Review of popular furniture designers, pros and cons of programs

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Modern furniture is represented by expensive and specific interior items. Often people simply cannot find suitable designs that would fit well into the overall style of the room or suit the tastes of their household. Therefore, it is often necessary to design furniture, as well as create it yourself. The formation of individual projects, on the basis of which a certain piece of furniture is assembled, allows each person to become the owner of a unique and original element.

VOLUMENIK

Volume is a full-featured software solution for furniture design and interior design development, created and actively used in existing production. Work with furniture in this program is carried out according to a parametric model. This means that every single element in the internal library, whether added manually or designed from scratch, can be easily edited using standard tools. The position in space, angles, dimensional, design and many other parameters can be changed here.

This designer is primarily aimed at companies and enterprises that manufacture and sell furniture. The Volume Manager can be used by sales floor managers, designers, constructors, and managers - for each there is appropriate functionality and a set of specialized tools necessary for work. In the program you can easily create databases and store your own projects in them, calculate costs and cut sheet materials. You can view the finished project not only in schematic form, but also in realistic 3D. The last option is exactly what every client wants to see.

The volumetric unit consists of several modules that are installed on the computer along with the mother design program. These include the Graphic Editor (the main working component), Volume Opening, updated Databases for 2021 and 2021, as well as an extensive help system and user manual. Speaking about built-in databases, it should be noted that the program initially contains ready-made models of kitchens, cabinets, doors, windows, tables, chairs, household appliances, and many other furniture and interior elements. Among other things, it is possible to create your own scripts. Those who are just starting to master this software can download and use template scripts for their projects, which are abundantly presented on the official website.

What to consider when designing

There are several nuances that are important to consider when drawing up a drawing:

1. The width of the drawers should be less than that of swing doors - otherwise they will get stuck and will be difficult to pull out.
2. The number of compartments depends on the number of doors: one for three doors, two for four. This ensures accessibility of all storage areas.
3. Not all areas are suitable for placing boxes - some are called "dead". These include, for example, the edges of doors.
4. The need for additional supports for shelves longer than 50 cm.
5. Sliding structures must have stoppers to prevent the doors from opening or closing on their own.
6. It is advisable to make the doors the same width so that the opening opens as much as possible.

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Before taking measurements, you should make a sketch of the room, showing on it all the protruding elements (pipes, window sills, any others), as well as the location of sockets, openings, switches. You need to find out the following parameters:

• room dimensions - width, height, length;
• distance from the floor to the window sill, from the corner to the beginning of the window, parameters of window openings;
• the width and height of doorways, the distance from them to the corner;
• diameter of communication pipes, distance to them from the wall, from the corner;
• height from the floor to sockets, switches;
• the width and height of all protruding elements;
• in the kitchen - location of sewerage, drainage, dimensions of built-in household appliances.

Measurements are taken only after all finishing work has been completed.

Drawer width

Number of compartments

Room dimensions

Height from floor to sockets, switches

Dimensions of built-in household appliances

SketchUP

SketchUp is one of the simplest and most intuitive systems for 3D modeling. It is presented in two versions – paid and free. Of course, the paid version offers many more possibilities, but even in the free version you can create many, many interesting projects. SketchUp allows you to create models using simple tools: lines, angles, arcs, geometric shapes. With their help, you can manually draw any interior detail. But if you don’t want to draw, you can also download and upload ready-made models from the official website or the Internet.

In addition to simple tools, this program also has a number of its own features. For example, the Push/Pull tool allows you to build walls simply by dragging lines. In SketchUp, you can go into inspection mode and examine your model, as if playing for a person. This allows you to examine the object from all angles and compare dimensions. And another interesting feature is importing terrain from maps and exporting models to a map. This opportunity is provided to you by Google Earth.

Video tutorial on working in SketchUp

PRO100

PRO100 is a popular 3D modeling program that is distinguished by its simplicity and professional solutions. With its help, you can create high-quality projects and sketches in the shortest possible time. You can make changes directly in the presence of the customer, as it will take very little time.

