Preparation of the sketch

As we explained in the previous presentation, the sketch can help to gather and organize everything necessary to create digital floor plans.

A pad or grid notebook, a medium or soft lead pencil (HB or B) and a good tape measure are enough to start one of the tasks that many underestimate because it is so simple; but be careful, if you are one of those who are starting, remember that a mistake in the first step can spoil the whole career.

The mistakes that are most frequently made when making a sketch are: measuring or writing down the dimensions incorrectly, not taking into account where the doors or windows open, not perceiving construction details that reduce or obstruct the spaces, and trusting to memory the indications and suggestions made by the client.

These slips, no matter how simple they may be, damage the decorator's image; for example: omitting dimensions may cause you to have to return to take measurements repeatedly, this may even be logical for some people, however, for others it would be unacceptable and you would lose a client.

What are floor plans?

Floor plans are scaled representations that show the relationship between spaces, furniture and other elements. They make it possible to assess whether the measurements and position of each of the elements that make up a room correspond to its functions, satisfy the owner's requirements and provide aesthetic values.

What types of floor plans are there?

• Two-dimensional (2D) floor plans: this is a flat drawing in which the rooms, furniture and other elements that make up a room are represented from above, so it only contemplates the width and length dimensions.
• Three-dimensional floor plans (3D): is a drawing that represents the interior of a room seen from a certain angle that allows to observe the three dimensions of the space (width, length and height), which contributes to a better appreciation of all the elements that make up the interior.

Let's draw the sketch of the floor plan in 2D.

To draw the 2D floor plan sketch, perform the following steps:

• Make a plan that includes all the interior measurements of the room or house; for this you can use the building plans, but you must check all the dimensions.
• Always start taking the dimensions from the main door and measure the entire interior perimeter of the room in a clockwise direction until you reach the door where you started. Write down all the partial dimensions and also the total dimensions (the latter will allow you to check the former).
• The measurements on the perimeter include the distance between walls; the dimensions and the direction (very important) in which doors and windows open; the position of switches, sockets, and any other constructive details that appear (a recessed element, a column, a ceiling beam, a pipe, etc.).
• After measuring everything around the walls, start measuring all the elements found on the floor and ceilings: floor unevenness, height and position of beams and places where electrical cables come out of the ceiling, etc. (sometimes these apparently unimportant elements prevent the placement of some furniture).
• After you have finished measuring and noting down the dimensions of all the architectural elements, draw the furniture, appliances, and the rest of the large objects that will remain in the room and note down the main dimensions of each of them.
• Take note of the levels of illumination provided by the natural light sources in each room throughout the day; also, take into account all artificial sources that are used and their effectiveness.

How are the dimensions indicated on the sketch?

To ensure that the sketch prepared can be interpreted by the client and by technicians or operators who are involved in the decorative process, certain rules must be followed, especially with regard to measurements and placement of measurements on the plan. Below we will explain the main ones:

• The dimension (figure) must express the value of the actual measurement of the distance measured in millimeters. Here we want to emphasize that when we place a figure somewhat lower or higher to leave a clearance, we make a serious mistake.
• The auxiliary lines that we use for dimensioning must be very thin, so that they are distinguished from the rest of the lines in the drawing, which must be thicker. The arrowheads should also be narrow.
• It is not necessary to place the unit of measurement next to the dimension as long as it is expressed in millimeters.
• Dimensions should be placed above the dimension line, and to the right of it, when the dimension line is vertical.