Get these critical decisions just before making plans based on this foundation. Once you have done this process several times, you will be much faster and better at realizing what works and what doesn't.
Next, you should think about any structural changes that may be necessary. There are many reasons why the structure must be adapted to suit the current needs of the household, for example:
Compose a new floor plan showing the proposed new structural design incorporating all the changes you have in mind. Draw from where all services will be accessed. Draw an arrow to indicate the north direction. Spend enough time to make sure you have each room, hallway, and space in the correct position and with the correct dimensions!
Design steps to transform any space and make your dreams come true are:
Examine the structure/layout
The first task in the design sequence is to draw a plane of the spaces as it is before you begin the renovation. At this point, try to put aside your ideas for the style theme you have in mind. Although you may be full of wonderful visions of how fresh, modern, bright, luxurious or attractive it can make spaces look, keep those thoughts aside for now.
In your head, remove all furniture and accessories from the room and concentrate on the structure. This will also help to dimension the correct size of the rug that will be part of the final composition. If you've taken pictures of space, it will help you a lot.
Now, take the measurements of the room. You can then simply use paper and pencil to draw the walls, gaps and projections of doors and windows indicating their swing. To check the measurements, add the individual lengths of the characteristics and verify that they are sum up to the total length of the wall. When you only look at the outline of a room, it's much easier to judge proportions and features and see where you can make improvements.
If you want to go a step further, you should also make elevation drawings that show:
- ceiling height -
height, width and position of the windows
- heights and width of doors
- services
- light switches, radiators, electrical points, etc.
- Architectural features: fireplace, arch, floor level change, sloping ceiling, etc.
You can also include appearance/ orientation of the room: looking north / south / east / west
Bonus: What we love and rather not about rug sizes in living rooms
Get a rug that will be able to contain all the furniture on top of it. Normally rug surfaces should cover up to 60 cm around the footprint of the furniture above it.
If this is not possible, have the rug to expand at least up to below half the extension of the sofa and surrounding chairs (In the example in the picture above, we recommend at least the rug that is 2 x 3 meters).
We would rather not recommend a rug that is only big enough to cover the area bellow the coffee table, neither round rugs for the center of a living room. These will draw too much attention to the center of the room and make it look smaller. Seated guest´s feet should always fall on top of the rug.
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