In this special episode recorded live from the KBIS 2026 Podcast Studio, Sponsored by AJ Madison Pro, AI for Interior Designers *Podcast host Jenna Gaidusek sits down with the KBB Person of the Year, Sharon Sherman, founder of Thyme & Place Design.

Connect with Sharon Sherman:

Our Sponsors:

In this episode of the AI for Interior Designers™ Podcast, Jenna breaks down whether traditional 3D rendering still makes sense for interior designers now that AI tools can create convincing visuals in a fraction of the time.

For years, high-end 3D renderings were the gold standard. Designers would spend 10–14 hours perfecting materials, lighting, and tiny details. It was beautiful work—but also time‑consuming, expensive, and often overkill for what most clients actually needed: confidence in the concept and clarity around how everything fits.

Now, AI is changing that balance. Jenna shares why she personally stopped offering full 3D renderings nearly two years ago, how she now combines accurate floor plans with AI-generated imagery and video, and what this shift means for render artists, students, and working designers.

Why Traditional Rendering is Evolving Clients are increasingly hesitant to pay for "perfect" scale in every pixel when they can get a clear vision of the mood and layout in under two hours. Jenna explains how she uses tools like Mydoma’s Visualizer to create accurate floor plans and 2D drawings, then pivots to AI for the "wow" factor.

Jenna’s Current AI Visualization Stack

Jenna’s Platforms & Education:

Visualization & AI Tools:

Industry Events & Organizations:

AI images are a power tool for marketing and quick visualization, but they are not a substitute for professional space planning and real-world experience. If you’re ready to streamline your visuals and stop losing days to 3D modeling for every project, this episode is for you.

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with the latest tips and tools for designers!

In Episode 68 of the AI for Interior Designers™ Podcast, Jenna Gaidusek dives into a topic that has been quietly reshaping the internet, social media, and how we market our businesses. If you’ve ever felt disconnected from the feed, skeptical of what you’re seeing online, or exhausted by algorithm driven content, this episode will resonate.

Jenna unpacks why the internet feels dead. Between bots, AI generated content, misinformation, and platforms designed to influence behavior rather than foster connection, trust online is eroding fast. She breaks down dead internet theory through real‑world experience, not hype, and explains why social media no longer feels truly social.

This episode is not about abandoning the internet entirely. It’s about awareness, boundaries, and knowing where real connection actually happens now. Jenna shares why in person relationships, private communities, and intentional visibility matter more than ever, especially for designers navigating AI, marketing fatigue, and constant noise.

You’ll also hear how AI fits into this conversation in a practical way. When used intentionally, AI can give you time back instead of pulling you deeper into the scroll. The goal is not replacement, but support. Less busywork, more real life.

If you’re looking to learn how to use AI without losing your voice, your values, or your humanity, explore the AI classes and certificate programs available at:

This episode is a reset. Stop trusting the feed. Start trusting real humans, real experiences, and your own discernment.

Take an AI class with me this fall. Open enrollment classes are now available for Q1 through March! 

aiforinteriordesigners.ai/classes 

Waitlist for Q2 Certificate Program is also filling up quickly (see the class page to join it). 

Episode 67: Touch Grass, Save Your Sanity

Social media feels heavier than ever, AI content is everywhere, and many designers are starting 2026 already burnt out.

In this episode, Jenna reflects on burnout, growing up between analog and digital worlds, and why the solution to AI fatigue is not more tools, but more real life connection. This is an honest conversation about stepping back from the scroll, using AI intentionally, and prioritizing human experience in a tech-saturated world.

Instead of chasing algorithms or sharing everything publicly, Jenna explains why she is choosing a more intentional approach to visibility, community, and business this year.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why posting daily on social media is unsustainable long term

How AI saturation is changing how content feels online

Why “2026 is the new 2016” resonates right now

The difference between using AI as a tool versus letting it consume your life

Why in‑person industry events matter more than ever

How collaboration is helping firms stay resilient

Where AI actually saves time inside a design business

Updates on the AI Certificate Program and upcoming open enrollment classes

This episode is a reminder that AI should give you time back, not take away your humanity. Use the tools, then log off and go be a person again.

