VR Kitchen Renovation with UE4
- Ana Laura La Rosa
- Jan 10
- 3 min read
1/10/2025
In September to October, I worked on a VR project using Unreal Engine focusing on interior visualization and spatial design. Unlike my current game prototype, this project explored Unreal Engine as a tool for real-world decision-making, specifically for material selection, layout planning, and scale visualization in a kitchen renovation.
The Idea
During home renovation, it’s often difficult to visualize how a space will feel once cabinets, islands, and materials are installed. Floor plans and static images don’t always communicate scale, spacing, or lighting accurately. The idea behind this project was to recreate a real kitchen space in Unreal Engine and allow it to be explored in VR. This made it possible to preview layout decisions, material choices, and overall flow before construction was finalized.
Why I Built This
I started by creating sketches in paper for measurements and tried some 3D modeling apps and even Unity.
However, I ended up inclining towards UE because It's known for its famous lighting power, I had some familiarity with it, and I wanted to explore how Unreal Engine could be used beyond games, as a practical visualization tool. This project allowed me to combine real-world measurements with real-time rendering and VR interaction to help bridge the gap between design intent and final execution.
It was also an opportunity to deepen my understanding of:
Working at real-world scale in Unreal Engine
Lighting for interior spaces
Material setup for realistic surfaces
Performance considerations for VR experiences
From Real Space to VR
The process began by capturing the kitchen during construction, before cabinets or the island were installed. This provided a clean reference point for layout and proportions.
Using Unreal Engine, I recreated the space digitally and placed cabinets, an island, and materials based on planned designs. The VR experience allowed users to move through the kitchen, evaluate spacing, and get a true sense of how the finished space would feel.
Here is my attempt at creating the house design in a different app at first, before making the decision to put down the walls:
Below is a comparison between:
The real kitchen during construction
The Unreal Engine visualization
The final completed kitchen
First image contains the before (top) and Unreal Engine Preview up-to-scale (bottom)
The rest are pictures of the final choices and real kitchen.
Here is a walk trough of when I started this project:
This video includes an explanation on how I was able to measure things.
Technical Overview
This project was built in Unreal Engine with a focus on accurate proportions and smooth VR performance. Lighting was configured to approximate both natural and indoor light sources, and materials were adjusted to reflect realistic finishes. The experience prioritized clarity and comfort, allowing users to focus on design decisions rather than technical complexity.
Outcome and Reflection
Seeing the final kitchen closely match the VR visualization reinforced the value of real-time engines for interior design and planning. This project demonstrated how VR can reduce uncertainty, improve confidence in design decisions, and make spatial concepts easier to understand.
Looking back, this experience played a key role in strengthening my confidence using Unreal Engine for real-world applications, not just interactive entertainment.
Closing Thoughts
Although this project was completed in October, it remains an important part of my journey with Unreal Engine and VR. It helped shape how I now approach environment design, lighting, and spatial awareness in my current projects.
If you’re interested in VR visualization, Unreal Engine, or the intersection between real-time technology and design, feel free to reach out, I’d love to connect.
Thanks for reading!
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