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And why it is not only interesting for real estate.

Imagine you are looking at photos of a property. The different rooms, the outside area. But something bothers: everything is empty! Now imagination is required. What could the rooms look like with furniture and decorations? Not easy.

Exactly for this case there is the so-called “Home Staging”. Home Staging refers to the professional furnishing of real estate, like apartments, houses or commercial spaces such as offices. The property is first brought to its best possible condition, for example, existing facilities are partially or completely removed, even necessary renovation work is carried out. Then it is re-furnished, this means furniture, decorations and accessories are placed, but also, for example, repainted.

The aim is to upgrade the property in the best possible way, to present it as attractively as possible and to highlight positive characteristics and possible uses. And thereby to achieve advantages in selling or renting and price increase.

Home Staging is used for indoor and outdoor, residential and commercial real estate. However, depending on the property, traditional Home Staging can quickly become laborious and expensive.

This is where so-called “Virtual Staging” comes into play.

What is Virtual Staging?

Thanks to modern image editing techniques and CGI, Virtual Staging has developed into a cost-effective alternative to traditional Home Staging techniques.

Just like with classic Home Staging, real estate is also upgraded with various furnishings and even renovations in the digital version. Only digitally. With photos of the property or the rooms and areas. What makes Virtual Staging easier, faster and more cost-effective. More about the advantages later.

How exactly does Virtual Staging work?

1. The starting material

The basis are digital photos of the rooms or areas to be edited. Ideally without furnishings, so empty. If this is not possible, objects can be removed during image editing.

2. Prepare & clean up

Every photo is optimized. This includes, for example, correcting exposure, removing colour casts, straightening lines and more.
The rooms or areas are not always completely empty; or as empty as desired. Depending on the customer’s requirements, existing objects are removed or retained during image editing. The so-called “Virtual Renovation” goes one step further. Planned or unfinished construction projects, renovations or the likes are completed virtually.

3. (New) Set up & edit

Afterwards, various furnishings are added virtually. This includes not only pieces of furniture, but also various interior fittings such as lights, doors, windows, complete kitchen and bathroom units, or even larger objects such as stairs, balconies, pools. Colours, textures and surfaces can also be added or replaced. Decorations such as curtains, carpets, pictures as well as accessories such as vases, pillows, plants and more complete the staging. Since everything happens virtually, there are basically no limits to the style and design requirements.

The objects are either real objects that have been photographed and cut out with the help of clippings and alpha masks. But most of the time virtual 3D models that were created in CGI. With high quality, no differences are noticeable. In this case one can even speak of a kind of hybrid CGI image, since real photos and virtual objects are combined with one another.

Placing individual objects on a photo. Sounds easy, but requires a good eye and sensitivity. For a realistic result, it is important to pay attention to proportions, shadow and lighting conditions and to precisely coordinate the various elements not only with the photo itself, but also with each other.

Virtual Staging has many advantages

– Increase the appeal: Photos filled with life instead of empty rooms and areas. This makes the pictures more attractive overall and attracts attention.

– Save time & money: Compared to traditional Home Staging, effort and costs are significantly lower with Virtual Staging. Time and manpower for the preparation. Acquisition, rental, transport and storage costs for furniture and decorations. All of this is omitted with the virtual variant.

– High flexibility: Virtual staging offers a high degree of flexibility. Different furnishing styles and designs can be adapted quickly and easily. Depending on the property and target market.

– Effective marketing tool: Stimulate the imagination, show the potential of a property, visualise or try out ideas and projects and all of this is tailored precisely to the target group. Marketing materials are upgraded through virtual staging and the presentation of real estate is significantly improved.

What makes virtual staging interesting for other areas?

Virtual staging is currently mainly used in the real estate sector. The idea and technology behind it, however, are also interesting for other areas. Some ideas.

Enhancement of the company presentation

Let’s be honest, company premises or company premises don’t always look exactly how we want them to. How was the saying? Where wood is chopped (= where people work), splinters must fall. Or the office is currently being renovated, but the new photos for the website, company presentation, etc. have to be ready now. Here Virtual Staging can be a fast, cost-effective alternative to photo shoots or CGI renderings.

Virtual showrooms for digital product presentation

Whether on your own website or in the online shop. A good digital product presentation is a must these days. Virtual showrooms show products directly in their intended area of application. The creation of a photo-realistic environment can, but does not always have to be done in CGI. This is also possible with a suitable photo of the desired setting as well as clipped products. With the help of Virtual Staging technology, combined with image retouching and composing, products can be integrated into a real environment without actually taking a photo shoot.

Providing products for virtual staging

It also works the other way around. Why not make your own products available for Virtual Staging? Virtual Staging often works with catalogues that contain individual pieces of furniture, decorations and accessories or even complete room sets. In most cases, these are 3D models created in CGI, but also product clippings. In areas such as furniture manufacturers or interior design, it can be quite interesting to make your own products available as a catalog for Virtual Staging.

Virtual Staging and beyond!

Our services include: Virtual Staging & Renovation, clipping, alpha masking & composing, image retouching, colour correction, CGI, and more.
For more information, samples and detailed prices download our Real Estate portfolio.