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Why Everything Looks the Same: The Hidden Cost of Algorithm-Driven Design · The iDesign Lab Podcast

• 0:00
  Voice Over: This is iDesign Lab, a podcast where creativity and curiosity meet style and design.
• 0:06
  Voice Over: Curator of interiors, furnishings, and lifestyles.
• 0:09
  Voice Over: Hosted by Tiffany Woolley, an interior designer and a style enthusiast, along with her serial entrepreneur husband Scott.
• 0:17
  Voice Over: iDesign Lab is your ultimate design podcast where we explore the rich and vibrant world of design and its constant evolution in style and trends.
• 0:35
  Scott Woolley: And I'm Scott.
• 0:37
  TIffany Woolley: And today we are going to be talking about something that's hard to ignore once you start paying attention.
• 0:44
  TIffany Woolley: Have you ever walked into a coffee shop, hotel, restaurant, or even somebody's home and thought, this feels familiar.
• 0:52
  TIffany Woolley: And it's not because you've been there before, but because it looks like just so many other places that you've already seen.
• 0:59
  Scott Woolley: I think most people have experienced that.
• 1:02
  Scott Woolley: You walk in and almost know what you're going to see before you see it.
• 1:06
  Scott Woolley: The furniture, the lighting, the color, the layout, it's all like looks like somebody handed everyone the same design playbook and said, hey, here it is.
• 1:18
  TIffany Woolley: What's interesting is that these spaces, even though they're beautiful, it's not bad design.
• 1:23
  TIffany Woolley: It's just in many cases, it's actually very good design.
• 1:26
  TIffany Woolley: It's just why does it all seem so familiar?
• 1:30
  Scott Woolley: And that's what we're exploring today.
• 1:32
  Scott Woolley: Why does everything seem to be and look the same?
• 1:36
  Scott Woolley: How did we get there?
• 1:37
  Scott Woolley: And what does it mean for creativity, originality, and the future of design?
• 1:43
  TIffany Woolley: So this is the coffee shop test.
• 1:45
  Scott Woolley: Yes, the coffee shop.
• 1:46
  TIffany Woolley: Okay, so think of like your local Starbucks and also the curated, cute mom and pop shop, like coffee shop in your neighborhood.
• 1:55
  TIffany Woolley: So let's start with the easy example.
• 1:57
  TIffany Woolley: Like we said, coffee shop.
• 1:59
  TIffany Woolley: Let's think of the last few coffee shops you visited.
• 2:02
  TIffany Woolley: Chances are they share a lot of the same design elements.
• 2:07
  TIffany Woolley: Think wood tables, black metal industrial fixtures, neutral colors, plants, and maybe even a brick or exposed wall and ceiling.
• 2:17
  Scott Woolley: And somehow there's always one corner that fits perfectly for photos.
• 2:21
  Scott Woolley: You know, it seems like it's all the time.
• 2:23
  Scott Woolley: You can almost picture the Instagram posts before they happen.
• 2:27
  Scott Woolley: What's funny is that these elements become popular for good reasons.
• 2:31
  Scott Woolley: They create a warm and inviting atmosphere.
• 2:35
  TIffany Woolley: The problem isn't the design itself.
• 2:37
  TIffany Woolley: The problem is that once a trend is proven successful, everyone starts copying it.
• 2:42
  TIffany Woolley: One coffee shop does it, then another, then another.
• 2:46
  TIffany Woolley: And before long, this style just becomes redundant and the standard.
• 2:50
  Scott Woolley: And this coffee shop style has been around for quite some time.
• 2:54
  Scott Woolley: And eventually things do, you know, that are made up are unique disappear.
• 2:58
  Scott Woolley: Instead of remembering a particular coffee shop, you remember a trend.
• 3:03
  Scott Woolley: That's when design starts losing some of its personality.
• 3:07
  TIffany Woolley: So it's not just in coffee shops either, it's in restaurants, hotels.
• 3:12
  TIffany Woolley: Think of apartment building entries, office spaces, even retail stores.
• 3:17
  TIffany Woolley: Sometimes you can travel hundreds of miles and feel like you've just walked into the same place.
• 3:22
  Scott Woolley: That's a great point.
