EP 58: AI for Interior and Architectural Photography with Brian Berkowitz
In episode 58 of the AI for Interior Designers *Podcast, Jenna Gaidusek sits down with renowned photographer Brian Berkowitz to explore the intersection of AI, photography, and interior design. Brian, a second-generation photographer with 30 years of experience, shares stories from his career working with luxury brands like Gucci, Rolex, Louis Vuitton, and top designers, as well as insights on how AI is streamlining business practices behind the scenes. Jenna and Brian also discuss their collaborative work teaching AI to photographers and the vital role of authenticity in social media, blogs, and digital presence. This episode is essential listening for anyone in the creative industries seeking practical, real-world applications of AI to boost efficiency and creativity while staying true to their brand voice.
Guest Bio: Brian Berkowitz
Brian Berkowitz is a New York-based photographer specializing in high-impact imagery for retail, architectural, and interior design projects. He works with global names such as Gucci, Rolex, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel, delivering crisp, creative visuals that capture brand intent and design excellence. A member of the IDS Long Island chapter, Brian also produces the IDS Long Island Podcast and frequently travels for projects across North America. He is known for his collaborative, professional approach and his expertise in integrating new technologies—including AI—into the creative workflow.
Website: brianberkowitzphoto.com
Instagram: @brianberko
IDS Podcast Host & Producer: IDS Podcast Page
LinkedIn: Brian Berkowitz
Relevant Links & Resources
Main AI for Interior Designers Site: aiforinteriordesigners.com
The Daily Jenna Gaidusek: aiforinteriordesigners.com
IDS Long Island: IDSPodcast.com
IDS Podcast on Apple: Apple Podcasts
Brian’s IDS LI Interview with Jenna: How AI for Interior Designers Has Evolved
Follow Brian Berkowitz
Portfolio: brianberkowitzphoto.com
Instagram: @brianberko
IDS Podcast: IDSPodcast.com
IDS Long Island & Podcast
IDS Long Island Official: IDSPodcast.com
IDS Podcast (Spotify/Apple/YouTube) – Hosted and produced by Brian Berkowitz.
IDS Podcast on Apple
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EP:57 Tech-Forward Design Partnerships with Howard Elliott
Episode 57: Tech-Forward Design Partnerships with Howard Elliott
In this episode of AI for Interior Designers, Jenna sits down with Bree Cassidy from Howard Elliott to talk about how one manufacturer is changing the game for designers with smarter, more efficient tools.
Howard Elliott has been a designer favorite since their early mirror collections in 2001, and today they offer over 5,000 SKUs ranging from mirrors and accent furniture to custom textiles, wall art, and outdoor pieces—all with a strong focus on customization. Bree shares how the brand’s new website update takes the guesswork out of sourcing, with features like:
Reverse image search so designers can upload a photo and instantly find similar Howard Elliott pieces
Clean silo photography and lifestyle images that make it easy to visualize products in projects
Wishlists and catalog builders to organize by client or project
Real-time stock visibility and designer-friendly pricing with no minimums
Jenna and Bree also dig into why user experience matters for trade partners, how Howard Elliott keeps customization at the forefront, and why photography and AI-powered workflows are making life easier for busy designers. Plus, Bree shares insider details about their Friday Friends designer spotlights, the annual Show Us Your Howard Elliott design contest, and of course—their legendary showroom happy hours at market.
This episode is equal parts tech-forward insights and down-to-earth designer talk, highlighting what true brand partnerships look like in 2025.
👉 Explore more:
The DAIly – on-demand AI training for designers ($29.99/month)
AI Tools List – her curated collection of go-to AI infused tools
Howard Elliott Website Walkthrough on YouTube – full video tour with Bree and Colleen.
Howard Elliott's Website
Howard Elliott on Instagram
🎧 Tune in to hear how Howard Elliott is blending AI, customization, and a designer-first mindset—and why it matters for your next project or Watch this Podcast over on Youtube .
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EP 56: AI & Product Procurement with Daniel House Club Founders
Welcome to the AI for Interior Designers podcast- Episode 56! In this episode, I’m joined by brothers Peter and Alexander Spalding, co-founders of Daniel House Club, a platform built to take the headaches out of procurement so designers can focus on what they actually love: designing.
We first met in May 2024 at a design immersion retreat in Scottsdale, and since then we’ve crossed paths at multiple industry events. I’ve not only partnered with them for events like the first AI Design Tech Summit but also used their platform extensively in my own projects.
This conversation takes you inside:
How they transformed their own struggles running a design firm into a membership-based back-of-house powerhouse for designers.
The ways AI and technology are streamlining catalog management, speeding up product requests, and making vendor data useful (even when it comes in as a messy PDF).
Alexander’s personal AI workflow, from ChatGPT and Gemini to a note-taking app called Granola, and how he uses these tools for everything from HTML tweaks to marketing plans.
Why brand voice training is essential for AI copywriting and how to get rid of the overused “luxury” and “elegant” clichés.
