Which 3D Modeling Software Should I Use?



Hi everyone! In this post, I want to take you along on my journey with 3D modeling and design. It all started back in 2011 when I was still living in Tehran. I took an amazing course that introduced me to AutoCAD, 3D Studio Max, and Vray. After that intense course, I jumped straight into a stage job at an interior design studio, where I got hands-on experience applying what I’d learned. For three years, I worked on so many fun (but loooong and time-consuming!) renders, taking on residential, retail, and product design projects.

Then, life took a bit of a twist. I received a job offer as a visual merchandiser, which led me down a new path focused more on retail, branding, and graphics. Soon after, I moved to Italy, and my career evolved in a whole new direction.

Fast forward to now—my fiancé recently bought a 3D printer for some of his nerdy projects, and guess who got involved in the 3D modeling part? Yup, me! And while I had almost forgotten everything from back then, I quickly realized how much I missed it. Playing around with materials, adjusting lighting, tweaking Vray settings, and that satisfying moment when the final render pops up—it’s something I didn’t realize I’d been missing in my life, especially now that I’m focusing on freelancing and dreaming of working while traveling the world with my family.

So, I started doing some research to figure out which software is currently recommended for interior designers, since I used to be all about 3D Studio Max. I found that SketchUp seemed to be a popular choice these days. I downloaded a trial version, grabbed an Udemy course, and began experimenting. I have to admit, SketchUp feels much easier and less complicated than 3D Max, which has been a pleasant surprise! And since I’m using an Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU, the renders come out relatively fast, which is a huge plus.

Below, I’m sharing one of my first renders—I think it’s pretty good for my first attempt in years! But I’d love to hear your thoughts. What do you think of the software choice? Would you stick with SketchUp, or would you recommend something else like Rhino, Blender, or Revit? There are so many options out there, and I’d love to hear your advice.

Please feel free to share any suggestions, tips, or ideas. Thank you so much in advance for your help!