16 Oct 23

What does AI generated design mean for the interior design industry?

AI (or artificial intelligence) is a prospect we are to encounter more and more in our everyday lives and, like every industry, we are beginning to see it take effect in the world of interiors. Topics like this can feel very overwhelming to the average tech amateur like you and me, so let’s unpack it a little and see what we find.

What is AI generated room design?

Is it just a fun gimmick or will it change how we approach design?

Can it help people design their own homes?

Is it offering us a new world of fantasy and inspiration or is it adding to our distorted view of reality?

AI generated room design is a method of using prompts to create an image of a room that’s in your imagination. By describing the room, mood, style, colour and materials that you want to see, the algorithm pulls from the millions of images already on the internet, to create something specific to what you have in mind. Rather than taking ages searching through Pinterest or relying on time-consuming methods like Photoshop, SketchUp or, in years gone by, good old watercolour, paper and ink, with a bit of practice this can give you results in seconds.

So what’s not to like? AI is very much the up and coming technology, so it’s important to note that its abilities are changing on a weekly basis – this blog post may well be out of date before it’s even published! However, it currently isn’t a problem free process as the images of chairs with only three legs will suggest, or the fact that the images often feel flat without a natural or ‘real’ light source. Yet as improvements are made every day to this technology, it is easy to see these issues will be resolved… and then what?

Will it change how we approach design?

Being able to physically create an image that is in your imagination can be an incredibly helpful tool when trying to help a client visualize the designs you have in mind for their home. Have a colour and pattern combination in mind but can’t find anything similar? Need to persuade your husband who struggles to visualize your ideas? Create an AI image!

For interior designers the possibilities are endless. Having access to images quickly should help workflow and design decisions, ensuring a client’s needs are truly met. As the algorithm adapts to your specification, it may even suggests elements you hadn’t considered previously or combinations you (or the client) wouldn’t normally feel confident with.

AI generated image by Vanessa Edwards.

AI generated image by Vanessa Edwards.

Can it help people design their own homes?

At the moment, the tools are a little limited when it comes to changing your own image. So if you wanted to start with a photograph you already have of your kitchen, and then use AI to change elements of it, the technology, as it is currently, struggles to do that effectively. However, if you are looking to experiment with different colours for your kitchen, AI could inspire you to try new things or help refine your options. There will always need to be that human element at the end though. Colours in an AI generated room will not look the same as they will in your home, so if the use of AI helps you narrow down the options, that’s fantastic, but you will need to get your hands on the actual tester pots and fabric samples too.

Is it offering us a new world of fantasy and inspiration or is it adding to our distorted view of reality?

I love the amazing inspiration I’ve seen from people at the forefront of AI generated room design like Melanie Jade Design and Vanessa Edwards.  To have design unrestricted by time and budget is giving us access to wonderfully aspirational images that we can all take elements from and inject it into our homes. However, if our social media feeds become more and more filled with these ‘fantasy’ images, does that add to an already increasing level of dissatisfaction with our own homes?

Many creators are taking responsibility and adding a disclaimer under every image so people are aware it is AI assisted design, yet as more and more images are created in this way, will every creator be as responsible? As the technology improves, will we be able to decipher what is real and what is not? Or can we, as the consumer, enjoy them for what they are? A different entity in themselves? Dare I say, a work of art?

AI Assisted Design by Melanie Boyden

AI Assisted Design by Melanie Boyden