Links mentioned:

In this future-focused episode, Jenna skips the typical year-end recap and dives straight into what’s coming next for interior designers in 2026. Instead of dwelling on 2025, she breaks down the seismic shifts happening in AI, why so many firms are restructuring or closing, and how designers can stay not just relevant—but ahead of the curve.​

Why Jenna refuses to do “year in review” content and instead focuses on forward momentum, analytics, and what’s actually working for designers going into 2026.​

The real reasons so many small design firms are closing, and how collaboration, consulting teams, and strategic partnerships are helping others stay profitable and resilient.​

Why “free prompts for everyone” is harming the industry, and how to think more strategically about who you follow, what you support, and how you protect your expertise.​

How AI is changing from simple chat and image tools into full-on custom apps, dashboards, and systems built by designers, for designers—with workflows tailored to real design processes.​

A peek inside Jenna’s AI App Studio, including examples like proposal builders, paint schedule generators, and other tools that eliminate repetitive tasks and cut hours off your week.​

What “agentic AI” actually means in plain language, and how agents and multimodal tools (text, images, audio, video, documents) will soon be quietly embedded into almost everything you use.​

How leading studios are using AI to augment, not replace, creativity—like training models on a designer’s lifetime of sketches to rapidly generate new product ideas and prototypes.​

The critical difference between designers who let AI flatten their voice and designers who use AI to amplify their originality, storytelling, and thought leadership.​

Why 2026 is the year to take tech into your own hands, reduce bloated subscriptions, and start building (or using) bespoke tools that you own and control.​

Powerful reflection questions to ask yourself over the holiday break about your process, pricing, deliverables, ideal clients, and how AI can support the business you actually want to run.​

Protecting the profession: Why Jenna gates certain content, focuses only on professionals, and refuses to hand powerful tools to homeowners in ways that undermine designer livelihoods.​

Building your own ecosystem: How an industry-owned AI app studio can help designers cancel unnecessary tools, centralize workflows, and keep data and innovation inside the design community.​

Redefining “tech person”: Why some of the best adopters of AI are self-described “non-techy” creatives who see new possibilities, not just new software.​

Owning your uniqueness: What it really means to stop following trends, set them instead, and use AI to speed up execution—not to copy what’s already all over Pinterest.​

Google Gemini / DeepMind and multimodal, agentic AI flows.​

Lovegrove Studio / Ross Lovegrove DeepMind case study (YouTube): https://youtu.be/lULd8fmxJC0​

AI App Studio for interior designers, including custom apps, proposal builders, paint schedules, and more.​

AI for Interior Designers™ Certificate Program (first semester beginning January 6; enrollment closing January 5)

Ready to explore further?

The DAIly – Short, searchable AI training videos and workflows for $29.99/month.

AI CEU Program- www.aiforinteriordesigners.ai 

Resources:

Private Trainings & Speaking:

Community & Podcast:

Events Calendar:

Account & Social:

In this episode, we talk about the moment we’ve officially reached: AI is now good enough that homeowners think they can design without us. Between Gemini’s newest features, Nano Banana built into your camera roll, and an explosion of fake “AI experts,” the design industry is at a major turning point.

Nano Banana (Gemini Image Tools)

AI for Interior Designers™

Listen on Spotify

Daniel House Club

Stay ahead of AI. Protect your value. Explore the CEU Certificate Program:

EP 64: Zero Click AI Searches- The Reason Your Website Traffic is Down

In this episode, Jenna Gaidusek dives deep into the growing crisis of zero-click search—a shift in how people find answers online that’s impacting small businesses, designers, and anyone relying on website traffic for visibility and leads. Jenna explains what zero-click search is, why it’s become a problem over the past two years, and how AI-generated summaries on platforms like Google, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Gemini are changing the rules for SEO and business growth.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

Why it’s more important than ever to understand your website analytics—and how to get started even if you’re not “techy.”

The reality behind declining organic traffic: 60% of searches now end without a click, and 25% of small business site visits have dried up.

How designers can pivot with long-form, authority-building content, FAQs, and real world case studies that set you apart from generic AI content.

The crucial role of backlinks, referrals, press releases, and partnerships for visibility in AI-driven search engines.

The new ways clients search (and find designers) using conversational AI and how you can stay competitive when AI platforms summarize your content for searchers.

Practical tips to reclaim your audience: optimizing your site for both people and machines, getting creative with collaborations, and harnessing ethical digital strategies to protect your brand.

Jenna also shares personal insights from her own Squarespace analytics, breaks down the data from industry sources like Forbes and SuperPrompt, and offers encouragement for designers to get empowered—track their numbers, embrace change, and build authentic authority to thrive in the evolving landscape.

✨ Ready to explore further?

The DAIly – Short, searchable AI training videos and workflows for $29.99/month.

AI Workshops – Hands-on, live sessions that help you apply AI in your business right away.

Resources:

Membership & Workshops:

Private Trainings & Speaking:

Community & Podcast:

Events Calendar:

Account & Social:

Tune in for actionable strategies on defending your traffic, amplifying your expertise, and making your voice heard in this new age of search!

