Help me design a new bathroom.

September 24, 2014 5:03 PM

What software should I use to lay out a floor plan and fixtures for a bathroom renovation? I've tried a couple of online alternatives, but they don't meet my needs. Requirements within.

I want a program that allows me to show a slanted ceiling with skylights and lets me draw in my own tile plan, and customized dimensions for a shower enclosure and vanity. I've tried a couple, e.g. the Autodesk Homestyler and the Lowe's Virtual Room Designer, but they don't do what I want (unless I'm not seeing all their capabilities).

This picture shows the kind of thing I want to do, so I know it's possible. A free tool would be great, but reasonably priced software to install or subscribe to would be OK as well.

posted by Right On Red to Home & Garden (4 answers total)

I looked for software to design an entire house and never could find any that suited me. I ended up looking at pictures of rooms to which I was drawn and objects that I liked, studying the space very carefully, imagining what it would look like using the tile, fixtures, toilet, sink, shower placement and layout, shelving, etc. that I was considering using. Many talented people with vision contributed their ideas (contractor, finish carpenter, electrician, tile master, etc.) and the end result (well it's still in progress) is stunning. If you can't find the software, just hone in on what it is you do like, study the space very carefully, weigh all the options, follow your gut, and go for it.
posted by zagyzebra at 5:34 PM on September 24, 2014

Best answer: Husband says that picture you posted was from Sketchup, which has a free version. He said something about it also have a library that allows you to download things like Kohler fixtures, but I was only half paying attention.
posted by bibbit at 6:58 PM on September 24, 2014 [1 favorite]

Yeah came into say Sketchup was the tool that you want.
posted by bitdamaged at 7:38 PM on September 24, 2014

Speaking as an architect, I'll say that while Sketchup is relatively easy to use, it'll still take a lot of time for you to learn from scratch, simply because it's such a wide-open, flexible program, vs one where you just plonk down standardized components. For your purposes you'd probably be better off just drawing your plan, interior elevations and ceiling plan on graph paper. It'll be quicker and will give you all the information you need - like dimensions, areas, skylight placements, tile pattern - to see how it fits together, to calculate costs and (if necessary) to pass on to contractors, who work from 2D plans rather than 3D visualizations.
posted by Flashman at 9:53 PM on September 24, 2014