How to Turn a Blueprint into a Digital Floor Plan

Sometimes, you need to draw a digital floor plan from a blueprint, for example, when moving or renovating your living space. Don’t be scared of this task; it is really simple when using interior design software Live Home 3D. Even a sketch of a plan will do!

An architectural blueprint

What is a Blueprint?

Initially, a blueprint was a photographic print in white on a blue background, or blue on a white background, primarily used for architects' plans, maps and mechanical schemes. It was introduced in 1842 and was printed on light-sensitive sheets.

Traditional blueprints are no longer used since the invention of cheaper printing methods and digital displays. Today, any professional floor plan of a building can be called a blueprint, though most of the time it has black or gray lines on a white background.

From a Blueprint to a Digital Floor Plan in Four Easy Steps

Import the Blueprint Image

If you have a sketch of a floor plan or blueprint, import it to Live Home 3D as an image using drag & drop or through the Import menu. Most popular image formats are supported. The floor plan image will appear as the background in the 2D plan view.

A paper floor plan with the architect’s tools

Match the Project Scale

You need to match the project scale with the scale of your blueprint. For this, measure the length of one of the walls on your floor plan with the help of the Dimension tool, which can be found in the Auxiliaries menu in the toolbar. Next, activate the "Affect underlying objects" option for the Dimension tool in the Inspector, and then type the required length into the Size field. Now the floor plan and the project are perfectly matched.

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Trace the Floor Plan

Finally, we are ready to trace the floor plan. Live Home 3D offers you the Room, Straight Wall and Arc Wall tools for convenient floor plan creation. Draw all walls and place furniture according to the imported floor plan.

Tracing a floor plan in Live Home 3D for Mac

The Floor Plan is Ready, Time for 3D

Now, when you have the floor plan ready, you can immediately switch to the 3D view to have a look at your interior. The 3D view is ideal for design purposes, experimenting with diverse colors, materials and furniture objects. And, you also get multiple sharing options when using Live Home 3D.

A kitchen in gray and white colors designed in Live Home 3D
Revised: March 2024

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