Video tutorial on working in PRO100

PRO100 has a standard library with a large number of objects and materials, but in case that is not enough for you, you can create your own materials from a photograph or draw. You can create new furniture from existing elements or by downloading additional libraries from the Internet.

One of the features of this product is that it keeps track of the materials spent, so at the end of the project, you can generate a report that will indicate all the costs. Unfortunately, this is only available in the full paid version.

Also, here you will find many modes that will help you display your project in the most successful way. You can choose one of seven projections that will show the model from different sides and from different angles. And also select drawing mode, photorealism, shadows, transparency and others.

Stages of work

Furniture design is a long process consisting of several stages. In some cases, you can handle it yourself, but to implement complex steps, it is better to turn to professionals. The final result must take into account many details - from dimensions and materials to filling, external design, fastening and front fittings.

Preliminary

Even before making calculations, you need to provide an approximate result:

• choose what furniture will be placed in the room, where exactly;
• carry out all necessary measurements;
• starting from them, think over the dimensions of each element of furniture;
• decide on the content, colors, style, materials, and other design features;
• consolidate all received data into a single document.

At the preliminary stage, it is convenient to rely on general design rules. For example, narrow tall cabinets look good in a small room, light colors visually expand the space, and dark furniture adds intimacy to a spacious room.

Determine the type of furniture and its location

Make the necessary measurements

Consider the dimensions of each element

Decide on the content and design, combine it into a single document

Creating a Sketch

At this stage, basic calculations are carried out and all structural elements are drawn. The more accurately everything is done, the clearer the final visual representation of the project will be, the easier it will be to figure out whether it is feasible, successful, or requires improvement. Sketch drawings include:

• clarification of materials and colors approximately selected at the previous stage;
• planning design;
• accurate calculation of parameters;
• geometric design (3D).

It is better to invite a specialist to take measurements. A competent furniture designer will not only make accurate calculations, but will also tell you how to take into account the nuances of the room, while realizing all your ideas.

Specifying materials and colors

Layout design

Accurate calculation of parameters

Geometric design

Technical project

The final stage is carried out in one of the special programs, in which all the details of the project are indicated. With a computer designer, the risk of error is minimized, time and effort are saved. There are many such tools, some of which are used most often.

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If it is not possible to use the services of a specialist, you can master the program yourself - there are compressed courses or video tutorials for this.

Individual and standard furniture designs make it more likely to create a comfortable interior in which all items will perform their functions. They may be needed both when choosing products in a store, and when creating furniture with your own hands or to order. The main thing is to take into account all the nuances and take accurate measurements. As a rule, it is the latter that requires the help of a specialist; the rest - creating sketches, thinking through the color scheme, designing a visual presentation - you can handle on your own if you wish.

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Pro100

Woody

Astra furniture designer

T-flex furniture

KitchenDraw

KitchenDraw is a powerful professional 3D modeling system. It is mainly created for designing kitchens and bathrooms, as well as kitchen furniture. In the program you will find a large set of elementary objects with which you can create from scratch any element of the required size and design.

The special feature of this product is the high quality image. In KitchenDraw you'll find a Photo Realistic mode that turns your drawing into a vibrant photograph. Another interesting point. In KitchenDraw, you can inspect your model in Walking Mode. But you can also record your walk and create an animated video based on it for presenting the project.

Unfortunately, this tool is not distributed free of charge; moreover, you pay not for the program itself, but for an hour of using it, which is not very convenient.

Features of kitchen furniture design

The main thing you should pay attention to when creating a kitchen project is the proper location of the work area. Sink, hob, hood, refrigerator, dishwasher, built-in appliances - the design of kitchen furniture should include their most comfortable location. At the same time, you need to maintain a comfortable work surface and leave enough space for storing household utensils.

In fact, taking all this into account is not an easy task, but for a professional designer this problem is solvable, since the answer to many questions is found through experience.

