Arranging a room's furnishings around a focal point can simplify room design.
Designing a room can seem daunting because of the many possible layouts. According to Better Homes and Gardens, arranging a room's furnishings around a focal point---an attention-getting window, sofa or other element---can simplify a project. Online floor planning applets, with 3-D functions that allow clear visualization of a design, let you apply the focal point idea easily. These programs let you quickly drag and drop icons representing your focal point and the furnishings surrounding it.
Instructions
Design a Room with IVillage
1. Write a list of items you want in your room and include notes about style (e.g. "country," "contemporary" and the like).
2. Open the iVillage applet, then click the drop-down list that displays "Kitchen." Select from that list the type of room you want to design.
3. Click the style in the second drop-down list (which displays "Contemporary" by default) that best fits your list's style.
4. Select the floor options that best match your list, beginning with clicking a quality (e.g. "Good," "Better," "Best") from the "Select a quality" drop-down list.
5. Click selections from the remaining drop-downs (e.g. "Select a species," "Select a style") that agree with your list.
6. In the rightmost pane, click your floor's wood type (e.g. "Armstrong," "Bruce Laminate"). The 3-D room in the left pane will update itself to display your choice of wood.
7. Click the "Walls" link in the center panel to display design options for walls.
8. Select wall colors using the rightmost pane's drop-down list. Click an icon for a specific paint color from the gallery beneath the heading "Select a paint color." As before, the left pane's 3-D room will display your color choice.
9. Click the leftmost pane's "Save room" icon to save your room.
Design a Room with Floorplanner
10. Make a list of your room's items.
11. Click the "Demo" link on the main page, then click the "Make your own link." Click "Start with an empty room."
12. Click the icon for the rectangular room shape, then click "Start."
13. Enter the dimensions of the room in the "Set the dimensions" screen. Measure an existing room's dimensions to set the dimensions of your design.
14. Click the "Category" list heading, then select the type of room you're designing (e.g. kitchen, bathroom).
15. Locate, from the gallery under the "Category" heading, an icon representing the first item on your list. Drag the icon onto the floor plan. Repeat this step for your list's remaining items.
16. View your floor plan in 3-D by clicking the "3-D" link in the upper right corner of the floor plan area.
17.Save the finished plan by clicking the disk icon near the upper left of the floor plan area.
Design a 3-D Room with Homestyler
18. Make a list of things you want in the room.
19. Open the Homestyler applet, then click the "Gallery" link and browse through existing floor plans. Click the "Use this design" button of the design that most closely suits your needs. The applet will load the design for you to edit.
20. Click the "Furnish and decorate" link at the right, then click the progression of categorized links related to the first item on your list. For example, if the item is "Shower," click the "Bath" and "Showers" links. Stop clicking links once icons appear in the right pane. Drag an icon representing your list item onto the floor plan area.
21. Complete the previous step for each item on your list, then click the "View in 3-D" link in the upper right of floor plan.
22. Click the disk icon in the floor plan area's upper left to save it.
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