The Design Process

Stage 1 - Floorplans

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Introduction to the Design Process Series.

Regardless of size, big or small, every home décor or interior transformation project flows through a process, beginning middle and end.  We have designed this core series to lay out the details of the process stage by stage.  We hope this is helpful for everyone embarking on or working through an interior project, the idea being you can dip in and out of the series as needed.  Some people might want to follow every step, from the very beginning to the very end, and others might just need a spot of inspo on how to pull together a moodboard.  The articles created for this series will be published over time and once they are all available on the Millands Home site, you will find them in the Resources section – Blog Recipe article where they are all numbered and easy to find.

We hope this is useful and as ever, get in touch if you have anything to add or want to share what stage of the design process you are at.

Floorplans

This is the very first article in The Design Process Series and we start as with all things at the beginning. Understanding the space you have to work with comes first above all other things, it should influence your colour choices, furniture, layout, style…everything.  If the space is not considered at the beginning it can become problematic later on when you are trying to make interior choices work.  In this ‘Floorplan’ stage of the design process we are here to guide you step by step, making helpful suggestions as to how you can get things off to a brilliant start confidently knowing you have considered everything properly.

Step by Step guide - How to use a Floorplan

Your floorplan serves as the blueprint for the spatial arrangements and flow of your interior spaces, ensuring each area works effectively and harmoniously. The ‘Floorplan’ also helps you to visualizing the overall design concept, allowing for better planning of furniture placement, traffic flow, and functional zones etc. Additionally your ‘Floorplan’ can highlight structural limitations and awkward spaces so you know whats what in advance, hopefully minimising the risk of potentially costly mistakes.

1.        Getting your hands on your home’s ‘Floorplan’ is key to this stage of the process.  You should have a copy of your  ‘Floorplan’ as part of the documentation you were given on purchasing or leasing your property.  If you don’t have access to one, fear not there are other ways to obtain one.  Firstly, have a look online, in case there is anything there from previous sales, estate agent records or it might be that the property has had building work carried out in the past and the local council have a record of the ‘Floorplans’ online.  If you have a newbuild home, the construction company should have a copy of the floor plan they might share with you.  If you have no way of getting hold of one you could ask a professional architect to draw you up a basic ‘Floorplan’ at a cost to you, giving exact measurements for your home.  If none of the above is working for you then have a go at a DIY ‘Floorplan’.  If you have access to any relevant software such as SketchUp for drawing out 2D ‘Floorplans’, feel free to use those, if not its good old pencil and paper and here’s how…

• For this you need an accurate tape measure, perhaps some graph paper although not essential plain will do, ruler, pencil and an eraser.

• Start by drawing the outer walls of the home on the graph paper. Use the ruler to keep lines straight and to scale (e.g., 1 square = 1 foot).

• Next, Measure the length of each wall, including doors and windows. Write down the measurements in your notebook as you go.

• Finally, draw the interior walls, doorways, windows, and other architectural features (like fireplaces or built-in shelves) on your graph paper. Mark the position and size of each feature accurately.

• Add fixed elements such as kitchen counters, bathroom fixtures, and major appliances.  Unless you are renovating these as part of your project, in which case leave it empty for now, just draw the rooms.

• Clearly label each room and note any important details, such as ceiling heights or different floor levels, eaves etc.

• Once you are happy with your accurately measured floorplan drawn out in pencil, then you can go over it in black pen.  When finished you may want to photocopy it many times, so you have plenty of ‘Floorplans’ to play with.

2.  Once you have your ‘Floorplan’ in front of you, you can begin to play around with the potential layout.  They layout needs to be thoughtfully considered as getting it right significantly influences the functionality and aesthetic appeal of your home. The layout allows for thoughtful placement of furniture and fixtures, ensuring each element works without clutter or obstruction. We would recommend holding back on finalising the exact position of movable smaller pieces of furniture and accessories for now, focussing on getting to grips with what space you actually have and which parts are fixed in place like kitchen islands, built in shelves as well as larger pieces such as sofas and dining tables . A good tip is to buy some tracing paper, or kitchen greaseproof paper works, use a paperclip or some tape to stick the tracing paper over the top of your ‘Floorplan’, now you can begin drawing your options onto the tracing paper, if pencil doesn’t work you may need a marker pen.  You can then flip up the tracing paper to see the cleared ‘Floorplan’ space again. It’s a handy hack.

