If you’ve always wanted to model your home decor without the help of an interior designer, room planning platforms may be an invaluable tool for you. This is especially so if you’re looking to save on renovation costs, make changes to only a small room, or just trying to visualise a home makeover.
You know yourself best, and these services will help you take your home’s interior design into your own hands. We’ve scoured through the many sites and applications on the market and have compiled 7 room planning platforms to help you transform your home.
Roomstyler
Image credit: Roomstyler, Roomstyler
Recommended even by major publications such as the Telegraph and The Sunday Times, Roomstyler is a convenient room planning platform that has many reviewers asserting that it is easy to use, even for beginners.
In addition to its room planner feature, which allows you to create both 2D and 3D floor plans, you can also create mood boards to help you figure out which aesthetic you like best.
Roomstyler has a catalogue containing more than 120,000 items, as well as a partnership with various renowned brands such as MARKS & SPENCER and John Lewis, which means that you can incorporate real-life furniture into your mock-up with just a few clicks.
In addition, the website has a dedicated page featuring other users’ designs, from which you can gain inspiration. There are also various themed interior design competitions in which users can participate and win prizes such as free renders on the platform.
Renders start at 1 credit, which costs approximately $1.46.
Image credit: Roomstyler
Roomstyle is free to use, but if you want to render and export your 2D or 3D models, you’ll have to pay to do so. The number of credits it’ll cost will vary by render type. Each credit costs around €0.99 (~SGD1.46), but buying bundle deals may help you to save more.
Morpholio Board
Image credit: Morpholio Board
Dubbed “digital magic” by Wired magazine and sponsored by large brands such as Dyson and HermanMiller, Morpholio Board is an app that assists your interior designing experience as it complements many other room planning applications.
Through its Web Clipper feature, it is able to import images from various sites, such as Pinterest, and funnel them into a moodboard. The feature is only available for iOS and Mac users for now.
Though it’s easy to get the hang of Morpholio Board, those who need some guidance can follow the tutorials on their YouTube channel. That said, some users have pointed out that the Mac and iOS versions of the app are incongruent with each other, so users who plan on making use of both may face some difficulties.
Image credit: Morpholio Board
Morpholio Board has many free features available, but there’s also the option of upgrading your package to gain access to more projects, tools, export features, and even auto shopping or furniture list creation.
Homestyler
Image credit: Aurhe A
Another application which does not require any professional background or knowledge to use is Homestyler. Some of their features can be rather advanced, but fear not as the app provides tutorials for users.
Better yet, Homestyler supports designing on-the-go as it syncs your progress and changes across different devices, which means you can switch seamlessly from your phone to a laptop.
Available in AR (Augmented Reality), and even in VR (Virtual Reality), Homestyler lets you visualise how new furniture or layouts will look when integrated into your existing set-up. In addition, it hosts over 200 furniture brands and their assets – think of it as Polyvore, but for your home.
First-place entry for the competition, “Shabby Chic Style”.
Image credit: Nathan MC
After you’re satisfied with your home’ new look, head over to the summary tab for product links to buy the items that you like. There’s also a community gallery space full of others’ interior designs that you can take inspiration from, as well as regularly hosted design competitions.
Homestyler’s basic plan, which allows you to try out its numerous features, is free. However, if you wish to make use of more diverse settings such as better renders, removal of watermarks and advertisements, as well as uploading your own textures and models, you may want to upgrade your plan, starting from USD4.90 (~SGD6.53) monthly.
Live Home 3D
An example of the application display page.
Image credit: Live Home 3D
Like a number of other room planning platforms, Live Home 3D can model your home’s layout to a T, in both 2D and 3D, and your models can also be viewed via AR or VR. Simply scan your room with your phone to get a 3D rendering of it on your device.
In addition to the usual furniture pieces, Live Home 3D also features over 300 electronic appliances that you can add to your model. And if you find yourself needing a boost of creativity, check out their page showcasing useful design tips and tricks.
However, unfortunately for all Android users out there, the application is currently only accessible on iOS, Mac, and Windows. Nonetheless, it’s better late than never – its website states that Live Home 3D will soon be available on Android as well.
You can get access to its basic settings, materials, and 3D object collections for free, but will face limited save and export functions. Paid subscription cost $6.98 per month for the standard plan, and $14.48 for the pro plan. There is also the option of lifetime access at $44.98 for standard features and $68.98 for pro features.
Room Planner
Image credit: @marcinhoribeiro_oficial
Room Planner was trending on social media platforms such as TikTok, thanks to its interactive and intuitive interface. It’s part of the top 3 grossing “House & Home” applications on Google Play, proving that it’s a tried and tested application.
With a mere few clicks, you can change their virtual room designs using the wide range of elements available, and even add human models to your virtual room to get a better gauge of how the design can be implemented in reality.
Image credit: Room Planner
Through Room Planner, one can model their homes in either a 2D format or create a 3D walkthrough, before furnishing it with products from online stores. Based on your furnishing choices and style, the service is able to recommend other items that might complement your new interior.
You can also gain inspiration from pre-designed layouts provided by the company on their Instagram and Pinterest pages.
While the application is free to download, you will need to pay to save your designs. If you do not anticipate using the application long-term, take up the short-term subscription packages priced at $8.49 weekly or $19.98 monthly. Alternatively, get the yearly subscription, which costs $85.98.
Some users have noted that the application may crash from time to time, which the company claims has fixed in its newest update.
Planner 5D
Image credit: Planner 5D
Boasting a user base of over 89 million people, Planner 5D is an app that’s “created for amateurs” – according to their website, at least – and no professional background or even tutorials are needed to operate it. Bold claims, we know.
There are over 5000 items in their catalogue that can be used in your 2D or 3D floor plans. You can even freely change the colours and patterns of these items to match your intended decor, which is surprisingly not a common feature in other apps.
The application can be used for free, but bougie folks can shell out for premium features at $8.99 per month or $44.99 a year.
SmartDraw
Image credit: Photo Retouching Services
SmartDraw is a free website that provides its users with simple textures and symbols that they can add to various furniture layouts. Its easy-to-use interface is perfect for users who prefer the basics. The users’ final products can be added to a wide variety of Microsoft apps or Google workspaces, allowing for easy viewing on other platforms.
The site is free to use for 7 days, following which you’ll have to pay for a subscription of (USD119.40 (~SGD159.24) per year. Do take note that many premium features are kept behind a paywall, even during the free trial period. Still, it’s a good basic tool for those who don’t need fancy frills.
HomeByMe
Image credit: HomeByMe, HomeByMe
HomeByMe is available as both an application and a website and aims to be as true to life as possible using its AR function. You can create a floor plan or furnish your virtual room with real brands’ products, in both 2D and 3D, and also find inspiration for the latest trends through other users’ images.
You have plenty of room for trial and error as the service offers 5 free projects and 3 photo-realistic images for its new users. After which, if you still wish to continue using the platform, you’ll have to fork out USD322.92 (~SGD430.58) yearly for unlimited projects and more extensive features such as 3D model uploads and priority online support.
Room planning platforms
If you’re looking to design or redecorate your home, there are plenty of accessible, user-friendly, and affordable room planning platforms available. Many of these programs offer free trials, and it’s a good way to try your hand at taking charge of your home renovation journey and envisioning what your ideal abode looks like.
Read more of our articles here:
- 7 Things To Look Out For When Signing A Renovation Contract
- Money-saving Renovation Tips
- The Top Interior Design Trends of 2022
Cover image adapted from: HomeByMe, Room Planner
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