From 2D to 3D: Why graphic design is the secret weapon for interiors

Even if it may not always be immediately obvious, graphic design actively shapes how interior spaces are conceived, designed, presented and experienced. We spoke to designers about how the two disciplines intersect – from subtly branding social spaces, to boosting client presentations.

For more on the world of interior design, check out the most influential interior design trends of the last 50 years, chosen by experts, or find out why graphic design is also essential to fashion – from visual identities to gamification

A shared visual language

At their core, both graphic and interior design share fundamental principles – balance, rhythm, proportion, visual hierarchy, contrast, unity, emphasis and detail, for instance – which create natural synergies between the disciplines. In both cases, visual elements guide the eye, create mood and communicate messages.

Colour palettes developed for brand identities now inform interior schemes. Typography choices that define corporate communications influence wall graphics, wayfinding systems and even furniture selection. The ability to create cohesive visual systems in graphic design is invaluable when designing spaces that need to function as unified experiences.

“The link between graphic design and interior design is like a beautifully choreographed dance: one defines the voice, the other creates the stage,” says Marie Soliman, founder, creative director of Bergman Design House. “In 2025, that relationship feels more intertwined than ever. Graphic design doesn’t just decorate walls anymore , it informs brand storytelling, wayfinding, material choices, and even the emotional temperature of a space. In hotels, member clubs and residences alike, typography, colour theory, and visual identity have become as essential to the mood as lighting or texture.”

The invisible influence

From hotels and restaurants to offices and train stations, graphic design is present in almost all spaces – even when you can't see it. The typography that guides your eye, the colour palette that sets the mood, the visual rhythm that makes the space feel cohesive – they’re the result of graphic design principles infiltrating every aspect of interior practice.

Sophie van Winden and Simone Gordon, founders of Owl Interior Design, see this influence everywhere: “Graphic design is everywhere in interiors right now. It shapes how we pitch projects, how we present mood boards, and how spaces are shared on social media. In commercial projects it goes even further — environmental branding, signage and digital layers all combine to tell a brand’s story. Essentially, graphic design is the glue that holds concept and experience together.”

But the real power of graphic design lies in its subtlety. Chris Trotman, creative director at Run for the Hills, has mastered what he calls “invisible branding”: “Most people are more design savvy than you might give them credit for. And can spot when there is a disconnect between the brand and the interiors. Even if it’s on more of a subconscious level and they can't put their finger on exactly why, they sense something is off,” he says.

“So graphic design and branding play a huge role in the ambience of the interior space of a venue. All those brand touchpoints that guests interact with – from the menus to the wayfinding – can all be reaffirming the story and enhancing the 'brand world'. We like to intertwine our interior design and graphic design, embedding brand elements subtly in fabrics, or hidden in art. We like to call it 'invisible branding', it's the opposite of sticking logos everywhere."

The trend blend

"Visual trends in graphic design often ripple straight into interiors,” says Marie Soliman, founder and creative director of Bergman Design House. “Think of the rise in layered typography influencing wall treatments and signage, or the bold, gradient-driven colour palettes that have inspired immersive feature walls and custom finishes. In our own work, we've borrowed from editorial layouts to create spatial 'chapters' in a building, each with its own tone, rhythm, and texture."

The role of social media and the internet more broadly in shaping visual culture, has led to the dissemination trends accelerated dramatically in recent decades​​. “Graphic design trends constantly cross over into interiors. Fonts, colour palettes, organic linework – you'll see them jump straight from design mood boards to wall murals, fabrics or furniture shapes,” say Sophie and Simone. “And the 'Instagrammable' moment is now baked into most briefs. The strongest interiors take cues not just from graphic design but also fashion, art, and digital culture – it's all part of one creative language."

Chris sees this as part of a global cultural shift, though he warns against mindless trend-following: "The world is smaller, and we have global trends that run across everything. Sometimes starting on the catwalk, or in films, but they sweep across everything,” he says. “Suddenly there is a seventies trend, and the colour palettes across graphics and interiors are more retro, there are more arches and groovy patterns. But if you are too 'trendy' your project can date quickly, so we try and put a spin on things to make it more timeless."

