Snap a photo of your living room or bedroom and let ChatGPT or Claude redesign it like a professional interior designer, then hand you a shopping list to actually build it. Two prompts, done right, with the tweaks that make it look real.
Photo In, Redesigned Room Out
The plan · 5 steps
- 1Tidy the room and take one good photo.
- 2Paste the redesign prompt with your photo.
- 3Pick your favorite version and fix anything that looks off.
- 4Run the shopping list prompt in the same chat.
- 5Check the links, order and build the room.
Before you start
Your app
ChatGPT works right away (paid plans get the most images). Claude needs the Banana plugin, a one-time setup in the Code tab of the Claude desktop app (Pro plan or higher, Mac or Linux).
Your photo
A clear, well-lit shot of the room, taken from the doorway.
Your budget
The most you want to spend. The shopping prompt uses $500, so change it to yours.
Same room, same bones, redesigned. You upload a photo of the space you have, your AI shows you what it could look like, and then it tells you what to buy to get there.
Take a good photo first
A good input photo makes a huge difference. Junk and bad lighting in equals junk out.
- Tidy up so the redesign isn't working around clutter.
- Open the blinds for natural light.
- Shoot from the doorway, straight-on if you can, so the whole room is in frame.
ChatGPT or Claude?
- ChatGPT makes the images itself with ChatGPT Images. Nothing to set up.
- Claude can't make images on its own, so it uses Banana, a free plugin that connects it to Google's Nano Banana image model. You set it up once, and then it works the same way.
Step 1, Redesign the Room
This is more detailed than "redesign my room" on purpose. The detail is what keeps the result realistic instead of a fantasy.
In ChatGPT
Open ChatGPT, upload your room photo and paste the prompt. ChatGPT generates redesigned images of your exact room right in the chat. Pick your favorite, and you're ready for the shopping list.
In Claude
One-time setup, about five minutes:
- Go to aistudio.google.com, sign in with your Google account and create a Gemini API key. Turn on billing for it, because Google charges per image.
2. Open the Claude desktop app, click the Code tab and paste the setup prompt below. It installs Banana and asks for your key.
3. When it's done, drag your room photo into the Code tab chat, type /banana, pick the Banana command and paste the redesign prompt above.
Install the Banana Claude image plugin for me and set it up. It's at github.com/AgriciDaniel/banana-claude. The install commands are: /plugin marketplace add AgriciDaniel/banana-claude /plugin install banana-claude@banana-claude-marketplace /plugin enable banana-claude@banana-claude-marketplace /reload-plugins If you can't run these yourself, tell me exactly what to type. Then check that Python 3.11 or newer is installed, and ask me for my Gemini API key so you can finish the setup.
Heads up: Keep your API key private and never post it anywhere. If it ever gets out, revoke it in AI Studio and make a new one. Banana runs on Mac and Linux, so on Windows use ChatGPT.
Fix Anything That Looks Off
Stay in the same chat and just say what's wrong. In Claude, start each new request with /banana.
- It changed your room too much (moved windows, new shape). Say "keep the exact same room, walls, and windows, only change the furniture, colors, and decor."
- It looks like a cartoon or 3D render. Add "make it look like a real photograph, photorealistic, natural lighting."
- You only got one image. Just say "give me 3 different versions in different styles."
Get a better result every time
- Name the feeling, not just the style. "Feels like a Parisian apartment" beats "modern" every time.
- Tell it what to keep. Love your floors or one piece of furniture? Say it, and it designs around them.
- Describe the light. "South facing with tons of natural light" or "dim evening vibe."
- Reference a real place. "Like a Soho House lounge" or "a Muji store."
- Change one thing at a time. The first version is a starting point. "Now make the sofa green." "Now add more plants."
Maverick's tip
My favorite move: once you love a design, say "now show me the same room at night with the lamps on." You get the exact same design with evening lighting, so you see how it feels at different times of day.
Get the Shopping List
This is the prompt that turns a pretty picture into a room you can actually build. Stay in the same chat so your AI knows exactly what it put in your redesign. The first line makes it search for real, current products instead of guessing at links.
Search the web for real products you can buy right now. Now give me everything in this new design as a shopping list on a budget under $500. For each item, furniture, rug, lighting, plants, and decor, list what it is, an estimated price, and a link to buy it (Amazon or a similar store). Keep the total under $500 and match the look in the image as closely as you can. Show me the running total.
You get a full list, each piece with a price and a link, adding up to your budget. Now you're building the room instead of just dreaming about it.
If the list isn't quite right
- A link is dead or goes to the wrong thing. This is the most common issue. Say "search for this exact item and give me a working link," or copy the item name into Amazon or Google yourself. The description is what matters most.
- It went over budget. Say "swap the most expensive items for cheaper lookalikes to get under $500."
- You want a different store. Say "give me the same list from IKEA and Target instead."
Heads up: Always click through and check the price and the item before you buy. AI can get a link or a price wrong, so treat the list as a really good starting cart, not a final receipt. A 30-second check saves you ordering the wrong thing.
