Introduction: How to Design Unique Furniture for Your Room.

Are you tired of all the boring mainstream Ikea furniture?

Do you have an empty space on your wall or floor?

Do you have an old tire, bath tub or aeroplane engine ( unlikely but still possible).

Well then look no further as this guide will tell you just how to design your own custom and unique piece of furniture.

In this instructable I will be using a chest of drawers made out of a bathtub as an example.

Please vote for me in the "improve my room" contest if you like this instructable. 

Step 1: Planning/concepts

The first thing you should do when designing anything is to brainstorm all of the features you want and in order of importance for example it should look something like this:
    1. Storage
    2. made out of a bath tub
    3. Large opening door
    4. drawers
    5. flat top of plant pot top
    6. wall hanging
    7. Bath tub feet as handles
    8. sturdy
      As you may have noticed several of the features are dependant on the material. So depending on the material it can be useful and easier to design your piece of furniture around the material, however this can limit the possibilities of the design.
      Once you have brainstormed all of the features you would like to be in the final design you can just go crazy and begin to draw (or model) your ideas.
      Once you are happy that you have explored every possibility you can decide which one to make based on looks and the amount of features that it has.

      Step 2: 3d Modelling

      This step is optional, however i would strongly recommend it as it is very handy if you go to make it as you can plan out what you are going to do.
      Firstly open up your choice of 3d modelling software.I use sketchup, http://www.sketchup.com/ , as it is very easy to use, understand and has a free 3d model warehouse.
      Before you start to 3d model your piece of furniture i would recommend measuring out the area and make your 3d model to scale.
      I used a bathtub model made by "IDW"

      3D Model Guide
      1. To start off I opened up a 3d model of a bathtub, in sketchup and removed the bath feet.
      2. I then removed the top curve with the eraser tool and replaced it with a flat area for the top.
      3. Next I marked out the area for the drawers.
      4. After that I drew a square around the curve, traced around the curve, and I did it at each drawer so that I could recreate the curve later on somewhere else in the model.
      5. Then I pulled the top drawer outwards, copied the curve at the bottom and pasted it at the top and drew a line to connect the two.
      6. Next draw a line from the edge of the curve upwards to the same height as the rest of the drawer and another one sideways and copy the curve template, paste it at the top and draw a line to connect the two.
      7. Now use the "follow me" tool on both sides
      8. After that draw on the top of the drawer the width of the wall and extrude almost all the way.
      The wardrobe
      1. Firstly copy and paste the entire model and erase all of the model except the top curved face.
      2. Now erase the curved top are on the first model.
      3. Then rotate the lid 90 degrees and move it over to the first model.
      4. Finaly draw an outline for the thickness of the wall and extrude all the way.
      Rendering

      For the rendering of the model I used the free trial of Indigo rendering for Sketchup http://www.indigorenderer.com/sketchup , but it is only a trial so I would love to hear any suggestions of rendering software for sketchup.

      Step 3: MAKE

      The final step with any design is to make it.So grab your design, find your materials, gather your tools and start making (but don't forget to document it on instructables).

      Unfortunately, I am yet to find a bath for this project but when I do I will be sure to post it on instructables, so stay tuned.

      Thanks and don't forget to vote for me.

      Improve Your Room Youth Design Challenge

      Participated in the
      Improve Your Room Youth Design Challenge