Many businesses across industries have embraced artificial intelligence (AI) to improve efficiencies and save valuable resources like time, costs, and manpower. According to a survey done by Forbes Advisor, the majority of the surveyed 600 business owners expect AI will have a positive impact on businesses. They believe AI can improve customer relationships, increase productivity, and drive sales growth.
In the architecture and construction industry, many professionals have started using AI tools especially in rendering and visualization to push the boundaries of creativity and efficiency while lessening the time to deliver exceptional projects. These tools can generate alternate solutions swiftly, empowering architects and designers to explore a multitude of design possibilities.
Using an AI design assistant streamlines the design processes by automating tedious and time-consuming tasks. It improves decision-making and reduces design time. The tool can easily transform architectural sketches into fully-rendered shots or apply a different style to an interior space or exterior shots as well. AI tools can shorten the distance between ideas and visualization.
The influx of new technologies encourages architects and designers to embrace a new partner in their creative pursuits. Discover the top 5 best AI design assistants in 2024 to generate numerous design options.
#1 mnml.ai
Overview
mnml.ai (pronounced minimal) assists architects and interior designers with AI tools tailored to optimize the design workflow. These tools are user-friendly and don't require any special software or coding to use, ensuring a smooth user experience directly from the web. While they are initially free to use, anyone planning to use the AI design assistant needs to upgrade to one of the Pro plans to access more advanced features and get credits for generating renders and redesign options.
This AI design assistant works to redesign and visualize the ideas of architects and interior designers. It offers a clear and intuitive user interface, making it suitable for anyone seeking to integrate AI into their professional practice. Using mnml.ai also takes little to no effort as its AI tools only require an image of the design (sketch snapshot from a 3D model like 3DsMax, SketchUp, Revit or a real photo) and a prompt to help the tool understand the task or concept it needs to focus on.
mnml.ai is powered by Arch Diffusion, an AI model personalized for architecture and interior design. It can level up the design workflow with 9 AI tools and 40+ styles for creating design variations. With a clear user prompt and one click, the AI design assistant can create stunning visuals or reimagine spaces effortlessly. It simplifies and revolutionizes the design process, thus empowering architects and designers to illustrate innovative design ideas through text-to-image prompts and a variety of tools.
Features
Exterior AI Design
mnml.ai provides versatile visualization options for AI exterior design. It can render or redesign a sketch, snapshot of a 3D model, or real photo based on the selected render mode (precise, balanced, and creative) and any additional text prompt. Precise mode makes minor changes that complement the original input geometry, while creative mode elevates the design by applying different styles to the input.
Interior AI Designer
This AI design assistant can also generate a free AI interior design. It offers 20+ design styles to reimagine any room in different styles, such as warm and cozy, modern, or minimalistic. mnml.ai lets them create design variations in seconds, making it easy to explore and visualize a banquet of design alternatives that best fit a property's overall theme.
Landscape AI
mnml.ai also offers 15+ styles for redesigning landscapes. From building entrances to gardens, landscape AI can modify the style of the space type according to the user's preferences.
Masterplan AI
Masterplan AI removes the complexity of large-scale planning and design. mnml.ai lets users visualize 2D plans and master plans in seconds. It lessens the manual work of creating and managing digital representations through standard software applications like CAD software or GIS software.
AI Rendering
Architects can present their renders in 4K quality when using mnml.ai. It contains an AI rendering tool that improves the quality and resolution of the renders with one click. Enhancements can also elevate the overall look and feel of the design.
The AI design assistant also lets them control how much creativity is applied to the original design so the generated image can still look similar in structure but with better aesthetics. Moreover, it can transfer the same style of any render to any design, so users can easily visualize if the style matches the vision they have for the property.
Canvas AI Inpainting
Modifying and editing a design now takes less effort through canvas AI inpainting. Designers can change any part of the design through prompts to generate a new output, such as adding a landscape or removing certain elements. The rest of the image remains untouched.
