With virtual consultations and e-design, your space is not seen in person, so it’s super important to provide photos to your designer for custom projects. The right photos allow us to see the undertones in your finishes and decor accurately, and this allows us to choose the best colors and materials for your space.
And guess what? With these instructions, you can capture great photos with just your smartphone, no special camera or skills required. Below, we’ve listed steps for taking photos for your interior project first. If we’re working on an exterior project, those instructions will come after.
How to Take Photos of Your Interior:
- Take photos of your whole room in natural light, with no flash and no artificial lights turned on. We need you to capture your room from at least two different angles.If your room does not have a lot of natural light, just do your best. In some cases, we may need you to create better light artificially, but we’d like to view the room with any natural light available first. Pictures with low natural light are generally better than pictures with artificial lights on. During the testing process, you will be able to make sure the recommendations we make are accurate.
- Take a few photos with white paper touching each fixed element that will be staying, such as flooring, trim, counters, tile, etc. Again, please take these photos in natural light, without flash. Your white paper should be placed in the same way the material is viewed or used. For example, paper should be placed vertically next to trim, but flat on countertops.
- Take a few photos with white paper (in natural light and without flash) of any soft furnishings that are staying in the room we are working on, such as furniture, rugs, curtains, etc.
- If your consultation includes multiple rooms, an open floor plan, or adjoining rooms, please also take a few photos of these spaces (yes! - in natural light without flash) so we can help you create flow.
- If you are changing fixed or soft materials in the room(s) we are working on, please take photos of any samples you are considering such as tile, countertops, carpet, cabinets, etc. on white paper (just place the paper underneath and around the sides of the sample). If you don’t have any samples yet, a stock photo can usually work instead.
How to Take Photos of Your Exterior
We will need photos of the front and back of your house, as well as photos of any fixed elements, such as stone, brick, window frames and trim (if trim color is not not changing). These elements must be photographed with a piece of white paper touching it in natural light, without any flash.
The best lighting for your photos comes from a slightly cloudy sky, and the middle of a bright day is also good. You’ll want to avoid heavily cloudy days, or times of day when the sun casts too much light or shadow across your home. This includes times when the light is shining directly behind your house, which causes a lot of shadow in photos.
Please be sure to provide us with the following:
- A few photos of each fixed element, including your windows, that will be staying (such as stone, brick, windows, etc) with white paper in natural light, with no flash.
- A few photos of any elements or structures on your property that need to be considered, such as fencing, out buildings, detached garages, sheds, etc.
- If you are considering new gutters, windows, vinyl siding, pavers, etc., please provide images of your samples on white paper in natural light, with no flash. If you do not have any samples but have decided on your products, a stock image may work.
- If we are selecting a front door color for you, please include images of your interior entryway taken in natural light without flash.
- If you are working on a new build, you may not be able to provide the type of photos we’ve asked for, and that’s okay. Instead, please provide images of any relevant elevations, layouts or drawings provided to you by your builder, as well as photos of any stone, brick or other materials your builder may be using on the exterior.
Finally, please send a quick photo of your neighbor’s houses. While we are of course working on your home, we want to take the colors of the homes next to yours in account. The goal is to update and freshen your home in the color scheme that you want, while still maintaining a cohesive look and feel for the neighborhood.