Haskell Matheny

Kitchen design software is a computer tool that allows homeowners to visualize kitchen designs and layouts. These specialized softwares are ideal for homeowners who want to imagine the possibilities of their kitchen space before they begin a major project. Kitchen design software is also utilized by kitchen professionals; interior designers, architects, and contractors use these programs to help bring their kitchen plans to life for their clients and to manage style and cost expectations.

Professionals and DIYers can use kitchen design software to experiment with different design elements like cabinet styles, layout configurations, countertop materials, and appliances. This software is vital in ensuring that everyone is happy with a kitchen design before extensive work begins. Kitchen design software can also be helpful for estimating costs and generating detailed plans for a more efficient project implementation.

Features of Kitchen Design Software

Kitchen design software has a wide variety of features that are helpful for kitchen planning. There are free kitchen design software programs and paid options. The free versions will be more basic, though many will have paid upgrades that provide you with more features. Here are some key features to look for when considering kitchen design software.

• 2D and 3D modeling
• Drag-and-drop interface
• Library of kitchen components like cabinets, countertops, appliances, and hardware
• Customization options for changing kitchen components to fit your needs
• Measurement tools
• Realistic renderings
• Cost estimations
• Floor plan creation
• Virtual reality integration
• Collaboration and sharing capability
• Material and finish selections
• Generation of reports like items lists and project specifications
• Export and printing
• User tutorials

Free Kitchen Design Software

Free kitchen design software programs are a great place to start if you have never explored this world before. Keep in mind that these programs are limited in scope and capability, and the paid versions may offer more nuanced options.

• IKEA 3D Kitchen Planner
• HomeByMe Kitchen Planner
• Planner 5D
• Roomstyler 3D Kitchen Planner
• Foyr Neo
• SketchUp

IKEA 3D Kitchen Planner

IKEA offers a free kitchen design tool that is designed to help their customers use their kitchen products. This software is user-friendly and works well if you are planning a kitchen from scratch. It allows you to put in your kitchen dimensions and the location of your appliances and water hook-ups. It will optimize a kitchen layout based on these inputs.

This software uses IKEA products, but even if you are not planning to use IKEA products, you can find cabinets and hardware that are similar to other standard options.

Pros:

• User-friendly interface, especially for IKEA products
• Keeps an on-going list of pricing, so it helps you stock to your budget
• Basic 3D modeling and visualization
• Allows you to pay an IKEA professional kitchen planner if you need help

Cons:

• It is not as useful if you are not going to use IKEA products
• Basic capabilities and lacks the customization and visualization of more professional programs

HomeByMe Kitchen Planner

The creators of the HomeByMe Kitchen Planner market it as one of the easiest and most intuitive kitchen planning tools on the market. Their program is available on any device for use anywhere. Their algorithm helps anyone plan an efficient and beautiful kitchen and recommends design and layout recommendations.

Pros:

• Easy-to-use and adaptable program with 2D and 3D modeling
• Provides suggestions for best layout and design
• Vibrant online community

Cons:

• Limited projects with the free version
• Complicated kitchen designs are difficult for a beginner to create

Planner 5D

Planner 5D is a home design tool that you can use to plan kitchen spaces. It contains an easy-to-use program interface that allows you to create both 2D and 3D views of your space. You can apply a wide range of customization options, though the options are more limited in the free version.

Pros:

• Easy-to-use software interface
• Operates on multiple devices, including a web version for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android

Cons:

• Design options limited for the free version

Roomstyler 3D Kitchen Planner

Roomstyler is a home planning program that you can use to plan your kitchen. You start by immediately choosing the components of your room by dragging and dropping to select the specific features of your room’s layout. After that, you can customize the finish options and view them in both 2D and 3D layouts.

Pros:

• Easy-to-use software
• Produces good-quality 3D photo renderings
• Wide range of customization in materials, colors, and finishes
• Offers options for name-brand products like IKEA, John Lewis, and Joanna Gaines

Cons:

• Doesn’t allow you to export your designs

Foyr Neo

Foyr Neo is an online home design software that you can use to plan your kitchen or any other room in your home. This is not free software, but it does have a free two-week trial period that allows you to create free plans within this period. This program allows you to switch between 2D and 3D viewings to ensure that your kitchen is coming together the way you want.

Pros:

• pre-built models and designs that you can customize rather than starting from scratch
• Extensive materials selection
• Customizable in 3D mode
• Photorealistic renderings and 3D walkthrough

Cons:

• Free for just a two-week trial period, though there is a Basic plan that is low-cost and offers 30–60 renderings per month

SketchUp

SketchUp is a standard design program within the interior design community. Although this program offers a free, basic version, the most powerful capabilities are offered in the paid program. SketchUp is good for creating a kitchen from scratch. It has multiple premade options to help you begin. This program is good for beginners because you can access peer groups that will help you navigate any design or program challenges that emerge in your design journey.

