Space Planning Chapter 7 and 16

Arranging Furnishings In Your Home: Before selecting furniture in your home you need to plan how you will arrange it. This first step in the design process is called space planning. Space planning is the process of placing furnishings for a well functioning and visually pleasing area. To plan a space, you need the dimensions of the room. After taking room measurements you can develop a space plan for a functional and attractive arrangement.

Developing a Scale Floor Plan: Measure the length and the width of the room Measure and determine the location of all the existing features in the room (doors, windows, outlets, heating/cooling vents, fireplaces, cabinets, or built in furniture pieces).

Developing a Scale Floor Plan: continued… Develop the scale (how many centimeters or inches is equals one foot). Typical Scale for a floor plan: ¼’’=1’ ‘’ = inch ‘ = foot 12’’= 1’

Developing a Scale Floor Plan: continued… 5. Draw floor plan to the correct dimensions using either graph paper or computer program. Make sure to include existing features using symbols

Symbols: Many features of a house cannot be drawn exactly as the finished product. Therefore, standard symbols are represented on the drawings. Symbols represent plumbing and electrical fixtures, windows, doors, and other common objects in a home.

Views for Architectural Drawings: Plan views, elevation views, section and detail views. Views from the top looking down are plan views Site plan, floor plan, foundation plan, roof plan

Views for Architectural Drawings: continued… Site Plan: A drawing that shows the location of the building on the property. Floor plan is the most important drawing on a set of house plans. It is a simplified drawing that shows the size and arrangement of rooms, hallways, doors, windows, and storage areas on one floor of a home.

Floor plan

Views for Architectural Drawings: continued… Architectural drawings that show the outside views of the house are called exterior elevation views. Elevation views show the finished exterior appearance of a given side of a house.

Elevation View

Views for Architectural Drawings: continued… Section Views: when a view is taken from an imaginary cut through a part of a house, such as a wall. Detail Views: an enlargement of some construction feature.

Blue Print: A reproduction or copy of the architectural drawings.

Space Planning After you have an understanding of the drawings and floor plans, you need to consider the space within. When planning how to use the space within a house, consideration must be given to the activities, habits, lifestyles, and life situations of the occupants.

Grouping by function: Most areas in the home are divided into three areas (quiet area, social area, work area).

Separating Space Screens, freestanding storage units, and careful arrangement of furniture can also be used to separate space according to its function. An advantage of not separating areas with walls is a large open area where people can enjoy more than one activity at a time. Ex: Kitchen open to living or family room allows those preparing food to take part in other activities, such as conversing with family members or entertaining guests.