Interior Design School in a Box
by Wendy Croixwendy.croix@interiordesignschoolreview.com
Interior Design School Review Columnist
Whether you want to preview an interior design education, or plan a remodel of your home, or perhaps just to visualize your latest interior decorating project, Better Homes and Gardens has software that will help you do just that. Popular with reviewers and users alike, the Better Homes and Gardens Interior Designer by Chief Architect sells for about $50 on CD-ROM (for Windows systems).
No Interior Design Experience Necessary
With point-and-click technology, you don't have to be a whiz at CAD to design an interior with this software. Want to exchange your earth tones for cool blues? Just click and see the difference. The interface is so intuitive that you'll concentrate on your redecorating or remodeling project, not your mouse. Templates can jumpstart an interior design, giving you a quick and easy visual education in interior spaces.3-D Design Creates a Virtual Interior
Imagine being able to put together an interior decorating project or interior design and then "walk though" the room you've created. The software's translucent Glass House View lets you see the interior and exterior of your home design simultaneously. The 3-D Doll House View takes the roof off your project so that you can see room size, furniture arrangement, and traffic flow at a glance. You can even create realistic shadows in your design to show you how the sun will light your interiors.Be Your Own Interior Decorating Project Manager
Don't stop with choosing sensuous fabrics and carpets and wall coverings. Don't even stop with arranging and rearranging interior walls. Use the project management features to construct cost estimates for your design projects for an education in the economics of designing interiors. With more than 30 training videos, 500 sample plans, and thousands of design items in its library, the Better Homes and Gardens Interior Designer truly is a design school in a box. Whet your appetite for design in your virtual school, and you just might want to go on to the real thing.About the Author
Wendy Croix, Ph.D., is a freelance writer, cultural critic, and university professor. In her 20 years as a professional educator, Wendy has guided hundreds of students toward the careers of their dreams.
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