the reflection of light. This is convenient for creating, for example, glass. By changing its properties you can create real stained glass windows.

Libraries are replenished with independently created objects.

The finished project can be seen on a plane and in a three-dimensional model from different points of view, at different distances

The result is saved to a file or printed on a printer.

Architectural visualization is not a cheap pleasure. A professional 3D designer will charge thousands of rubles for interior design, but creating a virtual project of an entire house will cost a pretty penny. But is it really necessary to turn to professionals every time? Over the past 5-7 years, the architectural visualization software market has become much closer to the user. Along with complex packages for developing 3D graphics, desktop programs, web services and even mobile applications have appeared, with the help of which you can easily see what a room will look like after renovation, create a project for a cottage or even an entire personal plot with all the necessary buildings.

To work with such software solutions, you do not need to delve into the intricacies of polygonal modeling, study the rules for arranging light sources, and spend a long time selecting visualization parameters. But with their help, you can see what the living room will look like after rearranging the furniture, estimate how many building materials will be needed for the interior decoration of the house, and figure out where on the site it is better to plant trees and where to put benches.

⇡ Ashampoo Home Designer Pro 2.0

Developer: Ashampoo
Operating system: Windows
Distribution: shareware, $30
Russian interface: yes

Ashampoo Home Designer Pro can be considered as the "middle ground" between complex 3D visualization packages and consumer applications. Working with this program is as simple as working with the most basic interior designer, but the visualization results are much better than most entry-level applications.

Depending on your preferences, you can choose one of two modeling options: in 3D or in two-dimensional space. You can easily switch between them as you work, and even display both views at the same time. Since Ashampoo Home Designer Pro is a specialized program, the names of the main tools speak for themselves. The Wall tool is used to build walls, the Window button is used to insert windows, and a doorway is created by clicking the Door button. The program's library contains a huge number of different architectural objects, so windows and doors can be of any type. There is a 3D viewing mode for these objects. Before adding them to the project, you can consider how they should be configured and rotated. The program itself will calculate the area of each room.

If the project contains more than one floor, you can use a special command and move the walls, floor and ceiling from the first floor to the next ones (while specifying the height of the walls of each floor). To create a roof, you can turn to a library of ready-made objects or develop your own version. Conveniently, the application automatically calculates the length and area of the roof.

To ensure that the user does not forget about any important step, a step-by-step wizard is provided.

Among other things, it may contain information about the contractor, the timing of the construction of the building, and its location. Next, when working on a project, you can take into account the geographical location to better understand how the building will cast shadows. This data can be useful when planning a personal plot - they will make it possible to determine the best place for lawns, recreation areas, gazebos and other things.

With Ashampoo Home Designer Pro you can create not only the buildings themselves, but also the interior furnishings. The program library contains many furniture samples. It is very convenient that many of them are real models offered by well-known manufacturers.

In order for the 3D house project to be as close to reality as possible, you can use materials and textures. They are widely used to simulate various types of objects in all 3D editors. Ashampoo Home Designer Pro has a good collection of materials and textures that are essential for architectural visualization.

You can make the walls stone, brick, cover them with clapboard, and so on. After adding materials, you can perform the final rendering. To increase realism at this stage, you can use anti-aliasing, simulated global illumination and other settings.

⇡ SketchUp Make 2013

Developer: Trimble
Operating system: Windows
Distribution: free
Russian interface: yes

For a long time, SketchUp was developed under the Google brand, but now Trimble is responsible for it. However, this does not change much for the end user - the basic version of the program (now called SketchUp Make) is still free, and the library of custom 3D models, which was formerly called Google 3D Warehouse, is still available to this day. True, it is already called SketchUp 3D Warehouse.

When Google acquired SketchUp from @Last Software in 2006, it was clear that the search giant intended to make it the primary tool for creating 3D models for Google Earth. However, users have successfully used the 3D editor in many other areas. Thanks to this, over the years of its existence, the program’s library has accumulated quite a lot of models that can be used in the design of houses, garden plots and interiors. The SketchUp 3D Warehouse model library is built right into the program window. You can search for models by object type or by keywords.

However, SketchUp's capabilities are not limited to ready-made libraries. All objects required for the project can be created manually. When modeling, it is convenient to use so-called dynamic objects, which change in accordance with the user's expectations. For example, if you reduce the size of a staircase, the number of steps will also change proportionally. When creating architectural projects, it is also convenient to use a special “Roulette” tool designed for measuring distances. The ability to add geographic coordinates is also useful, which can be used to calculate shadows at different times of the day. This option is implemented through integration with Google Maps.

