Remodeling your home (or even just a room) used to mean hiring an interior designer or taking on the entire task DIY-style and hoping for the best. Using Pinterest boards and magazines for inspiration, committing to everything from accent walls to expensive furniture could end up in choices you might later regret.
But now, you can experiment with your home’s look before you even pick up a paintbrush. All you need is a clear photo and ChatGPT. If you’re lost for ideas, don’t worry—AI can help you brainstorm ideas too.
Use your favorite chatbot to help you come up with suggestions to customize your space in ways you never thought possible. Then, turn to ChatGPT to make those ideas come to life. Here’s how to get started, whether you’re working on a real project or just having fun with what’s possible.
Start with a photo
Begin with a clear photo of the room you want to change. The image should be free of people, extra objects and clutter so ChatGPT can have a good idea of the room. You could even use the professional images of your home from a real estate website, which are often clearer than ones you could take yourself.
If you are thinking about buying a new home and want to see it designed in your style, this is a great way to get started. For example, when my husband and I were looking to purchase our current home, the kitchen was painted pink when we bought it. Using ChatGPT at that time would have made me feel a lot less “cringe” because of the possibilities when we painted it.
Share your style with ChatGPT
If you have a mood board or Pinterest board that showcases the style and vibe you’re into, upload that to ChatGPT next. Using a prompt such as “Use the uploaded image of my living room and restyle it in a [design style i.e. Scandinavian design]. Keep the layout the same but swap [lighter wood furniture, neutral-colored seating, minimalist lighting and soft textiles]. Make sure the walls are bright and airy, with subtle accents for warmth.”
ChatGPT can now serve as your personal interior design consultant. From there, you’ll get a new image of the room generated with the style fully transformed.
Whether you're dreaming of a toddler upgrade for your nursery, a funkier paint palette for your home office or want to swap out that tired wall art for something with more personality, ChatGPT can help visualize it first.
Transform any room
ChatGPT can also help you visualize a different use for a room. If a teenager is headed to college and you’re turning their room into guest room or your baby has reached a new milestone and their nursery is ready to be toddler-friendly, ChatGPT can help.
Try the prompt: "You are my interior design coach. Repurpose this room for a new use and give me a concrete plan I can execute."
The best part? You don’t need any design experience. Just describe your vision with phrases like “make this bedroom more vibrant,” “add a cozy reading nook” or “turn this spare room into a guest suite with neutral tones and wallpaper, “and ChatGPT will generate a high-resolution image showing the possibilities with those changes.
It's not perfect
As with most AI projects, it has its flaws. It isn’t human so it may not fully understand what you’re asking at first or it may offer ideas that are completely off. If that happens, just let it know. You may even notice that it adds a window or door that aren’t part of the room at all.
Being flexible and patient are key to using ChatGPT as your AI interior designer. Try a prompt like this to get as close as possible to your design goals:
"Now, redesign this space for [new purpose], with a focus on [style/function/budget/etc.]. Include layout, color palette, furniture suggestions, and storage solutions."
Final thoughts
While there is no substitute for a human designer that can walk through the rooms with you and give their expert opinions based on your style, personality, emotional attachment to your home, ChatGPT can still do a lot when it comes to interior design.
It can recommend lighting upgrades, space-saving furniture swaps or even suggest where to place a bookshelf or add more color for balance. You can use it to test out bold ideas that might otherwise be too risky to try in real life. But with AI, go ahead and go for that funky patterned wall or unexpected accent color, without the fear of wasting time or money.
Before you hire a contractor or start filling an online cart, give your ideas a virtual test run. With just a photo and a prompt, ChatGPT makes it easier o design your dream space.
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