08/06/2026
I have a complicated relationship with AI. I’ve tried to keep pretty strict rules in place for myself, about what I use it for and how often. Especially sitting here right now in smoke-filled Portland, while we’re dealing with these terrible fires all over the state. And the world.
I used to only let myself use AI for my volunteer work, just as a way to keep my hours efficient, since being president of IDS Portland can honestly feel like a full time job on its own. Then it slowly started creeping into my design practice too, watching people like and seeing how it could help me be more efficient, and also help clients actually see what I’m seeing in my head. I used to spend so much time doing that work for “free,” rendering for hours and then explaining the limitations of SketchUp, or my own skills, when it didn’t quite land.
I still design primarily in SketchUp though. I’m a volume thinker, rooms are 3D to me, and how a space actually feels comes down to considering the whole thing, not just a 2D floor plan. Where I’ve landed is I get my designs as far along as I can, every decision made, before I feed in my SketchUp model and product board and see what comes back. I try to be as clear and precise as I can going in, so my actual use of it stays limited, and I try not to do revisions.
It’s still not perfect. I still get a little sick to my stomach every time I do it. And I honestly don’t know if I can keep doing this ethically, or where I draw the line. It’s a confusing place to be in right now.
So here’s a carousel of a project I’m currently working on. A whole home furnishings and decor plan for a client’s second home here in Oregon. They live out of state, so this one’s turned into an exercise in all the different things that make our state so magical.
Starting with the coast in all its foggy glory, in the living and dining rooms. Then the primary bedroom is becoming the high desert, think Bend and Sunriver. And the office out in the shop is turning into Forest Park, still working through that one but picturing fern green walls, a dappled forest floor carpet, and a live edge built in desk spanning the whole width of the space.