The presentation revolution

Graphic design's influence is perhaps most immediately felt in how interior projects are conceived, pitched and sold. The visual standards that graphic design established have transformed client expectations. Interior designer Sarah Walter Boyd has found that this often starts with personal branding:

“For me, the beginning of a project can be very reliant on graphic design. None more-so than with a design firm’s brand identity – which in an increasingly flooded market can help deliver the identity of you as a design firm ahead of the pack,” she says. “There needs to be something that speaks to a client in that first engagement.” She remembers a client once saying, “They’re buying into you – so they need to know what you're about and that you’re what they want”. “This identity can be conveyed through your website, company logo and even the font used for design proposals,” she says, “which all comes back to graphic design.”

Project presentations are often where graphic design can really make or break a pitch, Boyd says. “While in the past, designers may have presented some hand sketches and renders of schemes to show a client alongside small samples of fabrics and finishes – the variety of tools available to designers has increased dramatically, thanks to advances in technology,” she says. “At this point, to ensure quick buy-in (it's amazing how one badly cropped image can ruin a pitch). Presentations should be sharp, with images aligned correctly and make best use of fonts and arrangement on the page to avoid distracting the eyes from the task in hand. You may have conjured a stunning room scheme, but if any presentation used to convey the scheme is poorly thought through or executed, you risk losing that client."

Sophie and Simone agree that client expectations have completely transformed: “The role is almost unrecognisable compared to a decade ago when it was hand sketches, sample boards, and stacks of fabric swatches. Now it's digital-first: immersive visuals, video presentations, and pitch decks that look like glossy magazine spreads. The expectation for polish and storytelling has gone through the roof.”

The tool takeover

Graphic design hasn’t just influenced interior design aesthetically – it’s reshaped the professional toolkit, with interior designers now routinely using software originally developed for graphic designers

“InDesign [is best] for client presentations – powerpoint is limiting and isn’t very professional, Chris says. “Photoshop for image manipulation – recolouring moodboard images to fit your page and cutting things out can all be done with a few button clicks."

The uptake of tech skills in interior design shows just how important graphic design now is to the practice. Sophie and Simone advise balancing professional-grade tools with more accessible platforms: “It’s a real mix: creativity, project management and communication are still key, but the toolbox has expanded. CAD platforms like Vectorworks or SketchUp are essentials, and 3D-rendering tools make ideas feel real in seconds. On the flip side, Canva and other quick-fire graphic platforms help us sell a concept visually in a way that’s fast, clear and client-friendly.”

Sarah agrees that with increased access to and use of technology, skills for interior designers is an ever-evolving space. “When I started with SC&JF in 2009, assistants were only required to use the Microsoft package at most. If images were added to presentations, these were often cut and pasted onto a backing board alongside fabric swatches, which made for wonderfully layered presentations – although one misplaced smudge of Pritt-Stick and you were done for!” she says. “Slowly over time, Photoshop crept in, then Powerpoint – and the landscape started to shift. A full understanding of Adobe Suite is a must nowadays along with CAD.”

Although AI has democratised access to graphic design capabilities, Chris notes how a human touch will always be essential to interior design. “You really don't need to have anywhere near the skill level you used to have for programmes like Photoshop. With the new AI features, it almost does what you want on its own with a couple of prompts,” he says. “The one thing AI hasn't got though, is taste. So it will always need a human touch and a designer's eye."

Professional transformation

“Today’s interior designer is part storyteller, part strategist, part technologist, even sometimes psychologist,” says Marie. “We need the sensitivity of an artist, the organisational skill of an architect and the agility to work fluently with digital tools, from 3D visualisation and parametric modelling to AI-assisted mood boards. But none of it replaces the magic of human touch: the hand sketch, the impromptu conversation with an artisan, the walk through a space to feel its bones."

Marie adds that the disciplinary boundaries that once kept graphic and interior design separate have all but dissolved entirely. “When I started and launched Bergman, the disciplines felt more separate, graphic designers lived in one world, interior designers in another. Now, boundaries have melted. We speak a shared visual language, and often, the graphic identity is considered in tandem with the interior architecture from day one," Marie says.

"Whether on a page or in a room, design is about connection. We're not just placing shapes and colours; we're creating experiences people will remember and, in 2025, that shared mission has brought graphic and interior design closer than ever."