Furniture designers for self-design: review of the best software

No furniture production can do without construction and design systems for 3D modeling. With them, you can create unique designer furniture with just a click! In addition, many programs also allow interior planning to create a complete picture of how the product will fit into the overall design of the room. Also, software solutions for creating furniture are necessary for working with the customer, because a person always wants to see what he is paying for.

Let's look at the most popular programs from this segment.

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 Cutting, updated Databases for 2022 and 2022, 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.

Volume

A full-featured program for furniture design, “Volumnik” offers design based on the parametric principle. An extensive library contains a set of standard elements with variable dimensional and design parameters. In addition, the designer can independently create and add new elements to the database, and form his own database from developed projects.

Graphic capabilities are supported by a convenient calculation part and spectacular 3D visualization. The program allows you not only to design furniture, but also to carry out interior planning, as well as calculate cutting technology. This is an indispensable tool for designers and technologists, sales managers and management of furniture companies. The official version is distributed free of charge, and for all major operating systems: Windows, MAC OS X and Linux.

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

Visualization differences

CAD systems for designing cabinet furniture have three basic display modes. The first - wireframe view - is inherent in all programs; in this mode, only the edges and vertices of parts are displayed. Modeling furniture components, seeing only their frame, is quite quick, but with a large number of parts, a clutter of lines causes confusion.

Then the translucent display mode comes into play, which shows completely or partially lines that are not visible from the current angle. The mode is good for composing small composite objects into even larger ones and relative positioning.

Translucent mode in PRO100

The third mode, inherent in almost all CAD systems, is the overlay of colors and simplified textures for a visual assessment of the success of the layout, the relationships of colors, sizes and shapes. But here, too, there are nuances: in programs with the simplest visualization, for example, PRO100, there is no possibility of applying textures and colors to individual edges of parts. Therefore, displaying contrasting edges is not possible unless you create the edge as a separate object with its own texture.

Texture overlay in the BAZIS-Furniture Maker program

The creators of KitchenDraw went further and added rendering capabilities. By and large, no CAD software for cabinet furniture will provide such display quality, except perhaps non-specialized CAD programs. But is such an opportunity justified at an hourly cost of the program of $2-3 or a subscription for a year for more than $500? However, KitchenDraw gives you 20 free hours, which is enough to familiarize yourself with the program and create a couple of trial projects.

Visualization in KitchenDraw

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.

Woody software

This product is ideal for those who are just starting to learn how to make cabinet furniture. Woody can be used by ordinary users who want to design furniture for their home themselves.

Benefits of the program:

• A friendly interface that allows you to learn the basics of the Woody program in a short time;
• Creating a bill of materials automatically. The specification will contain all the necessary dimensions, part numbers and even their approximate cost;
• An extensive library of materials used, in which you can find products from the most popular brands.
  Interface of the Woody program for furniture development The functionality of the Woody program allows you to take standard parts as a basis and change their parameters to suit specific conditions;
• The presence of three-dimensional visualization allows Woody to successfully compete with many similar products;
• The Woody program allows you to create a whole range of drawings that can be useful in production, from assembly drawings to individual drawings with all dimensions and mounting marks.

The main disadvantage of Woody is the lack of online technical support for developers. Even the most current version of the program already conflicts with newly released operating systems, which makes its own adjustments during use and scares off many users.

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.

Woodwork for Inventor

Shareware

Woodwork for Inventor is a professional program (more like a virtual carpentry studio) designed for use by equally professional carpenters.

Here are just some of the features and capabilities of Woodwork for Inventor:

• A variety of tools that allow you to create complex furniture designs from scratch. Users can work simultaneously with 2D sketches and 3D models, automatically creating bills of materials for their work projects.
• A wide selection of materials, decorations, fittings, surface textures, multilayer boards for creating composite parts. Here you can even choose the material with which the future sofa, armchair, or just sitting by the chair will be stuffed.
• Import of a binary file with a task for a CNC machine, which indicates the possibility of using the program in the work of furniture manufacturing companies. When creating a design, by the way, you can use a tool to automatically take into account the cutting, boring and turning attributes of the machine.

Woodwork for Inventor is available for free trial use for 45 days without functional limitations. After this time, some functions will no longer be available.

