Architectural Home Design Software Using Cabinets to Create an Entertainment Center Reference Number: KB-00753 Last Modified: July 16, 2015 The information in this article applies to: QUESTION I would like to create an entertainment center with a custom pediment, or decorative top. How can I do this in Chief Architect?
ANSWER A pediment is a decorative accent found above porticoes, doors and windows, as well as over replaces or at the tops of some furniture, such as cabinets. Originally, pediments formed triangular gable shapes; however, they can take a variety of shapes, particularly on furniture or cabinetry. In Chief Architect, an entertainment center with custom pediment can be created using a full height cabinet and the Polyline Solid and Molding Polyline tools. To create a full height cabinet with pediment 1. Select Build> Cabinet> Full Height Cabinet from the menu, then click in floor plan view to place a cabinet at that location. 2. Using the Select Objects tool, click on the cabinet to select it, then click the Open Object edit button. On the GENERAL panel of the Full Height Cabinet Specification dialog: Make any necessary changes to the Height, Width and Depth of the cabinet. In this example, the cabinet Height is 84", the Width is 42", and the Depth is 18". 3. Select 3D> Create Orthographic View> Backclipped Cross Section from the menu, then click and drag a camera arrow through the cabinet and perpendicular to it's front edge. Take a cross-section view of the cabinet by clicking in front of it and dragging your camera arrow all the way through to the other side before releasing the mouse button. 4. From the menu, select CAD> Boxes> Rectangular Polyline, then click and drag a rectangle on top of your cabinet. You may want to use the Zoom tool and zoom into the upper section to assist in making sure the sides of the rectangle line up with the sides of the cabinet.
In this example, a rectangle height of 3" is used. 5. To create an arc, first select CAD> Lines> Draw Line from the menu, then click and drag two vertical lines through the rectangle, separating it into thirds. We will use these lines as a reference to make sure the arc we create is centered over the cabinet. Move the lines so that they are both the same distance from the edges of the rectangle. Click on the rectangle near one of its edges to select it and then click the Break Line edit button on the edit toolbar. Left-click to place a break at the point where one of the lines intersects with the top of the rectangle. Repeat the process for both intersections. Select the section between the lines on the top of you rectangle. On the edit toolbar, click Change Line/Arc Click and drag the the triangular edit handle on the arc to adjust it up to the desired height. Delete the two vertical CAD lines
6. With the polyline selected, click Convert Polyline edit button to display the Convert Polyline dialog. Select Polyline Solid then click OK. 7. In the Polyline Solid Specification dialog: On the GENERAL panel, specify the Thickness of the polyline solid. To match the thickness of your cabinet, in this example we will set this to 18". Go to the MATERIALS panel and change the material to match your cabinet material. Click OK to close the dialog and convert your 2D polyline into a 3D pediment. Close the cross section view to return to floor plan view. 8. If the Polyline Solid and the Cabinet do not line up, then select the polyline solid and click on the Point to Point Move edit button, click once on the lower left corner of the Polyline Solid, and once more on the upper left corner of the Cabinet to move the Polyline Solid directly over the top of the Cabinet. To add crown molding to the cabinet and pediment 1. Select Build> Trim> 3D Molding Line from the menu, then click and drag to draw three connecting molding lines, in a clockwise direction, around the edges of you cabinet to create a 3D molding polyline.
2. Click on the molding polyline along one of the side edges to select that edge, then click the Open Object edit button. If you have difficulty selecting the molding polyline because the cabinet or polyline solid is selected instead, lock the Cad, Default and the Cabinets, Full layer in the Layer Display Options dialog. 3. On the SELECTED LINE panel of the 3D Molding Polyline Specification dialog: Click the radio button beside Length / Angle to lock both. In the Start Point section, change the Z value to equal the height of the cabinet plus the height of the polyline solid. In this example, this value is 87".
Click OK to close the dialog and apply your change. Repeat this process for the other side edge of the 3D molding polyline. When the two side edges are at the correct height, the front edge will automatically adjust to match. 4. Again, select 3D> Create Orthographic View> Backclipped Cross Section from the menu and create a cross section view of the cabinet. 5. In the cross section view, click on the molding polyline to select it, then click the Open Object edit button to display the 3D Molding Polyline Specification dialog. 6. On the MOLDINGS panel: Change the Height and Width values of the default square molding to be 1/16". Click OK to close the dialog and and create a very small molding that can be more easily edited to follow the arc in the polyline solid than a larger molding profile would. 7. While still in cross section view and with the molding polyline still selected, click the Break Line edit button.
