High quality 3D models of furniture… where to find them?
A Product CGI showing high-quality models downloaded from Design Connected.
We get asked this because SketchUp & V-Ray users like yourself are wise to the fact that adding better quality 3D models into your scenes adds realism to your work.
... Another way to do that is to take our Complete Guide to V-Ray for SketchUp!
From our experience; there is no other part of the visualisation process that boosts the quality of a CGI more than the usage of high-quality, realistic 3D models…
Finding the right source… now that’s another question entirely…
The first place to look is Chaos Cosmos...
Chaos Cosmos is our number one place to get 3D SketchUp models that are render-ready because it is the quickest and easiest way to achieve photorealism.
... and the best part? It is included with your V-Ray license.
Chaos Cosmos is a collection of high-quality 3D SketchUp models that you can simply drag and drop into your V-Ray for SketchUp scenes.
Not only models, but Chaos Cosmos also offers 4000+ assets (and growing) including materials, environments and HDRI skies that are pre-optimised for rendering with V-Ray.
You can browse, search and import 3D SketchUp models from Cosmos and fine-tune them for rendering with V-Ray.
Our favourite external source for 3D SketchUp models is a website called Design Connected.
The Kelly Bed, by Poliform. A Design Connected 3D Model.
We have no affiliation with Design Connected – but we rely heavily on their models. They have a huge library of high-quality SketchUp models of furniture, lighting, and accessories.
They have worked with premium brands to provide photorealistic 3D models of their products – so that SketchUp and V-Ray users like us can download and import these into our scenes!
All models are (or can be) made available in SketchUp format, and all textures are correctly applied to each model, meaning it is the closest thing to a plug-and-play technique behind Chaos Cosmos that exists for our workflow for furnishings
Another source that we use is 3D Sky.
A screenshot of 3D Sky showing the range of 3D models available to download
Again, we have no affiliation with this website, however, we have really benefited from the vast 3D collection that they offer.
If models are not available on DesignConnected, we head over to 3DSky, safe in the knowledge that we will find something that we can use.
Rather than the standard SketchUp file-type (.skp) that we are used to; models from 3D Sky tend to be in a different format – a filetype called obj…
Obj filetypes store the geometry and textural information that makes up a 3D model. Different 3D modelling programs use different file types to save models – however, the .obj file type is the closest thing to an industry standard in this regard.
Convert various 3D formats into SketchUp files using Transmutr
To import .obj models, we use an extension called Transmutr. The easy-to-navigate interface allows you to convert these into .skp files – for you to then import into your scenes.
We cover this process on our bespoke Top-Up Courses.
For its value, the 3D Warehouse is an invaluable resource
The 3D Warehouse has been designed around you. Find free 3D models for SketchUp scenes here.
If you are working under a tighter budget, without the capacity to spend much on 3D models – there is no better source than the 3D Warehouse within SketchUp’s interface.
If you own, or have owned, SketchUp Pro – there is a very good chance you know about this already.
Use the sliders on the left to control the quality of the models within your search parameters.
Take note… these models are not quality-checked before being uploaded to the warehouse – which means that you can end up with a really mixed bag in terms of quality.
To be safe, we always recommend saving the desired models into their own files, rather than importing straight into your scene – as this protects your master file from any latent errors that may be present within the imported models!
Without over-complicating things…
High-quality 3D models bring your CGIs to life. Invest time in sourcing the best quality 3D models available to you.
As a V-Ray user, make use of Chaos Cosmos before you look anywhere else. The fastest and most convenient way to photorealism and it is included as part of your V-Ray license package.
If you are looking for consistent, high-quality 3D models not available on Chaos Cosmos – we recommend Design Connected.
Variety, on the other hand, is a real strength of 3D Sky.
If you are looking for free models – 3D Warehouse is the source for you.
Still doesn’t answer your question?
Model it yourself!