Virtual staging for architecture services refers to the process of adding virtual furnishings to a photograph of a property in an attempt to boost its sales potential. Using 3D models of furniture, decorations, and ornaments, a virtual staging professional strives to improve the visual appeal of a property. It is the virtual version of the traditional home staging process, which involves physically re-furnishing a property before the sellers put it in a real estate listing. Note that the furnishings are usually rented from a third-party service and may cost thousands of dollars for an extensive makeover. On the other hand, the cost of virtual staging is typically, at most, $100 per photo.
The virtual staging option is a no-brainer because the furnishings (whether digitally superimposed or real) are not included in the sale. 3D CAD technology and a virtual staging designer make a virtually staged room look indistinguishable from a physically staged one. With advanced 3D architectural rendering software, the architectural rendering expert can replicate the furnishings, lighting, and shadows. The process often uses inputs from interior designers to achieve optimum results. In other words, there is more to virtual staging than simply placing a hyper-realistic rendering of a furniture set on a photograph. It is a complex task that requires thoughtful considerations about styles, perspectives, and design coherence.
Table of contents
RELATED: How 3D virtual reality is changing the real estate industry
Indispensable design elements
Virtual staging offers limitless possibilities on how to do the makeover to any room in a house. You have numerous style options, practically every set of furniture imaginable, a wide range of digital artworks, and the entire spectrum of colors at your disposal. Mixing and matching a little of everything into a single batch doesn’t work. Instead, make sure the interior visualization professional keeps the following elements in check regardless of the design direction you take:
Highlight Room Features
Decoration, ornaments, and furniture attract buyers’ attention in an instant. But they know the room has been virtually staged so buyers can shift their focus to its features just as quickly. For example, a spacious kitchen is a sought-after design element. It is a mistake not to highlight the feature in favor of an unnecessarily wide countertop or an open pantry. Extra storage in a bedroom, a door leading to the backyard, or a cupboard underneath the stairs should not be hidden away behind virtual furnishings.
RELATED: 5 Reasons your architectural firm should use 3D rendering outsourcing
Clutter
Every piece of decoration is meant to enhance the room. Just because there is enough space does not necessarily mean you have to put something there. It might be acceptable to place an additional chair or cabinet in a big room, but a small space requires a careful approach to furnishing. In virtual staging, less really is more. The primary objective of a virtual staging designer is to offer a sneak peek into a prospective interior arrangement and, ultimately, enhance the room’s appeal to potential buyers. A cluttered space will send them away.
Neutrality
Any avant-garde furnishing must be avoided unless the house is marketed toward a specific market. If the intention is to attract as many buyers as possible, neutrality is the ideal approach; it is a safe bet. Minimalistic themes and neutral color tones are attractive to anybody. Such design elements enhance any room subtly, yet it still offers flexibility for further modifications.
RELATED: Working with a 3D home design service – things to consider
Balance
As mentioned earlier, furnishings should complement the room rather than vice versa. The primary purpose of decorations and furniture with 3D virtual reality rendering services is to help highlight the room’s best features, whether the spaciousness, flooring materials, unusual shape, natural lighting, or big windows. The main objective is to maintain a good balance between subtlety and variety. Among the tried-and-true tricks to achieve it:
- Throw pillows on the couch and bed
- Ambient lighting, such as area lamps or pendant fixtures
- Minimum number of framed photos and non-stock artwork
- Patterned rug under a coffee table
- Greenery in an outside area visible from inside the house
In virtual staging, photorealistic renderings of 3D models are superimposed on a photo of a room. No matter how well-calculated the furnishings are, almost none is included in the sale price. In some cases, even the wall paints in the photo are different from the real version. Playing with buyers’ expectations is never the intention, but rather, it gives them a perspective on what the house can be or how it will look when a future homeowner gives it well-deserved tender love and care.