• 3:24
  Scott Woolley: Design used to tell us where we were.
• 3:27
  Scott Woolley: Now it often tells us what trends we're looking at.
• 3:31
  TIffany Woolley: So, how do we find inspiration today?
• 3:35
  TIffany Woolley: One of the biggest reasons this is happening has to do with where inspiration comes from.
• 3:40
  TIffany Woolley: Years ago, designers gathered ideas and inspiration from books, from traveling, from existing architecture, museums, nature, and everyday experiences.
• 3:53
  Scott Woolley: Today, most of us start online.
• 3:55
  Scott Woolley: We open Pinterest, we open Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or design websites.
• 4:01
  Scott Woolley: There's nothing wrong with that.
• 4:02
  Scott Woolley: These platforms are incredible resources, but they also create a new challenge.
• 4:08
  TIffany Woolley: That's when that algorithm pops up in the challenge that millions of people are looking at the exact same images.
• 4:14
  TIffany Woolley: Everyone starts from the same source of inspiration.
• 4:18
  TIffany Woolley: And not surprising, many projects all begin to look the same.
• 4:23
  Scott Woolley: And then the algorithm steps in again.
• 4:26
  Scott Woolley: The first and most impopular designs get the most engagement.
• 4:30
  Scott Woolley: Those designs get pushed to more people.
• 4:33
  Scott Woolley: More people save them, share them, copy them.
• 4:36
  TIffany Woolley: And this and bring them to me.
• 4:38
  Scott Woolley: Yeah, and the cycle keeps repeating itself.
• 4:41
  TIffany Woolley: So what starts as inspiration can quickly become imitation.
• 4:46
  TIffany Woolley: A designer sees a living room they like, then another designer sees the same room, then a homeowner sees it.
• 4:52
  TIffany Woolley: And before long, that one image has influenced thousands of spaces.
• 4:58
  Scott Woolley: And here's the interesting part about it.
• 5:00
  Scott Woolley: Most people think they've making these original choices because they've personally discovered it.
• 5:06
  Scott Woolley: They found it themselves on a social site or somewhere.
• 5:10
  Scott Woolley: What they don't realize is that thousands of other people have discovered the exact same thing.
• 5:15
  TIffany Woolley: I know.
• 5:15
  TIffany Woolley: It's kind of bizarre.
• 5:17
  TIffany Woolley: But the Pinterest living room is kind of like what we're talking about.
• 5:21
  TIffany Woolley: People come in the office and they say, let's talk about that famous Pinterest living room.
• 5:27
  TIffany Woolley: Most people can picture it immediately.
• 5:29
  TIffany Woolley: It's light walls, neutral furniture, simple decor, a few plants, maybe a black frame mirror somewhere.
• 5:37
  TIffany Woolley: Think like that modern farmhouse chic.
• 5:39
  Scott Woolley: And usually a coffee table with one carefully placed book that no one's ever opened and probably ever will.
• 5:46
  TIffany Woolley: Exactly.
• 5:47
  TIffany Woolley: And again, once again, we gotta stress, it's not a bad look.
• 5:51
  TIffany Woolley: It's clean, it's attractive, it photographs well.
• 5:55
  TIffany Woolley: But after you see it over and over, you just start wondering where have these people's individual personalities gone?
• 6:03
  Scott Woolley: That's the challenge.
• 6:04
  Scott Woolley: Sometimes people spend just so much time trying to create a space that looks great online that they forgot to create a space that reflects who they are.
• 6:16
  TIffany Woolley: So that's where we come in often.
• 6:18
  TIffany Woolley: But a home should tell your story.
• 6:21
  TIffany Woolley: It's a collection, a curated group.
• 6:23
  TIffany Woolley: It reflects your interests.
• 6:25
  TIffany Woolley: It should be your experience, your personality, how your family forms and functions in a space.
• 6:30
  TIffany Woolley: Otherwise, it just becomes a showroom and not a home.
• 6:34
  Scott Woolley: Which is the most fun to have.
• 6:37
  Scott Woolley: Yeah.
• 6:37
  Scott Woolley: And that's something we're seeing in many areas of design today, the pressure to fit into the trends that can sometimes outweigh the desire to create something personal.
• 6:50
  TIffany Woolley: Right.
