Do you have Photoshop? If you do you can upload and resize pictures of existing furniture (and even recolour them if, for instance, you are thinking of reupholstering) that way, then drop them in to your room design. SketchUp is free and a lot of people find it the easiest interior design software to use. Have fun!

hi can anyone suggest any good 'free' software for garden design /layout? I need to plan the layout - I want to enter measurements of the current garden and use them to redesign and build on it. I use SweetHome 3D for the interior and get on with this really well - so a garden equivalent would be great!!!! thanks Jo

Sketch-Up and Layout..with an add on rendering package....works a treat! There are loads of on-line tutorials for trouble shooting...

Google Sketch-Up is an incredibly intuitive and easy to learn 3D software. You can built any space in 3D quickly and it has a great library for furniture and materials. And it is free! We’re always happy to help if you need any further advice. If you’d like one of our floor plan design experts to help you optimise your space - visit our website: www.betterspace.co We offer a low, a fixed-price package that include tailored design, furniture layout recommendations and a professional floor-plan drawing as well as a 3D package which includes a 3D floor-plan and photo-realistic images that will help you visualise your new design. You can use promo code ‘houzz’ for a further 15% discount!