Once we have a good model of a client’s new apartment (and lots of photos to show them) we measure their furniture and help them design their new space. We use MagicPlan for floorplan designs. There are other apps and tools available but this is the one we find most useful.
Here are the tips and steps we take to design a floorplan with a client:
If possible, do this with a partner. This way one of you can do the measuring and one can enter the furniture into your app.
Take lots of photos and make sure you have a good photo of each piece of furniture. These can be useful later when you are making changes to the floorplan.
If possible, have the client present for this part of the floorplan design. They will be telling you which pieces of furniture they love and which ones they don’t want to move to their new place.
Measure all the furniture the client owns – even things like small side tables and magazine racks.
Make a list of all the furniture with dimensions (width x depth x height). Height is not often a factor but it should be noted anyway, and it should definitely be noted if a particular item is tall or likely to be placed underneath a window.
Make sure you label your photos so it is obvious later which furniture is which.
When measuring, take a moment to examine the piece. Be sure you are measuring in the widest space. Sometimes legs at the bottom are wider than the top. Sometimes furniture has lips at the top. Rushing this step can lead to items not fitting in the new apartment.
Try to name each piece of furniture the same way the Client describes it (if they call a hutch a china cabinet, label it as a china cabinet on the floorplan and in your notes).
Make a note of any items the Client stays focused on: these key items need to be a priority on the floorplan.
Pay attention to comments the Client makes about their present apartment set up; if they love having the sofa next to the bookcase, try to give them the option of arranging it the same way in the new place.
Talk about TV viewing and computer use in the new place. Where will they do both?
Think about the functionality of the layout, particularly based on the Client’s current routine. Where will they pay their bills and write notes? Do they love to read and gaze out the window? Then maybe their favorite chair should be next to a window in their new place.
If you are designing a floorplan for an apartment that you have not seen in person and are using someone else’s measurements of the new space, always remember that it may not be 100% accurate. For example, radiators and deep windowsills that take up permanent room space are often not depicted. Keep this in mind if you find that the Client wants to bring a lot of furniture and it seems the new apartment will be cramped.
Once we’re done, we like to save the floorplan as a pdf. This way the floorplan can be shared with all the stake holders in the move – most often the client and their family. For moves out of New York City, we share it with the move managers who will be meeting the movers at the new apartment and directing the furniture placement. A well designed floorplan allows anyone to step in and smoothly manage the move day.