• 6:50
  TIffany Woolley: Because people are kind of designing for social media.
• 6:54
  TIffany Woolley: Social media has changed design in so many ways.
• 6:57
  TIffany Woolley: Some of these changes have been for the positive.
• 7:00
  TIffany Woolley: Businesses can reach customers more easily.
• 7:03
  TIffany Woolley: Designers can share their work with the world.
• 7:06
  TIffany Woolley: So you can really connect with a designer that might not be in your backyard and you can still collaborate and work together.
• 7:11
  TIffany Woolley: So there really are so many positives to social media.
• 7:14
  Scott Woolley: But social media also, you know, has changed how spaces are created.
• 7:20
  Scott Woolley: More and more environments are being designed with the camera in mind.
• 7:24
  TIffany Woolley: Could you imagine like an AI?
• 7:27
  TIffany Woolley: AI is a big one too.
• 7:28
  TIffany Woolley: But let's go back.
• 7:29
  TIffany Woolley: Think about restaurants.
• 7:31
  TIffany Woolley: You see a giant flower wall, neon signs.
• 7:34
  TIffany Woolley: They became a diamond dozen in these dramatic backgrounds, specifically designed for photo opportunities.
• 7:40
  TIffany Woolley: The goal is to encourage customers to share their experience online.
• 7:44
  TIffany Woolley: We see it all over town.
• 7:46
  Scott Woolley: And from a marketing perspective, it's brilliant.
• 7:48
  Scott Woolley: Every customer becomes part of the advertising campaign.
• 7:52
  Scott Woolley: The photos spread across social media and it helps attract new visitors.
• 7:56
  TIffany Woolley: I mean, just this morning, our girls, as you know, our teenagers were like, there's a new coffee shop in town.
• 8:03
  TIffany Woolley: You know, the only reason they know is because they saw it on social media.
• 8:08
  Scott Woolley: And it looks just like every other coffee shop.
• 8:10
  TIffany Woolley: And it's got a place for a selfie.
• 8:11
  Scott Woolley: And I had to say to them, like, is the coffee going to be any better than any of the other places?
• 8:15
  Scott Woolley: Why are you going out of your way to this?
• 8:17
  Scott Woolley: But social media is driving.
• 8:19
  TIffany Woolley: Social media.
• 8:20
  TIffany Woolley: So it leaves us a challenge to make sure that our experience is just as strong as the image.
• 8:26
  TIffany Woolley: A space shouldn't only look good in a picture, but it should feel good when you're actually in the space.
• 8:33
  Scott Woolley: And that's a distinction that often gets overlooked.
• 8:36
  Scott Woolley: Great design is about more than appearance, it's about comfort, function, emotion, and experience.
• 8:43
  Scott Woolley: And a photograph only captures one part of that story.
• 8:47
  TIffany Woolley: The safe choice problem, that's another thing that you know we see often in combat in our everyday work.
• 8:54
  TIffany Woolley: We think about how people just want what everybody else has.
• 9:00
  TIffany Woolley: So naturally, we want to reduce that risk.
• 9:03
  TIffany Woolley: If a design style is already proving itself successful, it's tempting to just keep repeating that formula.
• 9:14
  TIffany Woolley: All right.
• 9:14
  TIffany Woolley: So I think another factor in business, naturally, you want to reduce risk, but and people just kind of tend to go with a style.
• 9:22
  TIffany Woolley: If it isn't broken, don't fix it.
• 9:25
  TIffany Woolley: And if it's proven successful, it's very tempting to continually replay that formula.
• 9:30
  Scott Woolley: But honestly, that's understandable.
• 9:32
  Scott Woolley: If you're investing a lot of money into a project, choosing something familiar can feel safer and a little easier than trying something completely new.
• 9:42
  Scott Woolley: And as we know, most people have a very tough time trying and trying to do something new and out of the box.
• 9:50
  TIffany Woolley: Right.
• 9:50
  TIffany Woolley: People have a hard time trusting what they're not familiar with.
• 9:54
  TIffany Woolley: But there's definitely much more positivity and growth in that.
• 9:57
  TIffany Woolley: The problem is that innovation rarely comes from playing it safe.
