Interior Essentials Extras Documentation
Interior Essentials Extras (IEX) is the exclusive extra plugin for Interior Essentials users, providing the set of tools that makes the Interior Designing in Blender even easier and more efficient.
Installation
IEX is installed like the regular Blender addon, via the unpacked .zip file. Guide on installing Legacy addons in Blender can be found in the official Bledner documentation
After installation, it is recommended to install Pillow library, which is recommended for faster images previews. If you've already installed Flow, it's highly possible that Pillow is already installed on your machine.
To install Pillow, you must have enabled the Internet Access in Blender
Getting Started
Interior Essentials Extras is located in the IE Extras panel in the N-panels sidebar.
Object Mode Tools
Picture Frame Creator
Picture frame creator creates the picture frame, based on selected frame type and selected picture. Object's aspect ratio is automatically adjusted to the loaded picture. Object with picture frame is created and linked to the current scene, automatically snapping to the 3d cursor. Object will not automatically align to the face, so Flow CTRL-X transorms are recommended to adjust it.
Add Custom Picture
You can either choose the picture from our expanded library, or load your custom image to be used inside the frame. Enable Use Custom Image below the image selection to see the path selection box. Click on the folder icon to open browser and select the desired image. You can also mark if you want to copy the image to the IEX assets library, so it's accessible more easily. Remember that the custom images will be cleared with the plugin update or reinstall.
Profiles Creator - Object Mode
Profiles Creator tool can be accessed from the Object Mode. A single faced object like plane can be converted into the profiled curve. Profile curve is using the 2D dimensions to keep the constant profile size, so the object's rotation MUST NOT be applied. For example, add plane and rotate it in the object mode, but NEVER APPLY ROTATION. Otherwise the profile will not be placed correctly.
If the object is selected, run operator and select the desired profile, then press OK to automatically convert the active object into the curve with the specific profile applied.
Profiles Creator - extra tools
When the curve object with the applied profile is an active object, box with several simple transforms for the profile will appear right under the Profiles Creator button. This will allow you to simply rotate / mirror the profile without the direct editing to achieve the desired results.
Profiles Creator - profile types (for both Object and Editmode)
IEX Profile assets comes with three separate types - floor, wall and ceiling profiles. They were designed so each of those types has a different origin location, so it's easier to use it properly just by selecting the right edges in the editmode.
- Ceiling profile
- Wall profile
- Floor profile
Pillow Creator
Pillow creator tool will create the pillow, based on the selected model, using the selected fabric type and the pattern / pattern image or single color. Fabric and the pattern, with the specified colors will be automatically assigned to the pillow mesh and placed on the 3d cursor location.
Pillow finish can base on: - Selected pattern image textrure - this is a seamless and tileable image texture - Pattern - this is a black and white mask, for which you will specify two colors - Plain color
Edit Mode Tools
Profiles Creator - Edit Mode
Profiles creator can be also used directly in the mesh edit mode. Select planar edges, perpendicular to the local Z axis, and run Profiles Creator to convert them to single curve. As in the Object Mode, the created curve will be using the 2d space by the default, to keep the right profile proportions, so this is why the edges must be planar, as otherwise they would be flattened. It's recommended to create floor, wall or ceiling profiles. To create wall frames or other rotated profiles etc. it is recommended to use the object mode creator.
The operator is active only when there are edges selected in the active mesh.
Wallpaper Creator
Wallpaper creator is the tool, creating the wallpaper material, based on selected surface texture and pattern / pattern image / color. The wallpaper material will be automatically assigned to the selected faces.
If there are any wallpapers in the current file, that you've already created with the plugin, you may reuse them by selecting Use Existing on the top of the dialog box.
The operator is active only when there are faces selected in the active mesh.
Creating the wallpaper based on the black & white mask pattern looks similar as in the Pillow Creator - two colors for black and white parts of the texture are selected
Wall Painter
Wall painter is the simple tool, that is painting the selected faces with the material, based on the selected surface type and color.
If there are any wall paints in the current file, that you've already created with the plugin, you may reuse them by selecting Use Existing on the top of the dialog box.
The operator is active only when there are faces selected in the active mesh.
Adding custom assets
To add custom image for the picture frames, simply load it in the Picture Frames Creator and enable savint it into the IEX Assets. The other method is to open the assets location in the files explorer. Location of IEX assets can be reached automatically by pressing the button in the addons preferences.