While starting repairs in the apartment, many prefer to do everything on their own, rather than contact specialists. Design, like the main work, is not an easy task. Housing should turn out not only comfortable, but also beautiful. This article will tell you how to make a design project for your apartment yourself.
Project development features
Previously, designers created pencil drawings on paper. It was a very painstaking work that took a lot of time. It could take several hours to draw one schematic sketch. If an error was detected, you had to erase everything and start work again.
Today, designers have the opportunity to do this stage on computers in special programs. They greatly simplify the process of creating drawings. Of course, certain skills from the user and understanding of the program will be required. But useful tools and rich functionality greatly expand the design capabilities.
You can design a design in Photoshop, but it will not be so convenient. If you don’t have any skills in a graphical editor, then drawing something in it will be even more difficult. It is better then to act in the old fashioned way - to make a sketchy sketch on a piece of pencil with a pencil.
It is worth considering in which programs you can make an apartment design project yourself like a professional.
Project visualization software
Professionals note several popular programs that are best suited for creating a design project.
- 3D Studio MAX. This program is most often used not only by professionals, but also by amateur designers. It attracts with the fact that it has a rather large assortment of ready-made interior details and high detail. If you want to fully experience the delights of design development on a computer, then it is better to give preference to this particular program.
- Sweet Home 3D. This free visualizer is designed specifically for novice users. The interface is clear, management is simple. But here is a fairly primitive detail and a poor assortment of parts. To expand it, you will have to download additional catalogs on the official website of the visualizer.
- Floorplanner. This is a detailed visualizer for beginners. The emphasis is not on beautiful pictures, but on the opportunity to develop a detailed project, which will include communication lines, partitions and other important details. The program is not Russified, but the interface is intuitive. As users note, here you can do your own landscaping. Both summer residents and owners of private houses will be interested.
- Roomle This program can also be called a simplified version of the visualizer, which even a beginner will understand. You can use the service for free, but only in online mode. All information will be stored in the cloud. Here you can not only design the design, but also “walk” around the finished virtual home.
- Apartama. This is a service that allows you to do the design project of your apartment in 3D yourself online. The program gives useful tips, teaches, allows you to change the layout, select finishing materials, decor and furniture. The addresses of stores where you can purchase the details are also provided. That is, the user can immediately find out how much a virtual copy costs.
Stages of creating a design project
The work can be divided into several steps.
- Studying the territory, measuring the premises and creating a technical drawing.
- The choice of style.
- Definition of colors, textures and finishes.
- Arrangement of furniture.
- The introduction of additional decor.
- Create multiple schematic plans.
- The approval of the interior, the creation of the final version.
- Purchase of materials, project implementation.
Preparatory stage
How to make an apartment design project yourself? It’s worth starting with measuring the premises, because much depends on their accuracy. Everything must be taken into account: load-bearing structures, openings, wall heights, binding to communications, etc. It is important not to lose sight of the pipes, cables, holes, outlets, electrics, and so on. If necessary, you can consider redevelopment, which can be legalized.
Based on all the data, it is necessary to draw up a technical diagram (on a sheet or computer). You can use the ready-made plan from BTI, which should be with the owner of the apartment.
Next, you need to determine what room each room will become. They can be marked on the schematic project plan in different colors to make it easier to navigate.
When the technical plan is drawn up, you can move on to the intricacies of design.
Style selection
At this stage, you need to think in which design to make the bathroom yourself, how to design a bedroom, how the living room will look, and so on. It is extremely difficult to determine the style of the interior. Therefore, it is better to first study the thematic selection of apartments and choose those areas that you liked the most. If there are several, then you can draw up the appropriate number of design projects.
It is worth noting that there is a style that is most preferable in the interior of certain rooms. So, for luxury apartments, they choose classics, art nouveau, rococo, baroque and colonial themes. For one-room Khrushchev, minimalism, loft, futurism, Scandinavian and Japanese styles are best suited. The spacious studios fit in well with high-tech, provence, fusion and eclecticism. For country houses, ethnics, Provence, chalets and styles typical of a number of countries (Russian, English, German, Italian, Spanish) are usually used.
Color selection
The color palette directly affects the atmosphere of the home and the comfort of staying in it. Therefore, you need to think carefully about how to properly design the apartment itself and what colors to emphasize. Specialists distinguish several color combinations that are harmoniously combined with each other.
- Contrast. These are complementary colors that are in the spectral circle opposite each other. For example, purple and yellow, blue and orange, green and red. By psychological significance, they are opposite, but they look very bright and impressive. This is the perfect decoration for the lounge, living room and bathroom. But for a bedroom such a rich duet is not recommended.
- Gradient. This is a similar combination. You need to select up to 5 shades that are located in the spectral circle in the neighborhood. It is important that the brightness is the same so that the composition does not turn out to be lurid.
- Triad. In the spectral circle you need to draw a triangle. Its peaks will indicate three colors. This combination is ideal for designing active rooms: living room and kitchen.
Invoice and finishing materials
Before you make the design project of the apartment yourself, you need to imagine how the premises will look. The intensity of the "warmth" of the room depends on the choice of texture of the floor, walls and ceiling. Glossy surfaces will add chic to the setting, but at the same time will make it somewhat museum and official. Matte coatings, on the contrary, make the rooms more comfortable.
The most “soft” material is veneer. It is not only gentle to the touch, but also pleasing to the eye. In general, the choice of material depends on the style of the apartment. For example, hi-tech is inherent in glass, plastic and metal. In classic versions, the walls are papered with wallpaper. Eclecticism and shabby chic are characterized by inexpensive materials, preferably PVC. For provence and country, mainly wooden coatings are used.
Furniture arrangement
When the walls, floors and ceilings are “painted”, you can start filling the rooms. It is important not to overload them and not leave them too empty. In cramped rooms, furniture must be placed around the perimeter. In the spacious rooms, you can bring some details to the center. For example, it can be a coffee table and a sofa in the living room. If the room is elongated, then the furniture is best done along the longest walls. If the room has a non-standard shape, then this must be emphasized with the corresponding headset elements. If there are numerous defects on the wall that cannot be fixed, you can install a dressing room or wardrobe on this place.
If you don’t have any ideas on choosing and arranging furniture, then it’s better not to listen to advice like “do it yourself apartment design”, but to turn to professionals for help.
Additional decor
Decor can be divided into two groups: useful elements and details for decoration. The latter, although it seems useless, but they give the apartment a special cosiness. It can be pictures, paintings, figurines, compositions and much more. Useful elements include carpets, curtains, mirrors, pillows, floor lamps, vases, caskets and so on.
Decor is the last thing done. But it is still necessary to add it to the schematic plan in advance in order to see the whole picture.
Creating a project outline
When you already have an idea of what the rooms will look like, it's time to design the apartment yourself. Both on a computer and on a regular sheet of paper, it is necessary to draw several projects that differ in style, furniture arrangement and other details. Of these sketches, you must choose one, in consultation with other family members. After the sketchy drawing needs to be finalized and turned into a full-fledged design project.
Estimation and procurement of materials
Based on the final version of the project, you need to calculate how much material is needed, what furniture to buy, and so on. The estimate will look like a list with an indication of quantity and an approximate price. It is better to take a consumable a little with a margin. When everything you need is purchased, you can begin to repair.
So, in the publication it was told how to make the design project of the apartment yourself. This is not difficult if you are creative and have a great desire to do everything yourself. It is much more difficult to make your dreams come true.