A Beautiful Rendering Doesn’t Always Mean a Good Design

First, Let Me Say This: I Love AI!

“I’m a geek at heart so to be perfectly clear. I love AI!”

I think it’s one of the most exciting tools to come along in a long time, particularly for the design industry. AI gives us the ability to take an idea and turn it into a realistic image in minutes. For Interior Design, AI has opened up so many possibilities for both homeowners and designers that simply weren’t available to us a few years ago.

I use AI in my own design work, but here’s the important distinction: I use AI to help illustrate my designs, not to design the space for me.  I am truly impressed by what it can do. It’s a wonderful way to help clients visualize a finished space, explore different materials and finishes, and get excited about the possibilities for their homes.

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When I’m designing a kitchen, I always start with the floor plans.  I work through the layout, appliance placement, storage, circulation, and clearances. Then I develop the elevations, carefully considering how all the cabinetry and architectural details come together.  This is where a good space planner discovers what works and what doesn’t.  Can I fit crown molding in this space? Where is the undercabinet light rail going to finish off if it’s next to a tall cabinet?  Does the tall cabinet need to be deeper than a standard base?  I could go on and on.

Only after that work is done do I turn to AI to help create realistic renderings.

Here’s the caveat even with a carefully developed floor plan and detailed elevations, AI still makes mistakes! I’ve had it change cabinet configurations, alter proportions, add things that weren’t in my drawings, and occasionally come up with something that leaves me truly scratching my head.

There are times I need to go back and correct it several times before the rendering accurately represents what I’ve designed.  I’ve even had to take the rendering and fix it up in the old stand-by Photoshop!

That’s not a criticism of AI. It’s simply a reminder that AI is an incredibly powerful tool, but it still needs someone who understands what they’re looking at.

Here are a few examples of items I have seen on social media of AI generated designs that simply don’t work.  I’ve changed the names and identities because this is in no way meant to criticize anyone for giving it a try.

EXAMPLE 1

When the Island Looks Great… But Makes No Sense

Just the other day, I saw an AI-generated kitchen redesign that really made me stop and look twice.

The original kitchen was a U-shaped layout with a small island in the center and a breakfast area nearby. The AI-generated redesign featured a much larger island. It looked beautiful, but there was one problem: the island was too large for the actual kitchen work area.

So where did AI put it? In the breakfast nook!

The irony of it is, this beautiful illustration above is an AI created image! However, it took me three tries to get it positioned so the island would actual allow for circulation and even in this final edit, the island is way too large for the space.

Now let’s look at the beautiful AI rendering

From this angle, the disconnection of the island is not as easy to spot as it is in the floor plan view. (Let’s not even discuss that there is a rug under the waterfall edges of the countertop. 🤣🤣)

EXAMPLE 2

Another example from a few months back was an AI generated basement remodel.  The space looked great but there were a few issues with the overall layout. However, the one that really hit home for me was the door swing into the bathroom.  The door would hit the toilet when in full swing.  Apparently, AI forgot that doors actually need to open. This is a perfect example of why it’s important to have a space designed with a professional space planner. Someone who knows that clearances and functionality actually matter.

I don’t think the future of interior design is about choosing between technology and professional experience. I think the real opportunity is combining the two.

A good designer brings the knowledge, creativity, problem-solving skills, and understanding of how people live. AI brings an exciting new way to visualize and communicate those ideas.

Put them together, and the results can be wonderful.