The use and adoption of artificial intelligence has soared in recent years, with Deloitte revealing that more than a third of people in the UK have now used some form of Generative AI. The UK is also the third largest AI market in the world, after the US and China, but how exactly is this technology impacting industries across the world?
UCL MBA alumna and Be-Kin founder Wren Loucks examines the prevalence of artificial intelligence in interior design, which she used as the focus of her capstone project on the programme. While AI enables small businesses and start-ups to access marketing and finance tools, for Wren, it’s important to separate this technology from the creative process - particularly within the context of Be-Kin, a bespoke interior design studio creating beautiful spaces for clients that enable them to thrive.
Wren takes us through her entrepreneurial journey, the key findings from her capstone project, and why she believes that human creativity is far more valuable in interior design.
tell us about be-kin
Be-Kin is an interior design studio known for its holistic approach to design. We provide a full interior design service, tailored to each project. I founded the studio in 2020 and it draws inspiration from my passion for art, creative expression and my interest in spiritual healing. I believe that the spaces we occupy have a profound impact on how we feel, and I love creating environments that bring our clients joy, comfort and inspiration.
The talented Be-Kin team have a wealth of knowledge, experience and creative skills. We enjoy working together to create beautiful spaces for our clients. The studio is based in Primrose Hill, London UK, though we work all over the world.
what have been your entrepreneurial highlights so far?
So many! Each day brings an element of excitement. A recent highlight was the unveiling of our new brand identity: “The Art of Holistic Design.”
The redesigned identity captures Be-Kin’s core values—connection, integrity, sustainability and well-being—through an elegant visual system. At its centre is a distinctive wordmark and a star symbol representing guidance, tranquillity, and purpose—alongside the studio’s commitment to partnering with the finest craftsmen to bring each project to life with exceptional quality and care. The new brand identity included relaunching our website. It has supported us to step into a new chapter in the business.
can you tell us about the prevalence of ai in interior design?
Artificial Intelligence is the zeitgeist of our time. Incredible amounts of financial and human resources are being directed towards developing AI capabilities, often with the hopes of it being able to outrun human cognition.
How businesses incorporate AI, and the speed at which they do, will vary industry-to-industry, and within each industry, certain business functions will adapt more readily. For my final MBA capstone project at UCL School of Management, I decided to explore and examine the use of AI in the residential interior design industry in the UK, focusing on how it may be used in generating creative ideas. Here is a summary of my findings:
Key Findings:
- AI will not replace interior designers, but it is highly likely that it will transform the tools used by designers and the industry landscape over the next 10 years.
- AI-creativity is different from human creativity: AI breaks things into parts and reconfigures them to create novel combinations. Human creativity can transcend this to evaluate an idea as a whole and within its context. AI-generated creativity should not be considered the same as human creativity.
- The interior design industry should prepare for the future by educating, experimenting, and researching on and how AI can be used in a productive way, that minimises existing risks such as creating deceptive 3D images, the addictive quality of the technology and algorithmic bias.
- Interior designers should continue to develop existing creative skills, including hand drawing, collecting material samples, attending site visits to test materials in-situ, and visiting supplier showrooms and workshops. These skills will continue to be required, even as AI technology develops and improves.
can artificial intelligence be leveraged to support be-kin?
At Be-Kin, we provide a very tailored, luxury interior design service. AI does not play a role in our creative process due to the very specialised and bespoke nature of our work—the tools are just not good enough. I also avoid using it to write emails, as I prefer to formulate these myself and provide a personal, heartfelt service.
When it comes to other business functions like marketing and finance, we do occasionally use AI and some of our software is powered by AI.
what are the main threats of ai in interior design?
Each member of the Be-Kin design team is empathetic, kind and a very good listener. These softer skills are crucial for understanding our clients and creating an environment that they love. AI cannot do this.
We also design bespoke furniture and joinery. This requires highly detailed technical drawings. AI generated designs are not specialised enough to capture these intricate details. There is a risk that studios use AI to do this, and then the final product is not fit for purpose or doesn’t look beautiful.
In my research I also highlighted the risk of using AI-generated 3D images to create interior design schemes. Some clients have shown me 3D visuals they created of a room. However, these schemes do not tend to work practically, because the AI has not taken into consideration the room dimensions, the quality of light and architectural features. These images can be very misleading.
are there any elements of your capstone project that have carried over into your career?
Whilst researching for the project, I enjoyed learning more about Iain McGilchrist’s work. My partner has read several of his books and we had many lively discussions about his writing, ideas and how they related to my research on AI and creativity.
I also became more involved with the Scientific and Medical Network. The network explores the connection between spirituality and science and hosts many interesting lectures. I was lucky enough to hear Iain McGilchrist speak during their ‘Golden Jubilee Celebration.’ I continue to attend their lectures and recently listened to one on Daoism and the Meaning of Life by Dr. Lennert Gesterkamp. Artificial Intelligence often comes up as a topic in the discussions.