ConnorE

Glad you were able to get a solution! I just double checked HD 2024, and if you're using the Physically Based Rendering Technique you should have access to the Exposure settings. You can find it in Rendering Technique Options, which can also be launched by double-clicking the Physically Based button

Hey there, What version of Home Designer are you using? I tried this scenario using Home Designer 2025 and saw the same behavior you mentioned. The issue is that when using the Physically Based rendering technique the system tries to balance the exposure of the scene as evenly as possible. That's why changing the intensity of the lamp and sun didn't do much to affect your scene. I was able to get something close to what I think you're aiming for by using the Generated Sky for the backdrop, and turning down the Automatic Exposure and Brightness values in the Physically Based Rendering Technique Options. The problem with this approach is that the setting affects the exposure of the entire scene. Meaning, the interior lights will also look drastically dimmer. Also, when adding more windows you won't see a substantial change in brightness of the render unless you change the automatic exposure/brightness of the scene again. It seems that you can at least get the individual renders that you need by tweaking the exposure setting, but I'm not sure of a good way to do this in real-time. Hope this helps a bit!

I was able to get close to the image you posted with these steps: 3D > Rendering Techniques > Physically Based 3D > Lighting > Toggle Sunlight - Off 3D > Edit Active Camera > Backdrop Panel Remove Backdrop Change Background Color to something dark. Alternatively, you could probably use a specific dark backdrop instead of using the solid Background Color. You can also lower the brightness in the PBR settings if you want it to look darker. As Rookie65 mentioned, you are using an older version of Home Designer, and the support article is for the newest version.

Hey there, You can select the material using the Adjust Material Tool which will open the Define Material dialog. Then, select the Material Color button which will give you the RGB value you're looking for. If you used the Default Style when creating your plan and haven't modified the drywall material at all, then the color is RGB(239, 233, 218) which is Hex #EFE9DA Best, Connor

The light you're seeing is one that gets added to rooms that don't have any lights. The only way to get rid of it is to add a light to that room. I'd suggest going into Plan View and using the Add Light tool and then turning that light off. The Added Light won't show up in your 3D View (unlike an Electrical Light), and you'll be able to get a pitch black room in PBR. I'm not really sure what could be causing the fog you're seeing. Have you tried messing with Camera settings like Bloom, or turning on/off Generated Sky?

Awesome!! Glad we got it figured out!

Ahh, I was in HD 2025! Does enabling "Show on Startup" not fix the issue? Have a good weekend as well

Sure thing! Hope this helps!

Hey there! You may have changed an option in your Preferences. Under the General panel on the left-hand side you can choose to Show Dashboard on Startup. It may have gotten set to Open New Plan by mistake?

Howdy Doctormap22! There are a few reasons why this could be happening, check out this help page to see if any of these solve your issue! (https://www.homedesignersoftware.com/support/article/KB-00361/message-the-stairs-do-not-reach-the-floor-above.html)

Hi Locke_x, You can change the height of a single wall by switching the wall out for a Straight Half-Wall. (More info can be found here https://www.homedesignersoftware.com/support/article/KB-02969/changing-wall-heights.html) It sounds like you're trying to make a Shed Roof design which is much easier to achieve with our Automatic Roof tools. Here's a video to give more information on that if that's what you're looking for! (https://www.chiefarchitect.com/videos/watch/6125/shed-roof.html) Best, Connor