The behind-the-scenes process of making product photography consistent, clean, and usable across both marketing and client-facing boards.
Their vision for the future of sourcing, including real-time stock checks and image-based product search for trade-only vendors.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode
The backstory: How Daniel House Club started as an internal tool to fix the least favorite parts of running a design firm and why those same pain points are shared by designers everywhere.
Procurement without the burnout: How their concierge team helps designers avoid hiring extra staff for tracking orders and chasing vendors.
AI in action:
Vendor data extraction from PDFs, websites, and spreadsheets.
AI-driven image formatting, centering products, adding white backgrounds, and creating consistent aspect ratios.
Faster product requests, down from 45 minutes to 5, while keeping a human in the loop for quality control.
Alexander’s AI toolkit:
ChatGPT for copywriting, HTML snippets, and marketing refinement.
Granola for discreet, real-time meeting transcripts and searchable notes.
Deep research features in Gemini, ChatGPT, and Perplexity to dig through files, cloud storage, and vendor sites for specific data.
Keeping your voice: Strategies for training AI to write in your tone (minus emojis and endless exclamation marks) so it feels authentic to your brand.
Future sourcing dreams: Real-time inventory integration and a Google Lens-style search that works for trade vendors instead of sending you to mass-market retail.
Why This Episode Matters
If you’ve ever:
Struggled to keep vendor data clean and up-to-date.
Wished product images looked consistent on boards and in client presentations.
Spent hours chasing down pricing or stock levels.
Wanted to explore AI but didn’t know where to start in your design business.
You’ll get a ton of practical, ready-to-implement ideas from this conversation.
Resources & Links Mentioned
Daniel House Club Website
Daniel House Club on Instagram
Daniel House Club on LinkedIn
Daniel House Club on Facebook
Granola Note-Taking App
AI for Interior Designers™
Episode Timestamp Guide
00:33 – Meeting Peter & Alexander and the early Daniel House Club story
06:46 – Alexander’s day-to-day AI use
14:30 – Vendor data, HTML tweaks, and marketing scripts
27:43 – The AI-powered product request process
32:47 – Image formatting for catalogs and boards
35:34 – Future features: real-time stock checks and visual search
37:19 – High Point Market plans and event collaborations
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EP 55: Measuring Success with Canvas I.O. and Sarah Bird
EP 55: Measuring Success with Canvas I.O. and Sarah Bird
In this episode of the AI for Interior Designers podcast, host Jenna Gaidusek sits down with Sarah Bird, CEO of Canvas I.O. They dive into how Canvas I.O. is revolutionizing the design workflow by offering a tool for accurate field measurements without a tape measure.
Sarah shares her intriguing background and journey that led her to helm Canvas I.O., a company rooted in over a decade of LiDAR technology development and holding more than 20 patents. What started as a hardware-focused venture in 2008 with the goal of creating mobile LiDAR sensors (and even a successful Kickstarter campaign) has evolved into a powerful software solution. The shift became clear around 2022, recognizing that the core problem to solve was the laborious effort of manual measurements and modeling.
Learn how the Canvas I.O. app leverages your iPhone Pro or iPad Pro's LiDAR to quickly scan a physical space, instantly generating a 3D model and a draft CAD model. The real game-changer lies in their ability to transform this draft into a detailed, design-ready, tag-layered CAD model that is native to popular design software like Chief Architect, SketchUp, Revit, and 2020 Design.
Sarah emphasizes the crucial aspect of accuracy, explaining that for a single room (around 100 sq ft), measurements are typically within a half or quarter inch. For full floor plans, it might be within an inch, providing ample precision for most design needs, though she advises traditional field measurements for critical elements like windows, cabinets, and countertops.
The conversation also touches on the hybrid nature of Canvas I.O.'s technology, combining AI for initial extraction of walls and planes with human review and detailing to ensure unparalleled accuracy and inclusion of critical elements like outlets, light switches, and baseboards. This unique approach prioritizes reliability, ensuring that while the instant draft offers quick conceptualization, the final, detailed models are entirely trustworthy for structural design.
Discover the user-friendly process of using Canvas I.O.:
Download the free app from the Apple App Store.
Practice scanning at home (scanning is free for up to two projects a month).
Follow simple yet crucial tips like opening drapes and ensuring no moving objects during scanning to maximize accuracy.
Upload your scan (preferably on Wi-Fi) and select your desired native file format.
Receive your detailed, ready-to-use CAD file, typically with a cost estimate based on square footage (billing occurs only upon delivery).
Sarah and Jenna also delve into the broader implications of AI in interior design, highlighting how Canvas I.O. acts as the essential "real-world connection" for generative AI tools. They discuss the unique human elements of taste, understanding material textures, and client communication that AI simply cannot replicate, positioning designers to thrive in an increasingly automated world.
Tune in to learn how embracing technology like Canvas I.O. not only streamlines your workflow but also helps you present as a tech-forward firm, potentially winning more clients and freeing up valuable time for creativity or personal pursuits.
