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INDEX
PAGE

SPACE PLANNING AND PROPORTION 3

FURNITURE LAYOUTS 12

THE NEXT STEP IN SPACE PLANNING 22

STYLING AN EXISTING ROOM 23

LIVING ROOM 24

KITCHEN DESIGN 46

BATHROOM DESIGN 57

RESIDENTIAL BUILDING DESIGN 69

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 69

ORIENTATION 69

PARTS OF A RESIDENTIAL BUILDING 71

FLOOR PLANS 81

WHAT IS A FLOOR PLAN? 83

PARTS OF THE FLOOR PLAN 85

SYMBOLS 96

ABBREVIATIONS 106

SPATIAL PLANNING 110

WHAT IS SPATIAL PLANNING (SPACE PLANNING)? 110

ASSIGNMENT 4 114

OVERVIEW 114

THE BRIEF 115

THE PLAN 117

HELP GUIDE 119

SOFTWARE 121

RESOURCES 127

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SPACE
PLANNING AND
PROPORTION

SPACE PLANNING
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SPACE PLANNING AND PROPORTION
Space planning is to plan a space with its allocation, divisions, arrangement and
organization to accommodate the functional, spatial and occupancy requirements in the
form of space layout and final planning.

This involves creating a ‘space plan’, which is a drawing that shows the arrangement of
functional elements within a space.

Floor Plan Render

The practical and aesthetic issues of space overlap but have very different technical
requirements. Practical considerations of space planning involve dealing with the physical
dimensions of a space.

In a given area, these issues are related to the actual measurement of available floor
space and an actual measurement of the ceiling height. This is the practical, reality-based
consideration that must be part of your design planning.

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There is also an aesthetic sense of space that you must consider in order to develop an
optimum design.

Once you have established the raw physical volume of space with which you will work, and
you have taken detailed information about how the space will be used when the design is
completed, you can then begin to evaluate how you will plan the true, practical use of the
space in relationship to the aesthetic sense of space.

In order to control the outcome, you must first ask yourself, as you have in Module
3, what outcome does the job require?

If you have gone through that exercise, you have already decided on some general criteria
as suggested in Module 3.

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You would have already asked yourself questions like:

Do you want a large open space?

Do you want to feel safe and cozy?

Sometimes a big space needs to be broken down into smaller sections in order to have a
conversation.

Sometimes a ceiling feels too low.

Other times, a ceiling feels too high. There are visual devices for creating illusions in a space
that open it up or break it down.

The need for such devices to manipulate the aesthetic perception of a space must first be
identified.

Space is always a fixed dimension in your work. It is also a variable in the way it can be
perceived and to what use it will be allocated. First, the true, raw space must be understood
before it can be manipulated.

Remember too that space isn’t just the floor space.

Floor space, which is the horizontal space, is expressed as a floor plan.

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Space is also the vertical dimension of the ceiling or wall height and is expressed
as an elevation.

Elevation created using SketchUp

In a space with multiple functions, a change in floor and/or ceiling heights might define
specific functional areas and make the whole space more interesting.

If there isn’t room for the use of such devices, there are other ways to define these areas;
we will discuss these in Module 5 (Lighting) and Module 7 (Finishes).

In any case, if there is a need to create a definition of various areas in a multifunction room,
the possibility of changing ceiling or floor heights should be considered. There are times
when this works well, even in a very small area. A tiny space can become extremely useful,
effective and beautiful if it is just well thought through.

A ceiling height can appear to bring down the level of focus, to emphasize something or
detract from something else as antique flags in a loft space would bring the eye down to a
seating area and detract the eye from an exposed fire alarm on the ceiling.

Planning for the use of something double height can also achieve a sense of intimacy on the
ground.

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Sometimes, the ceiling level can appear to be raised with clever wall lighting that blurs the
line between wall and ceiling, as in a standard apartment with lower than the ideal ceiling
height.

Walls can appear to move back with the correct choices of fixtures, colors, mirrors and
finishes in a bathroom.

On a practical level, removing walls can increase space of a living and dining area, providing
room for more uses while appearing to increase the overall size of the room.

This device is, therefore, both practical and a matter of perception.

To explain this further, in practical terms, you will need a minimum of approximately 3ft of
clearance, to walk around an object in a residential design easily.

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You will also need room to pull chairs out if the object is a dining table. In a closed in kitchen
and dining room, you will need 3ft between the chairs at a table and the wall.

On the other side of the wall, you will need a minimum of another 3ft to walk around a
freestanding work island or breakfast bar.

But, if you remove the wall, you can reduce that amount of clearance around the breakfast
bar and the dining table by at least 25% because you will be sharing the clearance space
between these two fixed objects.

The room will appear more open and will actually use less space for two functions.

This is important to remember if you are working on a project in which you are called upon
to lay out raw space or provide space planning for a renovation.

Strategically, removing a wall can add more function to limited space and still make the
room feel less crowded.

Keep in mind, when you are planning an open space, room dividers can be used to make
open space flexible and to give it some definition.

Think of where you could place a room divider in the plan below:

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Shoji screens, sliding screens on tracks, bookshelves, beautiful curtains and freestanding
folding screens can all be used to define space without closing it in.

Furniture arrangements can also create islands of activity in an open space.

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When considering a small space, look up and look through the wall. Can you add a skylight
to raise the eye and create a new dimension in a small area?

Light opens the perception of space!

Can you add or enlarge windows?

Even if you can’t use windows or skylights to create a sense of space, you can use artificial
light to produce a similar effect in order to achieve a sense of openness.

We will discuss this in the next module.

Be aware that the use of these lighting devices comes first with identifying the need for
them in your space plan.

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FURNITURE
LAYOUTS

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FURNITURE LAYOUTS
A fundamental consideration when planning space is how the objects in the rooms will be
arranged relative to each other.

This is both a practical consideration and an aesthetic one.

You need to ask the following questions:

What is the function of the room?

■ Who uses it?

■ How often is it used?

■ What furniture is required?

■ Does the room have more than one function?

What are the traffic patterns of this room?

■ Where can you not place furniture because it will be in the way of people moving
about the room? Remember that furniture pushed back against the wall seems
uninviting.

■ Does the furniture placement allow for doors and drawers to open?

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What is the focal point of the room?

■ Is it a view, a painting, the fireplace, a grouping of furniture or some other

dominant feature, which provides a center of interest?

■ What furniture layout can emphasize the dominant feature?

How should furniture be placed?

■ Is furniture balanced throughout the room? Check by dividing your floor plan into
four equal parts with a pencil.

■ Does furniture in different parts of the room suit the intended function (e.g. for
reading, conversing or eating)?

■ Are power points and lights in the right place?

How should objects of varying heights be arranged?

■ Consider proportion and scale so that the eye is not distracted by extreme
variations in height, resulting in visual clutter.

■ Items with height progression or groupings of variable heights work well together
and create unity in a room.

■ Arrange other items around the tallest object in the room, often the fireplace
mantel, which lead the eye up to that height.

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Objects arranged so the eye has to jump up and down to take it all in tend to make a space
feel more frantic and less peaceful. This, in turn, feels like clutter. It is actually visual clutter.

Even if objects of varying heights must be arranged in one room, planning how these
heights will relate in a group or in a progression is part of space planning.

For example, fireplace mantels are often the tallest surface in a room.

If the objects around them lead the eye up to the mantel and even above it, then the entire
shape will read as one, and the space will not seem as full or as busy.

We discussed this in Module 1 when we introduced the idea of negative space and positive
space.

Arranging a row of chairs under a large painting or mirror along a wall or in front of a
handrail creates a mass of positive space.

This same arrangement presents a less cluttered, stronger use of these objects than if the
chairs sat separately on their own.

So, whether in a small space or a larger one, this arrangement presents a stronger and
more spacious arrangement.

Another very common example is how dining tables and chairs are higher than most sofas
and armchairs. In open living/dining areas, be sure that the dining area doesn’t appear to
tower over the seating area. This is a consideration when developing the furniture layout.

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A low pendant light over the dining table will bring the eye down lower so the eye will scan
the room at an even height.

Another device to alleviate this problem is positioning the sofa as a room divider.

What height will each piece be? Can other choices be made?

What relationship will the various pieces have to each other?

What elements can be added or emphasized to allow the eye to see a grouping of objects
rather than disconnected ones at varying heights?

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What additional items can balance or separate objects of extremely different heights to
enable the eye to gradually step up and down rather than jumping around from one to
another?

Towering objects tend to bear down on the observer and can make a space feel smaller.

Any freestanding line below eye level, i.e. below 4ft will feel less obstructive in a space.

At the same time, objects positioned on a wall can be organized to read as a total shape
rather than separate shapes that move the eye up and down.

Solid and opaque materials occupy more perceived space than transparent and reflective
materials.

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Complicated designs, patterns and bright colors tend to come forward.

Simple shapes and designs, solid colours (especially light ones) and softly moving fabrics
tend to open a space or at least not impinge on it.

The issue of color and using monochromatic choices versus high contrast or multicolor
choices will be discussed further in Module 6.

Identifying the need to use color devices to aesthetically manipulate the perception of space
is another issue that needs to be identified as you develop your space plan.

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When developing a furniture layout, what will meet your eye when you walk through the
door into the space in question?

Will it be a low console? Will it be a low bench? Will it be a tall cabinet? Will it be a sofa?

Will the piece be a tall, patterned and lacquered timber cabinet against a solid painted
feature wall?

Or will it be a low, mirrored console in front of a sheer movable room divider?

Will the best choice be a narrow, airy piece that acknowledges a small entrance without
obstructing it?

All of these choices will look fantastic if you understand in what situation you would make
one choice over the other.

Remember there is a foreground, a middle ground and a background in a room just as in a

painting.

If there is only one entrance to the room, you can easily understand how the room will
unfold from the vantage point of the entrance.

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If there are a number of entrances or the room is large, you must consider how the objects
and groups of objects unfold from a number of angles.

When developing your space plan, you should be thinking a little ahead of yourself.

On a floor plan, dimensionally, each of a number of choices will look the same.

Remember the space plan is both practical and aesthetic, even as you do the first layout.

You have to be sure that, on a practical level, the pieces required and the pieces you propose
will dimensionally fit comfortably in a raw space and will also perform the function required.

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This includes ergonomic considerations:

Lamps, at the left shoulder behind a chair, are thought to provide the ideal lighting for
reading.

Coffee tables need to be about 2ft from the front of a sofa so you can reach the coffee table
easily but not hit your shins when you try to take a seat.

You also have to consider the aesthetic use of the space and how it affects one’s perception
of it. Sometimes these considerations merge. It is hard to enjoy the beauty of a room if it
isn’t comfortable. An example of this is a tall chair facing a low sofa and coffee table. On
paper, this may look like a good conversation group.

In reality, it may be uncomfortable for both the person on the sofa, who feels lower than he
actually may be, and, for the person in the chair, who may not be able to reach the coffee
table without a big stretch. Like all design considerations, space planning is a 3-dimensional
issue.

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THE NEXT
STEP IN SPACE
PLANNING

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THE NEXT STEP IN SPACE PLANNING
How you move through a space is a physical and ergonomic experience. This is both practical
and aesthetic.

If you are bothered and frantic because the space plan jumbles up simple activities, you will
start to dislike other things about the room.

■ Ease of movement and effortlessly achieving tasks make for good morale.

■ Closets need to be accessible.

■ Windows need to be easy to reach to open and close.

■ It should be simple to see the TV and to change music on the stereo.

■ Kitchen cabinets shouldn’t bang you in the head.

■ A dishwasher shouldn’t obstruct the flow of work in a galley kitchen.

