Developing Your Own Space Plan UI340: Housing Perspectives The Purpose of Space Planning  Space planning will help determine how furniture will fit into a space  Space planning allows you to develop several layouts. Then, you can select the plan that best fits your needs.  Space planning allows you to plan around telephone/data outlets, heating and cooling registers, windows and doors.  Space planning keeps you from moving furniture around the room several times! Materials Needed  A space!  A 25’ tape measure  Quad paper (graph paper with ¼” squares – or 4 squares per inch)  Scrap paper  Pencil  Scissors  Tape Step One  Measure the length of each wall in the space (in feet and inches).  Sketch the space on a piece of scrap paper and label each wall with the dimension.  Locate doors and windows  Measure from the corner of the room to the start of the window, then measure the length of the window.  Complete the same process for the doors. Step One  Locate the electrical outlets  Measure from the corner of the room to the electrical outlet and label it on your plan.  Locate telephone or data outlets using the same process.  Locate the heating and cooling registers  Measure from the corner of the room to the heating register. Note if the register is floor or wall mounted.  Locate all of these items on your scrap paper with dimensions or measurements Step One – Example Plan Step Two  Transfer drafted plan from scrap paper to graph paper  Graph paper is scaled so that one square = one foot  Draft the walls of your plan first, then add doors, windows, electrical, telephone/data, and heating and cooling registers.  See example Step Two – Example Plan Step Three  Measure all furniture  Be sure to measure at the widest point of the furniture piece  Draft the furniture pieces with dimensions on your scrap paper  You may use furniture templates only if your furniture is the same size as the template  See example Step Three Example Step Four  Draw your furniture on the graph paper to scale. One square = 1 foot.  You may use templates for this step if they are the same dimensions (measurements) as your furniture.  Once you draw your furniture to scale, cut each piece out with your scissors. Step Four Example Step Five  Move your furniture around your plan to see where your furniture will fit.  It is a good idea to leave at least 3 feet between furniture, especially in walk ways.  If you are space planning with chairs and desks that will be pulled out, make sure to space plan with the chair pulled out.  Be sure not to block heating and cooling registers and be aware of electrical, telephone/data, window and door locations.  When you find a plan you like, tape your furniture to your drawing. Step Five Example .

1. Developing Your Own
Space Plan
UI340: Housing Perspectives
The Purpose of Space Planning
furniture will fit into a space
layouts. Then, you can select the plan that
best fits your needs.
telephone/data outlets, heating and cooling
registers, windows and doors.
furniture around the room several times!
Materials Needed

2. –
or 4 squares per inch)
Step One
(in feet and inches).
and label each wall with the dimension.
start of the window, then measure the length
of the window.
process for the doors.

3. Step One
electrical outlet and label it on your plan.
same process.
registers
heating register. Note if the register is floor or
wall mounted.
with dimensions or measurements
Step One – Example Plan
Step Two
drafted plan from scrap paper to
graph paper
one foot

4. doors, windows, electrical, telephone/data,
and heating and cooling registers.
Step Two – Example Plan
Step Three
furniture piece
your scrap paper
furniture is the same size as the template
Step Three Example

5. Step Four
scale. One square = 1 foot.
are the same dimensions (measurements) as
your furniture.
each piece out with your scissors.
Step Four Example
Step Five
where your furniture will fit.
tween
furniture, especially in walk ways.
that will be pulled out, make sure to space plan
with the chair pulled out.

6. registers and be aware of electrical,
telephone/data, window and door locations.
furniture to your drawing.
Step Five Example