Lesson 3: Adding foundational fixtures

In Figarc’s world, doors, windows, and other foundational fixtures are essentially Figma components. You’ll find them grouped inside the Foundations category in the Assets panel in your Figma interface. Adding them is as simple as dragging and dropping them from the Assets panel into your floor plan frame. So, let’s begin.

Doors

Nowadays, there are many types of doors, but the one you’ll probably use the most in Figarc is the Standard single door. Simply drag and drop it into your floor plan and attach it to any wall you’ve previously designed.

This door component consists of five sizes and has a toggle for door opening. Controlling both can help you choose the right door for your floor plan. Let’s explore it further.

How to pick a door width?

The thinking process behind choosing a door width comes down to the following:

1. Compliance: Are there minimum door width requirements to ensure compliance with my floor plan?
2. Accessibility: Should I consider mobility aids or wheelchair access through this door?
3. Traffic flow: Do I anticipate many people going through the door often to anticipate comfortable passage?
4. Furniture and appliances: Should I account for moving large furniture or appliances through the door?
5. Architectural style: Should I adapt the door width to the architectural style to ensure harmony with the overall design aesthetics?

Considering the above points, you’ll most probably use a wider entrance door for the entrance, a medium door for most rooms, and a narrower door for bathrooms, toilets, storage, and utility areas.

How to pick a door opening?

It’s pretty straightforward and intuitive. But let’s consider the following principles:

1. Inward orientation. If you are designing a residential floor plan for private use, most doors open towards the inside.
2. Outward orientation. If the room in which you are installing a door is tiny, consider opening the door towards the outside, that is, the larger room. Alternatively, you can pick a pocket door where the opening is sliding.
3. Ergonomic flow. The direction of the opening should be installed so that it doesn’t obstruct the traffic flow or the view of the room.

Choosing the correct door opening will provide you with a better home experience over time. Sometimes, visualizing living scenarios of yourself in the floor plan helps.

Windows

Just like doors, there are also numerous types of windows. So, picking the right one is a balance between knowledge and creativity. Let’s briefly touch upon both.

How to pick a window width?

Here are a few guidelines to help you choose the correct window width.

1. Purpose and functionality: What’s the window’s primary function: ventilation, natural light, or aesthetic appeal?
2. Views and sunlight: What would you like to view from the window outside, and how much natural light you want to let into the room?
3. Room size and proportion: What’s the size and proportion of your room? A larger room may benefit from wider windows to maintain balance and harmony.
4. Ventilation needs: Is ventilation a priority? If so, then wider windows can provide better airflow.
5. Personal preference: Sometimes, it all comes down to your personal choice. Just be wary of your budget because covering your walls with windows is generally more expensive than walls.

How to pick a window opening?

The same points mentioned for window width could apply to window openings. So, let’s look at a few more points related to window openings.

1. Function. Will the window be used only to let sunlight in, or will it serve as a ventilation function? Larger windows create better ventilation.
2. Climate. Will the window compromise and complicate heating the area? Smaller windows are more heat effective.

For example, you could select the Sliding window component in Figarc with the quadruple type selected to maximize sunlight and ambiance in a living room. On the other hand, you can pick a Casement window component with a single type selected to get more privacy in a toilet.

Staircases

Stairs, stairways, staircases, or stairwells will help you connect the vertical levels in your floor plan. However, stairs also occupy a lot of space. Therefore, if your home is smaller than 100 square meters, you might want to reconsider designing a multi-story living space.

But if you’ve opted for a staircase, you’ll most probably end up using the U-shaped straight stairs component in Figarc. Those types of staircases are widely used because they are the most versatile and adaptable to rectangular floor plans. However, they also take out most of the space.

Therefore, if space is at a premium and your upper floor doesn’t have much room, you might want to consider using the Spiral stairs component. These are very space-efficient but not comfortable for daily use.

Storage spaces

More often than not, it’s advisable to consider the built-in storage areas of your floor plan as early as possible while designing the floor plan. That’s why they are grouped under the Foundations category in Figarc.

Here are a few benefits of designing storage places early on.

1. Optimal use of space: By integrating storage solutions into the floor plan early, you can maximize efficiency and minimize wasted space.
2. Customization: Designing storage spaces during the initial stages allows you to customize the size, layout, and organization that best suits your storage requirements.
3. Aesthetic integration: Incorporating storage spaces with your walls will enable seamless integration with the home’s overall aesthetic, enhancing the interior’s visual appeal.
4. Cost savings: Addressing your storage expectations early will help avoid costly modifications or additions later.

In Figarc, you’ll find a few storage components. Each storage component is 60 centimeters deep. This is an international standard, taking into account heavy clothes such as winter coats. But feel free to modify the storage component’s width to fit your vision if you don’t plan to store your winter clothes inside. 😊

And that’s a wrap.

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