■ Hitting knees on obstructions and banging into closely grouped furniture is not
pleasant.

■ Make sure the circulation in a room is free and easy.

■ Make the most of a view or natural light.

Even if you want to make the room feel close and cozy, you can achieve this with tightly
grouped open storage, lighting techniques or color.

You will still want to move easily and unencumbered in the space, even though it may not
be large.

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STYLING AN EXISTING ROOM

You may have existing furniture and objects that you have to use in this room.

While it is often easier for a designer to start a project with a clean slate, very often,
furniture, objects or fixtures must be retained.

Sometimes a job is just styling a room with existing belongings.

Observing the concepts of effortless circulation and grouping objects to form pleasing areas
both in plan and elevation, you can usually make vast improvements with rooms that had
previously evolved without the conscious application of design principles.

Also, don’t forget the way the eye scans the room and the arrangement of objects of varying
heights. Apply the consideration of how it looks from the entrances and the view across the
space. Add to this the consideration of the foreground, middle ground and background.

These are often called the sightlines in a space. Measure the height, width and depth of all
the existing pieces in the space, photocopy them and cut them out.

Use your floor plan and elevation templates for the space, and see how you can arrange
existing pieces in groupings that provide functional groups and provide balance, harmony,
repetition, rhythm, etc.

When you start working out your optimum plan, there are some basic rules of thumb to
keep in mind, which may be helpful.

There are basic layouts that tend to work in various spaces, and they are explained over the
following pages.

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LIVING ROOM

Planning the layout of a living room is all about creating zones for different activities, from
relaxing around the fire or watching television, to reading or listening to music.

This can be predominately achieved with the positioning of furniture. However, in getting the
functionality of the room right, you also need to ensure that the room looks both attractive
and welcoming.

A living room is generally regarded as the most public space in a house because it is the
room that most visitors will be invited into, and the furniture arrangement must allow for
easy conversation. This is called a “conversational arrangement”, and the way that we do
this is by ensuring that a portion of the seating faces the other seating in the room. Corner
and “L” shaped sofas achieve this arrangement to a certain degree, but the design would be
further improved by including a single chair facing into the other sofa.

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SOFA

If the living room has a fireplace, it is natural to group the seating around it.

In many modern homes, the fire as a focal point of the room has now been replaced by a TV,
and sofas and chairs are usually gathered around it in the same way. Whichever is the case
in the home, a single sofa is best placed opposite a focal wall in a central position, and the
inclusion of a single chair (or more) facing the sofa will create a conversational arrangement.

A pair of sofas looks best adjacent to a focal wall at either side of the fireplace or TV or at
right angles to each other. In a square room, one sofa could sit opposite the focal wall and
the other opposite the window.

Ensure that the sofas are the correct proportions for the room, and that there is enough
space between them to manoeuvre around easily.

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ARMCHAIR

Two sofas are preferable to a sofa and an armchair because they are more comfortable, but
if you only have space for a sofa and an extra armchair or two, the trick is to position them
correctly. Create a comfortable arrangement around your focal point so that when people
are seated, everyone else is visible. In a long, thin room, an armchair can also be positioned
separately from this central grouping to create a reading zone in a corner or at the end of
the room.

FIREPLACE

If the room is a blank canvas, and you can choose where to put a fireplace, establish which
will be your focal wall. If your room is square, place the fire centrally on the wall. If you have
a long, thin room divided into a seating area and a dining area, place the fireplace centrally
in one half of the room.

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COFFEE TABLE

Adding a coffee table to a living room does more than just create a surface to put things on;
it makes a second focal point or zone for sociable relaxation. The best place for a coffee table
is centrally in front of the most used seat in the room, either a sofa or a pair of armchairs,
and within reach of any other seats. Don’t be tempted to squeeze in a large table that won’t
let you move around comfortably. Some seating arrangements will not allow for a central
table. In this scenario, allow for multiple side tables to be used instead.

TV/MEDIA UNIT

If there is no fireplace in the living room, it is likely that the TV will form the focal point of
the room. If the room is small and there’s little space for a large TV, a wall hung model is a
good, if not particularly attractive, option. Before you choose which wall to put it on, decide
how to group your seating.

Then choose a spot where everyone can see the screen when seated. Don’t hang it too high,
as you’ll be sitting or lying down to watch the TV. If you have enough space, you can have
a fireplace in the room, and the TV will sit in the corner.

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SEATING ARRANGEMENTS

Where you place your furniture in a room will instantly set the tone for how you’ll live in
that room. Here are a few seating arrangements whether you’re relaxing, watching TV or
chatting with friends.

4 Way Seating

A 4 way seating grouping is flexible and can float in the middle of a room or sit up against
the wall. It encourages conversation and eye contact.

Very often, it can be used to optimise a view from the sofa while adding extra seating.

Be aware of the natural desire for personal space. Unless this is for family use, the sofa
will need to be large enough for strangers to feel comfortable sitting on it together.

2 Sofas and Coffee Table

There is a certain formality in the symmetry of this arrangement. This arrangement also
encourages eye contact and conversation.

Be aware of the matter of personal space as discussed in the previous arrangement.

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Sofas against the walls

This arrangement is an important space saver and is

also ideal for looking out across the room.

Sofa as room divider

As illustrated previously, this arrangement works ideally

for open floor plans and multi use rooms.

L- Shaped Seating

Whether using two sofas or a sofa and chair, L- shaped

seating encourages conversation while also saving
space by anchoring against the wall.

It also allows both pieces of furniture to face the same

entertainment, view or fireplace.

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 Four Chairs

On a plan, the four chair arrangement may look more suitable for a reception area. However,
the scale of the chairs can change this use entirely.

Four big armchairs around a circular coffee table can be a large, casual and very comfortable
way to seat four with eye contact and also will give some sense of individual privacy for
reading and relaxing.

This arrangement works well in front of a fireplace or near a window with a view. This is a
somewhat more formal arrangement. These chairs may be occasional chairs, such as Louis
XV armchairs, with a higher table to the center.

This would be decorative and good for a cup of tea and a conversation rather than TV
watching or long periods of relaxation.

Multiple Groups of Sofas

For large living spaces, you will need several groups that relate to and complement each
other. Sometimes, these will be sofas and chairs anchored by a wall. Other times these will
be sofas and chairs placed in the middle of the floor.

This has to do with your decisions about sightlines and the foreground, middle ground and
background of the space.

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It also allows for and affects activities in the space.

In the figure shown, note how the long banquette seating along the wall is long enough for
multiple activities to occur on it.

At one end, there are three chairs around a low table so a conversation can take place
independent of the activities at the other end of the banquette.

Completely separate to that are armchairs facing a chaise, and the chaise is facing a
freestanding entertainment unit, which is also a divider separating the living space from the
dining space.

Note how the placement of floor coverings strengthens the space plan and helps to define
the layout.

DINING ROOM

Positioning your dining table so it doesn’t impinge on your work triangle may prove to be
difficult if space is tight, as there should ideally be 3ft of space for moving behind every
chair.

If you do not regularly need to seat people on all sides of the table, position the table
against a wall and only move it into the middle of the room when you need to lay an extra
place or two.

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SEATING ARRANGEMENTS

Large table to center

This traditional arrangement requires the space for all

chairs to move easily.

Table against wall

This is a space saving device that can be very pleasing.

Round table with no head

There is a different conversational dynamic that occurs

at a round or oval table, which is something to consider.
This arrangement also fits into a different sized space.

Square table – 4 to 8 chairs

This is a handy way to have a flexible table shape that

fits four or eight. The intimacy of dining with four or
less is not sacrificed. This may satisfy different space
requirements more than a long table for eight or ten.

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Table to rear of sofa

Placing the table to the rear of a sofa for combined

living and dining is another device for open floor plans
and space saving in a multifunction room.

The table and chairs are a key piece of furniture, whether they will be going in your kitchen,
a dining room or an open plan living area.

Decide if you would rather prioritize a convivial atmosphere or spacious dining and whether
you prefer a sophisticated, integrated look or a more relaxed setting.

As a minimum, the table needs to be large enough to accommodate the usual number of
diners, and, if you regularly have guests, you should also think about the logistics of fitting
extra people in.

The space available is the other major consideration, and, particularly in a kitchen, you need
to ensure there will be plenty of room to manoeuvre around it once it is in place.

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BEDROOMS

The bedroom is inevitably a room that takes the overflow from other parts of the house, so
you will need to include as much storage as you can to accommodate everything you use
daily.

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BED

Ideally, a bedroom should be big enough to fit a minimum of a double size bed, and both
sides of the bed should be accessible. For rooms with a double, queen or king size beds, it
is not recommended to push the bed against the wall whereas a room with a single bed is
more acceptable to position it this way.

If the ceiling slopes, check that there’s enough headroom at either side of the bed. Also,
ensure that the bedroom door doesn’t hit the bed and that you can open wardrobe doors or
drawers easily.

If space is tight, avoid a high bed with footboards or posts; a low, minimally furnished bed
makes a room feel bigger. If you are short of space and storage, pick a bed with drawers
underneath for extra storage to free up floor space in the room.

BEDSIDE TABLES

Bedside tables are all about creating a balanced look and should always come in pairs. They
needn’t match exactly but they should be similar in size.

If you think you only have room for one bedside table, try sliding the bed across slightly
and fitting in two mini tables or table height shelves instead so that you don’t unbalance the
look of the bedroom.

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CHEST OF DRAWERS

If the bedroom is large, think about buying matching chests of drawers to sit on either side
of the bed in place of bedside tables. This option will give you plenty of storage for lamps,
books and clothes that don’t need hanging.

If there’s only room for a single chest of drawers, place it centrally on an empty wall and
put a mirror above it to make a focal point. It can also double up as a dressing table but
without a chair.

If it has to share a wall with a wardrobe, buy one that matches the depth and style of the
wardrobe for a streamlined feel. For a sleek look, place it within a run of fitted wardrobes.

DRESSING TABLES

If the bedroom is big enough to comfortably hold all essential furniture you require, and you
still have plenty of floor space, a dressing table is a real luxury item to include.

Ideally, it should be placed where the natural daylight is good, such as in a bay window
with a stand-alone mirror or at right angles to a flat window. Ensure that there is room to
comfortably sit in a chair at the dressing table and sufficient space for a partner to move
around it.

WARDROBES/CLOSETS

Freestanding wardrobes, whether in matching pairs or not, will sit naturally in alcoves, often
opposite the bed. If you have one large wardrobe, place it centrally on a straight wall for a
balanced look. Fitted wardrobes are ideal if your room has awkward angles, such as sloping
ceilings or an unused chimney breast.

A wardrobe placed against a window will block out light, but, if you have to place it there
for reasons of space, pick it in a light material or with a mirrored front to enhance the light
in the room.

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STORAGE

Storage can be a thing of beauty and pleasure.

Successful planning of a tight storage space is a challenging space planning exercise.

Excellent storage allows for more decorative beauty in the rest of the house.

There are many solutions for creating efficient storage in small spaces, such as under a
stairwell.

Storage companies have a range of standard cupboard, shelving and other options available,
but customized designs may be necessary for an awkward space.

CLOSET PLANS

When redesigning storage, take a space audit and measure the existing space in the closet.
Review the types of objects that need to be stored, such as dresses, suits, shirts or shoes.

In your plan, see if you can adjust the types of shelving and other storage fixtures to suit
the items that require storage.

Then see how you can tailor the design of the interior to fit the objects required and allow
some space for movement. Use lineal measurements as a guide to how many items you
can fit in a given dimension. The shape of the area to store shoes, books or shirts will vary.

