This Technology Is Changing the Way Interior Designers Work
It’s 2026, and AI interior design tools and technology have shaken up the interior design industry as we knew it. As technology in the interior design world continues to evolve, the way designers work does as well. We’ve gone from hand drafting to AutoCAD, and now to AI tools that can trace floor plans in seconds. We’ve also moved from hand drawings and time-intensive workflows in SketchUp and Photoshop to AI that can generate 3D visuals in just minutes.
The evolution of technology in interior design means less time spent on repetitive tasks and more time available for creativity, strategy, and potentially taking on more projects.
It also means the doors of possibility are opening for interior designers, with technology helping to bridge the gap between designers and clients. We’ve now reached a point where technology has made fully remote interior design work possible and quite easy.
This is something I know plenty about; you might even call me an expert on it, as I work remotely as an interior designer. You could refer to me as an e-designer, as some would call it.
While this concept isn’t entirely novel, there have always been a few hurdles when it comes to offering interior design services remotely. The good news is that with the rapid advancements in AI and design technology, it’s now easier than ever for designers to collaborate with clients from anywhere—even while working from the comfort of their sofa.
So, you’re probably wondering what technology is changing the game for interior designers—especially those working remotely…
Skip Site Visits With LiDAR Technology
LiDAR technology allows someone to scan a room—or even an entire house—using their phone while automatically generating a complete to-scale 3D floor plan. This technology is quickly becoming the future of site visits, even for full-service interior designers.
The traditional way of doing a site measure was never something I particularly enjoyed. I would arrive on site with graph paper, a laser measurer, and a tape measure, and then spend hours measuring an entire home. It was often exhausting—especially after already spending a couple of hours touring the space and consulting with the client about design ideas.
The site measure always felt like the most tedious part of the process. And if you forgot to write down a measurement, you had to figure out just how critical that missing dimension was—and sometimes even return to the property to get it.
After completing a site measure, the traditional way, the next step was going back to the computer and drafting the 2D floor plan and building the 3D model. This alone can take hours and represents a significant amount of time spent simply recreating the client’s space before the actual design work even begins.
LiDAR technology changes this completely. It captures accurate measurements and simultaneously builds the floor plan and 3D model for you. That means you can move straight into the design phase without spending hours drafting the space first.
Client and Designer Collaboration Using LiDAR
Apps such as Roomform.ai make it easy for clients and designers to collaborate using LiDAR technology. With this app, the homeowner can scan their entire space and simply share a link with the designer. From there, the designer can access the generated floor plan and 3D model directly within the Roomform platform.
Once inside the app, the designer can begin creating and developing the design. The app even captures the existing items in the space, which you can choose to keep or swap out—all within the same AI-powered tool.
I decided to test out this AI app with LiDAR technology, as it was the first app I came across that not only integrates LiDAR scanning but also includes built-in collaboration features and design capabilities for interior designers.
What makes this particularly interesting to me is that it has the potential to be a game-changing tool for remote designers like myself. Instead of asking clients to measure and sketch their entire home—a process that can be tedious and often inaccurate—the client can simply scan the space and share it with me.
Even better, the platform also provides a place where the designer can actually create and deliver the design within the same tool. Because of that, I thought it would be worth testing out and sharing my experience using the tool.
Testing Out Roomform.AI
Creating 2d floor plans and 3D models
Roomform.ai is available as a mobile app that uses LiDAR technology, and it’s also a web-based platform that can be accessed from any standard browser. You’ll need a smartphone to use the app for scanning and capturing measurements.
But let’s say your client isn’t very tech-savvy or isn’t comfortable using their phone to scan their space—no worries. The app also allows you to upload existing floor plans, which it can then transform into both 2D and 3D models.
Of course, you can also create a floor plan from scratch and simultaneously generate a 3D model, which is exactly what I did, as you can see here.
Detailing Drawings
From my first experience using this app, I found it to be extremely user-friendly. The interface is clean and simple, yet the tools are very powerful. Adding structures like doors and windows is intuitive: you simply double-click a wall, which opens an elevation view where you can position and resize doors and windows with ease.
Switching between the 2D floor plan and the 3D model is seamless, which is how I like to work. While in 3D view, you can click on any element to change its appearance. Once selected, the material library pops up, allowing you to choose from existing materials or even upload your own to accurately reflect the client’s space.
The game-changing features
Adding furnishings and other items is where this app really shines for two main reasons:
- Faster sourcing: The app has a built-in marketplace with a live search feed. Using keywords, it can search online for items that match your description, enabling designers to source products and build out the 3D model simultaneously with accurate representations. This is extremely intuitive and saves time, eliminating the need to juggle multiple browser tabs.
- Custom 3D models from photos: You can also upload a photo of a furniture piece or item, and the system will generate a 3D model ready to use in your design. This is a game-changing feature for designers, as it allows you to present clients with accurate, realistic visuals instead of approximations from generic 3D libraries.
Traditionally, designers had to search through 3D furniture libraries, pick items that vaguely matched, and then present these less-accurate models to clients. With this tool, you can now show clients a much more precise visual representation of their space and selected items—dramatically improving both efficiency and presentation quality. Now, this is the type of feature I know fellow designers will appreciate.
The Client Experience That Sets You Apart
Client experience is everything—especially in a time when clients themselves can use AI technology to design their own spaces. It’s easy for them to wonder if hiring a professional designer is even worth it (we both know it is!). AI is creating a shift in the industry, and what will set interior designers apart—and keep them valued during this AI revolution—is the quality of the client experience they provide.
With Roomform.ai, you can share your design with clients as a fully viewable 3D model via a simple link. This allows clients to do a virtual walkthrough and truly get a sense of the space. You can also create highly realistic 3D visuals if you want to present still images, giving clients an immersive and polished experience.
Game-Changing Advancements for Designers and e-Designers
The integration of LiDAR technology with AI on a platform that allows you to source and present client-ready designs is an absolute game-changer—for both designers who work traditionally and virtual designers looking to elevate the client experience.
Designers need a tool they can rely on for easy methods of capturing dimensions and creating 3D models efficiently. Virtual designers, in particular, need a way to bridge the gap of not being physically on-site while still obtaining accurate measurements.
I like Roomform.ai because their mission aligns with my own: making interior design more accessible and effective. When technology allows designers to spend less time tinkering with software, it reduces hours spent on the same deliverables. This means fewer hours on a single project and more overall productivity. For clients, this translates into a more accessible, streamlined design experience. For designers, it provides more bandwidth to be creative and efficient.
The goal of technology should be to make processes more efficient and intuitive. Why spend time on tasks that slow down the overall design workflow? As a designer, I want the measurements, 2D plans, and 3D models done quickly. So, I can focus on exploring creative solutions, connecting with clients, and developing multiple design directions. Technology should give us freedom and time to be creative.
For me, this means not feeling stressed about how long tasks take and being able to feel playful in the design process again. Time-saving tools like Roomform.ai allow me to be confident in my remote workflow while giving me space to grow my business in a better way.
If you want to try Roomform.ai, use code DEE50 at checkout for 50% off your first month’s subscription.
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Let’s design your space together, virtually.
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Roomform.ai; however, all thoughts and opinions remain my own.
