Did you know that it takes on average 4 to 6 months to design a custom house after the client shares their vision with the architect?
Even with software to help you sketch out your home design, it still takes a lot of imagination to put all the pieces together for a designer and showcase the client’s vision in a design. But, over the years with a lot of experimentation done in the architectural realm there are now a few standard practices that are an integral part of every design.
In this week’s blog let’s dig deep into some of the cheat sheets which is the holy grail of every architect today!
Overview
1. Line Weights For Home Design
As an architect, you’re more or less used to interpreting multiple lines and your brain tends to automatically distinguish spaces. But is it the same for your clients?
The answer is no!
On multiple instances it has been noted that clients seem to disregard designs as they seem to be too complex for them to comprehend. For architects it is imperative that they save their and the clients time by using multiple line weights for differentiation. This is not only easier to interpret but is also visually appealing as it adds depth to your drawings. You can use line weights using the this rule:
- The thickest line: for the house and other structures. I.e., garage and pool.
- The slightly less thick line: for property lines, garden, canopies, and shrubs.
- The medium line: for landscape structures such as deck and pergolas.
- The finer line: for smaller shrubs, bedlines, and perennials.
- The thinnest line: for adding details.
2. The Staircase Formula
For interior stairs a quick hack is to use the staircase formula. Now, there are two staircase formulae:
- (2 x rise) + (1 x run)
- (rise) x (run)
Now the real question is which formulae to use?
Well, if you’re designing indoor stairs then generally you’d go with formulae 1 but in some scenarios such as drawing stairs for the attic etc. you will use formulae 2 for the perfect indoor stairs!
3. The Bathroom Layouts
Having a bathroom that fits your needs and is also visually comforting is essential. But based on space and the location bathroom layouts differ.
- The Powder Bathroom: usually a small public bathroom that has just a sink and toilet. This bathroom is normally located near the entrance or near a public area.
- The Three Quarter Bathroom: with a sink, toilet and shower, this bathroom is your average sized bathroom. This bathroom is designed in a way that it feels airy and not cluttered hence, accessories are kept at a minimum.
- The Full Bath: this is the bathroom that’s normally adjacent to the bedrooms and can accommodate a bathtub. This space also allows the architect to design some storage spaces for the client.
- The Master Bathroom: the ideal bathroom which allows the designer to add it all. With a double sink, toilet, shower, and bathtub there’s nothing that this bathroom can’t have. Partitions can be used to define areas.
This sums up the internal Home design. Now let’s move on to the exterior!
4. Exterior Home Design
Home designs differ based on location. If you’re in America, you’ll mostly see houses following the craftsman style in the suburbs but moving towards the city you’ll be seeing some 21st century modern housing styles. Similarly, moving south you’ll see more Ranch inspired housing due to their roof styles and when entering the city more Italianate style houses may perch up due to their elongated rectangular look.
Based on the location you’re designing a house at, you can keep the common house designs as a base and differentiate them as you go to develop your own designs.
Takeaway
From interior, to exterior, and to lighting there are so many unique designs based on the same principles. Follow this home design cheat sheet to make your own unique design. Take this blog as pointers of what you should or shouldn’t be doing. And don’t worry, every design has some design errors which get identified while reviewing. So. design the house and fix the loopholes as you go.
Once your design is completed. Book a session with 1to1 Plans to visualize your designs. With 1to1 plans 2D LED walkable technology and furniture on wheels available at the studio, you can see your design coming to life!