SketchUp's built-in visualization capabilities are quite modest, but dozens of add-ons have been created for the program that can help solve this problem. Even the popular photorealistic renderer VRay is available for SketchUp. Starting with SketchUp 2013, the program has an integrated add-on store, so you can find, download and install the extension you need without leaving the SketchUp window.

Without the use of add-ons, you can’t count on photorealistic visualization, because SketchUp was initially positioned as a program for creating sketches. Therefore, using the built-in tools, you can present the project only as a drawing: pencil, marker, paint, and so on. However, in most cases this representation can be quite visual, and such “visualization” will not take much time.

⇡ Autodesk Homestyler

Developer: Autodesk
Operating system: Android, iOS, web application
Distribution: free
Russian interface: yes

Autodesk is known for its programs for professional 3D graphics creation. But, you must admit, not everyone will find the energy and time to master 3ds max just to find out what the room will look like after renovation and rearrangement of furniture. For a broader range of users interested in architectural visualization, Autodesk offers the Autodesk Homestyler web service. This is a simplified specialized 3D editor that works directly in the browser.

With its help, you can quickly create a room design, and then fill it with furniture and other objects needed in the house from the proposed library. You can build walls manually, using rooms of different shapes, different options for walls, partitions and wall openings. It is much more convenient to create a project not from scratch, but to work with a pre-prepared 2D plan, which is used as a substrate. Modeling can be done in 2D or 3D view.

The library of ready-made objects is well organized, so it’s very easy to find the right part in it. There are four main categories: “Construction work”, “Finishing”, “Decor”, “Landscape and street”. And each of them has subcategories. For example, in the “Finishing” section, you can go to the “Kitchen” subsection and select sinks, countertops, tabletop and floor cabinets and other interior items there.

The service supports the creation of multi-level projects, so developing a three-story house is not a problem. But it’s worth keeping in mind that you won’t be able to see two or more levels at the same time - in the web application window you can only work on one floor at a time.

Autodesk Homestyler not only gives you the opportunity to see how the room will look, but also helps you plan the purchase of all the necessary materials. All objects that are added to the project immediately appear in the “Shopping List” section. And this applies not only to pieces of furniture. For example, the service will quickly calculate how many meters of baseboards and floor coverings will be needed during repairs. You can immediately print out such a list and then go with it to a construction supermarket to estimate the cost of the work.

You can use Autodesk Homestyler without registering, but there are some benefits to creating an account. For example, you can add some catalog items to your favorites so you can quickly find them later. In addition, you can save your projects in the gallery and modify them as needed.

Recently, Autodesk Homestyler is available not only as a web service, but also as an application for mobile devices on iOS and Android. However, its tasks are somewhat different from those of a web service. If using the browser version of Homestyler users are asked to build walls, the mobile application is focused on creating interiors of ready-made premises. Holding a smartphone or tablet in his hands, the user must take a photo of the room, after which he can add furniture, lamps, and other interior items to the project, as well as experiment with finishing materials, colors, etc. Finished projects can be sent to Facebook or by email . The application also has a feed of projects that were created by other Autodesk Homestyler users. You can comment on them, add them to your favorites, and subscribe to updates from the designers you like.

⇡ Sweet Home 3D 4.1

Developer: eTeks
Operating system: Windows, Mac, Linux
Distribution: free
Russian interface: yes

An entire review on our website was devoted to the Sweet Home 3D program (see “Sweet Home 3D: what should we build a house”), so we will not dwell on it in detail. But it would, of course, be incorrect not to mention this application within the framework of this article.

Sweet Home 3D is a completely free cross-platform 3D editor aimed at creating architectural projects. This program is equally easy to work with for professional architects and those who are far from designing. Using an existing plan (you just need to draw it on a piece of paper, photograph it and load it into the program), you can create the walls of the building, add windows and doors. There are no tools for creating 3D models in the program, but you can import objects in OBJ, DAE, 3DS, LWS formats, and also use the extensive free catalog available on the Sweet Home 3D website. Among the ways to present a finished project, a virtual walk through the house is of particular interest.

You can work with Sweet Home 3D even without installation. To do this, you only need Java and an Internet connection.

