These AI interior design prompts describe a new look for a room you already have, starting from a photo of it. They're written for the "Anything specific?" box in Toybox AI's Room Refresh, where "New look + tips" returns a redesigned picture of the room plus how to recreate it. They also work as starting points in other AI image tools, with results that vary from tool to tool. Further down are staging notes for agents' listing photos, and descriptions for rooms that don't exist yet, which need no photo at all.
How a good AI interior design prompt is built
A room prompt has six parts, and the last one matters most when the AI starts from your own photo:
- The room and how it's used: "home office for two people who take video calls".
- One style: a named style plus two traits you'd point to, such as "Scandinavian, light and uncluttered".
- Materials and colors: two or three of each, such as "white oak, linen and black metal in warm white and sage".
- The light: daylight from which side, and the lamps you want.
- One must-have: the thing the room lacks, like a desk, shoe storage or a place to hang coats.
- The keep list: the windows, doors, floor and anything built in, named by position.
Fill in this template, keep it under 500 characters so it fits the box, and paste it in:
[Room] for [who uses it and how]. [Style] style with [material], [material] and [material], in [color] and [color]. [Light]. Add [must-have]. Keep [windows, doors, floor and what stays] exactly the same.Living room and bedroom prompts
Warm modern living room
A lived-in living room that needs a clear layout and softer light. Choose Modern under "Style".
Living room for a family of four who watch movies here. Warm modern style with a deep sofa in oatmeal fabric, a walnut coffee table and a wool rug, in cream and rust. Add two table lamps and a floor lamp so the room works without the ceiling light. Keep the two windows, the fireplace and the wood floor exactly the same.Change: swap "family of four" and the colors to match your household.
Living room with hidden storage
For a small living room where toys, cables and mail pile up.
Small living room, about 11 by 13 feet. Modern style with closed storage: a low media cabinet with doors, a storage ottoman and baskets on one open shelf. Hide the TV cables. Keep the sofa, the window and the doorway where they are.Change: name what piles up in your room, such as shoes or board games.
Calm neutral bedroom
A bedroom that reads quiet, with nothing bright near the bed. Choose Minimalist.
Primary bedroom for two adults. Minimalist style with a linen upholstered headboard, matching nightstands with drawers and blackout curtains, in warm white, taupe and light oak. Add a wall light on each side of the bed. Keep the window, the closet doors and the carpet the same.Change: replace blackout curtains with sheer ones if the room gets little light.
Nursery
Pick Nursery under "Room" in "More options" before you run it.
Nursery for a baby, with a crib, a glider chair by the window and a dresser that doubles as a changing table. Soft sage green and cream with light wood. Add a dimmable lamp for night feeds. Keep the window, the closet and the floor exactly the same.Change: swap sage for another soft color, such as pale blue or blush.
Kitchen and bathroom prompts
Light wood kitchen refresh
New cabinet fronts and tile without moving anything. Choose Modern under "Style", or Traditional if you want raised-panel doors.
Kitchen refresh with the same layout. Change the cabinet doors to flat light oak fronts with slim black pulls, add a green square tile backsplash, a black faucet and a washable runner rug in front of the sink. Keep the countertops, the sink, the range, the refrigerator and the window exactly where they are.Change: swap light oak for white fronts, or the green tile for white. For cabinet paint colors alone, see the paint color visualizer guide.
Rental kitchen refresh
For a kitchen you can't renovate. Pick the "Under $50" or "$50 to $200" budget.
Rental kitchen, renter-friendly changes only: no painting and no drilling. Add a runner rug, a rolling cart for extra storage, plug-in under-cabinet lights and a few plants on the windowsill. Keep the cabinets, countertops, appliances and floor as they are.Change: add "peel-off backsplash" if your lease allows it.
Small bathroom, spa look
A bathroom that feels calmer without new tile.
Small bathroom with a tub and shower combo. Spa-like look with white and pale green towels, a wood bath mat, a plant that likes humidity, a new shower curtain in natural linen and an over-the-toilet shelf. Keep the tile, the tub, the sink and the mirror exactly the same.Change: if the room has no window, ask for a warm light fixture instead of the plant.
Laundry room
Choose Laundry under "Room".
Laundry room with a side-by-side washer and dryer. Add a wood countertop over both machines, open shelves above for baskets, a hanging rod for drying shirts and a small trash can. Keep the machines, the door and the floor where they are.Change: for a stacked washer and dryer, ask for a tall narrow cabinet beside it.
Home office, entryway and style prompts
Home office for video calls
A work corner that looks tidy on camera. Choose Modern or Scandinavian.
Home office for one person who takes video calls daily. Put the desk facing the window, add a soft lamp in front of the chair, a bookshelf behind the chair with a few books and one plant, and hide the cables. Keep the window, the door and the floor the same.Change: if the desk can't face the window, ask for two lamps in front of the chair.
Entryway drop zone
Choose Entryway under "Room".
Narrow entryway, about 4 feet wide. Add a slim bench with shoe cubbies underneath, a row of wall hooks for coats and bags, a small tray for keys and a round mirror. Keep the front door, the floor and the light switch where they are.Change: swap the bench for a wall shelf if the hall is under 3 feet wide.
Japandi bedroom
Pick "Something else" as the style, then type Japandi in the box that appears.
Bedroom in a Japandi style. Low light oak bed frame, linen bedding in oat and clay, a paper lantern pendant, one tall plant in a ceramic pot, and almost nothing on the surfaces. Keep the window, the closet and the floor exactly the same.Change: add charcoal as an accent color for a darker version.
Mid-century living room
Choose "Something else" and type mid-century modern.
