How AI is Redefining the Interior Design Industry, and What Clients Should Consider Before Hiring a Designer
Not wishing to contribute to the already-overwhelming amount of information on Artificial Intelligence (AI) that happens to be spamming my social feed, it cannot be ignored when it’s seemingly making such a powerful entrance into the realm of luxury interior design. What once required endless hours of sketching, rendering, and spatial trial-and-error, can now be undertaken in minutes, informed by intelligent algorithms and machine learning. But in a space where personal taste, architectural context, and tactile experience are of such importance, is there longevity to AI’s offerings to the industry, and indeed, should there be a place for it at all?
As an interior designer specialising in residential design across Sussex, Surrey, London and Kent, I’ve watched this shift with curiosity, creative intrigue and (I don’t mind admitting) unease. While AI opens exciting new doors for designers, it also raises essential questions for clients and designers alike, particularly surrounding the quality of work that one should expect from a commission.
Here’s how AI is shaping the industry, and what you should consider when identifying a designer to collaborate with.
AI-Powered Visualisation
AI now enables near-instant 3D visualisations and artistic impressions, helping clients see how colours, layouts, and materials come together in real-time, within their actual home. These tools reduce uncertainty and accelerate decision-making, and have long been employed by interior design studios via the use of software such as Enscape and V-Ray.
However, whilst AI is a great deal more efficient than manually producing a render on more traditional software, they will never be as accurate in depicting an actual space, to an exact scale. For example, the renders I produce for my own clients are developed from the digital replica of their home, built within 3D modelling software, and thus the subsequent renders are near to 100% accurate in depicting the measurements and proportions of the space. AI, on the other hand, is reliant on the information we input, so without the required measurements or the ability to interpret digital 3D models, they are unable to generate designs built upon a replica of the actual space (helpful though it might be in demonstrating the overall design scheme, as per the example below)
Machine Learning and Data-Driven Personalisation
By nature, AI employs machine learning to analyse browsing behaviour, past choices, and lifestyle data to generate highly tailored interior suggestions. Whilst impressive, no algorithm can interpret a childhood memory of your grandmother’s sofa fabric (for example) or translate a sense of belonging into a scheme. The best interiors still emerge from deep conversation and shared intuition, resulting in a comprehensive understanding of a client and a design scheme that facilitates their requirements of space, gently moulded by the architectural context and a practiced eye.
Information Generation
As with all industries, AI is an invaluable asset in generating information. In the case of interior design, it can be particularly useful in terms of sustainability. For example, we now have access to smart sourcing tools that can filter suppliers by eco-credentials, carbon footprint, and provenance (for example), assisting in sustainable sourcing, predicting material lifespan, and streamlining logistics. That being said, this is somewhat ironic given the dreadful environmental impact that platforms like ChatGPT can have on the environment.
A render produced using AI, based on our vision board (right). There are noticeable inaccuracies, including the flooring, rug, mural proportions and furnishings, all of which can be corrected through manually-produced renders, as we have full control over the appearance and scale.
What Clients Should Consider Before Hiring a Designer in the Age of AI
While technology is enhancing the design process, true luxury lies in curation, not automation. Before selecting a designer, keep these considerations at the forefront of your mind:
Everyone’s a Designer: Interior Design is one of the few industries that requires zero qualifications for an individual to ‘become’ an Interior Designer. With the introduction of AI and its capacity to produce renders, clients should be aware that this presents an opportunity for individuals to generate work, without necessarily obtaining the knowledge, skills or experience that others have achieved to produce such work manually, and the understanding to do so accurately.
Theoretical VS Execution: Similar to the above, a prospective client needs to be sure that any designer sharing such renders, is also able to execute them in practice, and has the expertise and experience to do so to a high-standard.
Understand the Balance: Understand how your designer may integrate AI tools into their practice - do they use them to support creativity, or to replace it? The best results come when technology serves the vision, not the other way around.
Transparency: Check if your designer is transparent about what is AI-generated? Are renderings flagged as conceptual rather than final, particularly given the limitations outlined above? Clarity here fosters trust and avoids surprises later.
Final Thought: The Future is Hybrid
At Piers Thurston Home, we embrace the evolution of design. Whilst we do sometimes use AI tools where they enhance our work or efficiency, the guilt I feel toward the environmental implications, does limit my use somewhat, and we never allow such tools to dull the artistry in our work. In truth, I believe the future of interior design lies in a refined blend of both intelligence and intuition, but would caution a consumer on the reduced quality of work that Artificial Intelligence may yield across the industry, from those with lesser experience.
If you’re seeking a home that reflects not just your tastes, but your aspirations and behavioural habits, contact us today, and we can look to create something that no algorithm could predict.