Interactive Kitchen Design

‎As a gathering place for family and friends, the kitchen can be a showcase for your home. This space not only needs to be efficient and functional, it should also be beautifully designed. Luckily, if you are planning a kitchen renovation or are getting ready to build your dream home, there are free and subscription online kitchen designing tools that can help you virtually design your kitchen.

If you need something even more in-depth for a major upcoming kitchen project, you may opt for kitchen designing software that you can download and use wherever you are, whether you have an Internet connection or not.

Online Kitchen Design Tools

If you've never used any kind of virtual designing software or interactive tools, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with some free online tools. This will also help you decide whether you need to spend money on software or a subscription.

Home Depot's Design Connect Kitchen Planner

Home Depot has one of the best free online interactive kitchen design tools on the Internet. With Design Connect Kitchen Planner, you can watch a video tutorial that shows you step by step how to use this free design tool.

First, create a free account to join Home Depot's online community, where you can explore and share design styles, layouts, furnishings and materials with the virtual kitchen designer.
Use the countertop calculator tool to measure your counters, select the color and material and create an estimate that includes delivery and installation.
Save your ideas and collaborate online with a Home Depot kitchen design expert.
When you are ready, schedule a free appointment with a design expert who can help you turn your plans into a new kitchen.

Ikea Kitchen Planner Tool

The free Kitchen Planner Tool from Ikea allows you to view a kitchen design before you buy it. Measurements of your current kitchen are entered first, and then you can drop in cabinets and fixtures into your layout. Different styles of cabinetry and doors can be sampled and viewed in three dimensions. The interactive kitchen design can be saved to your computer or the Ikea server in some locations, so that you can access it anywhere. The kitchen planner tool supplies you with a handy printable shopping list when you are all set to purchase.

Merillat 3D Kitchen Design Planner

Cabinet-maker Merillat's free of charge 3D Kitchen Design Planner is an online tool with options for novices to experts. The Design Wizard is for novice kitchen designers and will take you step by step through the process. The interactive kitchen designs can then be customized using the Advanced Designer tool. There are also pre-made professional templates that can be personalized. In order to save or print these 3D designs, you will need to register on the site for a free ideaFOLIO.

Autodesk Homestyler

Another free online kitchen design tool is the Autodesk Homestyler. With this program, you can create 2D and 3D kitchen designs using real world brands and products. Create your own floor plans by dragging and dropping elements such as doors, windows and furnishings. Explore the design gallery for inspiration and ideas and explore your options for color, size and finish of brand name appliances and hardware.

Plan3D Online Kitchen Design

The plan3D Kitchen Design Tool package is a low-cost online remodeling and design tool. This software can create three dimensional and realistic looking interactive kitchen designs. The plan3D tool also automatically generates blueprints complete with dimensions, elevations, and overhead views. Plans can be printed or exported out. A free 3D viewer allows others to walkthrough your design.

Plan3D contains a large library of scalable kitchen cabinetry, backsplashes, fixtures, and appliances with working doors. Other rooms can be designed with this software as well. Cost is $2.95 per month when you buy a year in advance (or pay $35.40 for a 12 month subscription). One month of access to plan3D is $15.95.

Kitchen Design Software Programs

If you would rather have kitchen design software that you can download into your computer and be able to use it any time, try one of these programs:

Interior Design Suite NexGen 3

This program is part of the Punch home design series. Interior Design Suite NexGen 3 has all the bells and whistles of a detailed interior design program which will allow you to create your own floorplan, experiment with color palettes, select materials for flooring, cabinets and countertops and even change lighting options for ambient light and shadows. This program is reasonably priced at about $40, with the option of downloading the program online or installing the program with the DVD.

HGTV Kitchen Design Software

With HGTV's Home and Landscape Platinum Suite 3, you get a risk-free, 90 day money back guarantee on this professional kitchen design software program that lets you import photos of your current kitchen or create a completely new design. Choose paint, fabrics, cabinet styles and finishes, flooring and appliances.There is also a version for Apple users. This program it is about the same cost as the Punch NexGen 3, around $40.

Why Pay for Kitchen Designing Software?

The free online kitchen design tools have come a long in the last few years. When you have the option of saving your work or collaborating with a design professional, you may not need to buy a subscription or purchase anything.

However, the disadvantages of an online design tool are that you need an Internet connection to access the tool. This could be problematic if you are on site where your new home is being built and you are unable to pull up your kichen design plans. The software programs may also have extra features that the online tools don't offer.

No matter what type of program you decide to use, these tools make the planning phase of a kitchen renovation or remodel easy, creative and fun.