• 10:02
  TIffany Woolley: Most of these designers we celebrate today were considered unusual when they first appeared.
• 10:09
  Scott Woolley: That's true.
• 10:10
  Scott Woolley: In architecture, branding, fashion, technology, and entertainment, the things that stand out are often the things that are different enough to make people notice.
• 10:20
  TIffany Woolley: And that's what we want.
• 10:22
  TIffany Woolley: Sometimes the best ideas make people uncomfortable.
• 10:25
  TIffany Woolley: And that's where the most growth happens.
• 10:27
  TIffany Woolley: And a lot of times it's just because they're unfamiliar.
• 10:30
  Scott Woolley: And that's why originality takes courage.
• 10:33
  Scott Woolley: It's easier to follow a trend than create a new one.
• 10:38
  unknown: Exactly.
• 10:39
  Scott Woolley: I think that's what we're always trying to do, is get every person and every person with their home to create their own trend for their own.
• 10:47
  TIffany Woolley: And that is something that is so important to me with each project.
• 10:50
  TIffany Woolley: And I definitely think that TW Interiors does such a great job of really collaborating with our clients and create something super unique.
• 11:00
  TIffany Woolley: So we've talked a little bit about homes, but also regarding businesses.
• 11:04
  TIffany Woolley: We can discuss logos.
• 11:06
  Scott Woolley: Yeah, let's talk about logos.
• 11:07
  TIffany Woolley: So let's talk about logos.
• 11:09
  TIffany Woolley: And this area where people have noticed a change over the last decade is brands have simplified their logos.
• 11:17
  TIffany Woolley: Everything's more generic.
• 11:19
  Scott Woolley: I know we just spent a lot of time trying to with our kids trying to fine-tune a logo for their band.
• 11:26
  Scott Woolley: And we did the same thing, I think, that most people do is go look at what else is out there and then realize wait a minute, let's be creative and let's do something different.
• 11:34
  Scott Woolley: And that's a lot of people.
• 11:36
  Scott Woolley: Yeah, and a lot of companies have moved towards a cleaner, you know, minimal design.
• 11:41
  Scott Woolley: The goal is usually to be flexible.
• 11:43
  Scott Woolley: Simple logos work well on websites, apps, social media, and digital platforms, which is something that we, you know, look for in the logo that we were creating.
• 11:53
  TIffany Woolley: Definitely.
• 11:53
  TIffany Woolley: I even think like logos are almost like a monogram.
• 11:57
  TIffany Woolley: You know, there's definitely advantages to a simple approach, and it can make a brand easier to recognize.
• 12:04
  TIffany Woolley: It's also easier to translate through different platforms.
• 12:09
  Scott Woolley: But there's another side to this conversation.
• 12:12
  Scott Woolley: When enough brands move in the same direction, some of those of that individuality seems to disappear.
• 12:20
  Scott Woolley: A lot of logos begin sharing similar characteristics and start looking the same.
• 12:25
  TIffany Woolley: So that's the balancing act that even, you know, all designers face today.
• 12:29
  TIffany Woolley: It's just how you stay modern and current, but becoming not becoming generic.
• 12:35
  Scott Woolley: And and and that's not an easy question to answer.
• 12:38
  Scott Woolley: The best design is to find ways to be simple and memorable at the same time.
• 12:42
  TIffany Woolley: I love that.
• 12:43
  TIffany Woolley: I really do.
• 12:44
  TIffany Woolley: That's the most important part is to be simple but memorable.
• 12:48
  TIffany Woolley: Another example where we see these, you know, integrated designs just becoming so mundane is like vacation rentals.
• 12:55
  TIffany Woolley: I know there's Airbnbs are a big thing.
• 12:58
  TIffany Woolley: People use them for obviously great travel opportunities as well as great investments.
• 13:04
  TIffany Woolley: But years ago, traveling was such a huge part of inspiration.
• 13:08
  TIffany Woolley: It was about experiencing a new place, unique with its own characteristics, its own personality, and obviously design style.
• 13:16
  Scott Woolley: But today, most of these rentals have their features are so similar in furniture, similar in color, similar in decor, and similar in layout.
• 13:25
  Scott Woolley: They're all basically kind of following each other, thinking that that's what you know the general public everyone wants to see.
