Graph Paper & Pencil or CAD?

Photo by Mark Fletcher Brown

Two ways to draw a basic floor plan

All you need to sketch a basic floor plan is graph paper and a pencil - two tools we all know how to use. It's the fastest and easiest way to begin a new interior design project.

Or, you can use a CAD (computer-aided drafting) tool. Free CAD programs with basic functions are available online. For more bells and whistles, you can purchase or subscribe to a more robust piece of software.

Because you have to learn how to use your new CAD program, it'll take you longer to get started. Will you spend more time learning to use a new computer program than you will spend designing your new room?

On the other hand, a CAD program gives you lots of flexibility. It's easy to make changes to your design and generate multiple versions of your plan. Plus you get access to fun tools like 3D modeling.

It's worth thinking about.