Can you use photograph to virtual stage house for sale?

[Fun2Learn]

Hi everyone. I can't seem to find any information about how to use Chief to do virtual staging from a photograph. I know that there are folks out there who do it, but I am wondering how it is actually done--the steps and processes. How do they get the dimensions and scale accurate when placing furniture, or is it just a guesstimate? Or do you have to make a plan/model of the house? That seems like it would take quite a long time and not be very efficient, though. Perhaps you use a combination or using photo and model???

    I have not been on these forums for a long time, and I have only been using Chief sporadically for my own use.  For quite some time, I have been extremely interested in all things real estate and home staging. I am  about to sign up for classes to get my real estate license, and have thought about offering virtual staging to my clients to help them sell their homes--and perhaps even to other realtors/sellers if I get fast enough at it!!  

   Is anyone teaching how to do virtual staging with Chief, by any chance? 

   Just fyi: Although I live in what would be considered a "desirable", semi-rural/rural  area within commuting distance to D.C., very few homes here are staged or even professionally photographed when listed online!  I gather than most owners around here probably wouldn't pay for home staging, though many could really, really benefit from it! 

Thanks in advance!

[lbuttery]

Fun:

 

I was licensed in 2008 and was thinking of offering staging services for real estate agents etc

 

bottom line it would probably only be feasible for high-end houses

 

modeling from photographs doesn't work

 

you would have to build the model from scratch

 

there are new devices that can take photos of rooms and create dimensions from them etc

but again the cost $$$

 

Lew

[Fun2Learn]

6 hours ago, lbuttery said:

Fun:

 

I was licensed in 2008 and was thinking of offering staging services for real estate agents etc

 

bottom line it would probably only be feasible for high-end houses

 

modeling from photographs doesn't work

 

you would have to build the model from scratch

 

there are new devices that can take photos of rooms and create dimensions from them etc

but again the cost $$$

 

Lew

 Thanks, Lew. (2008--Oh, oh, what unfortunate timing, LOL!) I thought that there was at least one lady on this forum that said she mainly did virtual staging--must not have been from photographs. I've seen some on-line services where you can install photos and add furniture, but always wondered how they could be accurately scaled, and angled in the correct perspective, etc. Oh well. Thanks again,

Phyllis

 

[KirkClemons]

Technically, it could be possible, but definitely not to scale.

Since the photograph is not to real world scale you would have to eyeball it.

 

One approach would be to import the photo as an 'Image'. Images in Chief Architect are objects that stand up on their own in 3D space, just like the plants.

From there you would need to open a camera view and begin placing furniture in front of the image.

 

Second option would be to place the image inside a room and give the room similar materials to that in the photograph. Then place objects in front of the photograph.

All of this is assuming that the image is of an empty room of course, because you cannot interact with the elements in the photo.

 

At the end of the day, it may be more efficient and will look better if you just draw the room, and begin placing materials, lights, and furnishings.

[Renerabbitt]

14 hours ago, Fun2Learn said:

 Thanks, Lew. (2008--Oh, oh, what unfortunate timing, LOL!) I thought that there was at least one lady on this forum that said she mainly did virtual staging--must not have been from photographs. I've seen some on-line services where you can install photos and add furniture, but always wondered how they could be accurately scaled, and angled in the correct perspective, etc. Oh well. Thanks again,

Phyllis

 

I and a few others offer staging services, but only about once a year or so for very high end clients, trying to sell there home before it is built(see attached images.) You may want to look at apps such as amikasa which is an augmented reality furniture staging app.

 

[Fun2Learn]

Thanks KirK and Rene. I can see the limitations of using a photo with chief for staging- thanks for demonstrating and explaining, though, Kirk. I will definitely check out that amikasa app. 

BTW- Very nice work, Rene, on those interiors. Is that the real view?? Gorgeous!

Thanks,

Phyllis