It may come as no surprise that 3D renders and digital artwork are being used in place of photos in catalogs and magazines nowadays, because using 3D software to create an interior scene is generally cheaper and easier than setting up an actual photo shoot.
Companies like IKEA want to ensure the images in their catalogs look just right, without having to put together an entire interior space every time they need a photo, and this convenience has led to IKEA slowly but surely replacing the real photos in their catalogs with 3D renders.
In 2012 IKEA catalogs featured 88% real photos and 12% 3D renders, but now just 2 years later, 75% of the photos in their catalog are created with 3D software, and it's only a matter of time before other catalogs follow in IKEA's digital footsteps.
-Via Kotaku