Nope, I paint most of them with manual brush in PS :- ) No 32bit post-production for me. The underexposed background was also artistic intent, I don't really care much about realism now that all images look fairly realistic by default. When the background is meant to be unobtrusive, I overexpose it heavily to almost white for clients who want to only focus on interior furniture. Oppositely, like here, if the mood is important, it's under-exposed.
But.. it's not done super-well, like I could have spent more time perhaps on it but I liked it enough to keep it with all its imperfections.
Yup, the fluffy carpet in grand white room is based on that Pikcells one!