by Kerry Hansen

Interior Designers understand the client’s needs, lifestyle, and design style. They are architects for interiors, designing all aspects of additions and renovations in addition to creating a cohesive look through the fabric, furniture, and color selections. Is there something about your space that makes life difficult? Designers can bring functionality to an otherwise clumsy or problematic area of the home.

Deciding to update your interior is an exciting time! It can also be overwhelming. Finding the right interior designer is the key to enjoying the process and its outcome. Here are five tips for finding a designer perfect for you, your home, and your style.

As this year comes to a close, we can look forward to new industry trends for the coming year. Use Chief Architect Software and the catalog downloads to help these trends come to life in your design work!

By Danielle Schroeder

By Adrean Stephenson

Chief Academy has come and gone, and we are left with the notes from the information we shared. I was tasked with the opportunity to provide some thoughts on the rendering functions of Chief Architect and how to go about the process. I’ve condensed my PowerPoint slides and reformulated them for reference in this post. I hope you find some helpful pieces in your rendering journey!

This will be a high-level topic that explores a lot of moving parts. Follow the embedded links throughout to learn more about different topics.

by Phillip Gibney

Post frame construction is a building method in which a structure is framed using posts that are connected on the outside with 2 x 4 or 2 x 6 horizontal framing known as girts. The posts are typically placed in a concrete footing or can be connected to a steel fastener that is anchored into the concrete footing. Trusses are typically used to support the roof system. Once the framing is complete the structure can be finished for its intended purpose.

By Danielle Schroeder

Throughout the years, homes have become spaces with intelligent technology. Complete with thermostats that can be adjusted on a phone to virtual assistants making the grocery list, these innovations can be helpful with gadgets for nearly every room of a house.

by Kendra Dorosh

Each month we receive a great selection of renderings created by our users for the Chief Architect Design Contests. We’d like to share some ideas and suggestions for how you can craft a great design contest entry that Facebook voters respond positively to. These techniques can be applied when entering a Chief Architect Design Contest, or any other home design contest you might be considering. Let’s get started!

One of the best, and most obvious, aspects of a great design contest entry is a nice rendering. However, it’s also important to supplement the rendering with a well-written description along with your contact information; this is a perfect chance to show off your skills and share your story! We then recommend sharing the post on your own social media channels for the best exposure, we’ll get to this part in a bit.

By Phillip Gibney

Update January 10th, 2023: Chief Architect Interiors has been discontinued. All of the features in Chief Architect Interiors are available in Chief Architect Premier. The main differences between the two programs were that the Interiors version didn’t include features for framing, decks, outdoor living, terrain, and landscaping. If you have a legacy license of Chief Architect Interiors and are interested in upgrading to Chief Architect Premier, this blog article covers the features gained in Chief Architect Premier.

By Phillip Gibney

The color and material selections of a space is about more than how it looks. It reflects the charisma of the occupant and how we feel in the room. Whether the occupant is serious and formal or loose and relaxed, crafting a design to the client’s desires while maintaining functionality is an art. In a world with an endless and ever-changing selection of colors, materials, fixtures, furnishings, and more, perfecting a design requires high attention to detail. Design trends are constantly evolving. The fundamental concepts of color theory and how material and color selections affect our emotions have stood the test of time. This serves as a guide for crafting the perfect space. 

by Kerry Hansen

Feng shui is a tradition that originated in ancient China. It is the practice of being mindful of the spaces in the home to create a more peaceful and nourishing life.

Feng shui is a tradition that originated in ancient China. It is the practice of being mindful of the spaces in the home to create a more peaceful and nourishing life. The goal is to harmonize individuals with their surrounding environment through spatial arrangement and orientation to optimize the flow of energy. Energy flow, also known as Chi is the life force that runs through each individual and their space. Chi means energy or air. In feng shui, ensure that the five elements, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Wood interact in harmony with each other and maintain the flow of energy. Chi, like all energy, is constantly evolving, shifting, and flowing. It cannot be created or destroyed and should be able to flow freely around and through the home.

By Phillip Gibney

Chief Architect Software is a leading software developer that focuses solely on home design software. Chief Architect Software offers two product lines: Chief Architect for design professionals and Home Designer Software for DIY home enthusiasts. If you are an industry professional looking for a design program or using Home Designer Software, you may have questions about the differences between our two software lines and the advantages of the Chief Architect line.