Designing a Bedroom - Research and Design

For this project, engineers will practice researching, designing, and modeling to gain a deeper understanding of the process engineers and architects follow when designing a bedroom.

As a college student studying Civil Engineering, I wanted to practice the process of designing a structure. I began working with Fusion 360 over a year ago, and wanted to continue refining my skills with the tool. In this last semester, I learned that engineers must stay up to date with state codes and regulations when designing rooms and buildings, which I wanted to explore further through this project.

I utilized AI throughout the project to assist me in quickly researching codes and guidelines, ensuring that my design was not only conceptually sound but also aligned with actual state regulations. I made sure to go back and fact-check these codes and guidelines to ensure I was not getting false data from AI. I will include the codes I used throughout the CAD design portion in Fusion 360 to model how this can be applied in the field.

After modeling in Fusion 360, I began drawing a flat pattern of each piece of furniture onto paper and created a foldable model that I could rearrange as needed. This project was started less than a week ago, and the physical paper model is not fully finished. The thought process behind folding one of the cabinets together will be showcased to illustrate how I translate a digital design into a paper-based one.

1. Computer
2. for research and design using CAD software.
3. Paper (8.5 x 11)
4. Pencil
5. Ruler
6. Tape (One-sided or Double stick)
7. Glue stick
8. Sissors and(or) a Knife (I used a Leatherman)
9. Cutting Mat (recommended)

Before moving forward into the design phase, it's essential to research the specific regulations that apply to your project. States have different codes and requirements that affect the layout of a room, which are updated and changed over time. These codes modify the size, distance, and positioning of elements such as electrical ports, windows, doors, and other features within the room.

According to California's Residential Code (CRC) R304.1, habitable rooms must have a floor area of at least 70 square feet. Furthermore, CRC 304.2 states that any width or horizontal dimension must be at least 7 feet in length. Then, CRC R305.1 requires the ceiling height for habitable spaces, hallways, bathrooms, toilet rooms, and laundry rooms to be a minimum of 7 feet.

With those requirements in mind, I began sketching my bedroom, which has a floor area of 120 square feet, measuring 12 feet by 10 feet. I set the ceiling height to 9 feet.

According to the California Electrical Code (CEC) / NFPA 70 Section 210.52(A)(1), receptacle outlets must be installed in such a way that no point measured horizontally along the floor line of any wall space is more than 6 feet from a receptacle unit. This code is designed to minimize the need for extension chords by allowing every electrical port to be accessed from 6 feet away at any point in the room.

In my sketches of the walls, I included outlets that are spaced in such a way that comply with the code above. I also adjusted the height of the receptacle outlets to comply with the California Standards for Accessible Design (Section 1136A.1), which states that receptacle heights must be located between 15 inches and 48 inches above the finished floor.

From there, I looked into the codes required for the doorway and window. According to CRC Section R311.2 — Egress Door, there must be at least one side-hinged door for any dwelling unit. This egress door requires a minimum width of 32 inches when open 90 degrees and a door clearance height of at least 78 inches from the threshold to the bottom of the stop.

In the images above, I highlighted the door in blue, along with its hinged path as it rotates into the room. The door measures 32 inches in width and 84 inches in height. For the window, I followed CRC section R310.1 for the dimensions and location.

After modeling the room with state codes, I began sketching the furniture, beginning with the loft. I started by finding the dimensions of a Twin XL bed online and looked for reference images of lofts produced for consumers. I utilized the sketch and extrude tools the most throughout this entire room. Sketching on multiple planes and extruding either to extend sketches or cut into bodies. The table, trash can, wall shelves, and cabinets followed the same process: finding dimensions using AI, looking up a reference picture that I liked, sketching, extruding, sketching again, and then extruding more. For the office chair, I began designing my own and then remembered that it would be faster to find a model and import it. I found an office chair on Thingiverse and scaled it to fit into my bedroom model.

As I've been using Fusion in college, I've started to improve at organizing my bodies within the document. I ensured that each piece of furniture was a separate component, allowing me to work on one element at a time without overlapping lines and sketches on my screen. I was also using the timeline bar at the bottom of the workstation to adjust certain details in my furniture.

To cut out the design, I placed a blank sheet of paper on my cutting mat, ensuring that the edges lined up with the lines on the mat. I then used the Desmos scientific calculator app on my phone to convert every 1 foot on my digital design to 1 inch on paper. Desmos works well because it maintains a visible record of past calculations that I can reference for repeat measurements.

I used my ruler to create straight lines on the paper, thinking through how I want the model to fold onto itself in order to turn from 2D to 3D. Conceptually thinking through how a model will fold is really complex, especially when thinking about how thick the material is that is being folded, which affects how clean the fold is, and whether or not you need less or more excess length to achieve the desired fold.

After cutting out the model, I would fold it into the planned shape, resulting in the desired model. The final model works well enough to physically move it around the room to see where it would fit best. The rest of the elements, the room, and other furniture would be created using the same process, but I just did not have enough time to do them.

While I'm a little disappointed that I wasn't able to complete the actual physical model, the process of researching and aligning projects with state codes is a valuable practice. As a college student, I had never explored these state codes before, so it was very beneficial to incorporate this crucial step into my design process. I love being able to design using Fusion 360, and I always enjoy refining my skills for application in the field.