Living room in a mid-century modern style. A sofa with tapered wood legs in mustard or olive fabric, a round walnut coffee table, a sunburst mirror, a globe pendant light and a low sideboard. Keep the windows, the doorway and the wood floor the same.Change: swap mustard for teal, or olive for a warm rust.
Coastal living room, not beach theme
Coastal can slide into seashell decor fast, so the prompt names materials instead of motifs. Choose "Something else" and type coastal.
Living room in a relaxed coastal style without beach decor: a white slipcovered sofa, a jute rug, rattan chairs, pale blue and sandy beige cushions, and sheer white curtains. No shells, anchors or signs. Keep the windows, the fireplace and the floor the same.Change: swap pale blue for soft green to warm it up.
Style words for interior design prompts
A style name alone leaves a lot open. Name the materials, colors and pieces you'd see in that style, as in this table.
| Style | Materials to name | Colors to name | Pieces to name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japandi | Light oak, linen, paper, ceramic | Oat, clay, charcoal | Low bed, paper lantern, one large plant |
| Mid-century modern | Walnut, teak, brass | Mustard, olive, teal | Tapered legs, globe pendant, low sideboard |
| Coastal | Jute, rattan, whitewashed wood | White, sand, pale blue | Slipcovered sofa, sheer curtains |
| Scandinavian | Pale wood, wool, sheepskin | White, light gray, black accents | Simple wood chairs, wool throw |
| Industrial | Black metal, brick, leather, concrete | Charcoal, rust, warm wood | Metal shelving, leather sofa, bare-bulb lights |
| Boho | Rattan, macrame, cotton, terracotta | Terracotta, mustard, cream | Floor cushions, layered rugs, trailing plants |
| Traditional | Dark wood, velvet, brass | Navy, burgundy, cream | Rolled-arm sofa, skirted chair, table lamps |
Virtual staging AI prompt notes for listing photos
In Virtual Staging, most of the work is in the settings, and the note only adds what the settings can't say. Virtual Staging takes one room photo and offers eight styles (Modern, Scandinavian, Minimalist, Mid-century, Industrial, Bohemian, Coastal and Luxury), a "Room type" from "Detect it for me" to "Patio", and a "Clear the room first" switch that removes the furniture there now. The note goes in "Notes" under "More options", up to 500 characters. Staging notes that work for listing photos:
- For a small bedroom: "Queen bed and two nightstands sized for a 10 by 12 foot room. Leave the window and the closet door clear."
- For a bonus room: "Stage as a home office with a desk facing the window and a reading chair. Keep the built-in shelves visible and empty."
- For a patio: "A bistro table with two chairs and three potted plants. Keep the railing and the view open."
- For a dated furnished room: switch on "Clear the room first", then "Neutral furniture in light wood and white, with one plant and no art covering the windows."
The staged image comes back without a "virtually staged" label, so the disclosure is yours to add. In California, section 10140.8 of the Business and Professions Code (in effect since January 1, 2026) requires an ad using an altered listing image to flag it beside the image and point buyers to the original. Check your MLS's own photo rules too. Staging costs and MLS labeling are covered in virtual staging for real estate.
AI image generator prompts for rooms from scratch
When there's no photo yet, such as a kitchen you're planning or a house that isn't built, an AI image generator for interior design works from words alone. Image Generator makes one picture per run, in Square, Portrait, Landscape, Story or Wide, and currently costs 50 credits. Type these into its "Describe your image" box:
- For AI image generator kitchen design: "A galley kitchen about 8 feet wide with flat-front cabinets in sage green, white quartz counters, brass faucets and open oak shelves, morning light from a window at the end, photographed at eye level."
- For AI image generator home design, outside: "A single-story house with white board and batten siding, a black metal roof, a wide front porch with two rocking chairs, and a gravel path lined with lavender, late afternoon light."
- For a living room mood board: "A living room with a curved cream sofa, a travertine coffee table, a large jute rug and olive green curtains, soft evening lamp light, wide shot."
The result is a picture, not a plan: it won't match your real room's dimensions, so use it to agree on a look before measuring.
Tips for better interior design results
- Name kept items by position. "The tall window beside the radiator" leaves less to chance than "the window".
- Give real sizes. "A 7-foot sofa" or "a 10 by 12 foot room" keeps the furniture closer to your room than "a big sofa".
- Use one style per prompt. If you mix, say which pieces come from which style, such as "a Scandinavian room with one mid-century sideboard".
- Say what to take out. "Remove the exercise bike and the laundry basket" works better than hoping they disappear.
- Run the same note on two styles. Change only the "Style" choice between runs, so the difference you see comes from the style.
- Match the note to the budget. A "$500 and up" note can ask for a new sofa. An "Under $50" note should ask for moves and small buys.
Fixes for common problems
| Problem | Add this to your prompt |
|---|---|
| A window moved or disappeared | "Keep every window and door exactly where it is in the photo." |
| The room looks bigger than it is | "The room is 10 by 12 feet; size the furniture to fit." |
| A piece you're keeping was replaced | "Keep the blue armchair next to the fireplace as it is." |
| Too much decor on every surface | "Leave most surfaces bare, with no more than three objects on any shelf." |
| The style came out generic | Name three materials and three colors from the style table. |
| The redesign ignored the budget | "Only suggest items within the budget, with a price for each." |
| Too dark or too gloomy | "Bright daylight from the window, with two warm lamps on." |
Run these prompts in Room Refresh
Open Room Refresh, upload your room under "Photo of your room" (JPG or PNG, up to 10 MB), choose "New look + tips" for a redesigned picture, pick the "Style", and paste the note into "Anything specific?" under "More options". It takes indoor rooms only, and since there's no revise box, a variation means editing one line of the note and pressing "Get ideas" again. For free tools and the whole process, read redesigning a room with AI, step by step, and for tight spaces sorted by budget, the small room makeover ideas.