Home decor product photography, styled without a stylist
A vase on white tells a shopper what it is. The same vase on a sideboard in afternoon light tells them how it would look at home. Here is how to get both, and the close-up and the scale shot, from one phone photo.
25 free credits to start
The images a decor product needs
- A clean shot on white or a soft neutral, for the product page and marketplaces, where buyers compare one item with the next.
- A styled scene, the image that sells the mood: the candle on a nightstand, the vase on a sideboard, the cup on a kitchen shelf.
- A close-up of the glaze, the grain, the weave or the finish, where handmade work shows.
- A sense of size, because size is easy to misjudge in a styled photo. More on that below.
- Sets and gifts: a pair of candlesticks, a set of bowls, a gift bundle.
Styled scenes, without a stylist or a location
Upload a photo of the product and choose a scene. The home scenes are “Designer living room”, “By the bed”, “Kitchen shelf” and “Terrace”: a pale oak sideboard against a plaster wall in late sun, a wooden nightstand beside linen bedding, an open oak shelf on a white kitchen wall, and a teak table in the shade of an olive tree. Choose the product alone or with props that suit the scene, and add a seasonal mood such as winter or summer if you want one.
For the clean shot, the Studio shot screen puts the same product on white, soft gray, cream, sand, sage, powder pink or black, straight on the background or on a stone, wood or plaster base, with a soft shadow or a reflection.
To show a set, the Several products together screen arranges up to 4 products in one image: grouped, in a row, from above, on a tray or in a gift box. A standard-quality image costs 5 credits, and the free plan includes 25 credits a month.
Shooting the source photo
- The whole object, sharp, with the label or the best side facing the camera.
- Daylight from a window, on a plain surface. No flash: it bounces off glaze and glass.
- Glass and polished ceramics: wipe off fingerprints and turn the piece until the window is not reflected across it.
- Cushions and throws: steam them, plump the cushion and photograph the fabric up close as well, so the weave can be shown in detail.
- One photo per color or glaze. Handmade pieces vary, so photograph the one you will actually send if it differs from the rest.
Keep the scale honest
This is a common mistake in decor listings. A 20 cm (8 in) vase standing alone in a styled scene can look like a floor vase, and the buyer only finds out when the parcel arrives. Three things help:
- Write the dimensions in the description and in the image alt text. Never rely on the photo alone.
- Show it in a hand. The Product in hand screen puts the object in a hand, which tells a buyer its size at a glance.
- Check every scene for scale before you publish it, and leave out any that makes the piece look bigger than it is.
What about furniture?
The home scenes are built for objects that stand on a surface: a sideboard, a shelf, a nightstand, a table. Large furniture such as sofas, beds and dining tables is not what they are made for. If most of your catalog is furniture, try one piece with the free credits before you plan around it. Small pieces that stand on a surface, such as a table lamp, a tray or a planter, fit the scenes like any other decor. The AI product photography page has more on clean product shots.
Questions
How do I photograph home decor products for an online store?
Take one sharp photo of each piece in daylight, on a plain surface, without the flash. From it, make a clean image on white for the product page, a styled scene for the mood, a close-up of the material, and one image that shows the real size.
Can I show my product in a styled room without a stylist?
Yes. Choose a home scene, such as a designer living room, a nightstand by the bed, a kitchen shelf or a terrace, and the product is photographed in it with matching light and shadows. You can keep it on its own or add props that suit the scene.
How do I show the real size of a decor item?
Put the dimensions in the description, add an image of the piece in a hand, and check each styled scene for scale before you publish it. A small vase alone in a big room is easy to misread.
Does it work for candles, glass and ceramics?
Yes. Glass and glazed ceramics need the most care in the source photo: wipe them clean and shoot away from direct window reflections. Check the color of the glaze in the result against the real piece.
Can I use it for furniture?
Small pieces that stand on a surface, such as a table lamp, a tray or a planter, fit the scenes like any other decor. The scenes are not made for large furniture like sofas, beds or dining tables, so test one piece with the free credits first.
How much does it cost?
A standard-quality image costs 5 credits. The free plan includes 25 credits a month, and the paid plans are on the pricing page.