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See how you can arrange these. Don’t forget to use the full depth of the closet. You may
arrange layers of shelves from front to back or hanging space from front to back.

Coming up with a brilliant closet and exposed storage solution is a great lateral thinking
exercise.

Elevation A: Shoes, folded objects, boxes, hats and folded clothing, drawers below

Elevation B: Hanging storage, drawers below, shoes, objects, boxes, hats and folded
clothing

Elevation C: Some hanging, drawers, books and boxes

Elevation D: Drawers, small objects and books

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HALLWAY

A hallway is usually a long, narrow area with little room for furniture. It has to make a good
first impression.

However, there are still ways in which you can improve the space immeasurably, both
decoratively and functionally, and avoid ways of getting the layout wrong.

COAT RACK OR STAND

A wall hung coat rack is the best choice for a small hallway, as it takes up no floor space.
Hang it on a wall with space either side so bulky coats won’t be in the way.

Think about how to conceal the rack and its contents. It could be in a recessed space with
a sliding panel or door in front or in a cupboard under the stairs or buy a modern design in
contemporary materials so that it looks as attractive as possible. A coat stand looks good in
a hallway but takes up floor place so its best placed in a corner of a larger hall.

CONSOLE TABLE

If the hallway is long and narrow, you may only have one place for a console table, usually
up against a left or right hand wall by the front door. If the hallway is too narrow for a table,
hang a shelf at tabletop height on sturdy brackets in the same position.

If the hallway is wide, consider where the table might be best positioned from a decorative
point of view. If you place it against a wall by the front door, position it centrally for balance.
If it will stand opposite the front door, position it so it’s the first thing you see as you come
indoors.

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MIRROR

If there is room for a console table, hang a mirror centrally above it for a practical and
decorative look.

A wide mirror that matches the length of the console table will give a balanced look and
make the hall seem longer.

If the hallway is too small for a table, place a long floor to ceiling mirror adjacent to the front
door (assuming the door has a glazed panel) to reflect natural light and make the space
seem wider.

SEATING

If you have room near the front door, use the space for a bench or seat so that you can sit
down to take off outdoor shoes. Look for a bench with a lift up lid so that it can provide more
useful storage space for shoes and boots.

SHOE STORAGE

If you have a wall hung coat rack, the natural place for shoe storage is beneath it. Store
shoes in lidded baskets beneath the console table or in any deep drawers or shelves that
the unit has.

Narrow shoe storage units with hinged drawers that tip out are also available, and you can
use the top of the unit as a console table like surface.

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HOME OFFICE

A home office will invariably be a small room or even a corner of a large room so it’s
important to consider the layout of the office thoroughly before you start to purchase
furniture, storage units and accessories. You should also make a careful note of the room’s
measurements at this stage so that the furniture you buy will fit the proportions of the space
you have available.

DESK

The desk you choose should be in proportion to the size of the room and placed correctly so
that it is comfortable to work at. If you use a computer, don’t sit at the desk with your back
to a window or the screen will be almost invisible. Similarly, don’t sit facing a window unless
you are prepared to keep the blinds closed. Ideally, position the desk adjacent to or pulled
back from the window, and angle your computer screen away from the light.

Also, allow enough space for an office chair to be pulled back from it. The desk needs to be
conveniently placed for the wiring too. Power points can be fixed into the floor instead of the
wall if the desk will sit centrally, but make sure you work this into your rewiring plan.

CHAIR

Choose an office chair that doesn’t dominate the room or make it impossible or uncomfortable
to sit at the desk. Allow at least a 4ft gap from the edge of the desk so the chair won’t bump
against a wall or other furniture when you push back to stand up. If the room doubles as a
living space, you might want to incorporate the chair into the existing seating area. If so,
make sure you don’t have to lift the chair up and over other furniture whenever you want
to use it.

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FILING CABINET

The most convenient place to place a filing cabinet is within or beneath the desk so that
you don’t need to get out of your seat to open a drawer. If a set of desk drawers isn’t large
enough for your files, consider the amount of floor space you have: tall, thin filing cabinets
are ideal for rooms that have little space for anything else.

If you have more room, lower, wider units set behind or adjacent to the desk are a good
solution and will provide you with another work surface on which to store extras such as
in-trays.

NOTICE BOARD

A notice board is a must have for a home office; it can be used to display paperwork and
notes such as reminders, timetables and calendars, bills, lists and other relevant information.
Position the notice board where you can easily see and reach it such as one side of your
desk. If you find it hard to keep it looking tidy, use an area of wall that is not immediately
visible upon entering the room.

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LAUNDRY

A laundry room is not usually a large space; more commonly, it will be just big enough.
Planning the layout down to the last detail is, therefore, a must to ensure that you can fit
in all equipment you need, that everything is easily accessible and that the room functions
well.

Also, include several storage solutions and a place to store the ironing board if required. If
the house is small and you can’t dedicate an entire room to the laundry, you could look into
having hidden cupboards in a hallway that conceal a laundry area.

SHELVES OR CUPBOARDS

Any spare wall space within a laundry room can be filled with shelves or, for a neater look,
wall hung cupboards.

If the room is doubling as a guest bathroom, fix shelves or a cupboard above the toilet, and
use the space above the hand basin to incorporate a cupboard with a mirrored front.

SINK

If you can place the sink near your washing machine, you will find it more practical. Anything
left to soak can be neatly transferred to rinse and spin in the washing machine without water
dripping over the floor.

Try to leave space on either side or to one side of the sink for a draining board and space
below to hold washing powders and liquids.

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TUMBLE DRYER

If you have enough floor space, a tumble dryer should sit next to the washing machine
so you can transfer a load of washing easily. If there isn’t enough room, put the tumble
dryer on top of the washing machine. Don’t try it the other way round because the washing
machine will be too heavy. Most dryers don’t need venting, but, if they require it, consider
how best to work this into your layout so that it is placed on an outside wall.

WASHING MACHINE

A washing machine and/or washer dryer and a sink will be the two most important elements
in the room so position them first. Check that there is enough room to kneel in front of a
front loading washing machine and that opening the door to the room will not impede access
to the drum.

WASHING RACK

Wall or ceiling hung washing racks are useful because they take up no floor space. Position
them near a source of ventilation such as a window or above a sink or draining board so
clothes can drip-dry. Also, place them high enough so that you can hang long items without
touching the floor or another surface. Otherwise, buy drying racks that will fold flat against
a wall when not in use.

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KITCHEN
DESIGN

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KITCHEN DESIGN
The kitchen is a work area, and an efficient kitchen workflow follows a logical sequence. To
create a smoothly functioning kitchen, it is helpful to understand the concept of the work
triangle.

The ideal triangle takes into account the flow in a kitchen.

As a basic design principle, you should always aim for a work triangle between the refrigerator,
sink and stove with the sink at the apex of the triangle.

This arrangement is recommended for maximum convenience and safety, allowing the
occupants to move freely between the three activity centers. In an ideal scenario, the work
triangle would be configured in this manner:

■ Each leg of the triangle should be between 4ft and 9ft (the lengths of
the triangle do not have to be completely even).

■ The total of all three legs should be between 12ft and 22ft.

■ No obstructions such as cabinets and islands should intersect a leg of the work
triangle.

■ Household traffic does not flow through the work triangle.

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KITCHEN SHAPES

The shape of your triangle will differ depending on what kind of kitchen shape you have.

Galley Two Wall - Triangle “U” Shape – Triangle Corner – Triangle

Galley One Wall – Triangle Corner with Island – Triangle

BENCH SPACE

The triangle makes for an efficient layout of appliances, which allows adequate space around
each element and creates a safe workspace.

Ideally, your design will allow the following minimum clear bench space into your design:

■ 47in preparation space between cooker and sink

■ 12in either side of hot plates or an upright cooker

■ 17.7in for unloading a refrigerator

■ 17.7in for unloading a wall oven

■ 17.7in for unloading a pantry

■ 12in for serving 2 plates

■ 24in for serving 4 plates

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COOKING AREA

When cooking, you need to quickly and easily be able to obtain ingredients from the
refrigerator and also to transfer used pots and pans to the sink or surrounding worktop.

To this end, the maximum recommended distance between points of the work triangle is 9ft
in a straight line.

CLEANING AREA

Moving from the refrigerator to the sink to rinse your food, to the cooking area and then back
to the sink with your used pots is made much simpler if you can avoid any thoroughfares
intruding on your work triangle.

Another thing that will aid the economy of movement is locating your dishwasher as close
as possible to the sink so that any pans left to soak have to travel the shortest possible
distance afterwards.

FOOD STORAGE AREA

As an example of how the work triangle operates, consider the refrigerator as the primary
food storage area.

Food taken from here will either need to go straight to the cooking area or be taken to the
sink to be rinsed. For smooth functioning, neither of these routes should be too great a
distance nor should they be impeded by units or furniture.

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GALLEY – ONE WALL

This is a single unit placed against one wall. It is ideal for many small apartments and
terrace houses. The width of a galley kitchen should be between 7-12ft, with a minimum of
3ft between opposing countertops.

You could consider an undercounter refrigerator to maximize the worktop area. If desired,
the entire kitchen can be screened off using folding doors or partitions.

GALLEY – TWO WALLS

This is the layout preferred by many professional chefs. Comprised of counters on both
sides of the room with a corridor down the middle, this layout provides generous amounts
of bench space. It works best if the corridor is closed off at one end as congestion can result
if people are constantly using it as a thoroughfare.

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ISLAND

This layout is ideal in large, open plan areas adjoining a living or dining area because it gives
a feeling of openness and allows guests to interact socially with the cook while staying out
of the way on the opposite side of the island.

L-SHAPED

This is a versatile layout, which combines well with a living area and is suited to a large
space. It’s a particularly good choice if there are two enthusiastic cooks in the household,
allowing them each plenty of room to work.

It allows space for a dining table to be included without interfering with the routes between
the corners of the work triangle. If not placed against a wall, one leg of the ‘L’ can also act
as a breakfast bar.

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U-SHAPED

Grouping units and appliances around three sides of a room, the U-shaped kitchen is safe,
efficient, offers maximum storage and is suited to either medium or small rooms. In a very
large space, however, the work areas may be too far apart for comfort.

OPEN PLAN

An open plan kitchen is the most popular style today because it is generally open to the
dining and living areas.

It often incorporates an island bench and creates a seamless flow between kitchen and
entertaining areas.

Remember that the arrangement of appliances is the basic consideration in a kitchen plan.

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Before you get under way with planning the look of the kitchen, think about how it will work
on a functional level. As well as considering each component to be included, it is worth
asking yourself some general questions about the room. Does it need to double up as a
dining area? Do you need to organize the space so that people can get on with different jobs
at the same time?

COOKER

As the cooker is the third point of the work triangle, its ideal location will be partly determined
by the relative positioning of the sink and refrigerator.

Placing your cooker is made simpler if you have an all-in-one unit combining oven and hob.
If the hob is separate from the oven, on a kitchen island for example, the oven should be
within easy reach, either immediately behind or in an adjacent run of units.

As you may have to transfer food from the hob to the oven and back again, the two
components shouldn’t be more than 4ft apart.

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DISHWASHER

The best place for the dishwasher is right next to or beneath the sink so you can rinse plates
and place them onto the draining board if necessary. It can also be connected to the water
supply and drain without extra plumbing costs.

KITCHEN SINK

The sink is the second point of the work triangle so think about its positioning at the same
time that you decide where the cooker and refrigerator will go. Remember that you need
space in this part of the kitchen to be able to clean food or wash up without impinging on
other work areas. You will need to consider the size and shape of the sink as a single or
double bowl and if you intend to include a drainer on either or both sides.