Pros:

• Offers 2D and 3D designs
• Good community support
• Offers a base of designs that are helpful when beginning from scratch

Cons:

• Basic, free version lacks broad capabilities of the paid version
• Expensive to upgrade
• Cannot be used for commercial purposes

Paid Kitchen Design Programs

Professional kitchen designers routinely use paid kitchen design programs. These offer the best options for customization and flexibility in your kitchen design. It might be a good idea to invest in one of these programs if you want to design your kitchen with all the style and design options available or if you have specific concerns that you need to address.

• 2020 Design Live
• SketchUp Pro
• Home Designer by Chief Architect
• ProKitchen
• Vitual Architect Kitchen & Baths

2020 Design Live

2020 Design Live is a kitchen and bathroom design program that features extensive products from real manufacturers. This catalog is being constantly updated in real-time, so you can feel confident that you know the latest products that are available. This program offers professional renderings that automatically adjust the lighting and the material finishes so that they look as realistic as possible.

Pros:

• Free-trial option
• Offers easy sharing so that you can collaborate in real-time with others
• 360-degree views from multiple vantage points

Cons:

• Expensive, two pricing levels: $1495 per year (does not include manufacturer cabinet catalogs), $2095 (includes manufacturer cabinet catalogs)

SketchUp Pro

SketchUp Pro is widely used across the design industry by design professionals. This version allows for both web-based and desktop modeling. This program is easier to use than many in the professional designing industry, so it is ideal for beginners. It has a broad range of customizable options, so you can add realistic textures, colors, and patterns to your designs.

Pros:

• Creates professional layouts and renderings
• Sharable and usable for commercial purposes
• Easy-to-use program

Cons:

• High annual fee: $349 per year at time of writing

Home Designer by Chief Architect

The Home Designer program by Chief Architect consistently ranks among the best-regarded home design programs in the industry. Their easy-to-use program is ideal for home designers because it blends high-quality options with a simple interface. Check your computer capabilities before you purchase it, as it is a large program that only works if you have the appropriate memory and hard-disk space.

Pros:

• Creates designs that you can view from every angle
• Wide range of customization and products
• Easy-to-use program

Cons:

• Paid version is available in three levels: Suite: $129, Architectural: $249, Professional: $595
• Requires a minimum computer memory and storage

ProKitchen

ProKitchen is a program that offers professionals a way to create realistic 3D kitchen renderings. This program is one of the most expensive on the market. They justify their price by offering a catalog with a broad range of designs, layouts, and real products. This program is not as useful for a DIYer because of the expense, but it would be a good option if you want to get into designing kitchens professionally.

Pros:

• Professional-grade 2D and 3D layouts and renderings
• Extensive library of options for customization
• Focus on kitchen and bathroom design

Cons:

• Complex program for home users
• Expensive, three-tier cost structure to be paid annually: $1495 (no manufacturer catalog), $1795 (single manufacturer catalog), and $1995 (multiple manufacturer catalog)

Vitual Architect Kitchen & Baths

Virtual Architect is the ideal program for the serious DIY kitchen designer. One feature that is especially useful if you want to redesign your kitchen is the ability to upload a picture of your kitchen. The software allows you to customize your kitchen space with drag-and-drop capability. This software is easy to use, so it is excellent if you are on a timeline. It produces realistic renderings and has 3D walkthrough capabilities.

Pros:

• Easy-to-use software that still has professional capabilities
• Extensive catalog for customization of surfaces
• Realistic renderings
• No annual fee

Cons:

• Cost of $39.99 to download the program

The post The Best Kitchen Design Software appeared first on Homedit.

Creating the space you live in is a big deal.

Whether you’re to remodeling your existing home or build your dream home, projects can quickly become too large to manage alone. Maybe you don’t currently live near your decorating project, or you work too much to allow for full control of design and execution. Or perhaps you just need the help of a professional to bring your space together beautifully.

A great interior designer will listen to your wants and needs to make your home a personalized space with expert design and provide the extra assistance managing the project’s budget and timeline.

Image: Cupersia

In fact, many designers can help you save money with their industry connections, inside information on the best deals, and manufacturer discounts. A trained designer can create professional layouts and designs that make their value worth their fees.

But before you rush to consult the first name you find, use this checklist to ensure you choose a credible and experienced designer who can deliver a result that you’ll love for years to come.

How will you find an interior designer?

