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7 Essential Tools for Interior Designers

Interested in a career in interior design? Here are seven essential tools that you'll want to have in your back pocket.

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Top essential tools for interior designers:

  • A floor plan tool will help you get a birds-eye-view of your parameters.
  • Room visualization tools and furniture layout planners are important for visualizing how every element works together in real-time.
  • A savvy project management tool will help you stay organized and easily share your work with clients or friends.
  • The proper budgeting tooling can help you stay on track and see how you're pacing as you go.
  • Client invoicing platforms and design service shops are key to attracting the right people to your business.
  • Using a color palette-generating tool can help you streamline the creative process and get a good grasp of the aesthetic direction of your project.
living room mockupfloor plan designbathroom mockup

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It's no secret that interior design tools have evolved again and again since the art of creating a space began. Although the practice of sketching your ideas on paper is still forever valuable, gone are the days of needing to have every element in tangible form to design a home from start to finish. As designers evolve, so do the skills and tools they need to carry out their ideas.

The truth is, good interior designers today need more than just an eye for styling or pattern (but that helps, too!). A career in design can often mean juggling many different tasks — from project and budget management to client communication to creating that perfect color palette. Here are some useful tools to help you succeed as an interior designer.

1. An easy-to-use floor plan tool.

When making big decisions in the space where you spend most of your time, a floor plan tool can be the difference between investing in the right or wrong piece of furniture for your wants and needs. An easy-to-use floor plan tool can help you get a bird's eye view of the parameters of your space, so you never have to second guess what you need and what you don't.

2. An intuitive room visualization tool and furniture layout planner.

Visualizing how each element comes together before adding to your cart or making any final decisions is essential when working on any design project. The good news is that you no longer need to spend many years and dollars to learn fancy software programs. Instead, use an intuitive room visualization tool and furniture layout planner to "try on" pieces in your home, test out paint colors, accessorize, and more until it feels just right.

Spoak's room visualization tool and furniture layout planner
Designing a room with Spoak's room visualization tool.

3. A savvy project management tool.

Designing a space can quickly go from fun to overwhelming when you have thousands of tabs and spreadsheets open to organize all the details. Using a project management tool will be a game changer in ensuring that all of your images, products, color palettes, and floor plans are in one shoppable, online place. Plus, if you plan on sharing your work with clients, friends, or your partner, you'll want a tool that allows you to organize products quickly, add notes for simple and collaborative feedback, and create an easy, presentable system.

Spoak project management tool
Your Project Hub in Spoak, aka your project management tool.

4. An intuitive budget planner and shopping list.

Unless you're a fan of messy spreadsheets and painstaking formulas, having an intuitive budget planner and shopping list in your toolbox will make all the difference when it comes to ensuring you're on the right track. If you're working with clients, a budget tool and shop list that allows you to quickly ask for approval or add pieces to their projects is a huge bonus, too!

Spoak's Budget & Shop List tool allows you to stay on track with your spending.

5. A simple client invoicing platform.

If you've been deterred from interior design because you aren't interested in spending half of your time creating and managing invoices, you're not alone. However, a good invoicing platform is essential for sending reminders, managing the status, and of course, cashing out on your earnings. Complex accounting software isn't hard to find, but it's worth opting for a more user-friendly invoicer to save you time (and a headache). This will also save you more time to do the stuff you actually love doing — designing!

Client management and invoicing tool Spoak
Spoak's client invoicing and management tool.

6. A design services shop.

Whether you are a seasoned designer or just getting started, having a design services shop to showcase your work and your offerings is an important tool for attracting and maintaining clients. If you don't want to create your own website, try hosting your services on Spoak’s Design Shop, a tool that allows you to share your work and communicate your offerings seamlessly.

Spoak Design Shop Daniela Araya
Spoak's Content Director, Daniela Araya's, Design Shop storefront.

7. A color palette creator.

Suppose you’re staring at your Pinterest board, trying to figure out what color to paint the walls and decorate with. In that case, it might be time to try a color palette generator that helps you clarify the mood and aesthetic of your project before you even start swatching.

Spoak color palette generator

Looking for a toolkit that encompasses everything you need to succeed as an interior designer? Join Spoak — it's your one-stop shop for all things design.

Date Posted
May 9, 2023
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