by Derek Pedersen

Are you ready to start designing your dream home? With the right home design software, it doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Use advanced tools to bring your vision to life and ensure you stick to a budget. Home design software will automate the design process making it efficient and easy for you to navigate each step of the way.  Keep reading to discover five key reasons to consider using home design software when planning your next home project.

By Dani Forbush

Steve Johnsen wins 2nd place in Chief Architect’s Residential Design Contest. His winning design combines warm textures and expansive windows to compliment both the home and environment with a cohesive, timeless flair. 

By Adam Gibson, Architectural Designer, CMKBD, CLIPP, CAPS

There’s a growing need to make homes safer and healthier with thoughtful elements that don’t compromise aesthetics.

Many of us use assistive devices that have become part of our everyday lives, things we consider normal… take glasses and hearing aids, for instance. Why not take this same approach when designing a home?

Baby boomers are retiring at an astonishing rate, creating issues not often addressed. Aside from them, many families have specific needs (outside of age) for features embedded in design. We are doing them a disservice if we don’t educate ourselves, and in doing so, them, on how to contribute to their health and welfare.

By Adrean Stephenson

Downloadable Sample Plans are a great resource for experiencing the features in Chief Architect’s software hands-on and in real-time. A variety of plans are available on both the Chief Architect and Home Designer websites. 

Now that the latest Home Designer product line has been released, we are excited to offer another set of great tools for DIY designers and Home Enthusiasts to showcase their talents. There are many new features offered in the product line that you can view here; however, today I want to share our process for creating new downloadable sample plans and shine a light on the sources of our inspiration.

With each new release of software, Chief Architect’s Art Department develops a new look for the products’ packaging. For the Home Designer product line, separately featuring 5 unique packages is no small feat! The goal this year was to utilize a photograph of a residential design that is well suited to the functionality available in the product. If you click on the images below, you can see that we create our version of the scene using the software and then display the rendering as an inlay on the product cover.

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