Design of various residential

spaces
Approximate sizes of various rooms
Design of Living room
Dining room
Bedroom
Bathroom
Living room design
• Activities - The first thing to do is have a long hard think about what you're going to use your living room for. Of course there are the obvious answers
but it's worth taking a look at the living room design ideas page to find out the more subtle activities that you should be planning for in your living
room.
Furniture and objects - Have the dimensions of the furniture you plan to use to hand (including heights of furniture). Also think about any artwork,
mirrors and other objects that you'd like to have in your living room. The list of special furniture and objects you made in part 2 of your Design a
House exercise will be useful here.
• Floor Plan - Next, draw a floor plan of all the permanent fixtures in the room (on paper or with software). You'll need the measurements of the living
room including the ceiling height. Be sure to include the fireplace (take a note of the height of the mantle) and any architectural details such as dado
or picture rails (note heights). The furniture will also need to be ready to be included in the floor plan. If you’re working on paper draw the furniture
to scale and cut them out, if you’re working with software you can bring all the furniture onto the floor plan and enter the dimensions. Don't start
working with furniture arrangements yet though.
• Focal Point(s) - First of all look at the permanent fixtures in your living room. typical focal points will be the fireplace or the window with a view. If
there are no permanent fixtures which will serve as a focal point consider using a piece of furniture as a focal point such as a side board. If you plan to
have a TV in the room that will also be a focal point. For now, just note the location of the fixed focal points.

• Activity areas - Depending on your living room size and shape there may be room for more than one activity area. There will be the main conversation
area which often doubles as the TV watching area, then there may be room for other activity areas such as a games table area, desk area or a piano
area (this is where your activity list in step one comes in to play). Look at the floor plan and determine the zones in the room where each activity
might fit.
• Furniture layouts - This is the really fun part. Start to experiment with furniture layouts bearing in mind the activity areas in the previous step. Don't
forget to include enough space for circulation around the room. Around 2ft (about 60cm) is required to be able to circulate around furniture (3ft -
around 90cm, is better). The dimensions information on the conversation area page will be useful for this step. You'll probably find you try several
layout ideas. Take a picture or save each one so that you don't forget any of your layouts!
Some important rules
• Conversation area
• TV viewing distance
• Circulation
• Picture frames
• Gap between wall and sofa backs
• Some common rules
Conversation area
• The maximum comfortable distance for a seated conversation
between people’s heads is between 7ft and 9ft (about 2.1m to
2.8m). Any bigger than this and you'll start wanting to raise your
voice and it becomes harder to pick up on facial cues.
• Bear in mind this is the maximum distance which applies when
you want to fit the maximum amount of people in. When we’re
talking in smaller groups it’s nice to be a bit closer.

• And of course there’s the coffee table. The coffee table should be
12-18 inches (30 – 46cm) high. The distance between the seat of
the sofa and the coffee table should be 18 inches (about 46cm)
where no circulation is required between the sofa and the coffee
table and 36 inches (92cm) when there does need to be room for
someone to pass.
TV viewing distance
• TV viewing distance is based on the screen
size, check the list. Diagonal screen size TV viewing distance range in feet (m)
• Ideally, the TV height should be on a level
with the line of sight of those watching it. So 26"
3'3" - 6'6" (1.0 m – 2.0 m)
figure out where your line of sight is on the
sofa, in bed, or when you’re making dinner 32" 3'8" - 7'6" (1.1m - 2.3m)
and find a spot for the TV where the center of 37"
the TV is level with your eyes. 4'3" - 8'5" (1.3m - 2.6m)
43"
• a 42” television should be mounted about 56 5'3" - 10'5" (1.6m - 3.2m)
inches from floor to TV center, a 55” TV 47"
should be around 61 inches, a 65” TV should 51"
5'9" - 11'8" (1.8m - 3.6m)
be around 65 inches' floor to center, and a
70” television should be mounted about 67 55" 6'3" - 12'5" (1.9m - 3.8m)
inches to the center of the screen.
60" 6'9" - 12'8" (2.1m - 3.9m)
65"+
7'5" - 15' (2.3m - 4.6m)

8'1" - 16'2" (2.5m - 4.9m)

Circulation
• The circulation space must be clearly
defined especially where the living room
serves as the centre to enter other zones
• A width of 3’ (900mm) is optimum and
minimum of 600mm
• There should be no hindrance in the form
of furniture, objects, decorative pieces or
anything placed in the circulation space
• As far as possible, line of circulation must
not cross through the conversation zone.
Mounting picture frames
Gap between wall and furniture

