12/30/2025
Lets talk about AI as a tool in interior design, and also what its limits are 💁🏼♀️
I’m in a lot of Facebook design groups where people post photos asking for help. Sometimes the advice is solid… and sometimes it is soooo bad. And yall know if it’s bad I can’t keep my mouth shut 😅
Today’s post was someone asking: “Will painting my cabinets help update this kitchen?” People respond better to visuals than lists, so i used AI to make one for me because too many people were hearting “paint the walls soft aqua” or whatever that means.
I gave it VERY specific instructions to max out the look with the least amount of paint/changes.
• Paint only the uppers and pantry cabinets in a creamy white
• Add creamy white zellige tile to the ceiling on the sink and hood walls
• Add champagne bronze cabinet hardware to all cabinets
• Paint the walls, trim, and ceiling to match the creamy white cabinets
• Remove the ceiling light
• Update the lighting to champagne bronze transitional fixtures (same size for sink and larger for pendants over bar)
• Add creamy white area rug to center of kitchen
• Remove clutter from counters and add coordinating decor
You’ll notice in the image that AI didn’t nail everything—I circled a few missed or imperfect details in red (because duh 😏). Thats sort of the point though. The value here isn’t in precision—it’s clarity.
This exercise was meant to show that you can keep the expensive elements—cabinets and countertops—and still dramatically update a space through cosmetic changes like paint, hardware, lighting, and styling.
AI doesn’t replace a designer, but it can help bridge the gap between plan and results. It doesn’t understand proportion, function, or long-term decision-making the way a professional does. But when it’s guided with intention, it can be an incredibly helpful visualization tool—especially for clients who struggle to imagine end result.
Used correctly, AI isn’t the designer.
It’s the translator.
