After selecting a design firm to work with, you and your designer embark on the journey we like to call remodeling: measuring, space planning and layout, finishing selections, and finally construction. And after every tile has been picked out and every cutlery cabinet placed with care, there is nothing more nerve-wracking than signing a contract to begin construction when you’re still having trouble picturing the final product. Trust me, you’re not alone.
As a designer, we meet with clients everyday who have a tough time visualizing what their space could look like, especially on bigger kitchen renovations and exterior addition projects. It can be hard at times to convey to these clients exactly what the backsplash tile we selected will look like behind the range, or the distance from the refrigerator to the sink as floor plans can only get you so far. Building 3D models to show a client conceptually what their project could be works well initially, as we explore big picture design layouts. However, when we switch over to the more intricate design details, some communication can get lost.
Virtual Reality resolves that. Putting my client inside their project in a 360-virtual atmosphere allows them to envision their new space more clearly, and therefore bridges the gap in communication, permitting us to discuss those details in a way everyone understands. Homeowners can now walk and swivel around in their space before it is built, seeing all their selections together and getting a bigger sense of the overall flow of the space. This also allows homeowners to address any concerns they didn’t quite understand fully before, or make last minute changes before construction starts, saving time and money later down the road. In addition, virtual reality can really get a client excited about their project. Maybe they were inspired by something they saw on HGTV, but it was someone else’s home and project. Now it’s their own space come to life, designed in bigger and better ways than they could have imagined, and that’s exciting to them. It’s very fulfilling at the end of the design process to be able to sign that contract with certainty, knowing without question you are buying the space of your dreams!
There is nothing more rewarding at the end of a project than watching a client fall in love with their home all over again through remodeling. The design process can be time consuming, but it’s also exciting, as each home presents new and unique challenges. To be able to give the homeowners I work with piece of mind and excitement about their new space through virtual reality technology, giving them the opportunity to experience what they are investing in before it is built, is priceless.
