How AI Tools Are Redesigning the Way We Approach Home Décor
By Meagan Kelly for REALTOR.ca
Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere these days. It’s a fascinating innovation—if not a bit terrifying at times. It’s methodical, it’s quick, it’s strategic, and it’s becoming more commonplace in all areas of our lives.
This includes how we approach creative projects like interior design and home décor. While at its core, this process is still a personal endeavour rooted in your preferences, there are some useful tools being created to help you along the journey.
We wanted to learn a bit more about how AI tools are redesigning the way we approach home décor and interior design, so we asked an expert for their take.
- How has AI evolved in the interior design space?
- How can you use AI when looking at home décor and interior design?
- What are some ways AI won’t ever be able to replace the human element of interior design?
- What does the future of AI look like when it comes to interior design?
How has AI evolved in the interior design space over the last five years?
It’s not uncommon for the technology industry to move at a rapid pace.In fact, that’s essentially what keeps innovation driving forward—the worry that someone else is moving faster than you.
Daniela Alilovic is an interior designer and owner of Spaces by Dee in Toronto, Ontario, which specializes in residential furnishing and decorating. She says AI in the interior design space has advanced significantly over the last five years.
“It feels like there’s a new breakthrough every month,” she says. “A few years ago, it could only generate odd, blob-like renders, but now it’s capable of producing high-quality, realistic designs. It’s gradually evolved from being used for floor plans and layouts to now being able to handle nearly every aspect of the design process.”
How can you use AI when looking at home décor and interior design?
Similar to how you might approach a hike differently if you have the highest-quality gear that lets you trek through rougher terrains, AI tools available for interior design are making things faster and allowing people to explore areas they may not have in the past.
“Traditional rendering can be time-consuming and expensive, so design professionals are turning to alternative methods to present their ideas to clients,” Alilovic explains. “AI is also being used to spark inspiration, and what truly resonates with you during the inspiration phase often sets the foundation for the entire design.”
“I find that many people aren’t fully attuned to their design style, so when they’re looking at décor and furniture, they’re unsure of what truly suits their preferences,” she continues. “In this case, AI is a great tool to help people connect with their design style. You can easily render your space in a style such as Japandi, MCM, Minimalist, or whatever style you think you’re drawn to. From there, it becomes easier to determine what resonates with you, making it simpler to decide on décor pieces and interior design styles.”
Alilovic has seen real results when using AI tools with her clients, opening their minds up to more bold applications.
“One of my favourite ways to use AI is when I want to quickly present my clients with a daring idea,” she says. “Most clients need a little convincing when I spit out an unexpected suggestion. Take, for example, the time I said to a client, ‘You should paint your trim black, trust me.’ Of course, she was hesitant at first, but when I used AI to show her what the black trim would look like, she was sold.”
You can get creative with how you use AI technology for your own home décor. For example, you can upload pictures of your room to see what different layouts and styles look like, giving you a more in-depth idea of what to expect when the project is complete. Like Alilovic says, it allows for more boldness and creative leaps during the initial design processes. There are many apps available in Canada that allow you to use AI as part of the home design process. Alilovic gave her review of five popular programs on her blog from the perspective of an interior designer. These are the ones she tested:
In her blog, Alilovic highlighted Home Visualizer AI and Collov as the standouts, with the best output and features.
What are some ways AI won’t ever be able to replace the human element of interior design?
No matter how advanced technology gets, there’s a human element to interior design that can’t be replaced. Alilovic points out that “interior design isn’t just about making a space look functional and pretty.”
“To me, a space should capture a person’s story—it’s corny, I know,” she says. “What do I mean by that? Well, every home tells a story—whether you want it to or not. You can be intentional with that story if you’d like. That’s where true interior design comes in. But to truly capture a person’s essence and infuse it into a space, it takes a human touch.”
This is where things like client consultations and brainstorms come into play, and they can uncover really personal and intentional avenues to explore in your interior design.
“My clients and I often start talking about things unrelated to interior design, and those conversations spark creative inspiration,” Alilovic explains. “For example, a client shared a story about how, when she and her husband first closed on their home, they had nothing but two oil paintings he had gifted her—which is super romantic. From there, I was able to thoughtfully place the artwork and make it a focal point of the room, which meant a lot to her. So, AI won’t be able to replace the human element of personable interior design.”
What we know already with AI is that the more precise your prompts, the better output you’ll receive. As technologies grow, it’s possible we’ll see much further advancements in what AI tools can do for interior design, but as it stands, it can’t replace the human and emotional touch that so often ties a space together.
What does the future of AI look like when it comes to interior design?
As with every other stream of artificial intelligence, things aren’t slowing down in the design sphere. The Saskatchewan Polytechnic Digital Integration Centre of Excellence (DICE), in collaboration with Metric Design in Saskatoon, was recently awarded $730,000 in grant funding to build software that uses digital twin and generative AI technology to make high-quality interior design more affordable.
“We don’t want to remove the artist from the process, we want to give them tools to be able to do a better job,” explained Tamara Bowman, owner and creative director at Metric Design, in Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s announcement of the grant funding. “A lot of people choose not to work with a designer because it can be expensive and the result is unknown. This new technology will make our services more affordable and accessible.”
Major brands are also embracing AI, including IKEA Canada who launched their intuitive experience called Kreativ in 2023. IKEA Kreative uses spatial computing, machine learning, and 3D mixed reality technologies, and allows users to explore IKEA products, design their own spaces, and ultimately imagine a better space at home.
For Alilovic, she sees a long future for AI in the interior design space, and she thinks it’s a good thing.
“It has helped designers like me become more efficient and present ideas to clients in new ways,” she says. “However, I hope that people don’t become too reliant on AI, as I’ve found it to be less than perfect. I worry that some might equate AI with perfection, which isn’t always the case.”
Are you a buyer looking to enter the real estate market in the next little while?
Or do you currently own a home and are not sure whether this is the right time to upsize, downsize or just sell and rent.
For answers to these questions and any others you may have, give me a call. I will be more than happy to answer any and all of your questions and help you navigate the exciting homebuying and/or homeselling process in this challenging and ever-changing market!
You can reach me at 905-683-7800.
Thanks for reading today’s BLOG!!!
If you would like to see any of my previous blog posts, please click here.
Brian Kondo
Sales Representative / Team Leader
The Brian Kondo Real Estate Team
Re/Max Hallmark First Group Realty Ltd.
905-683-7800 office
905-426-7484 direct
brian@briankondo.com
www.BrianKondo.com
www.BrianKondoTeam.com
Meagan Kelly's article was initially published on Realtor.ca. You can find it by clicking here.
| REALTOR.ca is the most popular and most trusted real estate website in Canada. Owned and operated by the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), REALTOR.ca provides up-to-date and reliable information that makes finding your dream property easy and enjoyable. REALTOR.ca is popular with sellers, buyers, and renters and is accessible online and on mobile devices. |
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Meagan Kelly |
About the Author is a marketing copywriter and strategist with more than five years of content creation experience. She loves finding ways to maximize space and keep things organized. Meagan is also a full-time book nerd and Netflix enthusiast. |
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