New, Exciting Technology Trends in Interior Design: How VR and 3D Imaging Could Help Transform your Home
It is often said that the three greatest stresses in life are death, divorce and moving. All of these require a change to you, your family, your home and your lifestyle. Change is the only constant in the world, and learning to adapt to new changes can benefit you immensely.
The winds of change have been sweeping across the Interior Design industry too with new technologies like virtual reality (VR) augmented reality and 3D imaging having a big impact on the furniture industry and the interior design field.
You are likely to have experienced some version of virtual reality, augmented reality or a mixture of the two in the form of various apps or catalogs. Take ‘Pokémon Go’ or Snapchat's augmented reality elements in the form of a variety of real-time transformations, filters and special effects called Lenses. There is also Wayfair's ability to show a sofa in the space where you are pointing your camera.
This same technology has been refined and expanded to address one of the biggest stumbling blocks often faced by the customer - their inability to imagine how a piece of furniture will look at home. It’s a simple problem, but it demands a complex solution which includes virtual reality, augmented reality and 3D imaging.
The incorporation of these technologies is a major boon to the interior designer. With these new technologies, we are now able to show our clients how their newly created living room looks in a full 360-degree view. It also allows us to show clients how a change of fabric colors and patterns on a sofa will look or even change the style of the sofa.
Furniture is not the only changes that can be shown. The ability to show a client what a tile backsplash will look like with large scaled tiles or subway tiles or mosaic tiles is also a major positive for us. It provides clients with a better understanding of what we have created for them.
From glorified gaming to helping with healthcare, VR is set to take center stage in many an industry over the next few years. Interior experts are excited about its uses within their profession because interior designers now have the power to create a digital environment without physically moving anything. At the same time, 3D visuals and live-streaming establish a new level of transparency between the client and the designer.
As a client, you can now give input to every stage of your project from anywhere in the world and simultaneously save time, money and effort. As technology becomes more advanced and readily available to the public, we may not be far away from living in a world where people have an interactive wall in their houses from which to work and communicate with the world.
The only downside about VR is that for most interior designers the hardware and software are still incredibly expensive. Despite the extensive applications for these technologies, building information modeling, and virtual reality is still largely reserved for large-scale commercial projects and events.
Right now, anyone with a smartphone can download a VR app. If you’re an avid ‘DIY’er or follower of design trends, there are applications such as Hutch and Modsy who will assist you in finding your inner interior designer. These applications are offering consumers the ultimate try-it-before-you-buy-it confidence and empowering them to take the reins in their own hands.
While many people will enjoy tackling their designs on their own, not everyone feels confident enough or have the time to create their own space. Should you prefer to have someone else take care of the research and design work along with working with manufacturers and freight companies, get in touch with Donna J. Barr.
I advise clients on topics ranging from how to enhance the value – and resale value – of their homes to how to “age in place” in those homes because you deserve the most original design, the best customer service and the most experienced design team for your project.
If you have any questions about the new technologies being used, please contact me by clicking here. To learn more about the interior designing services I have to offer, please click here.