Virtual staging has become more simple and affordable. It's a great way to apply your creativity and encourage imagination when you're confronted with an empty room.
The majority of the homes you work with, though, are furnished. Sometimes they look great, sometimes they are in need of some help - and sometimes, they just need a fresh start. In those cases, let your imagination shine by becoming a Virtual Creator.
An Example
Recently, a client who had listed an East End home mentioned that the bonus room, which was being used as a home gym, was really wanting. The rest of the home was fantastically appointed. The home gym wasn’t bad - it just wasn’t likely how the room would be used by most families. Since the room featured built in desks, I suggested we turn it into a “home school“ room. He liked the idea, but how would we do that? We set about getting it done.
Challenge 1 - No Photo!
The first problem was surprising. My work in the home focused on our 3D Virtual Video product - photography had been handled by others. The photos the realtor had on hand weren’t taken with a decorating change in mind - the angles wouldn’t work.
However, the 3D tour was our ace in the hole. 3D tour data can be “harvested” to create hi res pictures, which gave us the flexibility to create the photo we needed from the appropriate angle. A few keystrokes later, we were in business.
Challenge 2 - Cleaning the Room
Using photoshop to remove objects from a room isn’t a new idea - we’ve been doing this since the birth of digital photography. The key is alway realism, but just as importantly, speed. Real estate sales run on a tight clock, and any marketing idea that can’t be executed quickly is likely a waste of time. Additionally, the space needs our standard dose of "magic" - window details, lighting neutralized, and strange shadows and casts handled. Rooms must look natural after the work is done, so we can move onto the next step.
Challenge 3 - Creating the Mood with Staging
This was where the fun started. We "built" a home classroom, highlighting the room's space and built-in elements, so that the home itself was the focus of the images, not the decoration. This is always key in virtual staging - making sure the items we add draw attention to the features of the home, not to the "art" of the staging itself.
The next time you're faced with a room with "potential", don't let the current look stand in your way. Let your creativity run wild and become a Virtual Creator!