⇡ Conclusion

Fortunately, architectural visualization these days can be not only a profession, but also a hobby. Consumer 3D design solutions are both simple and free to use. Of the four applications reviewed, three are completely free. However, Ashampoo Home Designer Pro is also quite inexpensive, especially when compared with the price of professional 3D editors. At the same time, the capabilities of SketchUp Make, Autodesk Homestyler, Sweet Home 3D are quite enough for the development of small architectural projects. And even though with the help of these programs it is impossible to obtain images that would be indistinguishable from photographs, still realism is not the most important thing here. The main goal is to help you see a still non-existent interior or exterior and speed up repair/construction work as much as possible.

To design your own home, you no longer need to be an architect, or even have perfect drafting skills. Technological progress provides a lot of opportunities. And, among other things, you can start drawing the layout of your house right now, without having any special tools for this, using only your PC and online tools created specifically for designing houses. Another good option are programs that you can install on your computer and work with them even without an Internet connection.

Online services

Online programs will help you install the walls of a virtual house and paint them in the desired color, place additional buildings, decorate the yard and fill the house with furniture. Their main advantages:

The ability to independently plan your home down to the smallest detail;
Relatively small time costs;
Timely correction of any deficiencies in the layout;
Free, in most cases;
The ability to use 3D options to see a drawn house as if it had already been built.

Planner 5D is one of the popular online programs for planning houses and apartments. You don't even need to register to get started.

You can choose a ready-made template and work with it, or start your project from scratch.

The program allows you to create any number of rooms of different shapes, several floors in the house, has a wide variety of furniture, garden plants, models of people and animals, everything your heart could desire. But not all objects are available in free mode. A monthly subscription to access all layouts costs $5, and you will get forever access to the full catalog for $20.

How to create a house in Planner 5D:

In the “Rooms” section you need to select the number of rooms, their shape and size. You can also change the color and structure of all objects.
Using the “Construction” section you can install windows, doors and stairs.
The “Interior” section helps install all the necessary furniture, appliances and interior items.
Additional extensions in the yard are contained in the “Exterior” section.
You can look at the finished project in 3D mode.
Using the “Save” option, you can save the layout on your computer.

The good thing about the program is that it takes a minimal amount of time to create a house, but its downside is that it is not professional enough and realistic.

HouseCreator is a program that allows you not only to model a house, but also to calculate its approximate cost. The site has a video tutorial showing how to use the application, but the user interface is clear and simple.

How to create a house in HouseCreator Online:
Select the type and width of the foundation, wall parameters, number of floors and start designing. All this can be done in pop-up windows when entering the program.

In the “Wall” menu, select the size and location of the rooms.
The “Opening” menu will help you install doors and windows, choose their shape and size.
In the “Roof” menu, select the type and shape of the roof.
You can submit an application to calculate the cost of the project.
View the finished house in 3D mode.
In order to save the house layout you need to register in the system.

The advantage of this application is the ability to calculate the cost of construction, select the thickness of the walls, the height of the floor, and the materials from which the house will be built.

Big minus: the program does not provide a decoration option; it is impossible to furnish your future home to your liking.

If you download and install the program on your computer, you can approach the matter much more thoroughly and professionally, creating your dream home not in half an hour, but in weeks or even months. In addition, this method is more reliable, since there is less chance that the Internet will go down and all the work will “fly” at the most inopportune moment. The disadvantage of such programs is that you have to pay for them, but there is almost always a trial (free) period during which you can manage to build the project.

The advantage of Autodesk software is that students and university teachers can download it for free. The project also has a free demo version.

This program is very professional, in it you can create not only a house, but also the car of your dreams, as well as interior items.

To work in it you need to get good at it and practice designing, but there is a chance that the created house project in this case will not be inferior even to a professional one. This software has many varieties of applications for modeling, design, animation and even mobile applications, but for creating houses it is better to use one of the AutoCAD versions.

How to use the Autodesk program:

Download the demo version of AutoCAD from the official website and install it on your computer.
Select the size of the plot on which the house will be built.
Adjust the terrain of the area as close as possible to the real one.
Outline the foundation and walls of the future building.
Build a roof, windows and doors.
Choose the interior decoration of the rooms.

Enjoy the hard work of several weeks of work by printing out the project in two copies: one to build a house on, the other to frame and hang in a place of honor.
There are also many instructional videos on how to use the AutoCAD program.

Designing a house yourself is not an easy job, requiring sufficient perseverance, diligence and the desire to acquire new knowledge and skills. You can't do this kind of work in 30 minutes. However, if the goal is simply to better convey your idea to professionals involved in home development, or to have fun, you can use one of the online programs.
The following video shows an example of working with one of the programs for designing houses.