Mastering Cycles - Interior Visualisation, looking for CnC

Hey guys, I’ve been trying to get Cycles for a while and I think I got stuck. Whereas I think I get how I can improve materials on this scene, I think I messed something up when it comes to lighting and noise. It looks washed-out and, at least to me, way too noisy at 500 samples. My clamping setting is 1 for direct, 2 for indirect (setting it lower makes the scene dark), I used dafault integrator settings (with increased bounces for transmission), 0,33 Filter Gloss. Scene is illuminated by one area lamp, 5x3m, strenght 350, MIS enabled.

500 samples is really pretty low.

Try not clamping direct at all. I would replace the lamp with a mesh light (a plane with an emission material.) Also get some hdri enviroment lighting going outside. It will come in through the window and give some level variation.

The scene is quite nice, but it does suffer a bit from being set up some. The edges are a bit too sharp everywhere, consider adding a bevel. And some procedural noise, whether color, or bump.

The legs on the coffee table are ambiguous as to their material. Try some different metal looks, straight glossy with maybe .03 roughness will have them jumping out.

there’s a node master here named elbrujodelatribu who has some great metal shader packs on blendswap (gold , all of his blends)

The scene has a feel, a mood and you shouldt keep pushing it on. Very nice.

I think your wood floor material looks good, but the plank width seems to be way too wide. It’s a little confusing as to why you would have this really nice bar area that you modeled, and then prevent access to it by putting the couch right up against it.

It’s looking really good overall, I just think you need to maybe tweek a few things.

Listened to most input from you and guys on Reddit and rendered this:

Fuck me that was a long ~1,5 hour.

Nice improvement, looking very nice.

The carpet appears to be floating in the air.

Yeah, sadly I noticed that only after render was ~90% complete.

Impressive work so far!

I do however think the cushions on the and pillows look a bit too stiff. I’ve had many a couch, none of which were ever completely crinkle-free. I also noticed a recurring dent in the cushions (might want to get rid of the repetition).

Yeh, I know. I intend on fixing it with a bit of sculpting.