• 13:30
  Scott Woolley: It's easy to rem for them.
• 13:32
  TIffany Woolley: Right.
• 13:33
  TIffany Woolley: And become so easy, you kind of don't even remember what city you're in.
• 13:36
  TIffany Woolley: You wake up and it's not like you're in this special place feeling something unique.
• 13:42
  TIffany Woolley: It's just become standardized.
• 13:44
  Scott Woolley: And that's really unfortunate because travel is supposed to introduce us to new experiences and new designs and the way in which people live in one part of the country or the world to the other and how they design their homes and their decor, you know, tells a story.
• 13:59
  Scott Woolley: Design can help tell a story of a place.
• 14:03
  Scott Woolley: And when everything looks the same, some of those stories get lost, and it's sad.
• 14:08
  TIffany Woolley: It is so sad.
• 14:08
  TIffany Woolley: And that's like the struggle we're all going to have to face, especially with this next generation, with everything being at our fingertips and just, you know, falling into the norm.
• 14:18
  TIffany Woolley: The most memorable places usually have a strong sense of identity.
• 14:23
  Scott Woolley: Exactly.
• 14:24
  Scott Woolley: They reflect the culture, the history, the personality, or the location, instead of simply following the latest trends or what everyone else is doing online.
• 14:35
  TIffany Woolley: So this is when we need to talk about AI because no conversation is complete without discussing AI.
• 14:43
  TIffany Woolley: And it is important.
• 14:45
  TIffany Woolley: It's important in every business these days for efficiency and growth, but we've got to not let it overtake us.
• 14:55
  Scott Woolley: Yeah, but AI is changing almost every creative field.
• 15:00
  Scott Woolley: It can generate images, logos, websites, layouts, concepts, marketing materials in seconds.
• 15:06
  Scott Woolley: It's just unbelievable.
• 15:08
  Scott Woolley: I mean, music.
• 15:09
  TIffany Woolley: It really is unbelievable, but it's not translating the personality.
• 15:14
  TIffany Woolley: Like people are doing it because it's fast, it's quick, it's impressive because it's fast and it's quick.
• 15:19
  TIffany Woolley: But it's not, you know, it's not designed.
• 15:23
  TIffany Woolley: So even though technology is extremely powerful and saves us time, it definitely sparks ideas.
• 15:29
  TIffany Woolley: We all use it now, and it helps you explore possibilities that you might not have been, you know, aware of.
• 15:35
  TIffany Woolley: We have to be careful to not fall in that slippery slope of just going with what you see.
• 15:40
  Scott Woolley: Yeah.
• 15:41
  Scott Woolley: Well, the question is whether AI will increase creativity or lead to even more the sameness.
• 15:49
  Scott Woolley: After all, AI learns from existing work, it studies what's already out there.
• 15:56
  TIffany Woolley: Well, so it just keeps repeating the same stuff.
• 15:59
  TIffany Woolley: I think the answer depends really on how people end up using it.
• 16:03
  TIffany Woolley: If AI is relied upon entirely, the results are going to be pretty darn predictable.
• 16:09
  Scott Woolley: But if A by A but if AI becomes one tool among many, it can actually help people push ideas further.
• 16:17
  Scott Woolley: The human element is still the most important aspect in creativity, and I think it always will be.
• 16:29
  TIffany Woolley: So you have to stay curious, stay imaginative, and keep the perspective.
• 16:34
  TIffany Woolley: It can always be automated, but nothing is as exactly.
• 16:38
  Scott Woolley: Technology can generate options.
• 16:41
  Scott Woolley: People still have to decide what matters.
• 16:44
  TIffany Woolley: You want to stay original.
• 16:46
  TIffany Woolley: So how does one do that in this crazy new world we live in and not fall into any of these traps that look like everyone else?
• 16:55
  Scott Woolley: I think it starts with getting away from the screen occasionally.
• 16:59
  Scott Woolley: I mean, that's a problem we have in our house.
• 17:01
  Scott Woolley: Some of the biggest inspirations come from places that have nothing to do with design.
• 17:07
  TIffany Woolley: Well, no, and they even just spark like a creative moment.
• 17:10
  TIffany Woolley: Like you don't even necessarily have to be in it.
