Featured on this episode:

• Connect with Jessica and Stephanie at AI For Interiors
• Or check out their AI Design Academy (mini-coaching, daily prompts, and a support space that actually moves projects forward, not just inspires you and disappears)
• Follow them on IG @etchdesigngroup and @aiforinteriors
• Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here

What you will learn from this episode:

• How to actually use AI in your design business without losing your creative voice or control
• Why “using AI” doesn’t mean cheating, and why it’s no different than using Photoshop or a photo stylist
• What the next era of “being found online” looks like (and why AEO matters as much as SEO for designers now)

---

Today? We’re cutting through the noise on something everybody is whispering about (and a lot of us are secretly either overwhelmed by, or rolling our eyes at).
Yep. We’re talking about AI—but honestly?
We’re talking about the designer’s version. The one that speaks in floor plans, not machine code. The one that wants to streamline your workflow, not steamroll your creativity.

And to help do it, I brought in two friends who aren’t just good with tech, they build businesses in the real world like you and me.

Meet Jessica & Stephanie: The Duo Bringing AI Down to Earth for Designers

I brought on Jessica Nelson and Stephanie Lindsey, co-founders of AI for Interiors and principals of the nationally recognized Etch Design Group out of Austin. Between the two of them, they have 30+ years of design and business experience and a rare fluency in tech. Think: jobsite boots-on-the-ground meets behind-the-curtain workflow wizardry.

These two aren’t hyping the latest shiny thing; they’re helping real designers streamline how they run their studios, communicate with teams, and support their clients without losing the creativity or personal touch that actually makes us good at what we do.

And by the way? Jessica literally started in tech and Best Buy’s Geek Squad before switching into design. Stephanie’s a systems brain who loves a process, but stays human first about it all. They get design studios from the inside, and they aren’t here to sell you a quick fix. They’re here to keep it real.

Does AI Mean I’m Going to Lose My Creative Edge?

Let’s get this out of the way early: No.
At least not if you’re using it right.

Most designers aren’t scared of new tools; they’re scared of losing what actually makes their work special. Creativity. Human relationship. Client chemistry. If you’re worried AI is going to flatten your design voice or turn your work into assembly-line mush? You’re not wrong to pause.

But here’s what the pros (with a heart for humans) say:
AI isn’t here to replace your brain. It’s here to give you bandwidth back.

If you train it right, and that’s key, it can slice out the repetitive tasks, help you present your concepts visually on short notice, organize specs for contractors, or even transcribe a client call and help you spot red flags before they bite. But it still needs your strategy and taste to work.

And as Stephanie explained during our chat:

“The creative component is still the X factor. AI can amplify what you do, but the personal connection? Your understanding of people? Your ability to sense nuances in a family dynamic or read a client’s hesitation in a meeting? That’s not disappearing anytime soon.”

So, think of AI like the best junior assistant you’ve never had. Does the legwork. Doesn’t steal your credit.

What We Talked About

🌱 When to Bring AI In And When to Skip It

We walked through real scenarios of when to use AI and where the human touch is still non-negotiable. Like:

• Showing a client what a new table actually looks like in their space
• Creating moodier, more lo-fi renderings for clients who get overwhelmed with photorealism
• Writing emails faster (including that brain-dump-to-polished-draft feature? CHEF’S KISS.)

But also knowing when not to over-rely on it. Like:

• When the measurements and technical drawings still need a pro
• When the feedback loop with real clients and contractors matters more than speed

🙅‍♀️ Is Using AI Cheating?

Let’s squash that conversation. We’ve been photoshopping images, cleaning up cords, and styling the heck out of rooms before a photo shoot for decades. AI is just the 2024 version of what a good editor or photo stylist used to do. The work is still yours; the tools just got smarter.

As Jessica said after sharing about an AI-powered photo clean-up:

“Designers complained it was ‘not real.’ But let’s be honest, what do you think photographers do every single shoot?”
It’s not cheating. It’s called creative direction.

✍️ Websites & AEO: The SEO Shift You Need to See Coming

I know, I know. We’re all finally wrapping our heads around blog content and project pages for SEO. But Jessica and Stephanie flagged something big:

Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is coming up fast, meaning ChatGPT, Google Gemini, etc. don’t just want pretty pictures. They want clear, consistent answers about your brand, services, and what you actually do.

That means:

• Your website copy should explain how you solve problems, not just list services and show pretty spaces.
• Blogs, project descriptions, and bio info should be consistent across every platform (website, socials, Google Business).
• The more clearly you answer the “who, what, where, and why”, the better you’ll show up, not just to people, but to AI engines doing the searching for them.

🛠️ Practical Ways Designers Are Using AI Now

These aren’t future hypotheticals. We talked through real AI tools and workflows being used right now:

• MidJourney & Google Nano Banana Pro (yes, that’s real) for fast, flexible visualizations
• Personalized prompts (“polish this email for a contractor who’s likely to scan and ignore this in 3 seconds flat”)
• AI-generated headshots for brands still growing their visual identity
• Transcript analysis for client personality, so you can know if that red flag is about to cost you an $11k headache

But we kept it grounded. None of this replaces due diligence. Jessica was crystal clear: “AI can organize your 20-tab tile spec spreadsheet in a snap…but you still need to check that it didn’t mismatch the materials. It’s not about letting go, it’s about working smarter.”

Here’s the Heartbeat of What I Hope You Take Away

AI isn’t a threat.
It’s not a silver bullet.
And it sure as hell isn’t going to replace the work your creative brain builds, season after season.

It’s a tool. A really smart tool. But it needs your leadership.
If you feed it the right data, your design voice, your workflows, your brand personality, it can become the assistant your business never had (the one who never asks for a day off).

If you don’t? It’ll just sound like a vague Wikipedia article that almost gets it but misses the mark.

So start simple. Build slow. Test it on something low-stakes, an email, a rendering, a proposal polish session when you’re brain-fried. Make it work for you, not the other way around

Like this Episode?

Be sure to check out Episode #256: The Secret to a Website That’s Both Gorgeous and High-Converting with Robyn White

Be sure to check out Episode #239: Inside the Studio: Conversations That Are Changing How Designers Show Up

Be sure to check out Episode #171: What’s The Downside To Using Technology In Our Business?