Episode 63: High Point Market, Human Connection & The Future of AI in Design

Ever feel like you need a nap after a trade show? Same. In this episode, Jenna’s back from High Point Market with stories, insights, and a very real take on how the design world is changing—and how AI is showing up in it.

From an intimate, hands-on AI Day at Feizy Rugs to a packed Lunch & Learn with IDS and Howard Elliott, Jenna shares how these in-person events are shaping the next era of design education. It wasn’t just about apps and prompts—it was about community, connection, and remembering why showing up still matters.

She also reflects on what it’s like to build something totally new (AI education in design) without a blueprint, how she balances tech with human interaction, and what’s next for 2026.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

Why this fall’s High Point Market felt so different—and what that says about the industry

The behind-the-scenes of AI Day and what really happens when designers get hands-on with tech

How digital note-taking and AI tools can actually organize your creative chaos

The power of trade shows for real relationships (not just pretty product photos)

A sneak peek into Jenna’s plans for the next evolution of AI for Interior Designers

✨ Ready to explore further?

The DAIly – Short, searchable AI training videos and workflows for $29.99/month.

Tune in now and rediscover why the best ideas still happen face-to-face.

Resources:

Membership & Workshops:

Private Trainings & Speaking:

Community & Podcast:

Events Calendar:

Account & Social:

Episode 62 of the AI for Interior Designers™ Podcast, hosted by Jenna Gaidusek, dives deep into the realities facing design students entering today’s job market, especially with the rapid rise of AI.

Jenna reflects on returning to teach at her alma mater and gives frank advice for students: the market is tough, reminiscent of graduating just after the 2008 recession, but now combined with accelerated industry change from AI. She emphasizes that traditional skills like rendering and drafting remain important, but AI proficiency is no longer optional; design firms increasingly look for new hires who are comfortable using AI tools like ChatGPT to boost productivity and handle tasks beyond design alone.

Jenna addresses student concerns about the environmental impact of AI and urges future designers to stay informed, ethical, and proactive. She notes the market shift: luxury clients may fare well, but the middle tier is squeezed, with firms expecting new hires to multitask and leverage technology strategically. Survival in this evolving industry hinges on demonstrating both core design skills and a readiness to use AI for efficiency and value.

Jenna also shares a candid outlook about the uncertainties ahead, the shrinking job pool for new designers, and the necessity to “bring something extra,” specifically AI fluency, to the table. She closes by encouraging students to seek continual AI training, stay adaptable, and focus on making a unique human impact that tech can’t replace.

Key Takeaways:

AI proficiency is crucial for design students entering the job market.

Core design skills still matter, but technology skills set applicants apart.

The industry is rapidly changing, and adaptability is essential.

Students should be aware of AI’s ethical and environmental dimensions.

Building a portfolio and starting to network before graduation is vital.

The human side of design, personal connection and problem-solving, remains irreplaceable.

 Resources:

Programs

Events

Resources

Podcast

About

Membership & Workshops:

Membership - The DAIly

Workshops

Everyday AI Masterclass

AI Day at High Point Market (register)

Private Trainings & Speaking:

Private AI Trainings & Advisory

Speaking

Collaborations

Press

Community & Podcast:

Podcast Episode Summaries

Community Conversations

Events Calendar:

Events Calendar

Account & Social:

Member Login

Instagram

YouTube

Episode 61: Subscription Overload- How New AI Lets Designers Consolidate

Feeling buried under a mountain of apps? You’re not alone. In this episode, Jenna pulls back the curtain on the flood of “AI for design” apps that popped up during the gold rush… and why so many of them are now vanishing. Spoiler: most were built by developers chasing profit, not by people who actually understand design.

Jenna shares her own journey (yep, hundreds of thousands invested in app development!) and explains why the future looks different now: designers themselves can start creating custom tools-  without needing a full dev team or a giant budget. Think: one streamlined app that matches your workflow instead of 10 overpriced subscriptions.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

Why cookie-cutter design apps are fading fast

How today’s AI makes it possible for designers to build their own tools

The dangers of locking into annual subscriptions too soon

Why consolidation is the next big shift for creative businesses

✨ Ready to explore further?

Programs

Events

Resources

Podcast

About

Membership & Workshops:

Membership - The DAIly

Workshops

Everyday AI Masterclass

AI Day at High Point Market (register)

Private Trainings & Speaking:

Private AI Trainings & Advisory

Speaking

Collaborations

Press

Community & Podcast:

Podcast Episode Summaries

Community Conversations

Events Calendar:

Events Calendar

Account & Social:

Member Login

Instagram

YouTube