How to use AI, DALL·E 2 and Chat GPT as an interior designer

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning are making their way into various industries and interior design is no exception. AI-powered tools like DALL·E 2 and ChatGPT can be extremely useful for interior designers as they can simplify the design process, provide new ideas, and increase productivity. In this article, we’ll walk you through some of the main ways you can use these new technologies to your advantage.

TLDR; How can you use AI, DALL·E 2 and Chat GPT in interior design?

With DALL·E 2 you can visualise designs, sketches, renders and concepts in a photographic, rendered or artistic style. With ChatGPT, you can ask questions about trends, furniture styles, colour palettes and much more. Also, you can ask the platform to help you write and structure your marketing, social media, and SEO strategies in a matter of minutes.

If you're a visual learner, here is video detailing some of what we're discussing below.

Explaining the technology behind DALL·E 2 and Chat GPT

DALL·E 2 is a state-of-the-art AI system developed by OpenAI that can generate diverse and highly detailed images from textual descriptions. It is a Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) that uses a combination of deep learning algorithms to generate images based on input descriptions.

The system works by receiving a textual description as input and encoding it into a latent space. The encoded description is then passed through a generator network, which uses the information to produce an image. The generated image is compared to a set of real images, and a discriminator network provides feedback on how well the generated image matches the real images. The feedback is then used to adjust the generator network and improve the quality of the generated images over time.

As an interior designer, you can use DALL·E 2 to quickly visualise your design ideas and see how they would look in a real-life setting. Simply provide a detailed description of the room you want to create, and DALL·E 2 will generate a highly detailed image of it. This can be particularly useful for designers who are struggling to convey their ideas to clients, as it provides a clear visual representation of their designs.

ChatGPT is an AI-powered chatbot developed by OpenAI that uses a transformer-based language model to generate human-like responses to text inputs. It is trained on a large corpus of text data and has been designed to respond to a wide range of questions in various domains, including design.

As an interior designer, you can use ChatGPT to ask questions about design trends, furniture styles, colour palettes, and much more. ChatGPT will provide you with concise, accurate, and up-to-date information that you can use to inform your design choices. Also, you can ask the chat to give you marketing, social media and SEO ideas. By simply typing out your query in natural language, you’ll be able to refine your search and save hundreds of hours spent writing blogs and content calendars. 

Now that we’re acquainted with the technology, let’s see how interior designers could use it – and test the limits of AI itself.

How you can use DALL·E 2 as an interior designer

Type out a vision that you have and make it come to life. 

For example, we typed in the search bar “a realistic render of a southern mediterranean interior design that looks beige and rustic”. These are some of the results.

Imagine a bespoke furniture design you need. 

Sometimes sourcing just doesn’t lead you where you want it. Imagine a furniture design by simply typing out your desires. Here, we typed “mid-century chest drawer with Chippendale elements”.

Put together a moodboard for a specific client. 

If a client comes to you with a very specific vision about a project and you don’t know where to start, tell DALL·E 2 their goals in natural language and see what pops up! Here, we asked the machine the following: “create a collage for a luxury industrial modern loft in Brooklyn, New York”. As you can see, the result is somewhat diffuse and not perfectly photographic, but it really does bring out the ambiance we were looking for.

Commission your ideal artwork. 

When you’re commissioning an art piece for a client, it is common for interior designers to have an idea of what they’re looking for. With AI, you can create perfect references for real artists (because supporting local artists is more important than ever!). This is a rendition of “renaissance painting showing a party set in 1989”.

Say goodbye to ugly stock images. 

When you’re writing a blog post, it is common to need a banner image for it. Often, we rely on stock images when we can’t take the perfect one ourselves. If you need something in particular, ask DALL·E 2 to create it for you. Here you can see “interior design team working on a model, photography”.

Edit an existing image. 

Upload an image of your choice, and extend the frame or add new elements to it! Here, we asked DALL·E 2 to create new versions of an existing image. This is a reimagined edit of a mirror by Genexia.

How to get the best results of DALL·E 2 as an interior designer

1. Be extremely specific about what you want.
2. Say what style of image you’d like to see the results in (e.g. digital art, photography, render).
3. Provide details about the background of your images.
4. Limit the amount of elements you’d like on your image to get more realistic results.
5. Mention the angle of the camera you’d like (e.g. bird’s eye view, through a keyhole)
6. Say what lighting situation you’d like to see (e.g. sunset, sunrise, diffused indoor light).

