May 24, 2010, Updated September 12, 2012

CmyCasa software uses 3-D and animation tools to take care of the visualizing for you on-line, as you design and furnish your home.

 

CmyCasa-home-design-animation

CmyCasa helps users select furniture and design features for their homes online, without having to lay out a penny.

A handsome sofa, a designer lamp, or an oversized armchair may all look great in a showroom, but it’s not easy to picture them in your living room. Now there’s no need to agonize over your choice of furniture or fixtures anymore. CmyCasa is the virtual solution that can do your visualizing for you.

“Most people need help selecting furniture and design features for their homes,” Eitan Tsarfati, CEO and co-founder of CmyCasa tells ISRAEL21c. Tsarfati, an architect, envisioned a solution: “Providing them with 3-D visuals and animation tools online, they can see just how a room will look. And we give it to them free-of-charge.”

The easy-to-use application allows the user to drag items from the catalog and drop them into a floor plan. You can choose from basic pre-designed room layouts with the option of changing the room measurements according to your specifications. You can also request a custom-designed apartment – that would be a premium fee option.

The platform makes it easy to switch pieces in and out of the virtual room, change colors or styles and add accessories like carpets and appliances, displaying it all as a photo-realistic 3-D visual.

CmyCasa was developed by Imagine Web, a startup in the Galilee town of Yokneam in northern Israel. The company R&D is based in Israel, with a marketing and sales office for the US and Canada in Foster City, California. Its website is currently available in English and Spanish.

3D enhances sales

Co-founder and CTO Tomer Galon has advanced expertise in 3-D gained at Microsoft, Mercury Systematic and the Israel Defense Forces. Tsarfati also has extensive experience in animation and imaging. He previously established and managed an animation studio that provided services for the real estate and home appliance markets worldwide.

“Using 3-D enhances sales,” he tells ISRAEL21c, and last year CmyCasa won the TWS2009 award given by Globes, Israel’s leading financial magazine.

Launched 10 months ago, the innovative software is already carving itself a niche in the planning and home decorating market as a tool for both novices and professionals.

“Play with it,” Tsarfati urges. There’s no need to download a special program as the platform runs on any web browser and all 3-D modeling is executed on the company’s servers. Most of the application is free, with a few extra options available on a premium fee basis.

CmyCasa’s catalog offers a wide choice of styles and products, along with prices. “Some people only want to look at modern furnishings, others like contemporary, and others traditional. The user can select a style, and price and limit his or her search when browsing through the 3-D on-line catalog. The software also makes it easy to make eclectic choices, mixing different styles,” Tsarfati tells ISRAEL21c.

Partnerships with CSN and Cymax

Catering to the consumers’ search for diversity, Tsarfati points out that the catalog is updated on a daily basis, with accessories, beds, chairs, dining room tables, coffee tables, floor lamps, rugs and appliances showcased in 3-D images.

CmyCasa has already partnered with over 50 affiliates including two of the largest retailers in the US – CSN Stores (one of the top three on-line US retailers of home and office goods) and Cymax Stores (a Canadian on-line retailer selling mainly in the US that offers audio-video furniture, bedroom furniture, office furniture, consumer electronics, small kitchen appliances, house ware products, baby furniture and accessories), with hundreds of brands. In addition to the huge selection of items shown on the site, CmyCasa’s catalog also gives the user access to hundreds of items in 3-D.

CmyCasa responded to users’ requests and added paint colors and wallpaper, both of which have a major impact on a room’s ambiance, and kitchen design and children’s furniture will soon be available.

The company site features a design blog that explores the latest trends in the home design industry. It recently highlighted the winning designs from the Milan Furniture show, which included an origami side table, a smokeless fireplace, an aquarium designed like a fish condo, and soft eco-friendly towels made from bamboo, all of which were influenced by Japanese designers. These items are not offered for sale on the site.

Tips, blogs, feedback and advice

In a recent post, architect Inbal Yaron blogged about the famous chaise longue created by renowned architect and designer Le Corbusier in 1928. Crafted of steel and leather and adjustable, it still looks like the latest thing in design 82 years on. CmyCasa invites its guests to use its technology “to see how this great piece would look in your room.”

A soon-to-be added feature promises to bring professional architects and designers on board. “The average user starts using the software, but would like to get advice from professionals,” says Tsarfati, revealing that in the near future the site will be offering general tips and a direct line to free feedback and consulting advice from CmyCasa’s professional staff.

The company is focused on enhancing its position as a one-stop select, design, and buy home planner, pitching to the target audience sought by home and decorating magazines.

The on-line interior design platform opens up a market for furniture and home appliance retailers and vendors, and partners with portals in the home design, DIY, art and lifestyle sectors. Its major investor, the venture capital group Ofer High Tech, is a leading investor in the Israeli high tech industry that has helped many Israeli companies make it to the NASDAQ Stock Market.

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