What’s the difference between stable diffusion and generative text prompting and what does that mean for you as an interior design professional?

As a fellow designer, I'm excited to share some insights on how AI is revolutionizing the interior design industry. Let's explore the differences between generative AI and stable diffusion models – two game-changing tools that are reshaping how we create and refine our designs and client collaboration process.

What is Generative Text AI?

Generative AI, like DALL-E and Midjourney, is like having a super-creative brainstorming partner. You feed it a text prompt, and boom! It spits out multiple interpretations of your idea. It's fantastic for those initial concept stages when you're trying to explore different directions.

For example, let's say you're working on a modern kitchen design. You might type in something like "magazine-worthy modern kitchen" and get a variety of sleek, contemporary spaces to inspire you. It's a great way to kickstart your creative process and get those design juices flowing. Of course, the more you add to your prompt the more closer you may get to creating the imagery you envision in your mind.

Here is a very basic prompt of, “design a magazine-worthy kitchen modern” in Midjourney. These are the 4 initial images I received when I entered this simple prompt.

Now, stable diffusion models like Home Visualizer AI are where things get really interesting for us designers. Think of it as your precision tool for refining and iterating on existing designs. You can take an initial concept or even a simple line drawing and use text prompts to modify specific elements while keeping the overall structure intact. A great tool for live team or client brainstorming sessions or for conceptual presentation imagery.

Say you've got that modern kitchen concept, but now you want to explore different color schemes or materials. With stable diffusion, you could input something like "modern kitchen, mint green cabinets, light marble backsplash and countertops, wood island" and watch as it transforms your initial design while maintaining its core elements.

What's really cool about stable diffusion is the level of control it gives us. We can fine-tune how much "creative freedom" the AI has, ensuring the changes align closely with our vision. It's like having a super-skilled assistant who can make precise adjustments exactly where you want them.

In terms of workflow, I've found that using generative AI for initial ideation and then switching to stable diffusion for refinement works wonders. It allows us to explore a wide range of possibilities quickly and then drill down into the details of our favorite concepts.

Of course, these tools aren't perfect. Generative AI can sometimes struggle with precise details or spatial relationships. And while stable diffusion offers more control, it still requires some finesse to get exactly what you want.

But here's the thing – as designers, our expertise is more valuable than ever. We're the ones who can take these AI-generated ideas and turn them into cohesive, functional, and beautiful spaces. Our understanding of ergonomics, materials, and the human element in design is what brings these digital concepts to life.

So, my advice? Embrace these tools as part of your creative process. Use them to push your boundaries, explore new ideas, and streamline your workflow. But remember, they're just tools. Your vision, expertise, and unique perspective are what will truly set your designs apart.

Let's keep innovating and creating amazing spaces together, with a little help from our AI friends!

*This article was written by Jenna Gaidusek and AI programs.