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  • INTERIOR DESIGN
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    • INTERIOR DESIGN COURSES
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    • THE PANELLING COURSE
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SKETCHUP FOR INTERIOR DESIGN

The interior designers preferred tool for design creation

If you are looking to bring your interior design ideas to life, whether you’re a seasoned professional, a passionate DIY-er, or a hobbyist decorator; SketchUp is your new best friend. As an interior designer myself, I’ve explored countless tools over the years, and SketchUp consistently proves itself to be the most flexible, powerful, and surprisingly user-friendly design software out there.


Now, while SketchUp Pro is a paid version, there are more affordable options like SketchUp Go, perfect for non-commercial users, and the beauty is, you can now pay monthly rather than being tied into a yearly subscription. And yes, there’s even a free trial to dip your toes in if you’re just starting out.


In this article, I will walk you through exactly why SketchUp is the ideal companion for your interior design journey. From creating accurate 2D floorplans to building realistic 3D interiors, importing textures, furniture, and even setting up scenes and lighting, this platform has it all. Whether you want to visualise your dream kitchen, help clients reimagine their homes, or simply experiment with new ideas, SketchUp will empower you to do it all with clarity and confidence.

SketchUp for Interior Design

Floorplan Creation with SketchUp

Floorplan Creation with SketchUp

Floorplan Creation with SketchUp

 In SketchUp, you can work in any unit of measurement from mm to meters. Just choose the initial template that is right for you, and then later you can change your preferred method of measurement. For us interior designers, we prefer metric (mm) for ultimate precision.  


Now, SketchUp is a three-dimensional program that allows you to create life-like interiors. But to get to that stage, you first need to create yourself a floorplan. This floorplan can be a full house or a single room, the decision is of course yours.  You have the option in SketchUp to import JPEG floorplans (like the ones found on property websites such as Zoopla and Rightmove), which is fantastic if you’re planning on purchasing a new property and want to see if your ideas would work before putting in an offer. Simply download the floorplan or use the Snipping Tool to snip it out and save it as a JPEG on your system. You can then import it into SketchUp, scale it to size, and use it as a template to draw over the top. It’s fabulous.  

Spatial planning

Floorplan Creation with SketchUp

Floorplan Creation with SketchUp

 You can also import architectural DWG files into SketchUp. At Rejig Interiors, we work with a number of architectural practices, and by importing their plans, we can convert these into 3D designs. They often need a little tidying, such as making sure all the lines are joined, but within a few hours, you can get the bones of your new space up and into a 3D model.


Once you’ve created your 2D floorplan and added in window apertures and doors, you can then insert CAD models from the 3D Warehouse, such as a dining table with chairs or a bed. Just be sure to check that the model is the correct size once imported into SketchUp, if its not you can rescale it to size.

Turning simple floorplans to complex models

Floorplan parallel projection mode

Floorplan parallel projection mode

Floorplan parallel projection mode

 By planning your space with 2D furniture, you are spatial planning and making sure your design ideas work and that the furniture you have your eye on fits the space. I used to do all of this by hand in Adobe Illustrator: I’d create a floor plan and draw out the furniture, print it out, and position it manually to see how it all fit. No need to do this now!


For many designers or DIY-ers, this level of planning is enough. They may put together a mood board of their ideas to accompany the floorplan, a quick and effective package often offered by hobbyists.

FLOORPLAN IN PERpective MODE

Floorplan parallel projection mode

Floorplan parallel projection mode

 However, SketchUp is so much more than that. You can transition your 2D plans into 3D designs relatively easily. You just need to group the geometry and tag them properly to keep your model organised and prevent everything from blending together. If you don’t group elements like walls, floors, or furniture, you run the risk of your model merging into a bit of a mess. But the good news is that grouping and tagging are super easy to learn and use. 

Elevate Your Space with Rejig Interiors

Design in sketchup with shadows on dipicting different textures& colours

Design in sketchup with shadows on dipicting different textures& colours

Design in sketchup with shadows on dipicting different textures& colours

 Once you have the bones of your 3D model in place, you can start to decorate and furnish it. You can import external life-like textures such as wood flooring, carpets, or tiles to decorate your surfaces (just make sure your texture is a repeatable pattern). SketchUp will duplicate the texture, and you can then scale the pattern to reflect real-life proportions. If the pattern isn’t repeatable, you’ll end up with a blocky, unrealistic result. 

interior design in sketchup with ambient occlusion turned on

Design in sketchup with shadows on dipicting different textures& colours

Design in sketchup with shadows on dipicting different textures& colours

 SketchUp provides users (depending on the version) with a number of built-in material libraries such as water, bricks, and other interior finishes, a great starting point. You can also create your own libraries of textures to use across multiple projects.

