3D Kitchen Renders In 3 Days: How We Did It

Meet the Case

This is a case study of how we produced three photo-realistic kitchen renders in three days responding to an urgent call from the client. They provided us with one blueprint of a desired kitchen layout and a reference picture for the inspiration. From then on we had to develop our own design concept and produce three interior renders.

We connected with Ari Fromovitz on Friday morning and he wanted the renders ready on Tuesday, so we couldn’t afford to waste a second. To facilitate communication with the client we used WhatsApp, as it allowed for a quicker discussion, exchange of ideas and feedback. In this case study we open up the behind the scenes of the project — our thought process throughout the workflow, creative approach, how we tackled the problems and in the end produced 3D renders for Ari Fromovitz. 

Case Details

• Objective: to design a kitchen and produce 3 renders.
• Client: Ari Fromovitz — 3D artist and visualizer
• Deadline: 3 business days.
• Communication channel: WhatsApp

First Steps Taking on a Visualization Project

Every order we receive has its own peculiarities. Some have very tight deadlines, some clients want to go for a certain cinematic look, others come to us with a single photo reference or even AI-generated idea. We always find the most suitable approach to each request. 

Usually, the process starts with providing tech specs for the studio. Many visualization studios require their clients to fill out specific forms. It is a great idea because it clarifies what the client wants and eases the work for the artist. But in real life, because of tight deadlines or busy schedules, lots of clients don’t have time to do this part. That is why we do not insist on the specific format for tech specs. Still, we always ask to provide all the necessary information in a format that is convenient to our client.

Into the Thick of It: Diving Deeper into the Case

In our case, the client wanted the renders ready in three days. We talked over the text, and at the time it seemed like we understood each other. We wanted to start as soon as possible so as not to waste any second. So, we skipped having a call and got down to work. This was an error on our part as we found out later. 

In cases like this — tight deadlines to produce a specific design — it is very important to have a meeting and discuss everything with the client beforehand. It would be more efficient to have an hour-long call than to re-do the work countless times to get to the result that the client wants. 

Such a short time limit also meant we had to work with a minimal number of mistakes. Even small errors and then later fixings waste lots of time. No matter how much we wanted to avoid mistakes, it happened anyway. We created a white 3D model of the kitchen design with a layout based on the provided reference picture. However, on Monday at 8 p. m., we found out the layout and the design were wrong. Unfortunately, the reference was for the final render angles and the layout had to be based on the blueprints provided beforehand that had not been transferred to us from the sales team. Therefore, the situation was the following: the deadline is tomorrow and we have about 24 hours left to design a new model, apply materials and textures, and render it out.

Thanks to the communication with the client on WhatsApp we had promptly received feedback and started reworking the kitchen now with even tighter time constraints. Our artist worked overnight and the next day at around 2 pm we had sent a screenshot of the revamped design already colored and textured for the feedback.

It is better to present the white model for approval first but this time we decided to skip this step to speed up the process. Usually, it is done so that you can make key changes before all the textures and materials are applied. Otherwise you can find yourself in a situation when all the work is almost done but you went in the completely wrong direction and now have to redo the whole process. Another thing that is usually discussed during the white model stage are the render angles. It is easier and quicker to adjust them at this stage than later on after the scene is textured and almost all work is done. We took a risk and it paid off — this time we did everything right. 

After the client’s review, we got a green light to move forward and received some comments on things to change. These included a few corrections on shelf spacing, drawer positioning, grove handles, and cabinet doors design and materials: island doors had to be Shaker style, and we added some glass doors to the shelving units.

By 8 p. m. on Tuesday we were done with all the edits and submitted the project. The client was happy with the result. After a couple of days, the client asked to add some features: install potfiller above the cooking stove, change the gas stove to electric and add wooden floors. On Wednesday we added the new details and submitted the renders again. 

A few days later though, some more changes came in. This time the client wanted the shelves in marble and the pendant lights to be a different model. We promptly applied both changes and produced new renders. The client was happy with everything and the project was completed.

How to Create 3D Renders

To give you a better understanding of the process of creating interior design and architectural 3D renders let’s look at the preparation process behind the scenes. It may seem that creating a render of any room is quick and easy. Most of the time, however, it is a task that takes lots of time and effort. 

Below are a few key points to consider when estimating the time period necessary to complete the project based on the current case example:

1. Research. Thoughtful preparation is a crucial part of a smooth work process. When designing a kitchen you might need to consider what furniture fitting to pick — Blum or  Hettic, for example. Recreating precisely all the hinges, handles and other small details makes interior renders look realistic.
2. Studio choice. Pick the studio having the most relevant experience. Our studio has a solid background designing and producing kitchen visualizations. Over the years we have developed an effective work pipeline for these types of projects and have gathered an extended library with all the necessary materials, objects and textures.

When having an initial meeting, we usually discuss things like technical specifications, references and deadlines. Another important thing we always discuss in the meeting is what the renders are for. They might be used for marketing purposes, in the initial stages of the real estate development process, in interior or exterior design development or for any other purpose. We want to be aware of this, because, depending on the purpose, we can adjust our renders to the specific goal. Helping our clients succeed is our top priority; therefore, after the visualization project is complete, we can offer some complimentary renders or close-ups, as well as work on a pitch or presentation for the client. 

The next step is usually creating the white model and approving the render angles. We need to make sure the design is right, all the objects and pieces of furniture are picked and modeled correctly and the lighting is up to the client’s liking. During this stage, we also discuss the angles and close-ups, and when everything is approved we move on to the next stages.

The next stage is applying colors, materials, and textures. Sometimes, especially when the deadlines are tight, we can show the client a preview in low quality just to confirm the details so that we know we are moving in the right direction. At this point, the only thing that can speed up the process is prompt and clear feedback from the customer. 

After everything is approved, we move on to create the final renders for our client. This is usually the final step of the process for many studios. However, we understand how things can come up last minute, so sometimes we can work on small changes even after the project has been delivered.

Bottom Line

This is what the process usually looks like. In our case, this specific project with kitchen renders highlights how important it is to have clear technical specs in the initial stages of the process. Accurate and timely internal communication as well as prompt communication between the studio and the client throughout the whole process are just as important. They can significantly speed up the process and increase the accuracy of the final result. 

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