Case Study - Archer Interiors design

There are times when it is useful to use a plan from CAD software as a base for developing your SketchUp model. In this example, we will imagine that we had received a plan from and architect who was using AutoCAD or IntelliCAD and we wanted to build a model of a kitchen to show a concept design to a client. Working in this way can save you time, as you do not have to create the geometry from scratch. We will produce a model similar to that shown below.

Note that (since we are not interior designers), the design from the 2-D CAD drawing used here has a complete kitchen design. SketchUp's strength is of course its ability to enable you to design in a manner you would with pencil and paper - quickly trying out lots of alternatives. In the 'real world' you would simply bring in information about the shell of the room, not the complete design in 2-D.

3-D model of concept plan for kitchen using an architect's CAD drawing as a base.

Preliminary steps

It is important to know your CAD drawing before you start. If you are organized in the CAD environment and follow good drafting practice - using named text styles, named dimension styles, appropriately named layers to separate logical parts of the design, blocks to minimize file size and tools such as IntelliCAD's Verify or the AutoCAD standards management tool etc. to build a well constructed drawing, then you will be able to work efficiently in the SketchUp environment with the 2-D plan as a base.

To sum up, cut out the part of the main drawing you want to use with the WBLOCK command, make the 2-D file as small as possible, purge and AUDIT the drawing. Check on layer use and naming conventions, write out a DXF file - we use AutoCAD Release 14 ASCII DXF format. Print the drawing out so that you have something to refer to while working in SketchUp.

The figures below show steps in the process.

Original (large) AutoCAD DWG file.

Zoom in and WBLOCK just the zone of interest.

Note that AutoCAD does not allow the same range of export options as IntelliCAD, nor does it distinuish between Binary and DXF files. The safe option if you are using AutoCAD is to use the r12/LT2 DXF option. It is a true ASCII file.

Writing a DXF file from AutoCAD, ready for incorporation into SketchUp.

Start SketchUp

As a first step, you want to bring your 2-D CAD drawing into SketchUp via DXF.

To sum up:

Start a new file using a metric mm template.

Make a new layer (we called it BasePlanFromCAD).

Set the layer as current.

Use File>Import.

Change the Files of Type to DXF

Click Options

In the Units box, select the appropriate scale to use (mm) and import the base drawing. See figures below.

Importing the DXF file

Zoom extents in plan view.

Make sure that the layers toolbar and layers palette are open, perhaps docking the palette at the side of the drawing editor.

Note that linetypes used in the CAD program do not import correctly into SketchUp.

The figure below shows the same area in SketchUp

We are now ready to start work.

Draw internal walls

Use the line tool to trace over the lines of internal walls.

Drawing internal wall with the line tool and then using push/pull to incorporate 3-D coordinate information.

Pantry cupboard unit sets

Next the designer tells us that she wants three pantry cupboard sets along the wall. The figure below shows the type of unit. To create this effect, we can simply draw a box and attach materials to the front surface.

Make a new layer (perhaps called SKP-PantryUnits).

Set that layer as current.

Draw four lines representing the base of the cupboard and pull up to 2150 high. [The cupboard unit is 600 wide, but that is dictated by the base plan.]

Place four lines representing the base of the unit and pull up to required height.

It would be possible to attach materials and put some ornamentation on the surface of the front panel of the unit (see below). As mentioned in the movie, we prefer to keep things simple. Adding more information can come later. The figure below shows a rendered unit in SketchUp (top) where we have added some ornamentation and the same cupboard in an external renderer (bottom).

Pantry cabinet rendered in software outside of SketchUp.

Make component

The next logical step is to make a component of this unit and copy it (there are 3 pantry units in the plan). The make component tool is reached via the Edit drop down menu.

It is much easier to do this if you temporarily turn off the base layer before creating the component.

Creating a component.

Copy the component

Now we copy the unit three times to make a wall of pantry cabinets.

Set of three components. using components keeps the file size small.

Bench top

Once these initial components are in place, the model builds quickly in complexity.

We needed to make some adjustment to the positioning of the bench and add some other spaces for items such as Meile Steam Oven, Meile wall oven, Meile microwave etc.

Meile wall oven

We have a pre-made component from the warehouse.

Wire frame view of the first wall.

We continue to work our way around the corner of the space, adding components as required. In the figure below, we have associated some materials with surfaces - the view is rendered.

Add lighting and corner units.

We continue to 'tweak' the design, adding images to the wall hangings.

Adding an image to a frame to dress the design up.

Improve rendering inside SketchUp (Podium)

Podium is a rendering tool which can be 'plugged in' to the SketchUp environment. The figure below shows the result using the free version of Podium which allows rendering up to 500 pixels wide.

Scene rendered in Podium.

Render outside of SketchUp

There are a large number of software tools [3D studio, Kerkythera, Renderman,] which can accept data about your model (export from SketchUp) and render your model.

Scene rendered in Kerkythea.

Don't forget that a rendered top view can be a very effective method of conveying your design ideas.

Top view.

Clearly the results differ markedly from renderer to renderer. For many purposes, rendering in SketchUp is more than adequate to show your design ideas.

Please review your knowledge of the material in this module tutor before progressing to the next module.