With an estimated worth of $121 billion, the interior design industry is huge. The market continues to grow at a rate of around 6% each year - thanks, in part, to technology revolutionizing the practice. Technology today can inspire or inform interior designers, giving them more tools for originality. Additionally, it makes it possible for better communication between suppliers, architects, interior designers and homeowners. Some smart technology even has the potential to serve as the centerpiece of a room’s design. It seems that smart interior design is here to stay! The intention of today’s blog post is to educate you on the 10 latest smart technologies that changed the interior design industry.
What is interior design?
Interior design is a term that is used frequently, but what does it actually mean? Interior design is sometimes mistaken for decoration, which carries with it a host of stereotypes and misunderstandings. In actuality, whilst one significant component of interior design is the selection of colors, there is much more to it. In essence, interior design investigates how individuals interact with their surroundings. Interior designers are able to make spaces that work for the individual through their knowledge of lighting, color and construction. Interior designers have the power to drastically improve people’s quality of life.
What is latest technology in interior design?
Now that you know what interior designers do, you might be wondering - what technology do interior designers use?
1. 3D Printers
3D printing has created new opportunities within the fields of architecture, interior design and the manufacturing of commodities. Interior designers are now exploring and diversifying into 3D printing to produce architectural elements, furniture, home furnishings and lighting. The use of 3D printing in interior design has brought with it new and interesting ways to rapidly and affordably create prototypes, in addition to new techniques for manufacturing personalized furniture. The implementation of 3D printing has been shown to be environmentally friendly and visually pleasing.
2. Mobile Phone/Smart-Phones
Although it might seem self-explanatory, smartphones have made maintaining the relationship between interior designer and client much easier. Making individual phone calls to clients, prospects and suppliers was once the only way to communicate. Now interior designers can utilise online platforms such as Houzz. Houzz is an online community which offers a virtual forum for interaction and idea sharing between architects, designers and clients. Interior designers can also use iMessage or virtual staging platforms to show their clients their designs. These tools make it simple for designers to work with their client whilst reducing the number of in-person meetings and the overall expense of the project.
3. Smart Homes/The Internet of Things
A technological change that has affected us all, not just interior designers, is the smart home or the Internet of Things. A “smart home” is a convenient configuration in which equipment and appliances may be remotely controlled from any location using a smartphone or computer. An internet-connected network connects the devices in a smart home, enabling users to remotely control features like lighting, home theater, security and temperature. Interior design will continue to evolve, incorporating more smart elements as home technology develops.
Even though it is great to be able to turn your lights off from the comfort of your bed or check your security cameras whilst on holiday, internet-connected devices create a serious security risk for your family. These smart electronics can be exploited and hacked, with your details and information being released online for thousands to see. I advise downloading a free VPN app to ensure that your smart home is as safe as possible. The VPN app like VeePN is one of the best in the business! VeePN operates by diverting a device's internet traffic away from the user's default internet service provider and onto a private network (ISP). By concealing the user's IP address, the VPN serves as a middleman between them and the internet while they are online. By using a VPN, a user's device can access the internet while concealing their identity, location, and other data through a private, encrypted tunnel. The VPN establishes a secure connection for all network traffic. As a result, any data that is sent over the internet is routed through the VPN rather than the user's PC. Thus, protecting a smart home from hackers.
4. Pinterest
Pinterest is a technology in interior design that everyone should utilize. The best way for interior designers to promote their websites, develop their brand, interact with potential clients, and position themselves as an authority is through Pinterest.
5. Smart Design Tools
Interior designers can use the internet to create mock-ups of rooms for their clients. They can do this by using AR & VR technology, 3D modelling and printing tools. Going through multiple iterations of the design process is easier and more cost-effective when interior designers utilize augmented reality.
6. Digital Furniture
Furniture should be designed with the new, technology-driven way of life in mind. By this, I mean that technology should be incorporated into modern furniture design. This includes things such as charging ports and interactive screens.
However, technology is not all good. From a design standpoint, the computer and other smart devices have replaced many of the tools that designers traditionally used to control the space’s ambience. Clocks are now on our phones, meaning they are redundant in our homes. Similarly, records and books are now accessible through our phones, so these are no longer necessary in the home either. These changes mean that interior designers have to find new ways to create an aura or atmosphere within a home.
7. Sustainability
It is hardly surprising that technological advancements have assisted in the growth of sustainable design. Energy-efficient light bulbs now last twice as long as regular light bulbs, burn brighter, and consume less electricity. LED lights are also better for the environment as they have lower power requirements and exceptional durability. LEDs can be paired with solar panels to produce energy-efficient lighting day and night.
8. Smart Lighting
Smart lighting is a crucial element of the smart home. There is little in interior design that has a greater impact on how we look at and perceive a space than light. People can now adjust the lighting remotely using their phones, automate the lighting in their bedrooms, and even manage natural light by commanding the blinds to open at specific times.
9. Smart Kitchens
A kitchen is now a place where you can maximize your culinary experience rather than just cook food. The ideal smart kitchen features are smart ovens and cabinets, as these can direct you through recipes as you cook. Incorporating smart kitchen gadgets naturally leads to a space-conscious and contemporary design, all with the goal of accelerating and enhancing the process of cooking.
10. Smart Privacy
Another key element used to create an ambience in the home is natural light. Often interior designers utilize curtains or blinds to control the influx of light into the home. With smart privacy, interior designers can give their clients the option to program when the curtains should be drawn or opened. Modifying the curtains in this way will change both the mood and ambience of the house.
What is one example of the changes that technology has brought to interior design?
The intention of this blog post was to educate you on recent technological changes and how they have affected the interior design industry. The key example of the changes that technology has brought to interior design is the smart home. The Internet of Things, the concept of connecting any device to the Internet, has revolutionized the way our homes and, in turn, interior design works. It has given interior designers more control and the ability to control the ambience and create stunning, functional, space-effective homes.
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