TAKE DIMENSIONS OF EACH SPACE

 

1. Measure along the baseboard the length of one wall, from one corner of the room to another. For accuracy, measure to the nearest 1/4 inch. Record this number on your rough floor plan and in your notebook. Need a visual see the attached Illustrated instructions.

2. Measure the remaining walls the same way you measured the first. Most rooms have four walls, but if you’re measuring an L-shaped room, you have more to measure. Include every wall in your sketch, especially if you plan to give one part of the room a different flooring or wall covering.

3. Measure the room’s doorways and other entries. Note whether the door opens into or out of the room and indicate the direction (with an arc) on your rough floor plan sketch. Also, measure the distances of all openings — doors and open archways — from the ends of the walls so that you can accurately locate these openings on your final plan.

4. Determine the size of the windows. Include the window frame from outside edge to outside edge. Record the measurements for any moldings around the window separately. Gauge the distance from the floor to the bottom of the window frame, from the ceiling to the top of the window molding, and from the window (on each side) to the corner of the wall (or next window or opening).

5. Measure any and all architectural features, including fireplaces, brackets, shelves, and any other built-in features. Measure surrounding space and outside or overall dimensions of these items, and then locate each on your plan. Include the room’s irregularities, such as support columns or any other intrusions.

6. Measure the distance from the floor to the ceiling.

7. Note where heat and air conditioning ducts, radiators, chases (coverings for electric wires and plumbing pipes), and exposed pipes are located. Indicate where all permanent switches, outlets, controls, TV cable, and phone lines are located.

8. Voila! Great work! You are ready to share your floor plan with your designer!

 

TAKE IMAGES OF EACH SPACE

 

1. Ensure your camera or phone settings are set to shoot reasonably large images - for good digital images they should be at least 1200px wide when in landscape and 150dpi resolution

2. Take the photos when there is plenty of light in the room, where possible don't use a flash unless you have to. Daytime with plenty of daylight is the best time to take images of your space.

3. Using a digital camera or your phone, stand back against each wall of the room (or as far back as you can get) and take a landscape image of the space from your eye level looking slightly to the left, straight ahead and then slightly to the right. Repeat this for every angle of the space.

4. Important - Check that your images are in focus and not too dark or too bright.

 

adapted from https://www.dummies.com/home-garden/decorating/how-to-draw-a-floor-plan