How to Virtually Design a Room

If you're planning to renovate or decorate rooms in your home, there is no better way to experiment with layouts than to create virtual rooms in a website. Websites such as "Better Homes and Gardens" Arrange-a-Room allow you to create your own virtual rooms using drag-and-drop tools. Customize the look of your virtual rooms with different types of furniture, lighting and accessories. Read on to learn how to create virtual rooms in a website.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring Tape
• Computer
• Internet
• Creativity

Instructions

1. Visit the "Better Homes and Gardens" Arrange-a-Room website (see References below). Click on "New Room." Enter the dimensions of your room in the fields provided. You may want to take a quick measurement of an existing room in your house that you're decorating, or you can make up your own dimensions.

2. Change the shape of your virtual room by clicking on the "Architecture" menu. The menu also allows you to insert walls, radiators, plumbing, electrical components and windows. Use the mouse to drag and drop walls. To change the size of a wall, click the "Info" icon next to the wall and enter the desired dimensions.

3. Click on the "Furniture" menu to add your choice of furniture. Choose from office, bedroom, bathroom and kitchen furniture. Drag the furniture around the room using your mouse.

4. Accessorize your room. Click on "Accessories" under "Furniture," and choose from accessories such as grand pianos, floor lamps, rugs, trash cans and mirrors. Change the position of your accessories by clicking on the curved arrow icon.

5. Click the "Save" button to save your room design. Click on the text box to create a name for your room. You can also print your design. Click on "My Rooms" to access your previously saved virtual rooms.

Tips & Warnings

• When you save your virtual room, keep in mind that it will be stored onto your computer's hard drive and will not be accessible from other computers. The "Better Homes and Gardens" website also has an online garden planning program (see References below).