The best starting point is to ask friends, family, or coworkers for a recommendation. Word-of-mouth is still the most valuable publicity around! You may also want to research professional associations in your country or city for a list of participating designers, which leads to our first checklist point. Trends are always changing, and you want a designer who stays up-to-date on the industry and can recommend new ideas, like these hot styles:

The best starting point is to ask friends, family, or coworkers for a recommendation. Word-of-mouth is still the most valuable publicity around! You may also want to research professional associations in your country or city for a list of participating designers, which leads to our first checklist point.

Check Credentials

The first item on your checklist should be a review of the designer’s credentials. Are they a part of any local or national design organizations and continuing education? For example, in some states across Canada and the United States, an interior designer must possess a license and NCIDQ Certificate to call him- or herself an “interior designer,” while anyone can use the term “interior decorator” with no formal training or certification process.

This is important to know if you are considering hiring someone who is an “interior decorator” — he or she may have good taste, but no education or training in lighting, layout, materials, and more. Do the research in your state or country to find out what training a designer may or may not have.

Finally, look for testimonials from the designer’s website, or a list of references directly from the designer. Don’t be afraid to call a reference and ask specifically how the designer listened and interpreted that client’s needs. After all, it’s your home; you should love your space and the process it takes to create it!

A professionally educated designer will be able to think creatively based on new trends and your available space to create unique spaces like this colorful office, which takes advantage of pre-existing exposed brick walls.

Image: Artistic Designs for Living

Examine the Portfolio

Next on your checklist should be a close examination of the designer’s portfolio. Most people remember to do this when interviewing a designer. But it’s more than just looking for a “wow” factor.

First, look for a range of different styles. The portfolio may look gorgeous, but if everything has a similar design? Then you know that your home will also end up looking like a close copy of all the others.

A great interior designer can adapt to use dramatically different color palettes, styles (contemporary, traditional, period, etc.), textures, and layouts to customize a home based on your lifestyle. You certainly want to see a few designs that reflect some of your taste within the portfolio! This simple design below looks great, but didn’t require a massive budget to accomplish.

Also look for designs at different price points (you can ask about the project budget for the images). With an unlimited budget, an interior designer can create fantastic portfolio images. However, it’s just as important that he or she can finish attractive designs for any budget.

Ask for portfolio images that reflect your budget, a few more expensive projects, and a few from a lower price point to get a sense of what’s possible. If you’ve found a credible, trained interior designer with a varied portfolio that excites you, it’s time for the final step!

Image: Robert Jenny Design

Have a Conversation

Today, many people work with designers who aren’t located in the same city as the owner or the home. This is especially true in the case of a vacation home; the owner could be in New York, working with a designer and second home in Florida. It’s easy to believe that if you like a designer’s portfolio and background, then that’s all you need to get started — but watch out!

You should always, always speak to the designer as close to “in-person” as possible, via a phone call or Skype if you truly can’t arrange a face-to-face meeting. Speaking directly to a designer in a meeting is the only way to test your future working relationship and ask some specific questions.

Have a few talking points in mind and bring in some photos of rooms that inspire you. Here are some potential questions to help you tell whether or not you’ll be able to work with and enjoy the collaborative design process with a particular interior designer.

• Does he/she listen to you and ask questions about your unique lifestyle?
• Does he/she try to persuade you just because “it looks good,” or because there is a real reason pertaining to your floor plan, budget, etc.?
• Can he/she comfortably accomplish your goals within your budget?
• Can he/she adapt to suit your style, schedule, and other needs?
• Is he/she friendly and easy to reach by phone or email? You’ll be spending a lot of time talking, so you should get along with your designer. Otherwise, you won’t enjoy this process, which should be energizing and fun!

If you feel that the interior designer is listening closely to your ideas and able to interpret your style, you’ve found a winner. Your home must reflect your personality and have unique touches, like the airy and bright beach-themed living room below with the distinctive natural driftwood elements.

Image via Amy Lau Design

With these three checklist items: a credentials profile, a close look at their portfolio, and a face-to-face Q&A session, you’ll be able to tell whether or not an interior designer will help you create the perfect space and make the process enjoyable.

When you’re working with the right interior designer, the experience of decorating your home and watching all the different pieces come together is just as thrilling as the final result. Use these tips and questions to get started on giving your home a professional makeover!

What have your experiences been with finding an interior designer? We’d love to hear from you on social media, or in the comments section below!

The post How to Find the Right Interior Designer appeared first on Freshome.com.

Hey, saw your photos on Houzz the other day.

Nice!

Problem is, 65,000 other interior designers have Nice! photos on Houzz, too. If you think your nice photos are suddenly going to attract all these gargantuan projects from all these high end clients, you’re living in La La Land.

If you think your Houzz images, alone, are going to make you rich and famous, I have some oceanfront property in Nevada I’d like to sell you.

Now, I know we’ve had this conversation before, this idea that a powerful profile is as, if not more important as dazzling images when it comes to building a buzz – and your business – on Houzz.