Sketch to Image
mnml.ai can also instantly transform any hand-drawn sketch into a fully rendered image. It digitizes the sketch-to-image, thereby shortening the time between idea and visualization as the AI design assistant processes user input to generate the virtual design (exterior or interior).
Text to Image/Concept
Moreover, even without input images, mnml.ai can help visualize ideas for architecture and interior designs based on text prompts alone. It can generate renders, from text to image. It can also assist users who struggle with architectural or interior concepts. The AI design assistant can generate concept statement ideas that users can follow to develop a concept for the design suitable for the project based on aspects of the site, typology, project brief, etc.
Reasons to consider:
Variety of architecture and interior tools
4K Quality
Built-in AI render enhancer
Multiple stylistic choices for redesigning
Discounts for students and educators
High-resolution designs
Reasons to avoid:
The free plan only has limited credits.
#2 HomeDesignsAI
Overview
HomeDesignsAI lets users reimagine any home interior, exterior, and garden through 75+ design styles. It can generate multiple artistic choices by leveraging AI, freeing up resources for businesses seeking cost-effective solutions to optimize layouts. It can produce numerous design options in less than 30 seconds according to the user's preferences.
This AI design assistant works by applying customizations to the image of any room type, house, or garden. From home builders to realtors, anyone can use HomeDesignsAI to generate a new design based on different design styles, modes, and custom AI instructions. The platform lets users control its operations so its outputs match the vision or ideas of the designer.
HomeDesignsAI lets them uncover the potential a space has through AI interior design and AI exterior design tools. It can also create stunning, realistic visuals of furniture effortlessly through its Decor staging module, which businesses can use to boost furniture sales. The module provides the flexibility to match any design aesthetic.
Features
AI Interior Assistant
HomeDesignsAI leverages advanced technology to bring design visions to life. The AI interior assistant can generate hyper-realistic images with unprecedented speed and precision. It also learns from the user's preferences to offer personalized design recommendations. With an intuitive interface, anyone can enjoy a seamless design process from start to finish.
Exterior AI
This AI design assistant can also redefine outdoor spaces in seconds through its exterior AI feature. HomeDesignsAI lets users visualize and refine exterior designs with accuracy, making it easier to impress clients without compromising on quality. From Scandinavian to midcentury modern, it offers a multitude of styles for clients with different aesthetic preferences.
The AI capabilities extend to landscaping projects. The AI design assistant can provide AI-driven suggestions to help users make informed decisions and explore different plant options, hardscape elements, etc., to create a beautiful garden, a functional patio area, or a spacious backyard.
Decor Staging
Businesses can utilize the decor staging module to turn any piece of furniture into a stunning showcase. HomeDesignAI provides the flexibility to match any design aesthetic to captivate clients, increasing sales for builders and online shops. The AI design assistant can also redesign the furniture in multiple styles, so even private users can achieve a custom piece that blends seamlessly with their homes.
Reasons to consider:
Works for all devices
Provides immediate links to purchase furniture and objects
75+ design styles
Reasons to avoid:
Individual plan limited to 100 designs
Premium features are exclusive to higher paid plans.
#3 Veras
Overview
Veras is an AI-powered visualization developed by Evolve Lab. It uses 3D model geometry as a substrate for creativity and inspiration. It employs advanced algorithms to assist in brainstorming and conceptualizing designs, removing the pain points of the design process.
Veras supports versions of SketchUp, Autodesk Revit, Rhinoceros, Autodesk Forma, and Vectorworks--3D modeling software for creating and manipulating 3D models. The app works on Windows and Mac OS devices. It is also directly accessible on the web.
Features
Geometry Override Slider
Veras empowers architects and designers to shape projects with precision and imagination. It offers a geometry override slider for exploring limitless ideation possibilities of a project. 3D models transform as users slide the geometry to higher values
This AI design assistant gives users the flexibility to fine-tune designs. Decreasing the slider value keeps the geometry faithful to its original model, yet some materials still get overridden. It gives unparalleled control over the finer details. Designers can strike the perfect balance between creativity and precision when using the geometry slider, elevating the projects to new heights of excellence as the result transcends the confines of the original model.
