How to design your home or office space

Whether you’re moving to a new office or trucking in a new load of furniture, figuring out your new arrangements ahead of time can spare you headaches and backaches. Sweet Home 3D is a great free, Java-based tool that lets you easily set up your space and furnishings, rearrange them quickly and easily, then get a 3D view to check that it all works out before you lift a finger. Here’s how to use it:

1. Download and install Sweet Home 3D. 
2. To create your first room, just click anywhere for the first corner, then move the cursor to the next corner (the guide will tell you the length of the wall and angle, if any), then again for each additional corner. Double-click on the last corner and your room is ready for furnishings.
   Step 2: Create room (click to enlarge).

   (Credit: Rob Lightner)

3. Add doors and windows by clicking the folder with that name near the top left and dragging whatever you’ve got over to your room. It’s easy to change dimensions and rotate, if need be, by clicking on the rotate or resize icons next to the object.
   Step 3: Add door.

   (Credit: Rob Lightner)

4. Add furniture the same way, drawing from the various folders on the left. The icons surrounding each object are all you need to move, rotate, and resize.
5. Select “3D view,” then “Virtual Visit” to get a first-person look at your new room. The controls for moving around take a little getting used to, but they’re not so hard to navigate.
   Step 5: View in 3D.

   (Credit: Rob Lightner)

6. When it looks good, you can save, print, create a PDF, or save to SVG format (used for easy sharing online).
7. If you want to get extra-fancy, the Sweet Home 3D Web site includes links to additional objects and surface textures.

There’s much more to explore, but that’s all you need to know to take care of basic interior design.