AutoCAD for Beginners: 12 Tips to Get Started with Interior Design Drawings

Introduction

So, you’ve decided to tackle AutoCAD for interior design. Good news: it’s a powerful tool that can help you create professional, precise drawings. Bad news: it’s not magic. AutoCAD won’t automatically make your drawings look good—that’s on you.

Before you start clicking around and hoping for the best (we’ve all been there), remember that understanding the principles of good drafting will make AutoCAD so much easier to use. Think of it like cooking—AutoCAD is just the well-organized kitchen; you still need to know how to follow a recipe.

If you’re just getting started, these 12 essential tips will help you set up your workflow, avoid rookie mistakes, and feel more confident using AutoCAD for interior design drawings.

1. Understand Good Drawing Principles First

Before we even talk about AutoCAD, let’s talk about drafting fundamentals. You can’t expect to create a great drawing if you don’t understand what makes a drawing great.

AutoCAD is a tool that makes good drawings easier to produce—but it won’t make bad drawings better. Learn the fundamentals, and AutoCAD will actually work for you, not against you.

2. Use a Scroll-Wheel Mouse for Maximum Efficiency

If you’re still trying to use a trackpad for AutoCAD, please, for your own sanity, stop.

A scroll-wheel (middle-button) mouse will make your life so much easier:

A decent ergonomic mouse isn’t expensive, and it’ll save you countless hours of frustration. Even if you’re using a laptop, an external mouse is non-negotiable. Trying to draft with a trackpad is like trying to frost a cake with a steak knife—it’s possible, but why make life harder for yourself?

3. Start with the Right Template

One of the easiest ways to sabotage yourself before you even start is by using the wrong template.

So it’s so important to set yourself up correctly, AutoCAD won’t convert it all for you automatically. It knows you drew a line that was 6 units long, not 6 inches or 6 mm. So set yourself up with the right units to start with.

Also, let’s talk about title blocks. The default ones in AutoCAD? Not exactly beautiful. I highly recommend setting up a custom title block that reflects your style and branding (or grabbing a pre-made one that doesn’t make your drawings look like they were made in 1998 – cough cough – here are mine if you’re interested).

4. Master Essential Commands

AutoCAD has an overwhelming number of tools, but when you’re just starting, you only need a handful.

Start with essential commands:

If you can master these, you’ll already be faster than 80% of beginners. Focus on drawing and modifying commands first—annotation and fancy features can come later.

Practice these commands in a blank drawing just to get comfortable. You don’t want to be in the middle of a project struggling to remember how to offset a line to draw a wall.

5. Set Up Layers for Organization

Layers in AutoCAD are like folders on your computer—they keep everything organized so your drawings don’t turn into chaotic nightmares.

For a basic setup, start with:

You can also assign line weights and colors to layers for better readability. Some designers use color-based plot styles, but I personally prefer monochrome plotting with line weights set in the layers—it keeps things predictable when printing to PDF no matter the computer you’re using.

Think of layers as your insurance policy—if something goes wrong, you can quickly isolate elements instead of having to dig through a mess of overlapping lines.

6. Use Blocks for Repeating Elements

Redrawing the same chair, window, or sink over and over again is a waste of time. Enter: Blocks.

Blocks let you:

If you haven’t played with dynamic blocks yet, I highly recommend checking out my tutorial on them—they are a game-changer.

7. Get Comfortable with Snaps and Object Tracking

Nothing is more frustrating than things not lining up properly—which is why Object Snaps (OSNAP) are so useful.

Turn these on to snap to exact points when drawing:

Also, use Polar Tracking to keep your angles in check. If your lines aren’t snapping perfectly, something is wrong—don’t just eyeball it!

8. Utilize Annotation and Text Correctly

Your drawing should be clear enough that someone else can read it without calling you for explanations.

There’s nothing worse than tiny, unreadable dimensions or text that looks huge on a printed sheet. Set your styles early so your drawings look polished from the start.

9. Work with Dimensions Properly

Let’s be real—if your dimensions are a mess, your entire drawing is a mess. A beautiful elevation is kind of pointless if a contractor doesn’t know how big anything is.

Here’s how to avoid dimensioning disasters:

Lastly, more of a general drawing tip when it comes to dimensions: be consistent. Keep your units consistent. Keep your dimension style consistent. A clean, well-dimensioned plan is the difference between a professional drawing and one that makes people squint in confusion.

10. Learn to Use Xrefs for Large Projects

If your project is more than one floor, has multiple phases, or includes a lot of detail, External References (Xrefs) will save you.

What are Xrefs? Think of them as linked files—instead of cramming everything into one giant, unmanageable drawing, you keep different elements in separate files and reference them.

Why use them?

One huge Xref mistake to avoid: be super organized with file names and locations. If you move or rename an Xref file, AutoCAD will scream at you. So, keep a logical folder structure, and don’t just save files all over your desktop (yes, I see you).

11. Save Time by Setting Up Your Workspace

If you’re constantly searching for tools and menus, you’re wasting time. Set up your AutoCAD workspace so everything you need is right where you want it.

My go-to setup:

Think of it like setting up your kitchen—if you cook regularly, you don’t keep your spices in another room. Your workspace should be intuitive, comfortable, and built for speed.

12. Develop a Consistent Workflow

Okay, you know the tools, commands, and setup—but how do you actually put it all together?

For interior design drawings, following a logical workflow will make your life much easier. Here’s an example step-by-step process to keep things structured:

  1. Set up your drawing template and layers → This prevents chaos later.
  2. Draw walls and structural elements first → Start with the building framework before adding details.
  3. Add furniture and interior elements using blocks → This speeds things up and ensures consistency.
  4. Annotate and dimension the drawing → Make sure all text, labels, and dimensions are clear and readable.
  5. Perform a final check and export as a PDF → Double-check for mistakes, ensure line weights are correct, and then create a client-friendly PDF.

This broad-to-specific approach keeps your drawings organized, reduces the chances of errors, and prevents you from spending an hour tweaking furniture placement before even drawing the walls (been there, done that).

Conclusion

Apologies for all the cooking analogies, I guess I’m hungry.

AutoCAD can be overwhelming at first, but I promise—it gets easier.

The best way to improve is to practice. Start with simple exercises, play around with the tools, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes (as long as you hit Ctrl + Z quickly).

If you want more help, check out my AutoCAD courses, templates, and tutorials—I’ve put together resources to help interior designers get up to speed without the frustration. 🚀

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