WHAT IS 3D FURNITURE MODELLING?

3D furniture modelling is the process artists and designers follow to create digital iterations of furniture using 3D design software. 3D furniture is used as props in video games and animated films, but also has numerous practical uses in manufacturing, design, architecture, product marketing and e-commerce.

WHICH SOFTWARE IS USED FOR FURNITURE DESIGN?

Any 3D software that has tools to assist hard surface modelling is suitable for 3D furniture design. Historically, CAD software has been the choice by architects and most manufacturing professionals, while artists in VFX and gaming tend to use software like Maya, 3DSMax and Adobe Substance 3D Painter, which is a great way to create textures and materials for your furniture.

WHAT CAN I USE TO DESIGN FURNITURE?

To design furniture, you need 3D design software, great references and a knack for visualisation. Unless you’re using pre-existing assets from a content library, you’ll need to model a mesh, add materials and textures, then render final images. Some artists use real-world references to help them to recreate furniture digitally. However, if you are designing new items that have never been made before, you may want to create many iterations in 3D to help solidify your design.

How to Make 3D Furniture Models

3D furniture design is used for more than populating video games with realistic props. Many design pros and e-commerce websites use 3D models to help showcase and sell their products. We’ll explore how, with the right 3D modelling software, you can create stunning 3D furniture models.

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Benefits of using 3D modelling for furniture design.

There are many benefits to using 3D furniture models to aid the manufacturing process of furniture. 3D allows designers to explore and test ideas faster and more efficiently than by using physical prototypes. Most 3D furniture design software is non-destructive, so it’s easy to undo changes and work with a model throughout the modelling process. Some additional benefits include:

Time and cost effectiveness.
Visualise different materials, colours and finishes with 3D models.
Make changes to the design without having to build new physical prototypes.

3D furniture design model use cases.

Organisations can save time and money by developing prototypes with the help of 3D furniture modelling. Not only that, but good 3D renderings are also invaluable for marketing and e-commerce purposes as well. Here are a few use cases outside of manufacturing you could use 3D furniture models for.

Make realistic renderings of furniture for clients. It will be easier to sell a client on a customised piece of furniture if they can see exactly how it will look before the furniture is ever built. This can also enhance communication between you and the client, ensuring that they are satisfied with the design.
Create virtual showrooms or online product catalogues. Today, it’s becoming standard practice to use 3D renderings in catalogues and online. As tech improves, you can use cool features like AR (augmented reality) as well to help convert customers.
Enhance marketing materials with 3D furniture models. Marketing professionals need good imagery to help market products effectively. With the right tools, 3D can virtually replace the need for timely and expensive photoshoots.

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3D model of chair

Images by Adobe Substance 3D Assets team.

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Create your own 3D furniture models.

Let’s explore how to make 3D furniture models on your own. Here are three tips to help you to get started.

1. Choose the right 3D furniture modelling software.

Creating 3D models has a high learning curve compared to most software. It’s important to find the right programme to meet your needs. Keep in mind that the best solutions are usually not limited to one specific use case. So, don’t feel limited only to 3D furniture design software. A good 3D modelling programme will allow you to freely model anything from scratch.

2. Use hard surface modelling techniques.

This technique is used in modelling anything from vehicles to high-tech gadgets in sci-fi games and films. Modelling hard surfaces is very different from modelling organic objects, animals and people. If you’d like to learn more about Adobe Substance 3D Modeler and how it can be used for hard surface modelling, check out this amazing demonstration.

3. Use real-world furniture references.

Most 3D artists will agree, using references is crucial in the early stages of a design. Whether you create a mood board to influence your own unique design or use real-world furniture as an example to help you practice 3D modelling techniques, taking the time to study other furniture pieces will help you to create better designs.

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Design 3D furniture models with infinite variations.

With so many creative and practical uses for 3D furniture modelling, the possibilities are endless. Adobe Substance 3D offers powerful solutions for all the major steps in a 3D pipeline. With the Substance 3D Collection plan, you’ll get access to five apps and a library of over 15,000 3D assets you can use to model, texture and render your 3D furniture designs.

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