KITCHEN UNITS

When deciding where your storage units will go, think about where the contents should be
kept for easy access. Your units will also provide worktop space, so consider where you want
this. Wherever the units are positioned, make sure there is space for the doors and drawers
to open comfortably.

REFRIGERATOR

Make the placement of the refrigerator or fridge freezer one of your earliest considerations
because it comprises part of the work triangle. Also, bear in mind that, if you want your
refrigerator to operate at maximum efficiency, you need to position it slightly away from heat
sources such as radiators, dishwashers, and the oven. If you want a refrigerator equipped
with an ice dispenser, position it near the water supply so it can be plumbed into the main’s
water.

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CASUAL DINING

Consider including an area for casual dining and incorporate an island bench or breakfast
bar into the design.

If you intend to use an island counter for casual dining, it is recommended to increase the
countertop depth so that you can have an overhang over the seats.

The standard depth for a countertop is 24in, and the kitchen island should be between
31.5in to 39.4in to allow for this overhang.

If you have limited space, a breakfast bar will allow for casual dining and the standard
depths are 12in, 17.7in or 24in.

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WINDOWS

The size and position of the windows will impact greatly on the ventilation, natural lighting
and visual design appeal of the kitchen.

A popular option is to integrate the indoors and outdoors by including a servery style window
opening, using a bi-fold or awning window. Another popular option is to install a fixed
window as the splashback to visually bring the outdoors in.

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BATHROOM
DESIGN

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BATHROOM DESIGN
TYPES OF BATHROOMS

WATER CLOSET (WC)

A water closet is a toilet that is housed separately to the bathroom. It can be a single toilet
only or enclosed with a basin.

BATHROOM

A bathroom contains sanitary ware in the form of a bath, shower, sink and toilet or any
combination of these items in the same room.

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LOCATION

Before designing the bathroom, careful consideration needs to be made on deciding the
location of the bathroom or WC within the home.

Ideal locations

■ Located within easy reach of bedrooms

■ At least one WC and hand basin on each floor of a multiple level property

Locations to avoid

■ Near the front entrance of the home

■ Close proximity to a kitchen

■ Door facing a kitchen, living or dining room

The bathroom does not require a window that opens for ventilation, and this will allow you
to position the bathroom anywhere within the home.

If you were to design the bathroom without a window that opens, mechanical ventilation will
need to be installed in the way of an extraction fan.

Bathroom Fans

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DESIGN

A bathroom needs careful planning, so before thinking about how you would like it to look,
consider the practical issues. How the room will be used and which individual components
will work best.

Will more than one person regularly use the room at the same time? Do you need to
make space for double sinks? Should you install a separate shower? How can the room be
organized to make it work well for everyone?

Basic arrangements in a bathroom are related to the work area, easy maintenance and
privacy. Be sure to allow clearance space around the toilet.

The bathroom also has to cater to the needs of a family’s busy morning routines, facilitating
fast and hassle-free preparation for dashing out the door, looking unflustered, clean and
well-groomed. Hence the current popularity of double basins.

There are basic fixtures that are necessary in a bathroom and these include a bathtub and
shower, a toilet, a washbasin and storage.

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Important consideration should be taken positioning the fixtures within the bathroom, and
ideally, the door opening should face the vanity or bath and avoid it facing the toilet or
shower.

If you are working with a small space, consider how the door hangs and where it is located.

Can it be changed to a cavity sliding door or a face-fixed sliding door to save space?

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BATH

The bath will be one of the biggest fixtures in the bathroom, and, due to the size difference,
it will have more emphasis, naturally lending itself to be the focal point of the room.

Try to be mindful of this when designing the layout of the room, and, in an ideal situation,
position the bath up against the largest wall of the bathroom that faces the door to maximize
the emphasis of it upon entering the room.

If space is an issue, choose a bath that sits against a wall and ideally into a corner.

If you have a larger room, consider installing a freestanding bath, but check first with your
plumber that it won’t cause drainage issues.

Consider, too, where bath taps will be positioned. Freestanding baths, for example, don’t
usually have taps attached, so they will have to be fixed to the wall or be “floor standing”.

It is a preferred layout to have a separate shower to the bath, but, if you are working with
a small room, you could position the shower above the bath.

In this situation, the bath should be positioned right against the wall and screened to
prevent water spillage.

Ensure the bath is long enough to be comfortable for the tallest member of the household.

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HAND BASIN

Ideally, the hand basin should sit within easy reach of the toilet and a solid wall so you can
hang a mirror above it. Before choosing a hand basin and locating the best position for it,
give some thought to the storage you’ll need.

If storage space is tight, consider getting a vanity unit with a sink set into it or sitting on a
shelving unit or cupboard, rather than opting for a simple pedestal hand basin.

This choice may affect your layout, so check the dimensions of the unit carefully first to
make sure it will fit into the bathroom plan.

A wall mounted medicine cabinet with a mirror front is a great space saving idea and is
available as surface mounted or recessed into the wall.

Hand basins should be placed with enough space in front for the user to comfortably bend
over it. To install a hand basin that can be used comfortably, it should have about 21in to
30in of clearance around the front.

Be aware of scale and proportion when selecting fixtures to ensure that the size of the hand
basin suits the scale of the bathroom.

For small spaces, look for space saving tricks such as running taps from the wall instead of
mounting them on the sink.

This could save you 4” or more of space, which, in a tight bathroom, could be significant.
Installing the hand basin onto a floating shelf or wall mounting the vanity unit off the floor
is a popular option. This creates the optical illusion of seeing more floor area, which makes
the room appear bigger.

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SHOWER

If space allows, install a separate shower, particularly if this is the only bathroom in the
house.

There are a number of shower styles available:

■ Freestanding style, available as a metal frame screen or frameless

■ Walk-in shower with a fixed glass screen

■ Shower built into solid wall with glass door

The base of the shower will have an impact on the design of the room, which is available as
a separate shower tray or a tiled based.

A separate shower tray will sit above the floor level and is not suitable for a walk-in shower.
In this situation, a tile base laid at the same level will be a better option.

If the budget allows including a recessed shower niche or built-in shelves, offer a more
modern and streamlined storage solution.

For more bathroom codes in the US, visit [Link].

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STORAGE UNITS

Bathrooms benefit from as much storage as possible. Include shelving for toiletries, towel
rails and hooks for clothes or bathrobes, all within reach of the bath or shower. A wall hung
cupboard for bottles, medicines and cleaning products is also useful as are shelves to stack
unused towels. Or have storage space built behind a bath panel and accessed via a small
door.

For a streamlined look, pick vanity units or cupboards below the sink with plenty of storage
space. The final accessories to place are a mirror or mirrors over the basin/s, towel holders,
hangers for robes and a toilet roll holder.

If the ventilation is inadequate, this will have to be addressed and, in cooler climates,
heating may need to be provided with heated towel rails or underfloor heating.

If underfloor heating is not possible, then consider a warmer flooring material underfoot
than tiles, which can be hard on bare feet on a cold winter’s morning.

All surfaces need to be water impermeable and able to resist mildew. All paintwork should
have a mildew resistant undercoat and be oil-based.

If the bathroom you are working on is particularly small and cannot be enlarged without
major building work that is outside the client’s budget, consider relieving the pressure by
looking carefully to see if some of its functions could be placed elsewhere.

If it doubles as a laundry room, the washer machine and dryer may be able to be moved to
the kitchen or a large built-in cupboard. There may be a way to remove the toilet from the
main bathroom and create a separate space for it elsewhere in the house. Investigate all
possibilities.

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TOILET

In an ideal floor plan, the toilet would be separate from the bathroom. If it is to be included
with the main bathroom, a good option would be to separate it from the bathroom with a
screen or privacy wall.

The toilet should not be the first thing seen upon entering the bathroom. If the bathroom
design is open plan, try to position it on the same wall as the door so that it is hidden from
view.

As with all sanitary ware, there is a range of configurations and size for toilets, so if space
is an issue, shop around before you make a choice.

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BATHROOM SIZES

When designing a room with fixed elements like a bathroom, we need to take anthropometric
dimensions into account to ensure that we allow enough space around the fixtures for
people to use the bathroom safely and comfortably.

Recommended sizes as follows, however, please check the building codes for your state as
some dimensions may vary.

Toilet located within a bathroom

■ Toilet bowl to toilet paper dispenser

no longer than 12”

■ Minimum distance of a toilet to an

adjacent wall or shower screen

Shower

■ Shower Size: Showers must be a

minimum of 36” by 36”

■ Surrounds: Shower surrounds must

extend at least 3” above the height
of the shower head

■ Doors: Shower doors must swing

outward

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Vanity

■ The depth of the vanity should be somewhere between 15in–24in. This is measured
from the sink’s center line to the wall.

■ The height of the vanity should be somewhere between 32in–36in.

■ In the case of a double basin vanity, the minimum distance between the two should
be 36in.

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RESIDENTIAL
BUILDING
DESIGN

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RESIDENTIAL BUILDING DESIGN

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Energy efficient buildings can be defined as buildings that are designed to provide a significant
reduction of the energy needs for heating and cooling.

The most effective way to do this is with a passive design that uses the natural sources of
heating and cooling such as the sun and cooling breezes.

It is achieved by the orientation of the building on the site, the positioning of zones within
the building and the careful selection of the building materials for the exterior of the home
to minimize unwanted heat gain and loss.

ORIENTATION

Orientation is the positioning of a building and/or its openings in relation to the variation of
the sun’s path of travel during the different seasons of the year.

Ideally, in the winter, you would have the building openings facing the sun to generate
warmth, and, in the summer, these openings should be shaded to prevent heat from entering
the property.

Internally, the house should be broken up into zones according to how we use the space.
Where possible, try to group rooms together that require the same air temperature:

■ Zone A – Living areas, kitchen, dining rooms

■ Zone B – Bedrooms, bathrooms and laundry

The location of your country will have an impact on the ideal orientation of a building, and
we described the sun paths for each hemisphere in detail below.

For countries located in the Southern Hemisphere

The sun’s path of travel changes throughout the year, depending on the season. In the
winter, the sun rises in the north-east, sits lower in the sky through the day and sets in the
north-west.

Rooms facing north would have the maximum amount of sun penetration through winter,
whereas the south facing rooms would get none and ideally, we would orientate Zone A
rooms to the north of the house.

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In the summer, the sun rises in the south-east, sits directly above in the sky and sets in
the south-west. Rooms facing south would receive no sunlight during winter and extended
periods of sunlight in summer, which is not ideal and, therefore, we should orientate Zone
B rooms to the south of the home.

For countries located in the Northern Hemisphere

The sun’s path of travel changes throughout the year depending on the season. In the
winter, the sun rises in the south-east, sits lower in the sky through the day and sets in the
south-west.

Rooms facing south would have the maximum amount of sun penetration through winter,
whereas the north facing rooms would get none and ideally, we would orientate Zone A
rooms to the south of the house.

In the summer, the sun rises in the north-east, sits directly above in the sky and sets in
the north-west. Rooms facing north would receive no sunlight during winter and extended
periods of sunlight in summer, which is not ideal and, therefore, we should orientate Zone
B rooms to the north of the home.

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PARTS OF A RESIDENTIAL BUILDING

WALLS

In terms of their function, all walls are either load-bearing or non-load bearing. A load-
bearing wall is part of the structure of the building because it holds the building up. A non-
load bearing wall is only a partition that divides the various rooms of a building. Non load-
bearing walls can be removed, and load-bearing walls cannot be removed without replacing
the wall with a support system. It is not easy for a layman to determine whether a wall
is load-bearing or not; you must rely on the advice of an experienced, licensed structural
engineer.

