Marti, I used the Lowes room planner. Its easy to use and has 3-D. This is the link.

I also tried the free version of "Sketchup' by Google, and liked it. But it had a learning curve and I was not willing to invest the time.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lowes Room Designer

Thanks. Did you have any trouble with it? It keeps crashing my Firefox.

Idie, oh yeah, Sketchup had a MAJOR learning curve!!! I struggled with it and decided I had better take it off my computer. I also removed the IKEA planner. I may have known about Lowes, but it slipped my mind.

Guess I am up to try it next. You are always so capable with computer tech stuff. I'm sure Marti is giving those planners a workout! Plus moving furniture, sewing, and painting. :)

Marti, there was a note prior to download to disable Adblock, because it does make it crash, they said. I disabled Adblock but ONLY FOR LOWES.

I don't have trouble with it crashing, but it does not want to let me put cabinets where I want them. I'll try again tomorrow.

Thanks ML, I'll have to look into the adblock thing.

I wish I was doing all those things you listed. But I had an MRI on my elbow last week and got the results back Tuesday. I have a tear in a ligament and have been ordered NOT to use the arm until I get some PT behind me. So I've been sitting around a lot the last few days.

Marti, I think that answers your question about the dining room project, honey. My crowbar wielding days are over I'm afraid, because my right shoulder is objecting to any stress or pressure I put on it. I'm thinking that like my brother I may have torn the muscles loose from the bone. He is post op and in PT on that one.

But I wanted to also comment on the Virtual Design Planner. It is only for kitchens and baths and laundries. I spent about two hours last night trying to floor plan my new kitchen which is an irregular shape. I am refreshed this morning and might tackle it from scratch this time.

I had the same problem with the IKEA planner, same sort of software, but it works with other rooms. My kitchen now is a plain rectangle. But the back porch, which will be added to it, is offset at one exterior wall by one foot, and at the opposite it, it extends about 3 feet further than the kitchen wall. I think that in my sleep I figured out how to fool the planner into doing what I want. I can put in an obstacle wall to create that indent, and it will think the space is not supposed to be furnished.

And I wanted a 42 inch high bar perpendicular to my stove wall, but it does not let me put the wall cabs on the floor to use that way. I tried the island, but it was on wheels and it could not be resized.

I also have a stub wall which will remain because it contains the inside breaker panels. That creates the need for a corner cabinet, with another one forming an "L" between the sink and the permanent fridge location. If I can leave the old base cabs where they are now and just remove the wall cabs, I'd be willing to do that. It provides a good surface to set things on when I open the fridge. It is like a short peninsular.

I will keep my stainless top rolling cart beside the back door. It is so useful and not so wide that it gets in the way. It is long, however. My stainless top white wood buffet which is now in the kitchen will migrate to the dining room, where it will continue to be our liquor cabinet...even though we are not stocking much of that, it would look good there next to the stools for the bar. And of course, on the opposite wall which has the south facing windows, will be the window seat/storage/dining table bookended by the floor/ceiling tall cabs serving as pantries. Of course there will be file storage space under the window seat.

Oh but I am running on. So sorry. As if I did not have chores I need to do that are more pressing. I don't have time to learn this software, or to think about the kitchen now, when I'm knee deep in alligators!!!!