by Alden Smith
Modern software has made it very easy to design anything, from your kitchen cabinets by themselves or the entire room. On the market today are programs for anyone. Many of them are very sophisticated and require a steep learning curve, while others are meant to be easy for the user to accomplish their design. You can use anything from a sophisticated CAD program to software that many building and contractor site offer free of charge. Whatever you use, the software is the best thing to use to get a real picture of what your kitchen will look like.
What's Out There?
I begin searching for many different types of software that was both easy to use and not so expensive you would have to refinance your home. My first choice was SmartDraw, a program that was free to download with a 7 day trial. You can check out the program, and if it meets your needs, purchase online. The program is intuitive, allowing you to easily place and rotate doors, windows, wall and appliances. Countertops are easily move by simple transforms that you can "pull" with your mouse in any direction to form an exact replica of your kitchen. There is an appliance library with just about everything in it you could ever expect to see in a kitchen.
SmartDraw
SmartDraw is a decent design soft, but it has the feel of something developed for a contractor or builder. I found what I felt were unnecessary elements, such as a map feature. You have the ability to export your drawing to Word, Excel or Powerpoint. I also found it to be bit pricey, with a cost of $99 for a limited edition, which only shows floor plans. Buy it at SmartDraw.com.
DecoTech
Another sophisticated soft is from DecoTech, and uses 3D modeling as its platform. It gives all 3D views for you to perfectly design the ultimate kitchen. DecoTech is also pricey, and if you do not have a background in 3D modeling, or don't want to take the time to learn, then avoid this soft. It is a professional application, and would suit the needs of any designer. The site also features specific design tools, such as soft for designing cabinets DecoTech has trial versions that you can download and try to see if it meets your needs. As with any high tech software, be sure your computer meets the requirements to correctly run this soft.
Design Easy
DesignEasy is a free soft from designeasy.com. It comes as an Excel file, and is a very easy program to work with. Though no where as sophisticated as some of the higher end softs, it is a good program for people wishing to design their own kitchen with out laying out a good chunk of cash for software to do it with. You are able to add doors, windows, cupboards and appliances to any parameter you choose. Be prepared to work in the Metric system with this soft - it comes from the UK. Because it is free, a lot of the features that make this type of program good to use are not available, such as click and drag or rotating accouterments. It is a good program, however, to give you a good basic design structure.
Better Homes and Gardens
BH&G has a set of soft for every need. There are interactive CD's for every aspect of design. New builds, remodels and color schemes are readily available and easy to use. This soft also works in 3D modeling, so expect a learning curve. Here, you can layout walls, move around furniture and appliances, and change color schemes. There are libraries containing many styles and designs to please the most discriminating customer. BH&G has a complete list of softs for every need. Again, they are a bit pricey, and you must have working knowledge of 3D modeling to make it effective.
Ikea
This Swedish company has a very good program that is free to download that would be my choice in kitchen design soft. It runs in 3D, is interactive, and has a very friendly interface. Using 3D modeling, it allows you to resize and move "on the fly" and is the perfect soft for anyone that wants to plan a kitchen but doesn't want to pay a large price for software. Of all soft researched, I would recommend this the highest.
No matter what your plan for a new kitchen, being able to lay it out and view it in 3D software simplifies the process, and gives you an actual visual of what to expect. Yes, there is a learning curve. Considering the cost of remodeling a kitchen, it is a small price to pay. Check out these programs, and make your next remodel an easy one!
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