When creating a sketch of your future kitchen, it is better to adhere to this plan:

• Mark the location of doors, windows, partitions and niches, if any;
• Make a list of household appliances that need to be built in or have a location provided (refrigerator, sink, dishwasher, hob, built-in or free-standing microwave oven, oven, freezer, washing machine and other appliances);
• In order to properly place everything, it is worth considering various kitchen layout options: straight, corner, island, U-shaped.
• Work through all the points described for all cabinet furniture.
• Consider the lighting, since one lamp in the center from any angle creates a shadow on the working surface from the silhouette of a person, which creates inconvenience, so it is better at the design stage to provide a suspended structure made of plasterboard or a suspended ceiling with spotlights, or LED strip lighting.

Astra Constructor Furniture

One of the most understandable systems for 3D modeling is Astra Constructor Furniture. This program is aimed at medium and small furniture manufacturing businesses. It has a certain set of tools sufficient for comfortable work. A simple and clear interface attracts users. In Astra Constructor you can create a product from scratch using elements of the standard library. You can completely select the fittings and fastenings yourself, as well as create free-form parts.

Also in this system you can edit any detail and this is a huge plus. Despite the fact that Astra Constructor performs almost all actions automatically, you can correct everything: the drawing, the shape of the door handle, the thickness of the shelf, corners and more. Not every program allows you to do this.

Stages of designing cabinet furniture

The first stage will be the so-called pre-stage stage, which should begin with measurements of your premises (for this it is better to call specialists). Before starting all measurements, the designer must find out the location, specific requirements for such a design, dimensions and materials that can be used in the manufacture of cabinet furniture for this particular room.

The process of designing any furniture should begin with this.

Sometimes clients imagine in their fantasies furniture and arrangements that cannot be created in real conditions. The designer must, without infringing on the customer’s wishes, offer something that will be available for implementation.

Original project of cabinet furniture for the kitchen

The furniture designer will have to record the overall dimensions of the room along with window and door openings. Additionally, you will need to measure the entire location of communications.

First of all, this will concern the design of kitchen furniture. The entire kitchen design will depend on how the household appliances are located. Therefore, photography is necessary.

Basis-Furniture Maker

Basis-Furniture-Constructor is a powerful modern system for 3D modeling. It contains 5 modules: Basis-Furniture Maker - main module, Basis-Closet, Basis-Cutting, Basis-Estimate, Basis-Packaging. Also on the official website you can download additional modules if the need arises. The peculiarity of Basis-Furniture Maker is that with the help of this system you can completely streamline the furniture production process. Each module is designed to perform tasks at different stages of production: from drawing to packaging. This is very convenient for large and medium-sized companies.

Here you will find all the necessary tools, as well as a wide variety of libraries: drawers, doors, fasteners, fittings, materials and others. You can also create your own libraries, but, unfortunately, this is only available in the full version.

Basis-Furniture Maker is a professional system and is quite difficult for an ordinary user to get used to. If you decide to start working with Basis-Furniture Maker, you should watch several training videos, otherwise it’s easy to get confused.

Lesson: How to create a furniture design using Basis-Furniture Maker

Basis-Closet

Basis-Closet is a module of the Basis-Furniture Maker system, which was mentioned above. It is used to design cabinet furniture, such as a wardrobe, cabinet, table, chest of drawers, doors, cabinets and others. Just like Basis-Furniture Maker, Basis-Closet is a paid program and only a demo version can be found on the official website. It contains a small set of elements for design, but it is quite enough for full-fledged work. Moreover, you can add your own components to the library.

The peculiarity of the program is that it works in semi-automatic mode. That is, while the user is working, Basis-Closet automatically makes calculations, arranges fasteners, adds shelves in the specified section... But all this can also be done manually. This is a great time saver, so creating a model in the Basis-Closet takes 5-10 minutes.

Cutting map

Furniture manufacturing begins with cutting out the main consumables. More often, cabinets, tables, and chests of drawers are made from chipboard or HDF. Let's say the sheet has standard dimensions 2750 x 1830 x 16 mm. To cut out the required parts, you need to draw up a cutting map. It provides schematic documentation indicating the elements that will be needed. Based on these drawings, the worker will cut out parts that correspond to the parameters of the future product. The remaining materials that need to be returned to the customer are also marked on the map.

