If you are adding a new chair to a room or planning an entire room redo, an interior design app can help visualize selections before you buy it.
AI Interior Design Apps That Actually Work
Updated Sep. 16, 2024
If you are considering decorating or remodeling a space in your home, AI interior design apps can help you make some of the toughest decisions, from choosing a piece of furniture to deciding whether you really want those navy blue kitchen cabinets. The technology available at your fingertips, along with smartphones and tablets, can guide you and provide ideas by visualizing items in an area of your home through virtual reality, 3D modeling, and space planning.
According to real estate professional Stefania Cardinali of The Corcoran Group in New York City, using an AI interior design app can be a solid start to your overall design plan. “It’s a great way to realize and understand what may or may not work in a space. It can give a homeowner a creative edge and vision that one may not possess,” Cardinali says, adding that the technology can also help avoid design pitfalls before they happen.
Chadwick Boyd, a Real Estate Professional in New York City, agrees that AI design apps are becoming a popular tool for homeowners to help visualize your selections before you commit to any purchases. “Using an interior design app gives homeowners easy access to visuals so they can see what is possible and hone in on what they really are drawn to,” says Boyd. “When our brains see something, it becomes more real and possible.”
Ahead is a list of the best AI interior design apps that can help you make your vision a reality in your home. But first, a few points to remember before getting started on your design plan:
- Do your homework: Think of the technology provided as a guide. You still have some work to do before you begin any home project. Cardinali urges homeowners to do their homework about styles, finishes, furnishings, and other materials or “risk becoming overwhelmed by all the choices available.” Look around and get familiar with products and selections before you start having fun with the AI design apps.
- Know your measurements: Many of the tools in these apps rely on you knowing the measurements and specifications of your space. Be ready with measurements, photos, and links to sites with items you are considering in your plan. You’ll get the most out of each design feature if you are prepared with all the information you need about the space you are designing.
- Define your style: Look at photos on Pinterest, Instagram, and other social sites to get an idea of your “style.” Many sites will ask for a description to help launch a design plan, and if you aren’t sure of a design goal, scrolling through descriptions of “modern farmhouse,” “contemporary,” or “French country” can start to feel a bit overwhelming.
- Expect a learning curve: AI is a new technology, and therefore, many aspects are just starting to be smoothed out in the way they are used and deliver results. Be ready and aware that you are going to run into issues. One app I used placed two end tables on top of each other in my room sketch because I had two listed in my design plan! Be ready for some things to not seem to make sense, and move on or come back to it. We are all learning!
On This Page
RoomGPT
RoomGPT offers a common AI prompt model and uses it to give semi-realistic renderings of your dream design. I found the free version simple to use with a quick upload of an image of my living room space. Select the type of room from a drop-down list of choices (i.e., a living room, bedroom, etc.), and design a style from a list of about 25 descriptions.
The system gave me two AI versions of a design for my living room, with the option to regenerate another option if the results didn’t suit my tastes.
User Experience
While RoomGPT is generally easy to use, you may want to take note that while RoomGPT provides visual guidance, you will need some knowledge of design descriptions and terms for matching items being considered to those pictured. Here’s where that homework on design language is helpful.
Cost
- 1 free design generation
- Must purchase credits for additional designs (credit packages range from $9 to $29 dollars for 30 to 200 designs)
Home Designs AI
With over 75 design different style choices, HomeDesignsAI offers plenty of styles to motivate your dream plan. In just a few steps, I had a picture of my living room uploaded and ready to play with design options. The app is user-friendly and a perfect option for beginners first trying their hand at interior design.
User Experience
The images of my room were ready to go with just a few steps and I found the tools available for swap-ins and outs were simple drag & drop options that gave me images that were clear and colorful. Other apps I used seem to distort colors that appear too vivid when testing color choices. While the lack of advanced options might be frustrating for more experienced interior designers, this could appeal to beginners.