WALL COMPONENTS

MASONRY

Masonry homes are built from concrete block, stone or brick. Typical Masonry construction
methods used for residential buildings include the following types:

■ Solid walls – Wall consists of a single layer of masonry.

■ Veneered walls – A brick veneer wall is constructed with an external brick layer, and
the inside wall is made up of wood or metal lightweight framing.

■ Cavity walls – Cavity walls consist of two layers of masonry separated by a hollow
space (cavity).

FRAMING SYSTEMS

Lightweight framing is the most common construction system used for residential buildings
in most countries. The two most commonly used framing materials are timber and steel.

WALL LININGS

The external surface of a lightweight frame home can be clad with timber weatherboards,
panels (to apply render onto) or other cladding systems. The internal wall lining would
include plasterboard, wood panel or PVC panels.

ROOF AND CEILING STYLES

As interior designers, we are focused on the design and decoration of the interior of a
building and not as much on the exterior roofing style of a building. But it is good practice
to have a basic understanding of the most popular roof styles used on residential houses to
determine what the construction restrictions are for our proposed design.

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To put it in simple terms, the restriction of the exterior roofing style is if there is a gap
between the internal ceiling and external roof called a ceiling cavity. Roof styles with a
ceiling cavity will allow you more flexibility to recess items into the ceiling like lighting
fixtures, insulation, ducting and exhaust systems, and use the space available for storage
or even a habitable room if the height allows.

Roof styles with a ceiling cavity include Hip, Hip and Valley, Gable, Pyramid and Saltbox
roofs.

Roof styles without a ceiling cavity will heavily restrict the use of insulation, ducting and
exhaust systems and any recessed fixtures. The type and placement of lighting fixtures and
the ability to re-locate them will also be restricted due to lack of access to the wires.

Roof styles that do not have a ceiling cavity include Flat, Skillion, Lean-To roofs.

Aside from the inherent restrictions an external roof style will place on a room, the interior
ceiling style will also have an impact on what we can do. If the beams are exposed or the
ceiling lining follows the roof shape, the designer will face the same restrictions as with the
flat roof styles. However, it does allow for other design opportunities like skylights and roof
windows.

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WINDOWS

Windows are an essential building component for light and air movement but should also be
considered for their aesthetic appeal.

The location and shape of the windows are crucial to the overall design of the room. Because
of the change of materials and contrast of light they provide, they will have maximum
emphasis in a room making them the focal point.

When working on the assignment for this module, try to visualize the room and treat the
windows almost like artwork by positioning them over the key zones in your room. Some
things to consider would be

■ Kitchen: Windows can be used as a splashback, a highlight window, b-folding

servery styles or, for more conventional styles, try to position them in the center of
the countertop (over a sink for example).

■ Dining room: Try to position them over the center of the table or at the head for a
rectangle shaped table.

■ Lounge room: Be mindful of television glare with the position of the windows.

■ Bedroom: Ideally, the window will be located on a separate wall to the bed head,
but if this cannot be avoided, it is recommended to use a highlight window instead
of a conventional style so that the bed is not up against the window.

■ Bathrooms and Laundry: These rooms do not need a window and this will allow
for flexibility in your proposed floor plan design. If the location of the room does not
permit a window, a skylight could be used for natural light or a version that opens for
light and air movement.

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WINDOW POSITIONS

Conventional window positions on the wall are dictated by the width and height of the
window. Here are some other options to consider when designing or renovating a property.

Highlight Window – These are positioned high up

on the wall and are used to highlight an architectural
shape, capture a view or to free up the walls for other
items.

Picture Window – A picture window is designed

to capture and frame a view of outside. They will
be large in scale and often fixed, not openable, to
maximize the emphasis and reduce any obstruction
to the view. The scale and height of this type of
window lends itself to incorporate a window seat into
the design.

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 Backsplash – A window, installed in the position
of the splashback, is often a fixed window, used for
light and to highlight a view. Care needs to be taken
around a cooktop and, although it is safe to have
glass near heat, it is not a practical solution and will
increase cleaning requirements compared to other
splashback materials.

Window Seat – If space allows, a built in window

seat will make for a cozy seating area to enjoy the
view.

Dormer (Roof Window) – If the property has a

large ceiling cavity, the space could be converted
into a useable room by extending the roof line and
installing a dormer window.

Skylight – A skylight is a window that is installed onto

the ceiling plane, is available as fixed or openable
and often comes with built-in light control blinds.
They are a flexible option to increase light and air
movement to rooms with no access to external walls
and are available in many shapes and sizes to suit
the architectural appeal of the property.

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TYPES OF WINDOWS

Hopper Window – A window where the sash

opens inward by pivoting at the bottom.

Casement Window – Casement windows pivot on

hinges at one of the jambs. They swing outwards
like a door and are controlled by a crank handle
fixed to the frame.

Bay Window – A bay window is made up of a

series of windows assembled in a polygon shape
that project outward from the face of a house.

Awning Window – An awning window is hinged

at or near the top and swings out from the bottom
to open.

Double Hung Window – A double hung window

has two vertically moving sashes, controlled by
spring balances, each opening and closing the top
and the bottom sash.

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 Single Hung Window – These act in the same
way as the Double Hung Window but the top panel
is fixed.

Sliding Window - A sliding window has the

opening sash sliding in a horizontal direction past
the other fixed half.

Louver Window - Louver windows consist of a

series of slats that are usually angled horizontally
and fastened between vertical structural pieces.

Picture Window - Picture windows are fixed

panes of glass used for light and views only.

Bi-Fold Window - Bi-fold windows consist of two

or more panels. They can open to one side or open
in two parts. The panels are hinged together at the
window jamb. When open, they fold together to
the side of the opening.

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DOOR TYPES

Doors are practical component of a building but can also be considered for their aesthetic
appeal and ability to integrate the indoors with the outdoors.

Hinged Doors – These are the most common type

of doors, and they are attached by a set of hinges
attached to the wall through a door jamb.

Bi-Fold Doors – Bi-fold doors consist of two or

more panels. They can open to one side or open in
two parts. The panels are hinged together at the
door jamb. When open, they fold together to the
side of the opening, which creates a large entry
into the space.

French Doors – A French door is made up of two

glazed panels that are hinged on opposite jambs.
They open and close in the same fashion as other
swinging doors and come together to meet in the
middle.

External Sliding Door – A sliding door has the

opening door sliding in a horizontal direction past
the other fixed half.

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 External Stacker Door – A stacker door has
multiple glazed panels and one fixed panel. The
sliding panels can either stack behind a fixed panel
or fully recessed into the wall.

Internal Sliding Door (Face fixed) – A sliding

door consists of one fixed panel attached to two
hangers on rollers, which slide along a track that is
attached to the outside of a wall. The panel slides
back and forth to create a door opening. Internal
sliding doors can come in single or double varieties.

Cavity Sliding Door (Pocket Door) – These

doors work in the same way as a standard sliding
door. The panel slides back into a recess in the wall
to be fully hidden from view when opened. These
are also available in single or double varieties.

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FLOOR PLANS

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FLOOR PLANS
When it comes time to developing your first floor plan, it can become a little overwhelming,
so before you start, let’s go over the basic overview of what a floor plan is.

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ORTHOGRAPHIC VIEW TYPES

An orthographic drawing represents a three-dimensional object (like a house) using several

two-dimensional views of the object. Each of these views is taken from a different angle,
and the most common views used for architectural design are the top, side and section.

In order to more easily understand the types of views, we have used a cupcake as an
example:

PLAN VIEW

■ Top view taken from above

■ Show the width and depth of an object but

not height

ELEVATION

■ Side view

■ Shows the height and width of an object but

not depth

You will note that each of the drawings has been drawn flat (two-dimensional), and each
drawing is missing the third dimension. By viewing both the plan and elevation views
together, we are able to get enough information to determine the form of the object.

SECTION
■ The object has been cut to reveal the
contents

■ A section can be cut either horizontally

or vertically

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WHAT IS A FLOOR PLAN?

A floor plan is a view of the building looking down from above with the roof and ceiling
removed to reveal the contents.

It is essentially a horizontal section cut of the building. When we draw floor plans, we
imagine a line has been cut through the house at the height of 4ft from the ground.

The line will cut through all built elements like walls, doors, windows and any fixed elements
like cabinetry.

The purpose of the floor plan is to show the organization and layout of the spaces within the
house, the position of the doors, windows and stairs as well as the thickness of the walls.

The section cut is made at 4ft, and fixed elements at or below this height are shown as solid
lines.

Fixed elements above this height are shown as dashed lines. Some examples of this are

■ Wall cabinets

■ Wall shelves

■ Skylights

■ Overhead beams or archways

■ Bulkhead

Fixed elements below this line that are hidden will also be shown as a dashed line. For
example, a kitchen floor plan will show the countertops, and you would use a dashed line to
indicate the location of a dishwasher that sits under the counter.

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 In this example, the kitchen counter,
cooktop and sink are shown as solid
lines.

The wall cabinet and dishwasher are

shown as dashed lines.

Plans should have each room labelled, so you know where each functional area is in
relationship to another room. This will also help you see how you can get from room to
room.

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PARTS OF THE FLOOR PLAN

SCALE

Scale refers to the size of one object in relation to another. In particular, it’s used when the
size of at least one of the objects is known with certainty.

In design, scale is usually used to refer to the size of an object or space in relation to the
human body. For example, standard countertop heights and chair widths are scaled to fit
the average person.

Though the two terms are similar and are often used interchangeably, proportion refers
to a general relationship in size between two objects. It’s what interior designers refer to
when they describe how two objects relate to each other in a room. For example, as a rule,
designers recommend that coffee tables be two-thirds as long as the sofa they are set
against.

Buildings are too large to be drawn full size on a sheet of paper. So, everything must be
drawn to scale, or in other words smaller than they are in reality.

Floor plans, views and sections should be drafted to scale, which means that the size of a
house in real life should be reduced when it is drawn on a piece of paper.

In the imperial and U.S system, a commonly used scale for hand-drawn plans is 1/4’’=1.0’,
which means if something is 1 foot long in real life it should be drawn 1/4 inch long on paper.

In the metric system, a very common scale is 1:50, which means every 1m in real world is
represented by 2cm.

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The scale to which a drawing is made is always noted on the drawing, usually beneath the
title of the view, as shown in the elevation example below.

The scales most commonly used are

3/4” =1’-0” for joinery (large enough to show most detail)

1/4” = 1’-0” for floor plans, reflected ceiling plans and elevations

1/8” = 1’-0” for larger floor plans and a complete house plans

You will see that the larger the number gets, the smaller the scale. This is so the plan of an
entire building can be reduced in size and shown on a single sheet of paper.

When a set of plans are produced of a building, it must be proportionally reduced onto a
conveniently sized piece of paper. This reduction is called scaling down. In the real world,
3ft is equal to 3ft. A drawing at a scale of 1 ½” = 1’-0” means that the object is 10 times
smaller than in the real life scale of 1:1. You could also say 1 unit in the drawing is equal to
10 units in real life.

As the numbers in the scale get bigger, i.e. ¼” = 1’-0” – 1/16”=1’-0”, the elements in the
drawing actually get smaller. This is because, in a drawing at ¼” = 1’-0”, there is 1 unit for
every 50 units in real life. A drawing of 1/16” = 1’-0” is representing 200 units for every one
unit, and therefore, is showing the elements smaller than the ¼” = 1’-0” drawing.