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.

Online services

Bplanner

The Bplanner online application is often integrated into the websites of cabinet furniture stores. But you can also use it on the official website. There are software versions for creating cabinets and kitchens, and there is a VR version for viewing the interior in virtual reality.

The service is Russian-language and easy to understand. No special knowledge is needed - the user only enters the dimensions, moves the doors and shelves.

The application is free for the user, but for a site owner who wants to embed it, it will cost from 1,900 rubles per month.

Functions and capabilities:

• adjusting dimensions, materials, filling of cabinets, kitchen units;
• working with a project in 2D and 3D;
• mobile app;
• VR support;
• personal settings when installing on the site.

Pax3d

A non-standard service developed by IKEA. This is a full-fledged cabinet designer. The program only works with parts produced by the Swedish corporation.

The Pax3d application with a Russian interface is free, understandable even for those who do not understand furniture. The user simply drags ready-made elements into the three-dimensional interior of the room and arranges them together. You can then save or print the resulting cabinet.

Functions and capabilities:

• a rich library of structural elements from IKEA;
• interior customization;
• choice of material;
• built-in hints;
• saving a project using code on the site.

Prodboard

Prodboard is a simple designer of cabinets and kitchen sets. Not suitable for professionals, but will appeal to ordinary users who are choosing a cabinet and trying to understand how it will look in the interior. The settings are only basic; you cannot flexibly change the geometry of the cabinet furniture.

The application does not have a Russian interface, but is completely free.

Functions and capabilities:

• built-in library of standard structural elements;
• dimensions editor;
• interior customization;
• saving, printing the result.

Calculation of the wardrobe

This online service takes a different approach from all previous ones. There is no need to move or drag elements - just enter the numbers in the required fields. The program will draw a wardrobe and perform the required calculations.

The main task of the service is to calculate how much materials will be needed for the cabinet model of interest. This online tool does not work with other home furnishings.

Functions and capabilities:

• drawing up drawings;
• calculation of the required area of ​​material;
• counting the number of holes for the drawing.

Many applications have been developed for designing furniture for any purpose and need. If you want to make a cabinet or table yourself, use one of the online resources. For use in an industrial enterprise, it is better to purchase a professional downloadable application.

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

CAD Pro Furniture Design Software

Free program

CAD Pro Furniture Design Software is quite a powerful furniture design program, especially considering that it is distributed free of charge.

CAD Pro Furniture Design Software focuses exclusively on furniture design, providing users with professional tools to create both simple and complex furniture models. There are also modules for visualization and documentation (creating drawings, drawing up estimates, etc.) of models. Features of this program include:

• Availability of tools for designing furniture using dovetail joints, industrial metal cabinets, living room furniture, kitchen furniture, etc., for commercial properties. This is just a small part of the examples.
• An extensive, expandable library of furniture fittings, components/components, all kinds of decorations and textured coating options for surfaces.
• Availability of a sound recording module for the ability to create voice notes on the project. The notes themselves (elements for playing sound recordings) can be placed in any part of the work area.
• The ability to share finished projects and download them directly from the program.

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.

Design challenges and complexity assessment

Designing cabinet furniture is a rather meticulous task, requiring attention to both the global concept and many small details.
Unlike drawing on paper, CAD tools give you control over all created objects, even those that are hidden from view by other details. The main design task, which consists in the spatial arrangement of cabinet furniture parts and the arrangement of their larger groups, is solved by almost any furniture program. The three-dimensional visualization function allows you to freely manipulate objects, move them in space and view them from any advantageous angle.

KitchenDraw

But the specifics of working specifically with furniture components are not implemented in any software. The PRO100 program, for example, despite its simplicity, speed and good visualization system, does not see any functional difference between a body part or a door handle. In the context of PRO100 or bCAD, any object has a shape, location, color or texture, but its purpose is modestly kept silent.

bCAD

This slows down work on large projects. For example, in the BAZIS complex the processes of arranging fittings are automated; the program can automatically generate sets of hinges, handles or extension systems and place them in accordance with the installation rules, simultaneously generating a marking diagram for drilling. And this is only one module of the program called “Furniture Maker”, designed for modeling, and there are half a dozen other parts of the complex - for cutting sheets, organizing storage, production and sale of furniture.

