Planning and designing is the most creative part of any home renovation, remodel or addition project, as it allows you to express yourself truly and honestly.
If you’ve hired a design professional it then becomes their job to make sense of all your wants and needs – and to program and develop a detailed client profile in order to begin the planning and design phase of your project.
Keep in mind that spatial relationships are extremely important when planning a successful layout. As you see your floor plan evolve, you want to aim for
consistency, uniformity, and
proportion from one space to another.
For example: Don’t triple the size of your kitchen and expect that by leaving the adjacent family room the same quaint size, it will work in seamlessly with the new. That old space will undoubtedly be incongruent with the scale and proportion of the new space.
If you face design dilemmas with confidence and implement strong planning and design strategies, you’ll achieve the greatest results. Always remember to
balance good design with practicality and follow solid theories and principles to get you through.
Here are 10 valuable tips to consider when developing a good solid floor plan:
- Consider how your home is situated on its lot, particularly the orientation and view – and maximize the assets.
- Plan traffic flow to increase convenience from room to room.
- Notice the current circulation patterns in your home. You should be able to move about from space to space without obstacles blocking you.
- Older homes tend to be more compartmentalized where one room is isolated from the next—open that up in the renovation.
- Look for visual connection from space to space.
- Make sure the foyer is centrally situated and is easily accessible from all areas of the house.
- A closet near the entry is a great convenience.
- The path from the garage and/or laundry room to the kitchen should be short and direct, especially for unloading groceries.
- Having relationships between spaces creates a more inviting and workable environment.
- Keep traffic and circulation off to one side of the room and not through the space.
I encourage you leave questions or comments below this post, and fill out the form on the right hand side of this page to receive your free copy of my special report:
“15 Money Saving Strategies When Planning Your Home Renovation”
Article by Lori Gilder, Architectural Interior Designer, Los Angeles, Ca. © 2010 Lori Gilder. Interior Makeovers Inc.
For example: Don’t triple the size of your kitchen and expect that by leaving the adjacent family room the same quaint size, it will work in seamlessly with the new. That old space will undoubtedly be incongruent with the scale and proportion of the new space.
If you face design dilemmas with confidence and implement strong planning and design strategies, you’ll achieve the greatest results. Always remember to balance good design with practicality and follow solid theories and principles to get you through.
Here are 10 valuable tips to consider when developing a good solid floor plan: