In the last few years, AI tools like ChatGPT have become exponentially more popular, and it’s easy to see why. A number of us have already started to incorporate these tools into our everyday life. But when it comes to tasks beyond help with research and spell check, like designing one of the most important spaces in your home, is it enough?

Honestly, I’ve found great uses for AI, but it simply can’t replace the work of real designers. Let’s take a look at ways we can use AI to help with kitchen design and ways in which working with a designer still makes all the difference.

Brainstorming with AI

Specifically for design, I think it’s a wonderful tool to start with for brainstorming and inspiration. If you’re in the beginning stages of a renovation, tools like this can help you figure out where to start. You can ask questions like “What’s the first step I should take when thinking of doing a kitchen reno” or “How do I figure out what style I like for kitchen design?” or “what kind of information should I do to prepare for a kitchen renovation” and it can help guide you in planning and making decisions.

It can also be a great source to ask common questions. Whether you go right to an engine like ChatGPT or you search right on Google and use the AI answers, these tools can give you a clear, quick answer without spending hours digging through blogs or forums. These search tools are great because they’re fast, always available, and draw information from a wide range of knowledge (just remember to fact check on important details as AI doesn’t always get it right). Some examples of these questions would be:

• What’s the difference between quartz, granite and porcelain?
• What cabinets are better to paint on – maple or HDF?
• What are popular colours for kitchen cabinets in 2025?

Finding kitchen inspiration with AI

One of my favourite features is on ChatGPT, with the new image abilities. I think this feature can be a great tool for generating inspiration photos and getting ideas for different design styles.

For example, I gave this prompt:

While the photos aren’t exactly what I was asking for, these provide a great starting point. It directly linked the photos so I could look further into the sources and see other examples. And from there, I could ask for a quick correction. Within seconds, I was able to get photo that was closer to what I was looking for. 

Image: Amelia Lawrence Style

Creating your own AI kitchen design

If you’re not finding exactly what you are looking for you can even ask it to generate a new image for you by just changing a few words.
“create an image of a kitchen with light wood base cabinets, white marble countertops and cream-coloured upper cabinets. I want a white farmhouse sink and gold handles and a gold faucet”

Now, you do have to be quite specific because with this prompt it did create an image with all my criteria, but instead of rendering a kitchen, it just provided me with a small area in this style. Hence why it’s great for inspiration and seeing how some colours may go together.

Where AI misses the mark with kitchen design

As a whole, these ai tools can be helpful in the early stages to brainstorm ideas to bring along to your designer, but when it comes to actual design ai can’t beat an actual designer. There are a few things ai can’t do

1. Not only do we design with you, but we design for you.
   ChatGPT can’t walk into your home and get a feel for your space. It won’t know what cabinet inserts to suggest for your specific needs or where to place drawer banks instead of regular doors. It misses the sense of reality that’s needed to make a fully functional space.
   
   
2. We pay attention to details that AI can’t
   Walkway spaces are important, and AI won’t know how much space is needed for you individual space and it can’t predict if a fridge door will hit the wall every time it’s opened. With years of training and experience, we consider cabinet clearances, workflow, appliances, lighting, and the combination of finishes in a way that AI can’t.
   
   
3. Kitchen design doesn’t come with a formula
   Every kitchen is different and though we have our own design processes, your kitchen isn’t a spreadsheet. It’s where you do all your cooking, your kids do homework, your family gathers for holidays, and your dog waits for crumbs to fall from the counter. We get to know you, how you live, and what your frustrations are in your existing kitchen. A designer will not only create a space that functions but will use that extra personality to create a space that feels like home.
   
   
4. We work with you, every step of the way
   A designer is a partner – from the first sketch to the final install. We coordinate our schedules, follow up on delays, handle revisions, and make sure your vision is actually realized. AI can make suggestions and provide info, but it can’t help you get your actual kitchen.

To show the difference in design, I uploaded a floor plan, and this is what ChatGPT created. Not only is the floor plan not using the space efficiently, but it was also unable to match its rendering to the floor plan (even after adjusting the prompt a few times).

Compared to our plans, the AI function doesn’t take advantage of making it a u-shaped kitchen and doesn’t consider the storage needed for this family. It wouldn’t know that this family specifically wanted a coffee station, or that we would need to adjust the island to provide clearances all the way around. It couldn’t get to know our homeowners and understand that they wanted drawers for as many base cabinets as possible. And despite changing the actual dimensions of the walls, it doesn’t understand the proportions of the space and doesn’t add details like a built-in fridge area, top molding, or even a stove in the 3D image!

All in all, AI is a great tool but it’s just that: a tool. It can assist with inspiration and quick info, but it doesn’t replace the expertise, creative thinking, or human connection that comes with working with a designer.

When you work with a real designer, you get more than ideas. You get a thought-out, functional, beautiful space that reflects you and a smoother experience from start to finish.

Brooklyn Stein

Brooklyn joined the Two30Nine team after earning a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Design with a focus on interior design at the University of Manitoba. She loves to connect with her clients to create beautiful, functional spaces that they will love.

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