Render Selection
Veras empowers users to make real-time adjustments with unparalleled precision. Anyone can easily redefine elements of an image by clicking a portion of the image and entering a new prompt to change the overall design. Interior designers swap out furniture, and architects can focus on refining specific building elements by utilizing render selection.
Seed-based Rendering
Veras gives users the chance to utilize the same seed as a starting point and introduce a fresh text prompt to generate a new design. It encourages them to explore diverse options and find the best one that matches the vision or fits the concept of the project. It's like building off the initial foundation of the original model and incorporating new elements to change the results.
Reasons to consider:
Seamless integration
User-friendly interface
Standalone app for Windows and Mac OS
Reasons to avoid:
Setting up the exterior and interior renderings may take some time.
#4 Maket
Overview
Market harnesses the power of generative AI to empower design professionals to explore endless possibilities when designing. It offers a suite of tools that facilitate automated floor plan generation, style exploration, and customization of design elements. It can also provide expert guidance on materials, costs, and design options, ensuring users make informed design decisions.
Features
Residential Plan Generator
Architects can create customized residential floor plans instantly using Maket. It generates based on programming needs like room dimensions and adjacency constraints. It helps them optimize the space for a better flow of movement. Soon, the AI design assistant can process natural language to apply the custom requirements to the architectural plans.
Virtual Assistant
Maket provides a virtual assistant that can answer various user queries. It can list down the materials needed for home building and the costs associated. It gives expert guidance so users can make confident and educated design choices.
Virtual Designer
The AI design assistant can transform styles after a click. The virtual designer presents diverse interior and exterior aesthetics so users can visualize style transformation and personalize designs to create a consistent look or theme across different room types. They can also preview the design changes instantly. Getting instant previews facilitates quick decision-making for time-sensitive projects.
Regulatory Assistant
Maket simplifies compliance with intelligent navigation. It provides a regulatory assistant who can summarize documents and answer zoning queries, ensuring architectural projects align with zoning codes and regulations. When all projects comply with requirements, architects can avoid potential delays.
Reasons to consider:
Regulatory compliance
Knowledge assistance
Design automation
Compatible with major OS and web browsers
Reasons to avoid:
Occasional bug/glitches
Floor plans may lack accuracy for complex or irregular buildings
Unlimited features are exclusive to the Premium plan.
#5 SofaBrain
Overview
Sofabrain elevates spaces for professional designers, DIY enthusiasts, and real estate agents by leveraging AI. It accepts images of different room types, interior and exterior, for redesigning. The AI design assistant provides a wide range of interior styles and AI levels users can adjust, depending on their style preference.
Features
Smart Image Tools
SofaBrain removes the complications of modifying or adjusting images. It offers smart image tools that let users type in their requests to change elements of a room. From swapping out furniture or changing the color of the wall, users can customize every aspect of a room to match their preferences.
Custom Color Palettes
The AI design assistant also lets users choose the perfect color palette that fits the overall design. Custom color palettes personalize the space, ensuring a consistent design throughout the house.
Instant Style Previews
SofaBrain generates results in just 10 seconds. It offers 40 different interior design styles. AI interior design allows users to visualize the potential of any space. It helps them cut down on expenses and labor as it creates stunning, realistic images they can use to decide the next aesthetic of the room.
Reasons to consider:
Smart room advice
Affordable
User-friendly
Reasons to avoid:
AI is limited to interior and exterior spaces.
Limited features in the free version
Conclusion
The architectural landscape continues to evolve as new technologies are introduced to the market daily. Using the best AI tools can give architects and designers the upper hand against competitors who rely on manual methods or standard software tools. AI rapidly completes mundane and repetitive tasks, thereby improving productivity and increasing efficiency to achieve high client satisfaction and higher business sales.
Choose from the top 5 best AI design assistants in 2024 to visualize ideas faster and deliver exceptional projects for clients. Harness the power of AI to reduce the time and effort required to produce design and explore more design possibilities.
