It is getting a bit harder to sell an interior design concept these days simply because the average client requires a much more graphic representation of whatever idea an interior designer is selling them.
Gone are the days when designers tediously sketched out floor plans and elevations, all in an effort to get their creations understood.
From space planning to floor plans, elevations, sections, working drawings, renderings, and perspectives, it was an arduous task trying to make most clients understand the vertical and horizontal lines, symbols and annotations that always came with hand-sketched drawings.
While some may pretend to understand the drawings coupled with interior designers’ jargon, most didn’t have a clue as to how it all fits together. Because of this, mood boards had to be put together in a manner that helped the clients understand what to expect.
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| Interior Design Layout Generated with Design Software |
9 Reasons a Designer Needs to be Software Savvy
1. Moving with the times is a good indication of professionalism. Clients will prefer to work with interior designers that will satisfy their visual needs and if you can provide them with picture-perfect details of your creations, they believe they are working with a professional. Professionalism! Separates you from the mediocre.
2. The most brilliant way to convey your ideas to clients and craftsmen is through visual representations. From space plan and structure to colour finish and choice of appliances, your precise drawings and images can only be generated with CAD software
3. The time it takes to complete a design project is cut considerably, and you can achieve results in a matter of hours when you let technology work for you. Not like the days of old when it took a few weeks to come up with a final workable plan.
4. Clients love to see images, especially when they are photo-realistic. Design a living room with all furniture, furnishings, and lighting using interior design software, generate your drawings in both 2D and 3D, and watch your clients’ jaws drop. They can almost ‘walk’ into the image and sit on the sofa!
5. When you work with interior design software, the resources you require are cut to the barest minimum. No need for a draftsman, a drafting table, T-square, templates, rolls (or pads) of paper, etc... These are now archaic tools. All you need is a laptop, design software in CD or downloadable form, and a small desk and chair. And best of all, you can work solo!
6. You can work with clients from all over the world if you work with software programs that are created for interior designers. It’s the only way to send visual representations to clients, wherever they may be. You can work with each other online, create virtual designs you can walk your client through, and even go a step further by helping them choose furniture and furnishes they can purchase for themselves from vendors you recommend.
7. Software generated pictures and images tell your story in an instant. You’ll find you won’t need any long-winded and sometimes tiring explanation; neither will you have to convince your client that the 1m by 1.5m area rug is the best fit for the living area. Your software-generated image will say it all.
8. For instance, if your client prefers a built-in wardrobe system in the master bedroom to a standalone unit, corrections can be done in one minute, at a click of a button. No need for an ink eraser, no going back and forth to re-design and then re-present, which can add on a couple of days. No time-wasting.
9. Interior design software is such a joy to use once you master the basics. And it’s not that hard to master. Many designers will gladly ‘burn the midnight oil’, working on a project, simply because working with a design program is fun to use. Imagine drawing from scratch to producing 3D photo-realistic images in just a few hours. Doesn’t that sound exciting?
What’s the Best Interior Design Software to Use?
Many interior designers can’t decide on the best program to use and that’s understandable because there are more than a few out there in the market.
However, it is up to you to decide what’ll work best for you, the kind that best fits your work habits and brand.
Do you want a basic simple design software or one that’s more advanced with a ton of features?
Some programs are more sophisticated than others and may require you attend online courses or hire a tutor to understand its principles. But then there are other programs that are very easy to learn by yourself.
But whatever you decide, you must ensure you chose an interior design software that successfully integrates 2D and 3D designs, is highly intuitive, and very versatile.
- Software for Interior Designers
- Recommended software programs (depending on your level - basic, intermediate, or expert), depending on the scope of works required for your interior design presentations:
Further Reading:
Important Business Tools for Professional Interior Designers