Go beyond one room
- Test before you buy. Thinking about a $2,000 sofa? Add a product photo and ask it to put that sofa in your actual room.
- Whole home. Upload a photo of every room and ask for one design language across the whole place.
- Stage a listing. Selling or renting? Ask for neutral, buyer-friendly staging. Then turn it into a walkthrough with my home showcase video guide.
- Pre-renovation preview. Describe the wall you want to knock out and see the result before anyone swings a hammer.
Bonus Prompts
Once you have the basics, these pull more out of it. Same chat, any time. In Claude, start each one with /banana.
Design around what you're keeping
Redesign the room but I'm keeping my [COUCH / BED / RUG]. Build the new look around those pieces and only suggest what I actually need to add.
Three completely different versions
Not sure what style you want? Have it pitch you three at once.
Give me three completely different redesigns of this room. One modern minimalist, one warm mid-century, one moody and dark. Keep the existing floor and windows in every version. For each, tell me the vibe in one sentence before showing the image.
Get exact paint colors
What wall paint colors would make this redesign work? Give me specific color names and codes I can take to the store.
Renter-friendly, no drilling
Redo this for a rental: no painting, no drilling, nothing permanent. Only removable, damage-free changes, and keep it under $500.
Six rooms to try
The dreamy living room
Redesign my living room with a warm, modern organic style. Soft beige and cream tones, a low-profile linen couch, bouclé accent chair, travertine coffee table, and a big arched floor lamp. Add an oversized abstract art piece above the couch. Keep the existing windows. Make it feel like a boutique hotel.
The Japandi bedroom
Transform this bedroom into a Japandi style sanctuary. Low platform bed in oak, white linen bedding, paper pendant lamp, small wabi-sabi ceramic vase, and a single piece of black ink wall art. Strip out everything unnecessary. The room should feel calm and intentional.
The dream home office
Redesign this as a high-end home office built for 8 hour work days. Walnut standing desk facing the window, an ergonomic mesh chair, built-in shelving with a mix of books and design objects, warm task lighting, and one leather lounge chair in the corner for reading. Keep it masculine and grounded.
The rental-friendly kitchen
Give this kitchen a full makeover without any structural changes. Paint the cabinets deep forest green, swap the hardware for brass, add a natural stone backsplash, hang two matte black pendant lights over the counter, and style the shelves with a ceramic vase, a cutting board, and a plant. Keep the existing appliances.
The small apartment glow up
Redesign this studio apartment to make it feel twice as big. Create distinct zones for sleeping, working, and relaxing without adding walls. Use a light and airy color palette, a sleeper sofa, a round dining table that doubles as a desk, tall bookshelves along one wall, and layered rugs to define each space. Max vertical storage.
The moody dining room
Redesign this dining area to feel moody and cinematic. Charcoal painted walls, a long live-edge wooden table, black leather dining chairs, a sculptural brass chandelier, and a large gold-framed mirror on one wall. Add candles and a moody still-life painting. Dim and intimate lighting.
Common Mistakes and Quick Fixes
| If this happens | Try this |
|---|---|
| It changed the walls or windows | Say "keep the exact same room, walls, and windows, only change the furniture, colors, and decor." |
| It looks like a 3D render | Add "real photograph, photorealistic, natural lighting." |
| You only got one image | Say "give me 3 different versions in different styles." |
| The result looks muddy or cramped | Retake the photo: tidy room, blinds open, shot from the doorway. |
| Links are dead or made up | Say "search for this exact item and give me a working link." |
| The list went over budget | Say "swap the most expensive items for cheaper lookalikes." |
| Claude wrote a description instead of an image | Start the message with /banana in the Code tab. |
| /banana doesn't show up in Claude | The plugin didn't finish installing. Paste the setup prompt again. |
| Claude says billing isn't enabled | Turn on billing for your Gemini API key in Google AI Studio. |
| You're on a Windows PC | Banana runs on Mac and Linux. Use ChatGPT for this one. |
Quick Reference: The Two Prompts
| Step | What to do | Done looks like |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Photo | Tidy, blinds open, shoot from the doorway | One clear photo of the whole room |
| 2. Redesign | Upload it and paste the redesign prompt (in Claude, start with /banana) | A few versions to pick from |
| 3. Fix | Say what to keep and what to change, one thing at a time | A version you love |
| 4. Shop | Paste the shopping list prompt in the same chat | A list with prices, links and a running total |
| 5. Check | Click every link before you buy | The right items in your cart |
The rules that make it work: a clean, well-lit, straight-on photo. Tell it to keep your real room and stay photorealistic. Make it search the web for the shopping list, and always click through before you buy.
DO THIS TODAY
Tidy one room, take one good photo from the doorway and paste the redesign prompt. Pick your favorite, run the shopping list and order the first piece. Do one room at a time and finish it. One redesigned, shopped and styled room beats ten screenshots you never act on.
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