• 17:14
  TIffany Woolley: Travel's a huge example, reading and having your own vision through reading, meeting new people, exploring different cultures, and just simply paying attention to everyday life sparks creativity.
• 17:26
  Scott Woolley: Yeah, and sometimes some of the most creative ideas come from unexpected places.
• 17:31
  Scott Woolley: A theater might inspire you or a restaurant, a museum might inspire a retail store.
• 17:38
  Scott Woolley: You know, nature might inspire an entire brand.
• 17:41
  TIffany Woolley: Absolutely.
• 17:42
  TIffany Woolley: And the more experiences you collect, the more unique your perspective becomes, and it becomes so yours.
• 17:48
  Scott Woolley: Yeah, and the and the perspective is ultimately what separates original work from copied work.
• 17:55
  TIffany Woolley: So as we look ahead, do we want things to stay the same?
• 17:59
  TIffany Woolley: It will continue if we don't to this mundane sameness.
• 18:04
  TIffany Woolley: We definitely want to see originality.
• 18:06
  TIffany Woolley: So let's start doing it.
• 18:07
  Scott Woolley: I think we're actually approaching a shift where you know people are beginning to crave you know authenticity.
• 18:13
  Scott Woolley: Trevor Burrus, Jr.
• 18:14
  Scott Woolley: That's a huge word.
• 18:15
  TIffany Woolley: Almost every podcast beyond design is authentic.
• 18:19
  Scott Woolley: They want experience that feel real, personal, and unique.
• 18:22
  TIffany Woolley: I agree.
• 18:23
  TIffany Woolley: I mean I do.
• 18:24
  Scott Woolley: We too.
• 18:25
  TIffany Woolley: I agree.
• 18:26
  TIffany Woolley: There's a growing appreciation for character and individuality.
• 18:31
  TIffany Woolley: People want places that tell a story instead of just a trend.
• 18:35
  Scott Woolley: Yeah, because that creates opportunities for designers, business owners, and brands willing to take thoughtful risks.
• 18:44
  TIffany Woolley: So when everything looks the same and originality becomes more valuable, which is which is great for the design world.
• 18:52
  TIffany Woolley: Anything that is designed and created is an original.
• 18:55
  Scott Woolley: Yeah, and that's encouraging.
• 18:56
  TIffany Woolley: And that's got value.
• 18:58
  Scott Woolley: Yeah, no, it is encouraging because it suggests the creativity isn't disappearing.
• 19:02
  Scott Woolley: It's simply waiting for people to be more willing to think differently.
• 19:06
  Scott Woolley: And that's what people need to be doing.
• 19:09
  TIffany Woolley: So maybe the lesson here is that trends aren't necessarily bad because they do inspire us and they do help spread ideas.
• 19:17
  TIffany Woolley: And the problem happens to be when they become substitutes for creativity.
• 19:23
  Scott Woolley: Yeah, because great design always has been about more than following what's popular.
• 19:28
  Scott Woolley: It's about understanding people, solving problems, and creating experiences that leave a lasting impression.
• 19:35
  TIffany Woolley: The designs we remember are rarely the ones that blend in.
• 19:39
  TIffany Woolley: We always say standouts.
• 19:41
  Scott Woolley: Yeah, and they're ones that make us stop, think, feel, you know, feel something.
• 19:46
  TIffany Woolley: And in a world where things are starting to look the same, it's now more important than ever to really stand out.
• 19:54
  Scott Woolley: We'd love to hear your thoughts.
• 19:55
  Scott Woolley: What places, trends, or brands do you think are becoming too similar, similar?
• 20:01
  Scott Woolley: And where are you still finding originality?
• 20:05
  TIffany Woolley: Hmm, leaving us with little thought tidbits.
• 20:08
  TIffany Woolley: So let us know.
• 20:09
  TIffany Woolley: And thanks again for joining us on the iDesign Lab tidbit.
• 20:14
  Scott Woolley: And we'll see you again next week.
• 20:16
  Voice Over: iDesign Labs Podcast is an SW Group production in association with the five star and TW Interiors.
• 20:23
  Voice Over: To learn more about iDesign Lab or TW Interiors, please visit TWInteriors.com.