Cost
- Free 1-week trial available
- Subscriptions range from $27 to $29 monthly
DecorMatters
If you are looking for an app experience that makes you feel like you’re designing with friends, DecorMatters is the service for you. The app is a combination of useful information and design resources to bring design projects to life and a social platform.
I found DecorMatters’s library of furnishings to be extensive. You can upload your designs to community boards for feedback and join in conversations with other home design planners. I particularly liked the option to use the app’s AI technology to find quality brand-name furniture options from stores where I usually shop online and in person.
User Experience
Home decor enthusiasts with experience creating spaces in the home will be comfortable with the app’s AI technology and probably appreciate the opportunity to give feedback to other users. However, the renderings for colors, shades of paint color, and fabrics do not “read” realistically in the results. I found the shades of yellow for a chair I was considering for a color choice all looked the same.
Cost
- Some features available for free
- Premium memberships available in packages ranging from $9.99 weekly to $39.99 yearly
REimagine Home
REimagine Home is a great starting point for someone dabbling in using AI to help plan their decor. The app’s virtual staging and renovation tools can arrange furniture and other items in rooms and imagine architectural details like paint colors on walls and trim. Designs for ceilings and design elements and options for flooring materials are simple to arrange to help complete a general design picture.
User Experience
REimagine Home is user-friendly for new users and helpful if a user doesn’t have a clear plan for a design. However, the library of options for furniture and other items might seem limited for some pieces or accessories when trying to recreate a popular design trend like “coastal” or “industrial.”
Cost
- 5 free design generations
- Must purchase credits for additional designs (credit packages range from $13 for 30 credits monthly to $99 for 1,200 credits monthly)
Palazzo
You never know where design inspiration will come from. A discussion about tennis led me to the AI interior design app Palazzo.ai, which tennis champ Venus Williams co-founded.
The service has you start with a quiz to pinpoint your design preferences, and then you upload a picture of your room to experiment with ideas and color palettes, furniture layouts, lighting fixtures, and other architectural details.
Ease of Use
Palazzo has limited design options because it is a relatively new app, and the AI technology is still expanding. But the restrictions are exactly what made it appealing, since there’s no getting overwhelmed by endless lists of choices.
This is currently a standard design app for a limited selection of color palettes, furniture, fixtures, and materials. They say their goal is to continue to expand and offer more options for large-scale homeowner renovation.
Cost
- Limited free design generations
- Must purchase credits for additional designs (credit packages range from $5 for 20 credits to $75 for 500 credits)
FAQ
Will AI replace interior designers?
No, AI will not be replacing interior designers any time soon. “Nothing will replace the feel of real fabric, the actual effect of a patterned rug to the eye and a room or how paint colors actually look in a particular space,” says Boyd. “AI is a great tool for efficiency and seeing what is possible, yet homes are places for real people created by real people. Nothing will ever replace the human touch and connection.”
While acknowledging the appeal of AI, Cardinali agrees with Boyd. “It’s become a tricky tango for the majority of genuine creatives, designers, and professionals in every industry,” she says. “Third-party machinations are not a certain or tangible aid for the consumer. In this case, the results of the designers’ end work should not be confused with graphic art or software design and development.”
Cardinali notes that interior designers offer a more comprehensive skillset than AI technology can, basing their designs on far more nuanced factors than just making a room look stylish. “As a real estate professional,” she says, “I would definitely recommend professional and knowledgeable consultation or guidance, both large and small, depending on the scope of the renovation or redesign project or when there is a great deal to inspect, anticipate, comprehend, and consider behind the scenes.”
Meet the Experts
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Stefania Cardinali is a licensed associate real estate broker whose tremendous success has been driven by the exceptional quality of her work. A high-level producer and award-winning professional, Stefania sits in the upper echelon of her industry because she is committed not only to meeting the needs, but also to surpassing expectations.
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Chadwick Boyd is a licensed real estate salesperson who brings a strategic, savvy and thoughtful approach to New York City real estate. Clients love working with him because of his 30 years of business and marketing expertise, careful attention to detail and warm, engaging demeanor.
Originally Published: September 10, 2024