450mm 300mm

1050mm

900mm

600mm
Some common rules
• Clear flow of traffic in circulation area
• All spaces and furniture to be usable and accessible
• Furniture must not block fully or partly the windows.
• Furniture sizes must be appropriate to the room size, not too small or
too big.
• Overall layout must be balanced.
Good Dining Room Design
• All homes should have a dining space to sit down and eat a meal whether it’s an eating
counter for a small household, a kitchen table or open plan dining room in a family
home, or a home with a kitchen nook and a formal dining room – or any combination of
these.
• Dining spaces should be located sensibly in relation to the kitchen.
• A dining space should have good natural light.
• The dining room size works with the size and shape of the dining table (or kitchen
table). There needs to be room to come and go from the table comfortably.
• The dining space includes a focal point (eg window, artwork, sideboard etc)
• The dining room design incorporates adequate storage for dining ‘equipment’ (eg
candles, place mats, napkins and napkin rings etc) and for any other activities that are
carried out in the dining room (eg home office or crafts).
• A formal dining room should be located near to other rooms which are likely to be used
during entertaining such as the living room.
Bedroom Design
• The number and size of bedrooms should be in proportion to the other rooms that make up the
home.
• Bedrooms need good natural light and ventilation.
• Bedrooms need to be located to provide privacy and peace. Think about visual privacy from the
bedroom door and the windows.
• Design a bedroom with the furniture in mind. Make sure there’s sufficient room for circulation
around the bed, space for dressing (unless you’re planning a separate dressing-room) and room
for desk (often found in kids’ bedrooms) or dressing table (adults' rooms).
• Bed placement in relation to door and window placements
• Windows are better placed onto the sides of bed or in front
• If the bed head should go where the window needs to go think about how the windows might
work with the bed. Windows can be split to go either side of the bed or raised above bed head
level. i.e bed head should not block window partly or wholly
Master bedroom
• Enough space for double/ king size or queen size bed.
• Enough circulation space on 3 sides excluding head of bed
• For small and medium sized rooms, headboard of bed must be placed along the
wall
• Furniture for sleeping and storage is a must in master bedroom
• Additional study table, relaxing couches, TV or wall units may be provided for
larger rooms.
• Attached bathroom is a must for master bedroom
• Attached walk-in wardrobe or dressing area may be provided for larger rooms.
• Headboard of bed must not partly or wholly cover any windows
• Furniture must not be placed in front of door entry or circulation area.
There's a view from the bed straight Direct view of head when opening the door
out of the door if the door is left open - leads to discomfort.
not very restful.

Doors opening onto an obstruction

- in particular a wardrobe, creates
If the door is at the head you don't get a nice view of the bed discomfort
when you enter the room and you don't feel as protected in a
space when the door is behind you.
Bed size chart

Allow a minimum of 75cm around each side of the bed and at

the end of the bed.

For a more elegant and luxurious feel leave a minimum of

90cm around each side and at the end of the bed.

You might of course have a single or double against the wall,

and a crib against the wall with no clearance at the ends.
Master Bedroom
Kids Bedroom
• Individual sleep area, study area and storage is a must
• Only 2 children of same gender can share a room
• Don't use double cot as sharing for 2 children
• Additional play zone may be provided if possible
• For small size rooms single cot may be placed on one corner of room
with 2 sides circulation.
Shared kids room
Single kids room
Principles of Good Bathroom Design
• The bathroom must have sufficient space to use the bathroom, not just space for the
fixtures.
• The door to the bathroom must be easy to move around and there should be space for
taking clothes on and off and enough room for a people to dry themselves.
• There needs to be appropriate storage, accessories (mirror please) and counter space.
• Located efficiently next door to or above or below other rooms using water such as other
bathrooms, the kitchen and the utility room.
• Good natural ventilation is a must
• Try to think of your bathroom as having wet and dry zones. If possible, try to locate wet
zones out of the path of dry zones.
• Think about the line of site from the bathroom door. It’s best to keep the toilet away
from the door to avoid it becoming the view if the bathroom door is left open.
• Niches can be useful for a storage cabinet, for storing items used in the shower or for
displaying a plant
Small Bathroom Layouts
Separate Bath and WC
Medium size Bathroom
Large bathrooms for Master Bedroom
THANK YOU