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HAND DRAFTING

Hand drafting is considered the foundation of interior design theory, and it is important to
learn this technique before you learn a computer-aided design (CAD) software.

Within the category of hand drafted drawings, there are two distinct types:

Technical sketches
Mechanical drafting

An interior designer must have the ability to quickly create technical sketches during the
preliminary and initial design phases to convey design ideas to others.

A mechanical draft is the next step that moves a design idea from the development phase
to the implementation phase.

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DRAFTING TOOLS

While the basic pencil is required to create the actual drawing, interior designers need a
number of other specialized drafting tools to help communicate the design. For this module,
we will focus on the tools required for you to produce the technical drawing of the floor plan
for the assignment.

CLUTCH PENCILS OR MECHANICAL PENCILS

The clutch pencil, better known as the mechanical pencil, is a good alternative to the standard
pencil, as the line thickness is constant, although very thin leads can snap easily, and care
is advised when drawing with them.

The other advantage is that you can use a variety of leads in the same pencil, and they come
in sizes varying from 0.3 (very thin) to 0.5 (medium) up to 1.3 (thick). For this module, it
is recommended that you use 0.5 (medium) size.

DRAWING PENS

A technical drawing pen is a specialized instrument used by the designer to make lines of
constant width for interior design, architectural or technical drawings. A “Radiograph” pen is
the trademarked name for one particular type of technical pen. Technical pens use either a
refillable ink reservoir (Isograph version) or a replaceable ink cartridge and are now rarely
used due to the use of CAD.

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The development of felt-tip, ink-based pens, however, have provided cheaper, lower
maintenance disposable tools that sell much better than traditional technical pens. Good
quality felt pens such as the Staedtler pigment fine liner 308 allows for a variety of up to
9 different line thicknesses and is used for both sketching and measured drawing. For this
module, you will need to purchase a black, fine liner in 0.5mm size.

RULERS

To measure floor plans, you will need a scale ruler, and there are several types of scale
rulers on the market. There are a number of different options available for scale rulers, and
it is important to purchase the correct one. As designers, we will use the architect’s scale
ruler, which will have the following scales: ¾” = 1’-0” (1:20), ¼” = 1’-0” (1:50), 1/8” = 1’-
0” (1:100).

SET SQUARES

Set squares actually have very little to do with drawing actual squares and are used primarily
for drawing vertical and angular lines.

They are normally made from clear plastic. There are three standard types: the 45 degree
set square, the 60/30 set square and the adjustable set square, which is the most versatile
because it can be set at any desired angle and locked there. For this module, it is recommended
that you use a 45 degree set square.

To use the set square, we line it up with a horizontal line on our drawing or graph paper, and
use the vertical and angled faces to draw lines at the selected angle.

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COMPASS

A compass is a common drafting tool used to draw circles and arcs. The compass is a
V-shaped device comprised of two rigid legs, one with a sharp end tip and the other that
accommodates a pencil. The pointed tip is used to pivot on the drawing surface as the pencil
leg marks a radius or arc.

Adjust the radius by changing the angle of the hinge. On a technical drawing, doors are
drawn with an arc (part circle) to show the door swing direction. To create the arc, you can
use a compass or a small circular object and trace around.

PAPER

Graph paper will help you with the initial process drawings through to construction drawings
by keeping your lines straight and square to each other.

It is available for purchase through art stores, or alternatively, you can use a search engine
like “Google Images” to search for free copies that you can print from home by typing
this into the engine “Printable graph paper free” and choose the size you want to use, for
example 1/8in.

Once you have drawn the floor plan onto the graph paper and you are happy with the layout,
the next step is to draw the floor plan neatly onto tracing paper with a black pen. Tracing
paper can be purchased from online, an art store or to save money, you could use some
kitchen baking paper.

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PAPER SIZES

The recommended size for interior design drawings is generally A3 size paper, because it
is easier to manage. Each smaller sheet size is exactly half the area of the previous size. If
you cut an A0 sheet in half, you get two A1 sheets; if you cut an A1 sheet in half, you get
two A2 sheets; and so on.

LETTERING

Good lettering is perhaps one of the most important details on a drawing because it ensures
that a manually drawn plan looks professional.

Notes and annotation must be clear, legible and consistent. It’s best to print your annotation
in CAPITALS, as this is generally much easier to read on a drawing. To ensure that your
capitals are drawn neatly with each letter at the same height, draw a set of lines to use as
guides for your letters.

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LINE TYPES

There are standards for different types of lines used in architectural drawing. Each has a
definite meaning and is recognized as a typical symbol or object within the building trades
industry.

Listed below are some of the standard line types that are typically used in design drawings.

Solid Line

Solid lines are used to indicate visible objects that can be seen in plan, elevation or 3D
views. Solid lines are also used for leader lines or dimension lines.

Dashed Line

Hidden objects or edges are drawn with short dashed lines. These are used to show hidden
parts of an object or objects below or behind another object.

Dashed lines are also used to indicate shelving or cabinets above a counter. These lines
should be in contact at the corners and when perpendicular to another line.

Leader Line (Arrow)

Leader lines start as a solid line and end in an arrow. Leader lines may be drawn at an angle
or curved and are used to indicate the following:

■ Connect notes to reference the objects in a drawing.

■ Indicate the direction of a movable object (for example, a sliding door).

■ Indicate movement direction up/down stairs.

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Break Lines

Break lines are used when the extends of a drawing cannot fit on the size of paper being
used for the drawing. It can also be used when you only need to illustrate a portion of a
design or partial view.

DIMENSIONS

Dimensions on a drawing provide essential information as to the length, width, height and
depth of any object shown. It is important to establish not only the size of a given object but
also to provide an indication of the scale and proportion of a space or detail within a space.

As with lettering, dimensions need to follow the same rule and must be clear, legible and
accurate.

Dimensions, along with annotation and titles, form the main body of written information on
a drawing to complement the graphic portion as drawn.

Dimensions must be carefully considered as part of a drawing and should not cross over the
line of a structure. They also need to be set out in a clear and methodical format with due
diligence and respect to the overall scale of the drawing itself.

Dimensions are definite and absolute measurements from one point to another. The
measurement unit used is feet (ft).

The endpoint, be it an arrow, slash or dot, should be clear and distinct to identify the
termination point. Dimension lines should run past the end mark as a matter of course.

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DIMENSIONING RULES

The basic rule for dimensioning is to use three dimension lines against each wall. On complex
plans, this number may grow to five or six dimension lines. Sometimes, it is necessary to
place a dimension line internally within the floor plan, but generally try to keep dimension
lines externally of your floor plan.

The three standard lines for dimension indicate

Row 1 – Windows, doors, walls

Row 2 – Room dimensions
Row 3 – Overall exterior dimensions

All dimensions must be written on top of the dimension lines. Each row of dimension lines
is to be offset from the plan by a set amount.

Offset amount

Row 1 – 0.6in
Row 2 – 0.4in
Row 3 – 0.4in
Every other row – 0.4in

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When dimensioning a floor plan, start by mentally dividing it up into sections (top, bottom,
left and right), and then dimension each portion of the house to the top, left, bottom or right
accordingly.

TOP BOTTOM

LEFT RIGHT

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SYMBOLS

Every floor plan will have a set of symbols with each one drawn to the same scale as the
rest of the plan.

For example, if the floor plan is drawn at 1/4”=1’-0” (1:50) scale the symbol will also be
drawn at 1/4”=1’-0” (1:50).

Industry standards have been developed to provide a universal language of graphic symbols
and written forms for different design companies and building professions.

When drawing a floor plan, you are to include an accurate graphic representation of the
building components and inclusions in the form of a symbol to include the following:

■ Windows

■ Doors

■ Bathroom fixtures – Sink, toilet, shower, bath

■ Kitchen – Sink, cooktop

■ Laundry – Sink

■ Furniture

To source some example symbols for furniture, sanitaryware and kitchen fixtures, use a
search engine like Google or a website like Pinterest to look for images.

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DRAWING DOOR SYMBOLS

To draw door symbols, we need to follow a set of rules called architectural conventions
because the door is part of the building structure.

To simplify the process, it is important to remember that a “plan” view is essentially a

horizontal section cut of the building, and for the door, this cut through will reveal the
structural framework, door size, hinge point and movement direction. It will not show any
vertical details like the door height or the materials that the door is made of (glass, timber
and steel).

Before drawing the symbol, you will need to decide on the door details and consider the
following:

■ Door style – Hinge, Bi-Fold, Sliding

■ Door panel quantity

■ Door size - Width and thickness of door panel (refer to standard door sizes)

■ Movement direction

■ Hinge point

■ Wall thickness

These details are transferred graphically to the door symbol that is to be drawn in the floor
plan.

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DOOR SYMBOLS BY DOOR TYPE

SINGLE SWING DOOR

Door elements include a single door panel connected by a single hinge point located on the
edge. The door panel opening style is an arc shape.

The wall opening is determined by the width of the door panel. For example, if the door
panel is 32.3in wide, so will the wall opening.

DOUBLE SWING DOOR (FRENCH DOOR)

Door elements include two door panels with a hinge point for each panel on the outer edges.

The movement style is an arc for each panel that is to meet in the middle.

The wall opening is determined by the size of both door panels added together. For example,
if the panels are 32.3in, each the opening will be 64.6in.

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BI-FOLD DOOR

Door elements are made up of multiple door panels with a hinge connecting each of the
panels and onto the wall.

The movement style is folding, and we show this by drawing the door panels at 45-degree
angle with the panel edges touching.

The wall opening is determined by the size of all of the door panels added together. Using the
example below, if each of the four panels were 32.3in, the wall opening would be 129.2in.

POCKET DOOR

The door element is made up of a sliding door panel that recedes into the cavity of the wall.

The movement style is sliding, and the door panel position is drawn at the center of the wall
with an arrow to indicate the movement direction.

The wall opening is determined by the size of the single door panel or, if it is a double pocket
door, both panels added together.

For example, if the door panel is 32.3in, the opening would be 32.3in (single door) or 64.6in
(double door).

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BYPASS SLIDING DOOR

The door element is made up of a sliding door panel and another panel that can be fixed
or sliding. The movement style is sliding, and it’s called “Bypass” because the panels move
across the other one.

An arrow is used to indicate the moving panel and movement direction. The wall opening is
determined by the size of the door panels added together minus 2in for the overlap in the
center.

For example, if the door panels are 32.3in, the door opening would be 62.6in (2 x 32.3in
panels minus 2in).

SURFACE SLIDING DOOR (FACE FIXED SLIDER)

The door element is made up of a sliding door panel that is fixed to the outside (face) of the
wall. The movement style is sliding, and the door panel position is drawn on the outside of
the wall with an arrow to indicate the movement direction.

The wall opening is determined by the size of the single door panel or, if it is a double cavity
sliding door, both panels added together.

For example, if the door panel is 32.3in, the opening would be 32.3in (single door) or 64.6in
(double door).

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DRAWING WINDOW SYMBOLS

To draw windows, we will need to follow architectural conventions just like we do for drawing
door symbols. Where windows differ from doors when drawing a floor plan is that windows
are to be indicated on the plan, regardless of the mounting height.

For example, if you were to include a highlight window into the design, this will need to be
drawn on the floor plan even though it sits above the 4ft section cut through line.

If the window is complicated or multiple windows are used on a vertical surface (see example
below of a highlight and backsplash window), an additional elevation drawing will be required
to communicate this design.

The symbol graphically represents all of the window components. If you were to cut through
the center of it horizontally, it would reveal the window frame, glass pane, outward movement
direction (horizontal movement) and any vertical members.

