AI tools are giving people new ways to visualise their dream interiors, but new research from retailer Barker & Stonehouse suggests the results do not always reflect the individuality people want from their homes.
Nearly a quarter (24%) of people who have used AI for home design say the results feel generic, while 21% say the designs lack personality. The findings raise questions about how to use AI for inspiration without losing the personal touches that make a house feel like home.
The research, commissioned by Barker & Stonehouse, found that 61% of UK adults have used AI for home decorating or interior design inspiration, rising to 88% among Millennials. The technology is most commonly being used to plan room layouts (35%), find inspiration (30%) and generate renovation ideas (30%).
However, while AI can help people explore different looks and layouts, creating an individual home means going beyond a polished image to consider the people who live there, the things they love and how they use their space.
Alison Westaby, head of interior design at Barker & Stonehouse, says: “Because you're not designing a photograph – you're designing someone's home. We ask clients questions that might not initially sound like interior design questions: where they love to go, how they spend a Sunday, whether they entertain, where everyone naturally gathers. Those answers tell us an enormous amount about how a home needs to feel and function. Getting those foundations right frames everything that follows.”
For those using AI to plan a room or find inspiration, Alison shares her advice on creating interiors that feel individual rather than following a look that could belong to anyone: “Before choosing colours or furniture, think about what you need from the space. A living room used for family film nights will have different priorities from one designed around entertaining guests. Thinking about your routines first can help you make choices that suit your life, rather than simply recreating an image you like.
“Personal belongings can help a room feel connected to the people who live in it. Books, artwork, photographs, souvenirs and objects collected over time can all add character. Rather than choosing every accessory to match a particular scheme, bring in pieces that mean something to you.
“A room does not need to follow one style from top to bottom. Combining contemporary furniture with vintage finds, inherited pieces or secondhand accessories can create a more layered look. These contrasts can also help prevent a space from feeling as though it has been copied directly from a catalogue or digital mood board.
“It can be tempting to follow the latest interior trend or recreate a perfectly coordinated room, but a home does not need to look uniform to feel considered. Think about the colours you are naturally drawn to, the materials you enjoy being around and the patterns you would be happy to live with every day. Even small details, such as a patterned cushion or a distinctive lamp, can help a room feel more personal.
“There is no need to finish every room in one go. Taking time to find furniture, artwork and accessories you genuinely like can result in a more individual space than buying everything at once to recreate a particular look. It also gives you the freedom to change things as your needs and tastes evolve.”
The research suggests that people are not necessarily looking to hand over every design decision to technology. Four in 10 (40%) would use AI as a starting point but make the final decisions themselves, while 34% say they would trust a combination of AI and a professional interior designer most to create a room that genuinely suits their lifestyle.
The findings also highlight the limitations of relying on AI alone – 47% of those who have used AI for home design have followed its advice only to discover it would not work in their home, with users reporting unrealistic budgets, generic designs, impractical suggestions and furniture that wouldn't fit their space.
Only 14% believe AI is good at understanding how people live, highlighting the importance of considering the individual needs and habits behind a design.
Alison adds: “As AI becomes increasingly sophisticated, I don't think the role of the interior designer becomes less important – I think it becomes more about demonstrating the value of expertise. AI can generate ideas and help people visualise possibilities, but a designer brings curiosity, judgement and context to the process.
“Our role is to understand the person behind the room, ask the questions that technology can't necessarily ask and make hundreds of interconnected decisions that turn an idea into something practical, personal and achievable. For me, the future isn't about competing with AI – it's about understanding where technology can assist and being very clear about the value of the human expertise behind great design.”
Barker & Stonehouse has relaunched its Interior Design Service, offering customers one-to-one support from professional designers who it says "can take inspiration, whether generated by AI, found on Pinterest or gathered elsewhere, and translate it into a realistic, considered and personalised interior".
