How to Make Floor Plans Online

Anyone looking to design floor plans can find several interactive programs online.

Gone are the days when floor plans had to be drawn by hand by a architectural engineer. Now anyone looking to design floor plans can find several interactive programs online that allow for the creation of highly customizable plans using simple drag-and-drop interfaces. There are several websites that allow users to make floor plans online, including Floor Planner, Autodesk Homestyler, and MyDeco.

Instructions

Floor Planner

1. Go to a floor planner website and sign up. The application will start automatically.

2. Save the new design in order to name it, then add any desired profile information by clicking on the titles next to the smiling avatar.

3. Start with the "Construction" task bar. Each button adds different components to the floor plan. Each brush works with a mouse click or mouse drag.

4. Add details with the "Library" task bar. Click the arrow next to the "Category" box and select a type of object. Then scroll down in the box below. Select the desired object. As with the "Construction" brushes, these work with a click or drag.

5. Switch to and from 3D mode to better visualize the future house.

Autodesk Homestyler

1. Go to the Homestyler website and click the "Get Started Now" button on the middle righthand side. Homestyler works much like FloorPlanner with click-and-drag controls.

2. Click on the "Brands" tab in the righthand menu. When adding objects to the plan, specify brands that the local home improvement store carries on this list

3. Click the "Build" tab and choose basic structure objects. Left-click the blueprint where the object should start, then drag to the end of that boundary. Click to start a new boundary, or press the "Escape" key to end with that boundary.

4. Use the "Furnish and Decorative" options by clicking through the categories until an object appears. Click and hold the mouse cursor on the object, then drag it onto the map. Adjust it by clicking and dragging it again.

5. Use the "Landscapes" tab like the "Build" tab. Click and drag each boundary.

6. Toggle 3D mode by clicking on the "View in 3D" button at the top-right corner of the blueprint window.

MyDeco

1. Go to the Mydeco website and on the middle lefthand menu click "Design a 3D Room". Choose between starting from scratch or using one of the templates.

2. Use the "Build" menu by clicking and dragging a room, door, or window shape into the blueprint, then adjusting the size and shape with clicks and drags.

3. Work the "Furnish" and "Decorate" objects in the same way, by clicking and dragging. "Customize the Furniture" with the "Dimension" and "Color" tabs above the object window and below the "Search" box.

References

• Floor Planner
• Homestyler
• MyDeco: Interior Design