How you can use ChatGPT as an interior designer

Ask for advice. 

We asked ChatGPT “I am an interior designer. How would you design a trendy Gen Z woman's room?”. This was the answer:

“A trendy Gen Z woman's room design could incorporate the following elements:

1. Bold Colours: Experiment with vibrant and eclectic hues, such as pink, yellow, blue, or green, as accents or feature walls.
2. Sustainable Materials: Use eco-friendly and sustainable materials like bamboo or cork for flooring and furniture.
3. Tech Integration: Incorporate technology into the design, with smart home devices and charging stations.
4. Personalised Art: Display unique, personal pieces like photographs or art prints that showcase the owner's individual style.
5. Comfortable Seating: Incorporate comfortable and versatile seating options, such as bean bag chairs or modular sofas.
6. Plants: Add greenery to the space with a variety of potted plants.
7. Textured Accents: Use textured accents like shag rugs, macrame wall hangings, or plush throw pillows to add depth and interest to the room.

Remember, the key to designing a room for a specific demographic is to understand their preferences and incorporate elements that reflect their personal style and values.”

Get social media and marketing ideas. 

We asked, “How would you structure a social media strategy for an interior designer?”. This was the result:

A social media strategy for an interior designer could include the following steps:

1. Define your target audience: Identify your target audience, including demographics, interests, and pain points, to tailor your content and messaging.
2. Choose the right platforms: Choose the platforms where your target audience is active, such as Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook.
3. Develop a content plan: Plan and create visually appealing content, including portfolio pieces, design tips, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and testimonials from satisfied clients.
4. Use hashtags: Use relevant hashtags to increase visibility and reach a wider audience.
5. Engage with your followers: Respond to comments and messages, like and share content from others in your industry, and participate in online design communities.
6. Collaborate with influencers and brands: Partner with influencers or brands in the design industry to cross-promote and reach new audiences.
7. Track and analyse your results: Use analytics tools to track your social media performance, including engagement rates and reach, and make data-driven decisions to optimise your strategy.
8. Consistency is key: Consistently post engaging content and be active on your social media platforms to build a strong following and establish your brand as a leader in the interior design industry.”

To take it a step further, we asked what hashtags they meant (#interiordesign, #homedecor, #designinspiration, #interiordesigner, #homedesign, #interiordesignideas, #interiorstyling

#homedecorating, #designerlife, #decor, #homedecoration, #interiorlovers, #interiordesigncommunity, #homedecorlove), and also what content should actually be made:

1. “Before-and-after transformations: Showcase your design work by sharing before-and-after photos of completed projects.
2. Behind-the-scenes sneak peeks: Share behind-the-scenes glimpses of your design process, including sketches, mock-ups, and on-site updates.
3. Design inspiration: Share design inspiration, such as mood boards, color palettes, and trend forecasts, to give followers an idea of your aesthetic and design philosophy.
4. Room tours: Share tours of completed projects, highlighting the design elements, materials, and furniture choices used in each space.
5. Product showcases: Highlight products and brands that you love and recommend, including furniture, textiles, and decor items.
6. Client testimonials: Share testimonials from satisfied clients to showcase your portfolio and build credibility.
7. Tutorials and design tips: Share tips and tricks for interior design, such as space planning, lighting, or colour theory.
8. Personal moments: Share personal moments and experiences, such as travel, events, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of your life, to build a connection with your followers and showcase your personality.

Remember to keep your content visually appealing and consistent with your brand aesthetic. Utilise storytelling, interesting captions, and visually stunning imagery to engage with your followers and build your brand.”

In less than 10 minutes, you have an incredible starting point for your social media strategy!

Ask it to write SEO-friendly blog posts for you. 

While you will need to look over them and edit to your own tone of voice, ChatGPT can write articles for you easily. Ask them first “What blog title ideas would you recommend for an interior designer?”, then refine by saying “Make them SEO friendly”, and then pick your favourite title. Then ask the chat to write an article with that title. Easy peasy!

There are no limits as to what you can ask ChatGPT for. Our only advice is to always infuse a human element into everything you do and post. Google is starting to catch onto AI-generated content, and to keep ranking high on those results, you’ll need to put that touch that only you can bring. 

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