Click on the molding polyline at the point where it meets one side of the arc in the pediment top. Do not worry about exact placement at this time: the edges can be adjusted later, if needed. Click the Break Line tool again and place another break on the other side of the arc. Again, don't worry about precision right now. 8. Click the Select Objects button, then click on section of the molding polyline between the two breaks you just created to select that section. Click the Change Line/Arc straight line into an arc. edit button to change the selected segment from a Using the triangle shaped Rotate the arc on the polyline solid. handle, click and drag the arc up to match
9. With the molding polyline still selected, click the Open Object edit button to open the Molding Polyline Specification dialog. Go to the MOLDING panel and click the Select button. In the Select Library Object dialog, choose a crown molding from the Crown Moldings library, then click OK to return to the MOLDINGS panel. Back on the MOLDINGS panel make sure that the Offset field equals zero and Inside is not checked. Click OK to close the dialog and replace the 1/16" molding with your new molding profile on the top edge of the pediment. 10. Select 3D> Create Perspective View> Full Camera and click and drag a camera arrow to view your cabinet with pediment and molding. 11. Select 3D> Material Painter> Material Eyedropper from the menu, then click on your cabinet to load the current cabinet material into the Material Painter. When you click on a surface with the desired material, your cursor will display the Material Painter icon. 12. Click on the molding at the top of the cabinet pediment to apply the selected material to the cabinet. If you have difficulty clicking on the molding, select Window> Zoom In from the menu or use the scroll wheel on your mouse to zoom in on the molding. The front items of any cabinet can be modi ed to meet a variety of needs. Instead of doors, you can specify areas for shelves, drawers, open spaces, panels and other items. Using a combination of these front items, you can build an entertainment center to store home electronics and decorative objects. To create an entertainment center
1. Close the camera view to return to floor plan view. 2. Using the Select Objects tool, click on the cabinet to select the full height cabinet, then click the Open Object edit button. 3. On the FRONT panel of the Full Height Cabinet Specification dialog, click on a front item in the preview diagram on the right side of the dialog. Choose the desired Item Type from the drop-down list. Specify the desired Item Height. To move the selected item on the front of the cabinet, click the Move Up or Move Down button. If you need to add additional front items, click the Add New button and in the New Cabinet Face Item dialog, specify the type of item you would like to add and its height. If you wish to delete a face item, click on it to select it, then click the Delete button. Remember to include Separations between each face item. In this example. Separations 2" in height are placed between each Opening item as well as above and below the doors. You can also select different door and drawer styles on the GENERAL panel of the Cabinet Specification dialog. When you are satisfied with the appearance of your cabinet, click OK to close the dialog and apply your change. 4. Select View> Library Browser (In Chief Architect X5 and prior, navigate to Library> Library Browser) from the menu, then browse to the Interior library category. In this example, objects are selected from the Bonus Media Items library.
Home media items can also be found in the Home Entertainment library. Decorative objects can be found in the Bonus Furnishings, Bonus Living Room Items and Interior Accessories categories. 5. Click on an object in the library to select it, then click in floor plan view to place a copy of this item at that location. Begin by placing objects in the room near the cabinet but not inside it. 6. Select 3D> Create Orthographic View> Backclipped Cross Section from the menu, then click and drag a camera arrow through the cabinet and perpendicular to it's front edge. Make sure that the camera arrow begins far away enough to include of the library items created in steps 4 and 5, above. In the cross section view, move the various library objects so that they are directly in front of and at the same height as the shelves in your cabinet. When you are satisfied with the positioning of your library objects, close the cross section view and return to floor plan view. 7. In floor plan view, move the library objects into the same space as the cabinet.
8. Select 3D> Create Perspective View> Full Camera and click and drag a camera arrow to view your entertainment center. Related Articles Creating a Custom Cabinet Symbol (/support/article/kb-01192/creating-a-customcabinet-symbol.html) Modeling Custom 3D Objects (/support/article/kb-00761/modeling-custom-3dobjects.html)
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