The cutting map is a very important document and deserves a thorough study. The first sheet is called "Specification". Here is a list of elements. The product number is highlighted in a red circle at the very beginning of the table on the left. The word "Orientation" and three lines indicate the direction of the texture. On the cutting map it is predominantly horizontal. Four columns next to each other give an idea of ​​integrity, size, quantity and material. On the right is information about the square footage and percentages of residues, parts, waste and cut length.

An important indicator is the cut; it directly affects the cost of cutting. The tariff is determined by footage. The cutting distance in mm must be divided by 1000. To find the total footage of all sheets, it is necessary to sum up the parameters.

Sheets of material are produced with errors, so they have to be sawed off at the edges. The offset is usually 5–15 mm. This work should not be counted in the cutting footage; the contractor should be warned about this in order to avoid unnecessary expenses. To learn to understand the meaning of the symbols on the map itself, it is worth studying a specific example.

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Dimensional data is plotted in the center of the line. The number in column 1 indicates the part number on the sheet. As for the code: the first digit here indicates the product number, the second - the part. This data and the name of the material on the map are recorded in the lower right corner. The designation of the remainder is given by the word of the same name.

Example of cutting map

bCAD Furniture

bCAD Furniture is a powerful software package that contains everything necessary for furniture production. This is its peculiarity, since in other similar solutions additional modules must be purchased separately. Here everything is in one: drawings, cutting cards, estimates, 3D modeling, reports - these are tasks for which bCAD Furniture can be successfully used.

The program is easy to learn, and while working it will prompt you if you have any difficulties. Also bCAD works in semi-automatic mode. This means that this system does most of the routine work for you: arranging fasteners, creating drawings and cutting maps, adjusting dimensions... But at the same time, you can interfere with the work of the program and make your own adjustments. Powerful rendering tools allow you to create accurate drawings and photorealistic 3D images using OpenGL. Thanks to this, you can see and demonstrate the project to the customer in advance.

Main stages of design: deciding on the style of the room

It often happens that the design of a room during renovation is chosen in one style, but when selecting a set, when designing furniture, you like samples of a completely different plan. Therefore, it is very important to first decide what style the furniture will be in, and then choose materials for the walls, floors, and think over the design of the ceiling.

Modern furniture materials are simply replete with a variety of textures, styles and shades. Furniture in a classic style requires appropriate solutions in the design of the room.

The modern loft style will also not fit into a standard renovation; special finishing materials will be needed here.

Patchwork is also popular today, where it is most important to use tiles that match the style.

The latest materials: Spanish high gloss Alvic, Italian Cleaf, wood-style plastics, wooden facades - these are the ones that can create a special interior.

K3-Furniture

K3-Furniture is a powerful set of programs in Russian, with which you can fully automate production in small and large enterprises. Its peculiarity is that each module of the complex is customized for the enterprise that uses it.

The largest component of the system, K3-Mebel-PKM, is a module for the production of cabinet furniture that can be used independently. With its help, you can streamline the production process: from design to product sales.

The module also monitors the correctness of the model construction and automatically places fasteners, creates drawings and cutting maps.

Especially for small businesses, there is a K3-Furniture-AMBI module, which contains all the tools of the K3-Furniture complex, but with already selected settings for small businesses.

Here we consider only a small list of the most popular programs for 3D furniture modeling. We tried to select solutions for all categories: for enterprises, for designers, and for ordinary users who want to make repairs. We hope you will find something of your choice.

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Advantages and disadvantages

Design programs allow you to design interior items. Just a few clicks and the drawing is ready. Self-design has a number of advantages:

• furniture is easy to modify;
• no need to have special skills;
• users choose the design themselves;
• can be adjusted to any size;
• the result is immediately visible.

Another advantage is error-free design. But the plus is doubtful. If the program is of poor quality, then the drawing may contain a lot of errors. A furniture designer will help you implement projects for large and small apartments and place everything you need in “small-sized” apartments. Factory models do not always meet this requirement. However, the programs also have disadvantages:

• risk of error;
• some programs offer only standard projects;
• There may be differences in the metric system.

Designing cabinet furniture is a difficult task. A designer must have a number of knowledge and skills. The programs reduce all processes to a few clicks. Any shortcomings will only be noticeable during the process of assembling the furniture.

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