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How to create digital floor plans

Looking for an easy way to see how your furniture will look in a different arrangement? How about what to do with an oddly shaped room? Check out the HomeStyler website to make a digital floor plan.

Nicole Cozma
Nicole Cozma has an affinity for Android apps and devices, but loves technology in general. Based out of the Tampa Bay Area, she enjoys being a spectator to both sunsets and lightning storms.
Nicole Cozma
2 min read

After several years, you may decide it's time to rearrange your home so it can feel like a new place. Depending on how large and heavy your furniture is, you don't want to start moving it around without a plan for where everything is going to end up. That's when a digital floor plan creator can help out. You can draw out the dimensions of your room and then add in the furniture pieces one by one, letting you see if the furniture works in another arrangement.

There are several virtual floor plan creators out there; this example will work with Autodesk HomeStyler.

Step 1: Head to the Autodesk HomeStyler website and click the Get Started Now button.

Step 2: Start designing by dragging the closest shape of the room to the middle of the page. You can click on a wall to split it in half, and keep doing that until you're able to make the shape of the room you need. You can also click and drag walls to make the space larger. Don't forget the interior walls section for adding in wall openings or half walls.

The 3D view of a floor plan created with HomeStyler. Nicole Cozma/CNET

Step 3: Click the small Home icon at the top left-hand area of the website, and choose windows. When designing a room, this step is important because you don't want to place tall furniture in front of windows, and it's nice to know the direction your sunlight will be coming from.

The 3D view of a floor plan created with HomeStyler. Nicole Cozma/CNET

Tip: You can view all of the items in your room in 2D and 3D by toggling the button on the top tool bar.

Step 4: Start adding furniture and decorations from their respective categories. This step is where you'll really be able to see how well your furniture and accent pieces fit into a room.

Tip: If you're going for a fully-designed room, you can also add in your electronics, paint the walls, pick the flooring, and even choose a countertop.

Step 5: Once you're finished putting all of the items into a room, you can save the floor plan by signing up for a free account. Having an account will also let you share the floor plan on social media, which is handy if you want to show friends and family.

As a bonus, the HomeStyler isn't just for indoor rooms, you can use it for designing outdoor spaces, too. There are several choices for plants, pavers, and even ponds. Which room will you be redesigning?