It will not show any vertical details like window height, vertical movement, hinge point
or the materials that the window is made of (glass, timber and steel). When drawing a
window symbol onto a floor plan, we simplify the details by showing the window symbol and
outwardly opening details only.

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WINDOW SYMBOLS BY WINDOW TYPE

The universal window symbol is used for all windows that do not have outwardly opening
parts and these include

■ Sliding

■ Double Hung

■ Single Hung

■ Picture (Fixed window)

■ Louver

The wall opening for all types of windows are dictated by the width of the overall window
width, regardless of the individual panels because it is purchased and installed as one unit.

Windows that have outwardly opening parts need more information on the floor plan to
indicate the direction and distance of the opening.

CASEMENT WINDOW

Window elements include an open window panel connected by a single hinge point located
on the vertical edge.

The window panel opening style is an arc shape, and it is drawn as a single line in a partially
open position, starting from the center of the window (depth).

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HOPPER OR AWNING WINDOW

Window elements include an open window panel connected by a single hinge point located
on the top horizontal edge for awning style and bottom edge for hopper style.

The window panel opening style is a vertical arc shape, but this is not visible in plan view,
and instead, a rectangle is drawn with a dashed line to show the opening direction.

BI-FOLDING WINDOW

Window elements include a number of window panels with a hinge connecting each of the
panels and onto the window frame (attached to the wall). The movement style is folding.
and we show this by drawing the window panels drawn as a single line, starting from the
center of the window (depth).

WALL THICKNESS

Everything we draw on a floor plan needs to be to scale and this includes the wall thickness.

The wall thickness will be dictated by the material used to build the wall support and the
type of lining applied over the supporting structure to finish it off.

Some common types of external wall thickness are

■ Brick veneer 8” - made up of 4” brick, 3 1/2” timber frame, 1/2” internal

plasterboard lining including a gap between the timber stud wall and brick

■ Double brick 8” – made up of 2 layers of brick at 4” each and a cavity in between

■ Timber frame with weatherboard cladding 4” – made up of 3 1/2” timber and

3/4” weatherboard cladding

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The most common type of internal wall is made up of a timber stud wall with plasterboard
lining on both sides and is generally available in two thicknesses. Depending on the load, a
thicker timber is used around the perimeter of the home and a thinner timber on the internal
walls:

■ Perimeter stud walls 4” – made up of 3 1/2” timber stud wall with 1/2”
plasterboard lining on both sides

■ Internal stud walls 3 1/2” – made up of 2 3/4” timber stud with 1/2” plasterboard
lining on both sides

STAIRS

Drawing stairs in a floor plan can be confusing at the start but becomes easier with practice.

The floor plan for each floor will need to show the stairs that are relevant for that floor, floor
to ceiling and include the landing.

If the ceiling is open for both floors over the stairs, then you are able to show the full set of
stairs on both plans, but, if part of the stairs is covered or used for other functions like under
stair storage, you will need to include this information on the plans.

Example of a plan with (ground floor) under stair storage

■ The ground floor shows the stair entry to the left, the under stair storage on the
right and the arrow indicating the direction of travel. The dashed line shows
the location of the hand rail.

■ The first floor plan show the full set of stairs open to view from this floor. The
arrow indicates the direction of travel, and the dashed line shows the hand rail and
balustrade position.

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To simplify the process, it is better to break it down into more manageable steps.

Step 1 – Identify the stair design to be used with the most common ones shown below.

Step 2 – Draw the full stair design on both floors.

Step 3 – Number the steps starting from floor level ground floor and working your way up
to the last step on the first floor.

Step 4 – On each floor, delete any part of the stair drawing that will not be visible (see
example above of under stair storage).

Step 5 – On the ground floor, draw an arrow (facing up) and the word “Up” to indicate travel
direction.

Step 6 – On the first floor, draw an arrow (facing down) and the word “Down” to indicate
travel direct.

Step 7 – Use a dashed line to show handrail and balustrade position.

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ABBREVIATIONS

The space on floor plans is limited, and, to effectively communicate parts of the design
clearly, abbreviations will need to be used.

The following is a list of some common abbreviations found used on working drawings.

BIN WASTE BIN

BHD BULKHEAD
BR BRICKWORK
BV BRICK VENEER
CAV CAVITY
CAB CABINET
CD CLOTHES DRYER
COL COLUMN
CPD CUPBOARD
EX EXISTING
FW FLOOR WASTE
HB HANDBASIN
HTR HEATER
HP HOTPLATE
HW HOT WATER UNIT
LAM LAMINATE
MW MICROWAVE OVEN
O OVEN
PB PLASTERBOARD
PT PARTITION TIMBER STUD
REF REFRIDGERATOR
SHR SHOWER
SKY SKYLIGHT
SNK SINK
SS STAINLESS STEEL
U/B UNDER BENCH
VB VANITY BASIN
VEN VENEER
WM WASHING MACHINE

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TITLE BLOCK

When we draw a floor plan, it is important to determine how it will fit onto an A3 page
landscape orientation. This will also determine the scale at which we will draw the floor plan
with the most common scale being 1/4”=1’-0” (1:50) for a floor plan.

When setting up as a designer, one of the first tasks you must take on is to have a professional
name for your company.

This can be your own name or a name such as ‘Interior Associates’. Always check that there
is no other registered business with the same name.

We will go into further detail about this in the later stages of the course; here, we are more
concerned with the presentation of how your drawings will look. They need, as always, to
reflect a professional attitude.

All drawings must carry a title block that typically runs down the right side or the bottom of
the sheet of paper. It is important to use the same title block for each sheet of paper.

Example Title Block layouts for an A3 sheet

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Typically, the title block information panel will contain the following items:

Key: An example for each of the symbols used are to

be included.

Notes: Use this area for any general information about

the project.

Project Name: Use this if the project has a different

name to the client.

Drawing: Use this area to describe the location or type

of drawing, i.e. Site Plan, Ground Floor, First Floor etc.

Drawing Number: This is how we track the number of

revisions made to the drawing. For each revision, assign
the drawing a new number.

Scale: Indicate the scale used for the drawing. If the

drawing is not to scale, write “N.T.S” or “Not To Scale”.

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SPATIAL
PLANNING

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SPATIAL PLANNING

WHAT IS SPATIAL PLANNING (SPACE PLANNING)?

Have you ever heard of the term spatial planning and wondered what it meant?

Spatial planning is how we organize the space inside a building depending on how it is to
be used.

It is a fundamental element of the interior design process that is performed at the early
stages of a project, and, once the steps of the process are complete, the interior designer
can then use this information to draw the floor plan.

Here are the key parts of the process explained in more detail.

INFORMATION COLLECTION

Before we start working on any part of the project, we need to collect information from
the client. It is important, in the very early stages of design, to carry out this research and
consider all aspects of the space (building) and its intended use (rooms).

Information on the building project parameters are required. Here are some example
questions to ask

■ What is the building size?

■ Where does the building sit on the block of land?

■ How many levels are there?

■ What is the orientation of the building? Which way is north?

■ What are the building restrictions? For example: Heritage restriction, structural
walls, elements/fixtures that are to remain.

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In terms of client requirements, some example questions to ask are

■ What is the size of the family?

■ What are the bedroom requirements?

■ What are the bathroom requirements?

■ What are the preferences for living, dining and kitchen areas?

■ Are there any mobility or access issues?

CREATE ZONES

Where possible, try to group the rooms with similar functions or requirements together to
create zones. Some suggested zones would include

■ Bedrooms

■ Utility (laundry, bathroom)

■ Living (living, dining, kitchen)

For each of the zones, create a list of requirements for each zone. Some considerations
would include

■ Do the spaces need to be flexible?

■ Do the spaces have different requirements in terms of light, ventilation, view and
accessibility?

■ Do the spaces need to have access to external spaces? Would you like to integrate
indoor/outdoor living?

■ Do the spaces need a window?

■ What relationships must each space have with one another?

■ How should the spaces be connected?

■ Which rooms need to be adjacent to one another? Which rooms need to be apart?

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BUBBLE DIAGRAM

The bubble diagram is a simple drawing made by an interior designer to visually describe
the zones, room layouts and circulation areas. It is essentially a trial and error method of
exploring the configuration options. Before you start, draw a footprint of the home with the
building restrictions gathered from the information collection stage, noting that the drawing
does not have to be to scale for the bubble diagram.

In this example:

This is the footprint of the home to be used in your assignment for this module. It is called
a “Footprint” because all of the non-structural walls have been removed to reveal the basic
outline of the area. The architectural restrictions have been marked. Red indicates the
location of the structural walls, and yellow indicates the architectural elements that are to
remain.

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Start by drawing a loose circle to indicate each of the zones, and, when you are happy with
the general placement, break this down into smaller circles to indicate the actual rooms.
Remember to keep the drawing loose and to consider the size requirements for each of the
rooms and the proportion of the rooms next to each other.

Once you are happy with the general placement of the rooms, try to consider the circulation
patterns and how people will move through the space. To simplify this step, try drawing
arrows to indicate movement direction.

Here is an example of a bubble diagram with circulation patterns

During the process of drawing the bubble diagram, you might come across problems with
your design and will need to start again. It is not uncommon for designers to have to do
three or more diagrams to resolve any design issues before creating the final design.

We have a copy of a textbook used by architects available for you to download and keep as
a reference guide. It is a comprehensive source of information that encompasses all types
of building design and contains valuable information on sizing (refer to pages: 67 to 93):
Ernst Neufert Architects Data

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ASSIGNMENT 4
FLOOR PLAN

STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 4

READ BRIEF PLAN SPACE CREATE FLOOR PLAN WRITE ANALYSIS

You are about to take a brief and redesign the interior of a house built in the 1950s.

Below is what the existing floor plan looks like. Take note of the location of the current
rooms and layout of the space. The construction of the home is brick veneer with a timber
frame, concrete stump foundation and tiled roof.

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THE BRIEF

Your client is female, married, has a ten-year-old girl and a twelve-year-old boy and wants
to modernize her home.

She loves to cook but doesn’t want to feel isolated in the kitchen. She rarely entertains in
a formal setting and she prefers family-oriented occasions. The bedrooms are upstairs;
however, she only wants to renovate the entire ground floor of her home.

A structural engineer has conducted an analysis of the home and advised that the perimeter
walls and the walls supporting the upper staircase are load-bearing and cannot be removed.

The client has engaged you to redesign the entire ground floor and has advised that the new
design is to incorporate the following requirements:

MUST INCLUDE

■ Open plan design to incorporate the dining, kitchen and living

■ WC

■ Laundry room - a separate room, concealed behind a floor to ceiling cupboard

or incorporated with another room

■ Study - a separate room, a computer station or incorporated with

another room

OPTIONAL INCLUSIONS

■ Full bathroom

■ Guest bedroom

■ Additional living room or games room

■ Mud room - a small room or entryway where footwear and outerwear can be
removed before entering a house

The client has advised that the budget for the project is generous and has not placed any
budget restrictions as she would like to encourage you to create a ‘wow factor’ with your
design.

Remember to think laterally and come up with any solution you think will please your client
and result in a successful design proposal.

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CHANGES ALLOWED

■ Windows and doors can be altered, and new ones can be added to any wall.

■ Internal non-structural walls can be removed or changed.

■ The position of the door or opening can be changed on the walls supporting the
stairs, but, to keep the structural integrity, the opening is limited to one side only.

■ A deck or outdoor entertaining area can be added to north end of the home.

CHANGES NOT ALLOWED

■ The front entry door must remain in the same position.