"BASIS-Furniture"

It is the ability to work with specific furniture design tasks, and not just put boards into a general structure, that distinguishes specialized software from amateur software. The PRO100 program costs about $1000 fully equipped, and it has a demo version that is quite suitable for creating your own amateur projects. The BAZIS complex is the main competitor of PRO100 on the Russian market: it costs half as much, has twice as many capabilities, but the visualization system is lame.

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.

Libraries

There is perhaps no more valuable factor than the vastness and content of the component libraries for the program being used. Most furniture showrooms usually work from a very impressive catalog of furniture products and sets, only adjusting their sizes to the customer’s premises. Who is stopping you from doing the same?

Even the simplest PRO100 program enjoys unprecedented success among furniture makers, largely due to the most extensive library with the ability to freely import third-party projects made by other craftsmen. All you have to do is add some technical details, adjust the location of shelves and drawers, color - and the finished detailing will be in your hands in 30-40 minutes of work.

PRO100 Library

Libraries can include both ready-made sets and even entire interior concepts, as well as individual furniture sections. Additionally, any library includes samples of paint and texture palettes in accordance with generally accepted standardization, so questions about the correct color selection when ordering cutting usually do not arise.

The content of the library directly depends on the size of the user community, the largest among them: PRO100, BAZIS, Astra and WOODY.

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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Stolline 3D

Stolline 3D is a utility for designing rooms in virtual space. Using the program, users can create any room in an apartment or house: bedroom, living room, kitchen, bathroom. It is possible to create photographs of developed projects and the ability to change the viewing angle of a three-dimensional model of the room.

The application is fully compatible with the Windows operating system (32/64 bit) and is translated into Russian. The distribution model of the Stolline 3D utility is free.

At the initial stage of working with the program, you need to create a new project. To do this, use the “New Project” function, which is located on the top toolbar.

On the right side of the interface there is a “Catalogue” section. Furniture is located here by category. When creating a kitchen, you will need the “Kitchen Systems” category. Objects of various styles are available here: quadro, emilia, nika, isabella.

After selecting the desired element, you should move the object to the 3D model of the room on the left side of the interface. Users can install the furniture in any part of the kitchen: the center, against the wall.

The next section of the Stolline 3D program is “Design”. Household appliances for the kitchen are located here: hoods, stoves, washing machines, dishwashers, microwave ovens.

The selected element must be moved to the left window, where the 3D model of the kitchen is located. When you right-click on any object, the element editing menu will open. Here users can change the size, tilt angle, and orientation in space.

To create a more detailed kitchen interior design, you can change the viewing angle and the type of display of the room. There are three views available: from inside, from above and isometric view.

Upon completion of the kitchen creation process, you need to save the resulting design project to your computer.

Advantages:

• free distribution model;
• large library of indoor furniture;
• the ability to change the camera view and viewing angle;
• tools for creating photographs of a design project.

Flaws:

There is no function for painting walls.

Programs for 3D modeling

The need to visualize the working scene is mainly needed for the presentation of furniture and the development of catalogs. When designing furniture yourself, this fades into the background, although it can serve as a useful addition. The design process optimally takes place in programs like PRO100, KitchenDraw or WOODY - one of the few free, but somewhat outdated programs today. They have a function for quickly switching the displayed view, from a black and white sketch to a three-dimensional scene with its own light sources.

Three-dimensional model in WOODY 2.0

In the “BASIS” complex, for example, everything is not so rosy: the main work is carried out in the “Furniture Maker” module, and the construction of a visual concept, playing with colors, shadows and textures is moved to the “Salon” module, which is purchased separately. It cannot be argued that the possibility of visual assessment makes designing fun, but in professional activities it is rather a distraction.

"Basis-Salon"

Despite the availability of graphical tools, almost all work is carried out using parameterization methods. An object on the screen is just a display; it has a number of properties and features that are set manually through a parametric window. True, in a purely visual mode, you can quickly sort through the existing library of furniture, select the samples you like, quickly change the size and proportions (stretch, compress) of each individual product and make a global arrangement, and only then move on to working on the details.