But what brought it to mind again was a remark that a Houzz account manager shared with me recently.

“Nine times out of ten, the profiles aren’t very good,” Carter Wurts pointed out. “It’s as if designers just don’t put much thought into them.”

That’s too bad, because those design professionals who do – and have the most extensive Houzz profiles —  report getting the most clients.

So what goes into an “extensive profile?”

Start by sharing your “Only, as in “We’re the area’s only interior design firm which…”).

Talk to us about your experience, accomplishments, awards, skills, specialties, clients, affiliations, education and unique design services.

How about giving us a photo of you and your team?

And throw some compelling keywords into your profile (e.g., “luxury lofts,” “contemporary kitchens,” “Brooklyn rowhouses”)..

So am I dissing on the importance of photos on Houzz? Not really. I’m well aware that the quality and quantity of your images is important.

But I’m also well aware that there are six million interior design photos on Houzz. Your Houzz photos, alone, can’t establish you as a uniquely-qualified, one-of-a-kind design professional.

Your Houzz profile can.

Fred Berns writes Houzz profile for design and building professionals around the country, and coaches others on how to write their own.

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Report: U.S. Mobile Search Spend Expected To Overtake Desktop Next Year - eMarketer’s lastest estimates encompass PPC and SEO spending on smartphones and tablets. Search Engine Land

Yahoo Will Pass Twitter for Mobile Ad Revenue Share in 2015 - Twitter is expected to carve out a 3.56 percent share of the U.S. mobile ad revenue space in 2014, rising to 3.69 percent next year. AllTwitter

Google: Responsive Design Does Not Rank Better Than Other Mobile Designs - Even though we covered this a couple times, most recently in September, saying responsive design is not a ranking signal, I wanted to cite a different Googler who said Google does not rank responsive design sites better than other mobile configures web sites that comply with their guidelines. Search Engine Roundtable

Bing Ads Updates Campaign Planner Tool For Search Trends, Keyword And Competitive Research - In September, Bing Ads released its Campaign Planner tool, which includes vertical and product trend data, keyword research and competitive insights. This week, the first update to the tool was released. Search Engine Land

Report: Nearly 60% Of Video Shares Worldwide Occur On Facebook - Based on data derived from Unruly’s Viral Video Chart, the report analyzed more than 521 billion video views and tracked global sharing patterns for videos across social networks in Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, Norway, South East Asia, Sweden, South Korea, UK and the US. Marketing Land

56% of Digital Ads Served Are Never Seen, Says Google - An incredible 56.1% of ads on the internet are not seen by humans, according to new research released today by Google. AdAge

Travel-Related Shares Drive 40% More Engagement Than Other Content [Study] - ShareThis’ new consumer sharing behavior report reveals that travel shares generate more click-backs than other types of content. ClickZ

Facebook 2014 Year in Review - Every day, people discuss the topics and stories that are important to them on Facebook. Today we’re taking a look back at the moments, places and people that moved us in 2014. Facebook

Bing: Content Quality Is A Primary Ranking Factor Made Up Of Authority, Utility & Presentation - Michael Basilyan, Senior Program Manager from the Bing Content Quality Team, shared a nice set of details on the Bing blog about how Bing’s algorithms determine what makes for content quality. Search Engine Land

Facebook Offers New Buying, Video & Targeting Options For Mobile App Ads - Advertisers can now optimize for reach and frequency, target Amazon Fire users and use autoplay video in app install and awareness advertising. Marketing Land

Instagram Tops 300M Users, Adds Verified Badges, Goes After Spammy Accounts - Filter this: Instagram topped the 300 million user mark, co-founder and CEO Kevin Systrom revealed in a blog post, in which he also announced that the Facebook-owned photo- and video-sharing network was adding verified badges for celebrities, athletes and brands, as well as deactivating spammy accounts. AllFacebook

From our Online Marketing Community:

In reply to 25 Women Who Rock Social Media – 2014, Doug Sandler commented, “Congrats ladies, amazing accomplishment. Well deserved. You all deserve the spotlight, hard earned and well done!”

SEOcopy  said, “Excellent Top Rank. These women ( a few I follow, admire and see on a daily basis via my social footprint) are very deserving of this wonderful accolade. Bravo!!”

Abigail Harrison mentioned, “Thank you so much Lee for nominating me! And I am honored to have made it on this list with all these amazing women!”

And Lynette Young added, “Wooooooooow. **THANK YOU** What smart and inspiring people! Thanks to Marcy Massura for throwing my hat in the ring, I only hope to continue the work in 2015! (I’ll be keeping my eye out for MY nomination for 2016!!)”

What were the top online and digital marketing news stories for you this week?

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

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