RELATED: How to create a virtual tour of homes with 3D rendering services
Photographs for virtual staging
Most furnishings visible in the image are digitally created by a 3D furniture rendering firm. However, the background picture itself is an actual photo of the house. Some houses and rooms are photo-ready, courtesy of mindful owners, whereas others need simple work. Follow the practical tips below to get optimum results:
- Clean the room before taking pictures. Remove every item you don’t want to see in the virtual staging. It is possible to erase objects digitally, but an empty room makes the process much more efficient during the photo session and manipulation tasks. Removing dirt from surfaces like floors, walls, windows, and permanent fixtures is crucial.
- Repaint the walls. Once the room is cleared of dirt, debris, and unnecessary clutter, it is time to pinpoint minor imperfections, such as faded walls and chipped paint. Image enhancement effects can cover the flaws of the virtual staging process, but you do not want to disappoint potential buyers who visit the property at a later date. Knowing that the paints are digitally altered, buyers would think the house requires an extensive makeover.
- Include natural lights. There are several easy methods for visualizer services to highlight a room’s spaciousness and sense of comfort. One of the most effective ways is to incorporate as much natural light as possible. Make sure to include a window or a skylight in the frame. The morning is the best time to take photos of an east-facing house or room. The evening before dusk is excellent if the windows or doors are on the west side.
RELATED: Types of 3D visualization for architectural design and CGI projects
- A view of the outdoors. Many photorealistic renderings of an interior design include a view of the outdoors from the windows. It is also good in photography for virtual staging, except when the harsh natural light overexposes the picture.
- Uniform color temperatures. Sometimes you have no option but to turn on the lights to illuminate dark corners. There is nothing wrong with artificial lights, even during the daytime, as long as all the lamps have similar color temperatures. Varying hues may create strange shadows.
- Overall view of the room. While giving some artistic flair to the photos is fine, the whole point of the task is to provide a clear vision of the room. Find a spot that allows you to capture the entire dimension. A corner is a good place, but the entryway is often better.
- Avoid reflective surfaces. Never stand in front of mirrors, windows, or reflective surfaces that may make you visible in the image. When taking a picture of the bedroom, it is best to face the wall against which the bed will be positioned. If the room has a ceiling fan, turn it off beforehand.
- Make the fireplace a focal point. A fireplace is always a welcome fixture (or chattel). Whenever there is a fireplace, never cut off the view and instead make it the photo’s focal point. Highlight its importance and position by balancing the view between its left and right sides.
RELATED: How AEC Companies can leverage VR and AR simulations in architectural design
Many virtual staging firms do not include photography as part of the service. Therefore, the real estate agents or homeowners have to take the photos, or they can hire a professional photographer for the job. When hiring a 3D home rendering service and virtual home staging designer, remember that the captured images receive post-processing edits before they are ready. Post-processing helps improve color balance and exposure (among other things) to make the photos look natural.
Is virtual staging legal?
Virtual staging (and every form of image enhancement, for that matter) can be, in fact, misleading. Adding digital objects to a photograph of a house may superficially increase the value of a property to a small extent or boost its sales potential. Listed below are some ethical boundaries with virtual staging that aim to avoid misleading prospective home buyers:
- Virtual staging should not erase known structural issues from the photograph. If any part of the property has noticeable issues like cracked walls, missing tiles, a ruined fireplace, or water damage on the floor, it is best to leave them untouched. Adding furniture or artwork on the wall should not function as a cover for imperfections.
RELATED: Learn about the types of architectural rendering services available for your company
- Homeowners or real estate agents must make clear in the real estate listing that the property has been virtually staged. To avoid misinterpretations, include before and after photographs to compare the room’s appearance and looks with digital editing.
There can be some legal implications with virtual staging. Homeowners and agents may need advice from a lawyer to understand the potential legal issues and how to keep everything within acceptable practices. A lawyer can also help draft a legally sound disclosure statement attached to the photograph.
How Cad Crowd can help
At Cad Crowd, we know just the right designer to have you work with on any project, whether turning any 2D image into a photorealistic 3D rendering or 3D Animation. Reach out to us today, receive a quote, and we’ll help you get started!