One area SketchUp is still lacking is mirror reflections. Unfortunately, at the moment this isn’t possible in real time. However, there are workarounds such as taking a photo of the presumed reflection, reversing it, and importing it as a JPEG to use as a mirror texture.

Adding a location to your model to add realism

Design in sketchup with shadows off

GEO LOCATED kicthen DESIGN IN SKETCHUP WITH SHADOWS On

GEO LOCATED kicthen DESIGN IN SKETCHUP WITH SHADOWS On

 Decorating the interior couldn’t be easier. You have an array of colours to choose from, and you can also create your own. In our course, we teach you how to replicate real paint colours using a few little hacks, helping you feel confident in your paint choices. 

GEO LOCATED kicthen DESIGN IN SKETCHUP WITH SHADOWS On

GEO LOCATED kicthen DESIGN IN SKETCHUP WITH SHADOWS On

GEO LOCATED kicthen DESIGN IN SKETCHUP WITH SHADOWS On

 Geo-Location is a brilliant feature when you want to understand how natural light affects your design. By geo-locating your model, SketchUp will simulate accurate sun paths and shadow positions based on the location and time of day. Perfect for evaluating how light changes throughout the day.


In SketchUp you can turn on the shadows to simulate real-life light conditions. This adds realism to your renders and helps you design with purpose, whether that’s placing a reading nook in a sunny corner or understanding when a room may feel darker. 

Utilising the 3d warehouse

Design in sketchup with shadows off

kicthen DESIGN IN SKETCHUP WITH SHADOWS On

kicthen DESIGN IN SKETCHUP WITH SHADOWS On

 Now that you’ve nailed down the bones of the room and the colour scheme, it’s time to furnish it. SketchUp comes equipped with the world’s largest portfolio of 3D CAD models, uploaded by both brands and individuals. Many brands even have online showrooms in the 3D Warehouse, perfect for interior designers looking to specify products.


Another brilliant tool is the image search function built into the 3D Warehouse. It helps you find models of specific items you’ve specified, even if the supplier doesn’t have a formal presence in the Warehouse. You can usually find something similar!

kicthen DESIGN IN SKETCHUP WITH SHADOWS On

kicthen DESIGN IN SKETCHUP WITH SHADOWS On

kicthen DESIGN IN SKETCHUP WITH SHADOWS On

 For product designers out there, you of course have the option to create your own furniture from zero. It’s surprisingly easy, and if you’re feeling brave, you can even add a bit of code to make it interactive, like doors opening and closing, or showing how a hinge mechanism would operate.


 At Rejig Interiors, we create all of our kitchen designs from the ground up, tailored to our clients’ preferences. That way, we’re not bound by standard cabinet sizes and can fully optimise both design and storage.

ElevatING YOUR MODEL WITH SECTION CUTS

Creating Section Cuts for Elevations

Adding Scenery using the new environments feature

Adding Scenery using the new environments feature

 Section cuts are perfect for creating detailed elevation drawings directly from your 3D model. You can slice through the design to expose internal details, such as a run of cabinetry, wall elevations, or bathroom layouts. You can even stack multiple section views for more complex plans.


 SketchUp lets you label and annotate your models clearly and professionally. You can show exact dimensions, call out materials, or describe features directly in your views, essential for passing on instructions to contractors or manufacturers. 


 Try out styles such as hand-drawn edges, sketch lines, or blueprint-style models. These effects can help you convey design intent at different stages, conceptual, technical, or final presentation. It’s all about storytelling through visuals. 

Adding Scenery using the new environments feature

Adding Scenery using the new environments feature

Adding Scenery using the new environments feature

  A room never exists in isolation! Bring your model to life by adding external elements like gardens, patios, or balconies. Use landscape models from the 3D Warehouse or create your own. This is particularly useful for extensions and garden-facing rooms. 


 Save specific views of your model using the Scenes tool. This is great for creating consistent perspectives for presentations or client reviews. Set up an entrance view, kitchen island shot, bird’s eye plan, etc. You can then flip between them instantly. 


Turn your interior designs into 3d animations

 By setting up Scenes in SketchUp, you’re also laying the groundwork for an animation. Each scene acts as a snapshot of your model, and when played in sequence, they create a smooth walkthrough, ideal for showing clients how a space flows. You can add as many scenes as needed to highlight key features or areas. 

Want to learn more?

If you are eager to get started with SketchUp we have the perfect course for you. Find out more by clicking on the below button. 


Hope to see you in the inside.


Fi 

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