3.        Spatial planning and stress testing are vital components of successful interior design. Spatial planning involves strategically organising a space to maximize functionality and design, ensuring that each part of your project is thoughtfully placed to create a space that works perfectly. Stress testing, on the other hand, evaluates the space under various conditions and uses, identifying potential issues such as overcrowding, accessibility challenges, or insufficient storage. This process helps to anticipate and mitigate problems before they arise, ensuring the design can withstand everyday wear and tear as well as peak usage scenarios. Together, spatial planning and stress testing ensure that the final design is practical, resilient and capable of adapting to the specific needs of anyone living at or visiting your home.  Stress testing may seem a bit over the top and unnecessary if you are merely redecorating your master bedroom, but there might be a couple of stress tests you want to try or at least consider before you move on to the next stage. To stress test your home in preparation for the next phase you could try some of the following ideas…

• If you are currently living in the space you plan to redesign you could Invite friends or family over to mimic high traffic scenarios. Observe how people move through the space and identify any bottlenecks or areas that feel cramped.

• Walk through your daily routine, including multiple people using the space at the same time, to ensure that movement is smooth and unhindered.

• Temporarily rearrange furniture to different configurations to see how it impacts the flow and functionality of the room.

• Use the space for different activities, such as dining, working, and relaxing, to see if the layout supports various functions without needing significant changes.

• Fill storage areas to capacity to see if they can handle the load and remain organized.

• Ensure that frequently used items are easy to access and that storage solutions don’t obstruct movement or other functions.

• Test different lighting setups for day and night to ensure adequate illumination for various tasks and activities, are there dark spots which require more light to function better, or are some of the existing lights too harsh and unnecessarily bright and off putting.

• Plug in multiple electronic devices simultaneously to check if the electrical system can handle the load without tripping circuits. Also use all chargers and appliances at once to check there are enough plug or USB sockets.

• Play music or have multiple conversations in different parts of the house to see how sound travels and whether any areas need additional soundproofing, or you need more speakers hooked up to cover more space.

• Check if rooms offer enough acoustic privacy, especially bedrooms, bathrooms, and workspaces, especially useful if more than one person works from home.

• Test heating and cooling systems to ensure they maintain a comfortable temperature throughout the space on demand.

• Check ventilation by opening and closing doors and windows to see how air circulates and if any areas feel stuffy or too drafty.  Also keep an eye out for mould, you may need additional window vents.

• Test smoke alarms and other fire safety measures to ensure they are functioning correctly.

• If you have young children, simulate everyday activities to identify potential hazards such as sharp corners or accessible electrical outlets.

• Check if spaces are safe and comfortable for pets, ensuring that they have adequate areas to rest, eat, and play.

• Think about how easy it is to clean different materials and finishes to ensure they are practical for your lifestyle.

4.         Finally, it’s important to think carefully about your lifestyle and the lifestyle of anyone else living at your home.  We have touched on this a little already in terms of moving through the property, understanding the space you have and how it best serves your daily routines.  It’s also worth thinking about your future lifestyle as well as your currently one.  Unlike shopping for clothing, renovating your home or redesigning a space within your home is something you hope will last a very long time, so it’s worth taking the time to think about how you are realistically going to use it.  It might be worth listing out your priorities for how you want to use the space, also think about designated areas you want to build in to serve your needs such as work from home space or a clear floor area for yoga or kids to play.  Think about storage too, it’s always better to have more than less, there is nothing more satisfying than knowing everything has it’s place and there is room to spare.

The next step in The Interior Design Series is Stage 2 which is Budgets and Timescales.  Now you have a tangible ‘Floorplan’ you can play around with, use the tracing paper to play with the layout options and make sure everything you have in mind can fit into the space you have.  The next step before you move on to the interior design ideas, is to understand your budget and timescale for completing the project.  .  Make sure you are subscribed to be notified of upcoming articles in this series and any others that might be useful to you as you continue with your interior design projects.

Let us know what you think, was this helpful? How did you get on creating your own ‘Floorplans’ and layouts,  did you find them useful in kick starting your interior design project?  Get in touch via our ContactUs page and share your thoughts and progress.