Nov 21, 2018 - Learn about home decorating and design software that you can use to design. But if you're planning a remodel or major redesign, it's a good idea to have. Design and decorate your dream home with tools for interior home.

Many home decorating projects can be done without much advance planning, like changing the paint color in your living room or reupholstering a piece of furniture. If you want to make a significant change, such as remodeling your kitchen or knocking down some walls, you shouldn’t start until you have a floor plan drawn up.

Using Your Computer to Plan a Remodel

License key smart driver updater. For decades, architects and engineers have been taking advantage of computer-aided design (CAD) for drafting and planning beautiful homes. For the non-professional, though, CAD programs often seem too technical and difficult to learn.

Fortunately, now it's a lot easier to decorate a room online. There's a wide variety of easy-to-use home design and decorating software and online room planners to choose from. These programs and online tools make it fun to plan your home’s design. Plus, you can do it all without having to move a single piece of furniture.

No software program is perfect for every project, and some are more user-friendly than others, so it’s a good idea to spend some time looking at the various options. You may find that one program is just right for helping you measure and layout big furniture items. Another may be better for your kitchen project because it has a greater variety of cabinet choices. Whatever online decorating programs you use, you will likely find that they are an efficient tool for planning and designing your space.

If you don't want to purchase design software, try some of the free online programs. They're fun to use and accomplish many of the same things the more powerful programs do. Design novices and those looking to do simple projects can definitely benefit from them.

Free Interior Design Software

• Design Workshop Lite: This is a free download suitable for 'simple home design projects.' If you want more, you can purchase expanded versions of the software on CD-Rom.
• My House: Download a free demo of My House software.

Learn the basics of home decorating, including design principles, decorating styles, and answers to decorating challenge.

Interior Design Compared With Interior Decorating

Interior design and interior decorating are often mistaken for being the same thing, but the terms are not completely interchangeable. Interior design is a profession that requires specific schooling and formal training, including space planning, furniture design, and architecture. An interior decorator does not have that formal training and focuses on the aesthetics and the surface appearance of a space. Who you would hire depends on whether you have any structural work or space planning to be done or you need someone to plan the decor only.

Elements of Decor

Your first step should be to select a style for your home interior. This will promote the design principle of unity and harmony, thinking of the entire home with a unifying theme. It can be as simple as choosing casual instead of formal, traditional instead of contemporary. From there, you can refine it to a more specific style, such as French country, Tuscan, modern Victorian, or shabby chic.

Balance is another principle—distributing the visual weight in a room. You can do it symmetrically, as is common in traditional interiors, or with asymmetrical balance as seen in casual interiors.

Within each room, there should be a focal point. In a living room, it could be the fireplace or a piece of art. It sets itself apart by scale, color, or texture.

Contrast and variety add visual interest to a room. Keep rhythm in mind with repeating elements of the same color, texture, or pattern, and a progression of sizes or colors.

Color

Choosing a color palette is an essential part of interior design. While you could have a different style and color scheme in each room, often you will want to tie the whole dwelling together. You'll want to consider the right colors for a small room, as well as the right colors and patterns for a large room.

Patterns

Mixing patterns in home decor is one of the more advanced parts of interior design. Patterns don't have to match, but they need to complement and coordinate with each other. This is done by considering color, size, and scale.

Tips to Get Started With Your Decor

Decorating dos and don'ts can be fun to browse so you avoid common mistakes for each room and get started down the right path.

Now you are ready to concentrate on the room or rooms you need to decorate. From the entry to the family room to the home office, you'll find decorating help for every room in your home. Explore the basics of setting up a room and the finishing touches to make your space a reflection of your personality and good taste.

Furnishings are a key part of decorating, but they can also be an investment and a large part of the budget. You need to know which items you should save or splurge on.