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The challenge with showcase houses is that you only get to see the final product (not the process), and once they are over, they are over forever. This is the main reason we stopped doing them a decade ago. The design and construction process are just as important to share as the final product.
New Technology Makes the Showcase House Experience Better
Technology has come a long way in 10 years, so we decided to share the complete design + build experience with a local and national audience again. Many of our strategic brand partners wanted us to tell their story in the context of a whole-house renovation. We can do so with our blog and YouTube channel; however, we did not feel like that would be enough. When my friends at Mythos Media pitched us on their virtual walkthroughs for Google maps designed for businesses, we asked if that could be done for houses as well.
Mythos Media Explains How the Process Works
The majority of their work is for businesses that have storefronts. They can create a virtual tour that gets added to the business profile on Google Maps. Roger Knipp explains how this technology works and how they are using it for the #1920sMakeoverATL.
We call this virtual reality; however, it is a real house, and the images are real. The VR experience allows the viewer to explore the house if they cannot visit it in person.
What It Takes To Create a Virtual Tour
Creating a VR house is not easy. Here are some of the things we had to do to make the 1st part of the tour possible:
- Mythos Media brought their fancy cameras to the house to film in different locations so the self guided tour experience would be seamless
- They used plans from LG Squared to map the tour so the planning was done off site.
- We created content in the form of videos and written posts to be added to the tour. If you are creating a tour of a house to sell, this is not necessary, however it does enhance the users experience.
- We hired a local musician to play a period piece to add to the tour.
- Our partners on the house have helped us create content to share about the design process
All of this work was needed to create the 1st part of the tour. Roger with Mythos Media is coming back two more times to document the house at critical milestones. The next filming will be right before the drywall is installed, and the final filming will be when the house is 100% complete. We chose these milestones to share the building process with the contractors and the final design with the interior design community. Here is a sample of the VR tour showing the house before we started construction. We are in the demolition phase right now, so once the foundation and framing are finished, we will film the house again.
