Professional drawing for interior design is a disciplined and time consuming thing. At design school we spent many an hour at the drawing desk with a t-square, set-square, scale rulers, a variety of pencils/fineliners and, if your me, an eraser. I change my mind, ALOT. And don’t even talk to me about CAD! Again, for me, this was an awesome way to remove the creativity from my process. So now, before I cheat and get out the graph paper, I’ve found that I am most creative using a blackboard and chalk pencils.
I have small boards that allow me to roughly sketch out ideas and try various layouts quickly and easily. I can rub off large sections at a time if I change my mind or I can leave the original layout and chalk the changes over the top to see how they fit.
Whilst designing the layout for a space I am constantly thinking about how the space will be used. This step of the process is essential for a design concept if the furniture and fixtures are being removed/replaced/reshuffled. Spacing and traffic flow is sooooo important in a room if it is to function efficiently. Some spaces have limited options while others are very versatile and, on occasion, it is relevant to illustrate the different options for my clients, everyone likes to shuffle the furniture around at times!!
Once I have decided on the layout of the larger items and in the case when a client requires elevations, I then begin to concentrate on the finishes, art and object that will create the atmosphere intended for the space. Elevations help to illustrate the reasons behind my decisions and give the client direction for vertical decoration/styling. Awesome rooms are created layer by layer and, even if the purchases have not been finalised, you can still sketch a concept that provides ideas and direction.
Floor plans and elevations give you insight into how your existing (or new) items can be rearranged in the most effective and visually pleasing way. These are both very specific design tools that prioritise measurement and space in a very practical way and are perfect for those of you that like specific instruction and a complete preview of how your room will look before you begin the design process. There are some truly gifted artists out there creating amazing interior drawings, but the hours poured into this make the exercise an expensive one. I don’t know about you, but I like to save my pennies for the pretty things?!
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