When thinking about a floor plan, you want to ask yourself four questions. These questions will allow you to get the most out of the space without ignoring functionality.
Four questions to ask yourself when creating a floor plan:
Where are the balance lines?
Once you have a drawing of your floor plan, you want to draw a pair of lines through the room, both vertically and horizontally, cutting each wall in half. These are the balance lines that divide the room into four quadrants. A room is in balance when the visual weight of furniture and traffic patterns is about equal in each quadrant.
Where is the natural flow of traffic?
Ask yourself – where can you not place furniture because it will get in the way of people moving? When evaluating this, consider not just the flow around furniture but also how people access doors, windows, fireplaces, and heating/cooling units.
A few rules of thumb:
Ask yourself what the most important feature of the room is and how your major furniture grouping should be designed around it. Some rooms have a built-in focal point like a fireplace, while in others, a focal point will have to be created. Create an arrangement that accomplishes the major function of the room around the focal point, such as a conversational arrangement around a fireplace.
How do I establish an axis for the room?
The axis is a visual cue that draws the eye up in a line from the floor to the ceiling of the focal point. If the fireplace mantle doesn’t carry all the way to the ceiling, add artwork or visual interest above the mantle to keep the eye moving up. Once this is done, trace that line across the ceiling to the opposite wall and create a balanced furniture setting. This will keep the visual weight of the room in balance while still cueing the eye to move around.
These are the four main tips to get yourself a designer-worthy floor plan. Once you’ve created the furniture layout for the major functions of the room, determine if there is leftover space for secondary activities like a desk or game table. Just remember that when adding to one side, you must add to the other to keep the visual weight equal in all four quadrants.
I hope this is helpful! What is the most helpful tip for you? Happy designing, friends!
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