THE JOURNAL
now use AI. Tellingly though – and perhaps as you might expect – 70% of those companies use the technology for administrative tasks rather than design itself. Echoing this sentiment is Charu Gandhi, founder of Elicyon and this
F
year’s WOW!house designer of the Lalique Home Bar. A panellist at a recent Conversations in Design talk at the Design Centre, she has commented that her practice uses AI “for everything but the design”. Within the studio, a task group has been set up which brings together representatives from different sectors (including marketing, procurement and project management) to look at how AI can enhance the way the team works, identifying opportunities to streamline workflows, reduce manual tasks and improve overall delivery. “Right now, it’s quite loose, dynamic and exploratory, with a lot of sharing how we’re using it, and celebrating when someone is using AI well,” she said, citing the repetitive nature of procurement documents, where human error can lead to costly real- world consequences, as an example of where AI could be a benefit. Similarly, at David Collins Studio, associate designer Ruchika Rajani
is part of a steering group that has established a private secure AI platform for professional use. “Everyone has access to different models, for instance Perplexity, which is particularly known for more accurate web-based research, but the platform ensures that all the data we feed in remains strictly confidential and is not used within any external self-learning systems,” explains Rajani, who lists Dedar, Pierre Frey and Casamance as some of her go-to Design Centre showrooms for sourcing fabrics. “AI can make mistakes, so it’s critical us to direct it to the right verified website links or documentation to ensure
for
“AS AI KEEPS DEVELOPING, I’M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ONCE
YOU’VE CREATED A DESIGN, AND HOW IT CAN AID STORYTELLING QUICKER”
it is extracting accurate data. We also switch between models to get a second opinion and cross check.” When it comes to the studio’s luxury hospitality clients, the future, she believes,
is in intuitive environments that adapt to guest preferences. “We believe that the best technology is completely invisible, quietly working in the background,” continues Rajani. “I think the role of AI is to remove any friction and create personalisation, shifting design from beautiful but static rooms to responsive environments. Imagine walking into a hotel room that understands which time zone you’ve travelled from, considers whether you’re likely to be jet-lagged, and adjusts lighting levels and temperature accordingly to support comfort.” Laborious administrative tasks aside, other areas where AI comes into its
own include energy modelling for sustainable design and visualisation. Pip Rich, executive editor at Livingetc magazine (who hosted the AI Conversation in Design discussion), says that in his experience, many interior designers are embracing technology for the latter. “If someone knows how to use more advanced tools like Midjourney, they can plug in an innovative idea and show clients schemes that they perhaps might not have previously gone for because they couldn’t picture them.” One designer doing exactly this is Sameena Singh, founder of Littlemore
design studio. “We are a very narrative-led studio and recently, for instance, we wanted to create a James Bond-inspired cinema for a client,” she explains. “Instead of spending hours looking for the right images, we created a moodboard using Midjourney with key words, such as bespoke popcorn machine and curved wall lights, as prompts.” While this approach is seen by some as aiding creativity, it can also have the opposite effect. “I remember working on a project for a museum that involved
rom finance to Hollywood films, artificial intelligence is infiltrating our lives – and the interior design industry is no different. Last year, American home renovation website Houzz ran a survey which found that roughly a third of the construction and design firms that took part
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