■ Structural walls supporting the staircase are to remain, and the opening is limited
to one side only.

■ The stairs are to remain intact. They angle over the old WC leading to the second
level, resulting in the WC ceiling being angled.

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BUILDING SPECIFICATIONS

■ External wall thickness 12in

■ Internal wall thickness 7.9in

■ Internal wall thickness 3.5in (walls supporting the stairs only)

■ Ceiling height 9ft

TIP: Look at the orientation of the home (the way it faces) to take advantage of the
natural light. Keep in mind that you will be using your newly designed plan in your future
assignments.

WRITTEN ANALYSIS

For the written analysis that is to accompany your proposed floor plan, simply explain to
your tutor what changes you have made and why.

#IDISTUDENT ASSIGNMENT EXAMPLE

Below is an example of a floor plan submitted by one of our students, excluding the written
analysis task. We have included this to inspire you and show how you can set the plan out.

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CREATING THE NEW FLOOR PLAN

You are to produce a floor plan for your proposed design in 1/4”=1’-0” (1:50) scale,
using the drawing conventions as laid out in this module. Be sure to include furniture
and abbreviations to indicate the location of appliances — for example, REF for
refrigerator, WM for washing machine, etc.

The floor plan can be hand drawn or produced using computer software outlined on the
following pages. It is important to note that your tutor will assess your assignment based
on your spatial planning and technical drawing skills, not the method that you have used to
produce it.

If you choose to draw the assignment by hand, use a black pen to draw the floor plan for
submission. The use of graph paper is permitted, but please ensure that your drawing is
clearly visible over the graph lines.

The floor plan is to be drawn on A3 size paper and is to include dimensions, title block, north
arrow and rooms are to be labelled.

Below is an example of the floor plan. Please click on the plan to enlarge.

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HELP GUIDE

The size of this project can be daunting, so we have put together this step by step guide to
help you work through the steps.

EQUIPMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

■ Scale ruler with 3/4”=1’-0”, 1/4”=1’-0”, 1/8”=1’-0” scales

■ Graph/grid paper to be purchased or downloaded and printed graph paper in A3 size

■ Pencil (mechanical is better)

■ Eraser

■ Tracing paper

■ Printed copy of the Bubble Diagram Footprint

■ Printed copy of the Floor Plan

SPATIAL PLANNING

1. Make a list of rooms to be included in the final design.

2. Make a list of priorities for the design. For example: Do you want to have open plan
living dining and kitchen?

3. Using the list of rooms, identify what floor they are to be located on.

4. Print out a copy of the Bubble Diagram Footprint.

5. Get some tracing paper (kitchen baking paper also work well) and place this over
the Bubble Diagram Footprint.

6. Loosely identify the location of each of the zones and draw them on the plan using a
loose circle.

7. Within the zones, identify the location of each of the rooms and draw them in
using a loose circle.

8. Check rooms sizes for proportion by comparing the sizes of the rooms against each
other.

9. Draw arrows to indicate circulation patterns to determine if you are happy

with the placement of rooms within the house.

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Repeat steps 6 to 9 until you come up with a design that you are happy with.

DRAFTING A FLOOR PLAN BY HAND

1. Use your scale ruler to draw in the footprint and fixed elements (stairs and
fireplaces) of the house using 1/4”=1’-0” (1:50) scale onto the graph paper.

2. Draw the internal walls to identify the location of the rooms.

3. Once the location of the rooms is set, draw in the door and windows symbols.

4. Draw in kitchen fixtures and appliances including sinks, counters, cabinets, etc.

5. Include wall cabinetry location by using a dashed line. Ensure that you have allowed
adequate bench space for the fixed elements like the sink, cooktop and fridge.

6. Draw in bathroom fixtures including sinks, bathtubs, showers, toilet, etc.

7. Draw in laundry fixtures and appliances including sinks, storage, washer and dryer.

8. Draw in furniture and fixed elements including linen closet, pantry and wardrobe.

9. Check that adequate space has been allowed for safe passage throughout the
house. Ensure that a minimum of 3ft has been allowed for between all fixed
elements (hallways, kitchen, laundry and bathrooms) and between furniture pieces.

Once you are happy with the design, you can proceed to draw the final floor plan using a
computer application (options on the following pages) or draw it by hand.

On the final floor plan, ensure that you have included the following:

■ Room labels and large furniture items (i.e. dining table and couch)

■ Abbreviations for appliances where applicable (i.e. WM for washing machine)

■ Dimensions

■ Title Block

■ Logo (You can use the IDI logo or create your own)

■ North Arrow

■ Scale

■ Key/Legend with symbols listed

■ Notation - to advise of any features that are not recognizable (i.e. wall mounted
fireplace)

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USING SOFTWARE TO CREATE YOUR FLOOR PLAN

Today, interior designers use Computer-Aided Drafting (CAD) software to create technical
and mechanical drawings.

Some design and drafting work can be completed more quickly on CAD; however, you will
still need to use technical or mechanical drafting for design development.

An advantage of CAD is the speed of revisions to a document. Instead of redrafting an entire

page, alterations can be made quickly and easily and the page reprinted or plotted.

CAD drawings can be easily stored electronically and sent to other designers who can make
revisions or alterations.

The most common programs are SketchUp, AutoCAD and ArchiCAD.

SketchUp is a CAD solution ideal for creating and editing 2D and 3D concepts. Built for
designers, drafters, architects or engineers, this tool offers powerful, professional-quality
features like lighting effects, textures, a layer manager, animations, and unique access to
Trimble’s 3D warehouse. Creating impressive 3D models of interiors furniture, landscapes
and more can be done in a snap. CAD designers of different skill levels can achieve their
desired results with the use of the software’s modeling toolkit. It takes around one month
to learn well.

ArchiCAD is a more advanced software to create floor plans, elevations, sections, details,
and 3D viewpoints with rendering. It was specifically designed for architects, interior
designers, and people in the building industry, so the functions are useful and practical.

AutoCAD is also an advanced software that is the industry standard in many countries
for architects, interior designers, construction and engineering, etc., to create floor plans,
elevations, sections, details, and 3D viewpoints with rendering. It is more difficult, and more
time would be required to learn this well.

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At IDI, we offer the above-mentioned Advanced Modules, which can help you to create your
floor plan for this assignment.

SKETCHUP AUTOCAD ARCHICAD

These Advanced Modules are like add-ons to your existing course and come with a free
6-month extension. This means you will have extra time added to your overall account while
you learn how to use the software. They also come with a guided tutor for each module.

If you are new to CAD and wish to learn this skill now, we recommend that you first research
which software is more applicable to you, and then take the time to complete our Advanced
Module courses.

You can find more information on each program via the ‘Adv Mods’ tab on your student
account.

Each module will provide steps on how to download the software and obtain a student
discount.

If you do not have the time to learn either of these programs and want to save it for the end
of this course, you are more than welcome to complete this assignment by hand.

On the following pages, we have a small breakdown of our recommended programs.

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SOFTWARE RECOMMENDATIONS

SKETCHUP

As mentioned above, we recommend using SketchUp for this assignment and offer an
Advanced Module that includes over 30+ video tutorials on how to use the software, as well
as a separate video created just for Assignment 4.

If you click on the ‘Videos’ tab within Module 4 on the student site, you can view the video.
We recommend that you learn how to use the software first, before watching the video. The
remaining videos are included in the SketchUp Advanced Module only and they will teach
you how to use the software.

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AUTOCAD

Our AutoCAD Advanced Module will teach you the basics of the software, and will help you
to create your plan for this assignment. If you are competent in using AutoCAD to recreate
your plan for this assignment, then please go ahead.

You are welcome to use the template below to start your plan.

AutoCAD Template - Imperial

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ARCHICAD

In our ArchiCAD Advanced Module, you will learn how to create accurate interior design floor
plan documentation and 3D renders.

This course includes 12 videos and is designed for the interior designer who wants to
implement ArchiCAD within their workflow. We will teach you how to leverage the power of
ArchiCAD to create and communicate compelling interior designs.

By the end of the module, you will be able to produce your own floor plans, elevations,
sections and 3D rendered images with ease.

Students are entitled to receive the fully functional education version of ArchiCAD for free.
You can download the 30-day version right away and apply for full year extensions until the
end of your studies.

Please go to [Link] to register for your ArchiCAD 1 Year Free Education License
and then follow the prompts to fill out the below responses:

School Type: College/University

School Name: The Interior Design Institute
School Address: Online
City/State/Zip: Enter where you are based
Program of Study: Interior/Landscape Design
Expected Date of Graduation: Enter your expiry date on your student account
What is ArchiCAD’s status at your school: Elective

For tips and training, you can watch the video tutorials on ArchiCAD’s YouTube or learn the
program through our Advanced Module.

FLOORPLANNER

Floorplanner is a free online program that allows you to easily create your floor plans. The
team at Floorplanner have put together a tutorial, which you can view here. We suggest that
you take your time and create your plan from scratch.

Please note that, if you create a free account on Floorplanner, it is very limited with what
you can do. This means that you may need to use another program, such as Photoshop,
InDesign or PowerPoint, to create your title block.

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COOHOM

Coohom is a free online program that allows you to easily create floor plans and 3D interior
renders. Starting from scratch, you can drag and drop or upload your own 3D models to
generate a stylish and inviting space. Its built-in rendering capability brings fast and realistic
computer generated imagery for your clients.

They have video tutorials available, and students can use their free trial then apply for
a 1 year Pro/Premium plan for 50% off. Please visit this Google Form to get your special
Coohom coupon code.

If you need help, please email support@[Link].

OTHER SOFTWARE SUGGESTIONS

For more software suggestions, please visit the ‘Resources’ tab in the Community section
from within your student account.

You can also refer to our student Facebook group for more information and support on the
various software programs available.

Don’t forget that you can message your tutor or the support team at any time if you have
any questions. We know it can be daunting to tackle this on your own, but we’re here to
help! Good luck! :)

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RESOURCES

DOWNLOADABLE FLOOR PLANS

These floor plans are not to scale; therefore, you will not be able to use your ruler to take
measurements. The print size can be adjusted to suit your printer page size by selecting
your page size first (A3 or A4) and selecting the “Fit to Page” option.

Bubble Diagram Footprint

Floor Plan on Title Block
Floor Plan Template
Floor Plan for Importing into Software
AutoCAD Template - Imperial

OTHER USEFUL FILES

United States Building Codes

Construction Drawings & Details for Interiors
Common Abbreviations
Ernst Neufert Architects Data
Glossary

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

This assignment requires you to upload:

A total of 1 floor plan and written analysis.

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#IDISTUDENT ASSIGNMENT EXAMPLES

We have included below a snippet of a students submission after completing our SketchUp
course. Use this as inspiration only and do not copy word for word.

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IMAGE SOURCES

COVER IMAGES

Module Cover Image by #IDIstudent Nikki Astwood

Space Planning and Proportion Cover Image by Est Living

Furniture Layouts Cover Image by 123rf

The Next Step In Space Planning Cover Image by 123rf

Kitchen Design Cover Image by #IDIstudent Kathy Manifavas

Bathroom Design Cover Image by Emily Henderson

Residential Building Design Cover Image by 123rf

Floor Plans Cover Image by iStock

Spatial Planning Cover Image by Dylan James

OTHER IMAGES SOURCED FROM

Darren Palmer Google Images

Dylan James Shutter Stock
Leanne Abrahams Adobe Stock
Nikki Astwood 123rf
Kelly Donougher
Lindye Galloway
Style Sourcebook
My Kind Of Bliss
Three Birds Renovations
[Link]
SketchUp
Pantone
Pinterest
Instagram

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