- A virtual house is one that is constructed entirely on the computer without any physical materials. Construction may be as simple as choosing options from a menu or as complex as putting together three-dimensional shapes.
- Designing a virtual home lets you experiment with different layouts, materials and textures without spending a dime. You can share your plans with family, friends and construction professionals and change options based on their input.
- Start simply with a free, three-dimensional chat site like Moove.com where you can build an online room and add furniture. You can then explore your creation with an avatar and invite friends.
- For practice in constructing an entire structure using three-dimensional shapes, visit SecondLife.com, which requires a paid subscription to make your home permanent.
- To create realistic, virtual homes that you can later transform to real-life constructions, use commercial software like Punch Home Design Suite, which is linked under Resources. This program offers the most options under an easy-to-use interface.