About Sarah Bird & Canvas IO
Sarah Bird serves as CEO of Canvas, an early-stage tech startup revolutionizing the construction, remodeling, and design industries through cutting-edge 3D capture and model technology. A seasoned and visionary CEO, board member, and investor, her expertise spans digital media, SaaS, and venture capital. She successfully secured multiple rounds of venture capital, managed over $100 million in annual revenue, and served a vast global customer base. Her previous venture-backed company, Moz, had a successful exit to a public company in 2021. Sarah is a sought-after keynote speaker and has been honored with several awards, including 3x CEO of the Year Finalist (Geekwire) and EY Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist.
LinkedIn.com/in/SarahBird
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EP 54: Authenticity in the Age of AI - Real Talk with Laurie Laizure from Interior Design Community
In episode 54, Jenna and Laurie dive deep into the current state of AI in the design world, especially how it’s showing up (for better or worse) on social media. Laurie gives a brutally honest take on how many designers are either all-in with AI or still sitting on the sidelines waiting to see if it’s worth the hype. Spoiler: it is, but not the way some people are using it.
This episode is like a fireside chat between two industry vets who’ve been on the front lines of design and tech, and aren’t afraid to call out the nonsense.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
The Real Talk on AI Use in Design
There’s a huge range in adoption—from “wait and see” legacy firms to new-school designers building custom GPTs for daily use.
Some designers are using AI responsibly to get time back. Others? Not so much—think generic content and passing off AI work as their own.
Ethics are messy. And Laurie’s not afraid to call out friends when their captions scream ChatGPT.
Social Media Faux Pas & Fixes
Laurie breaks down the dead giveaways of AI-generated content: overuse of em dashes, awkward emojis, weird formatting, and cringey comparative statements.
Gen Z and Gen Alpha already see through AI content. If your 9-year-old can spot it, your clients can too.
They both agree: use AI for support, but don’t let it erase your actual voice. Even misspelled captions can feel more “real” than polished AI output.
Designers as Product Guides, Not Influencers
Laurie makes a strong case for designers stepping into more product-forward roles. Think: guiding consumers toward quality, not just pretty photos.
AI avatars could be a bridge for camera-shy designers to share their expertise without losing authenticity.
The market is craving trusted advisors—and designers are perfectly positioned to fill that role if they lean in.
AI: Tool vs. Threat
There’s a looming risk: brands using designers’ IP to build consumer-facing tools that cut out the designer entirely.
Jenna shares how she works behind the scenes with developers to advocate for the industry (and call out red flags).
Both stress the importance of designers protecting their work and not blindly handing it over to platforms that might undermine them later.
Advice for Designers Dipping into AI
You don’t need every tool. Just the right one for how you work.
Work with someone (ahem, Jenna) who gets the design industry and can show you how to use AI to save time without losing your soul.
AI isn’t a shortcut for thinking. Quality in, quality out. Garbage in? Well… you get it.
Final Thought
AI isn’t going away. But neither is the need for real, human insight—especially in an industry built on connection, curation, and creativity. Laurie and Jenna agree: authenticity is what’s going to cut through the AI noise. And designers? You’ve got more power than you think.
🔗 Listen to the episode here:
To the Trade: How eDesign Tribe Founder Jenna Gaidusek is Revolutionizing Interior Design (Interior Design Community Podcast)
Follow the Interior Design Community on Instagram
Visit the Interior Design Community website
Follow Jenna on Instagram
Follow AI for Interior Designers
Check out www.aiforinteriordesigners.com and keep up with the latest and greatest in the world of AI and Interior design.
The AI for Interior Designers™ *Podcast is your down-to-earth resource for running a smart, efficient, and creative design business. Host Jenna Gaidusek tackles everyday challenges in the world of interior design. From project sourcing and field measurements, to finding reliable vendors, refining your workflow, and keeping client experiences top-notch. Expect honest talks on product procurement, building partnerships with makers and manufacturers, streamlining proposals, and keeping your design boards fresh and organized.
Episodes dig into things like digital note-takers for meetings, building template libraries, curating a unique brand voice, and staying authentic in your marketing and client interactions. You’ll hear behind-the-scenes stories with guests from leading design platforms, manufacturers, and educators, plus real tips for sustainability, running virtual design studios, and staying ahead of the trends. Jenna also opens up about the practical side of design: overcoming burnout, protecting your creative edge, learning from data, and picking tools that actually save you time.
If you want actionable advice about project management, workflow optimization, sourcing, branding, education, trend-spotting, sustainability, digital communication, and balancing tech with creativity, this podcast is for you. Join a supportive community of professionals who believe that efficient systems free up more time for imagination, relationships, and great design.
Learn more with Jenna through the DAIly AI training program at www.aiforinteriordesigners.comFollow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jenna.gaidusek/ and https://www.instagram.com/aiforinteriordesigners
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