Digital property presentation is gaining a new functional interface. Home furnishing retailer IKEA and property portal ImmoScout24 have launched a joint pilot project that integrates AI-based visualisations directly into digital property listings. Unfurnished living spaces are automatically fitted with actual existing furniture and home accessories to demonstrate specific layout possibilities to prospective occupants right at the start of their search.
The application is powered by technology developed by IKEA's global digital team. The software analyses photographic material of unfurnished rooms and places furniture and decorative accessories to scale. The product selection was defined in consultation with the company's in-house interior design specialists. Before publication, the generated images undergo automated quality checks to verify both visual consistency and spatial plausibility.
Functionality and link to online retail
Beyond the basic room view, the system provides a direct link to the product catalogue. Interested users can click on items shown in the visualisation to view or purchase them immediately in the Swedish furniture retailer's online shop. In the current launch phase, the application focuses on living rooms and bedrooms. A phased expansion to additional room categories is planned for later stages of the partnership.
- —Automated recognition and virtual furnishing of empty rooms based on existing listing photographs
- —Verification of generated visualisations for spatial proportions and image quality
- —Direct linking of displayed furniture items to IKEA's digital sales channel
- —Initial focus on living rooms and bedrooms with planned expansion to further living areas
Strategic integration into the property search
The initiative complements ImmoScout24's existing virtual living visions offering, which allows spaces to be displayed in different design styles. According to Nicolas Cheron, Managing Director of ImmoScout24, the partnership marks the beginning of a long-term collaboration. When looking for a home, spatial imagination and living quality are just as important as key metrics such as floor area, price and location. The tool is designed to make this decision-making process clearer and more tangible.
Jeremy Drury, Country Digital & Business Development Manager at IKEA Germany, highlights the importance of this early stage in the search process. The objective is to link spatial perception with practical design solutions from an early point. Based on continuous insights gathered during the pilot operation, both partners intend to gradually refine the algorithms and interior design concepts.
