Designing in 3D: How Printing & DIY Are Shaping the Future of Interiors

From custom furniture to home accessories, see how 3D printing and DIY designs are transforming the future of interior design.

Introduction:

In today’s ever-evolving design landscape, 3D printing has emerged as a catalyst for creative freedom and functional innovation in interiors. This advanced technique allows designers to create bespoke furniture, intricate wall panels, and sustainable decorative elements that are reshaping the way spaces are envisioned. As a form of additive manufacturing, 3D printing enables the production of detailed structures and customised features that were once difficult to achieve using traditional methods.

Amid rapid technological shifts, the interior design process is no longer the exclusive domain of professionals. With accessible 3D printing tools, a new wave of creators, from hobbyists to tech innovators, are redefining how spaces are shaped. As the global market for additive manufacturing grows by nearly 24% between 2023 and 2025, interior design is becoming more inclusive, personalised, and digitally empowered.

What Are the Key Reasons Behind the Rise of 3D Printing Technology?

3D printing has rapidly evolved from a niche innovation to a mainstream solution across industries. Its ability to create customised, cost-effective, and sustainable products is driving widespread adoption, from manufacturing to 3D printed furniture, interior design, and many other fields. 

As digital fabrication becomes more accessible, Mi & Gei explores the key factors fueling this technological rise

• Custom by Design

A standout advantage of 3D printing lies in its remarkable design flexibility. It gives designers the freedom to experiment with complex shapes, detailed geometries, and intricate textures while pushing creative boundaries with ease. This flexibility enables the production of personalised home accessories, custom furniture, and décor tailored precisely to client needs. Whether crafting one-of-a-kind pieces or exploring DIY interior decor projects, 3D printing opens the door to bold experimentation. 

• Rapid Prototyping

3D printing in interior design significantly accelerates the prototyping phase, reducing turnaround times from weeks to mere days. This rapid iteration enables designers to experiment freely, detect flaws early, and streamline the entire project development cycle. Through digital fabrication, professionals can explore a wide range of materials and techniques to achieve bespoke results in custom lighting, architectural models, or 3D printed furniture. 

• Cost-Effective Production

Traditional methods of crafting intricate or customised designs often incur high costs, demanding expensive moulds and generating material waste. In contrast, sustainable 3D printing streamlines the production process, dramatically lowering manufacturing expenses while preserving design accuracy, making it advantageous for complex or large-scale interior projects.

• Sustainability

While not all materials used in sustainable 3D printing are entirely eco-friendly, the process itself exemplifies remarkable efficiency. By deploying only the precise amount of material required for each design, digital fabrication significantly reduces waste, offering environmental benefits and long-term cost savings. Additionally, it aligns with DIY home design ideas, empowering creators to explore sustainable practices without the financial burden of traditional manufacturing. 

• Use of Smart Technology

Modern 3D printing in interior design now integrates smart features such as embedded sensors and cloud-based collaboration tools. These advancements enable remote teams to work seamlessly, share real-time updates, and develop prototypes efficiently, eliminating the need for extensive infrastructure. On the DIY interior decor front, 3D printing empowers individuals to create custom pieces without relying heavily on professional designers. 

The principles that make 3D printing revolutionary in interior design are being adopted across various sectors. This growing integration of digital fabrication signals a fundamental change in how industries approach design, manufacturing, and user engagement.

How is technological innovation disrupting traditional industries through digital design and fabrication?

Technological innovation has become a powerful force in disrupting traditional manufacturing, design, and production systems. Tools like 3D printing, CNC milling, and digital fabrication in interiors are not only streamlining how products are made but also shifting who gets to make them. From research labs to commercial suppliers, a new wave of innovators like MIT Media Lab, MatterHackers, and OpenDesk are making creation more personalised and affordable.

• MIT Media Lab

MIT Media Lab has developed a voxel-based 3D printing in interior design capable of creating photorealistic, full-colour models. This innovation enables the printing of floating or disconnected elements that were previously unprintable using standard methods by encasing them in transparent blocks. This advancement offers more immersive and tangible visualisations for applications in education, science, and custom 3D-printed interiors.

• MatterHackers

MatterHackers is transforming home decor innovation by making digital fabrication more accessible for individuals and small enterprises. By offering an extensive range of 3D printers, materials, CNC machines, and laser cutters, they support everyone from educators and startups to DIY home design enthusiasts. Their user-focused approach promotes sustainable 3D printing practices and empowers users to move beyond conventional production methods.

• Opendesk Furniture

OpenDesk reimagines furniture production through an open-source, decentralised model that blends 3D printed furniture and CNC milling. Instead of traditional factory systems, users download ready-to-make designs and choose whether to craft the items themselves or work with nearby makers. This model promotes DIY interior décor and marks a significant shift towards an inclusive approach to design.

The shift from mass production to digital creation is now reflected in how we design our spaces. With 3D printing, interiors become more adaptive, artistic, and environmentally conscious. 

Here’s how designers across disciplines are pushing boundaries through this technology.

• Creating Sculpted Forms in 3D Furniture
  

3D-printed furniture is revolutionising the design industry by merging digital precision with sustainable manufacturing. Using additive manufacturing, designers can create complex, organic forms that are difficult or impossible to achieve with traditional methods. This approach reduces material waste, enables on-demand production, and supports the use of recycled materials or bio-based plastics, making it an ideal solution for sustainable interior design.

Designer: Sekisai, Tokyo

Tokyo-based design studio Sekisai is pioneering a new approach to furniture through advanced 3D printing in interior design. With a philosophy rooted in emotional design and sustainable practice, Sekisai aims to transform everyday objects into expressive, interactive forms that respond to human behaviour and spatial context. Their work redefines the relationship between people and furniture, shifting from passive use to meaningful interaction. 

At the heart of this vision is the Easy 3D-printed Moon Chair, inspired by natural imagery of a golden full moon, deep night skies, and swaying rice stalks. Its surface is produced through large-scale 3D printing that creates a shimmering, textured effect that captures and reflects light. Made with bio-based and recycled plastics, the chair offers extensive customisation in material, colour, texture, and form.

• Illuminating Spaces with 3D Lights

3D printing is reshaping the future of lighting, and unlike traditional methods, this additive manufacturing technique uses minimal material, lowers CO2 emissions, and supports the shift to a circular economy. 3D printed luminaires are lightweight, recyclable, and easily disassembled, making them ideal for responsible consumption.

Designer: Patrick Jouin

French designer Patrick Jouin is renowned for redefining product design through his innovative use of 3D printing. Jouin explores the fusion of technology and craftsmanship to create objects that are functional and expressive. His early adoption of additive manufacturing positioned him as a pioneer in digital fabrication in design, with several of his works entering permanent museum collections for their groundbreaking approach.

One beautiful example of his vision is the Bloom table lamp, designed to mimic the organic gesture of a flower opening. Entirely 3D printed in a single piece, including hinges and sliding components, the lamp allows users to adjust light intensity by manipulating its form. This seamless integration of movement, material, and light reflects Jouin’s belief in intuitive, tactile design and demonstrates how 3D printed furniture can offer a poetic expression and affordable design solutions for modern living.

• Nature-Inspired 3D Vases and Accessories

3D-printed vases and accessories blend innovative design with modern craftsmanship, offering a fresh take on home décor. Crafted using digital modelling and additive manufacturing, these vases can be produced in a wide range of shapes, textures, and intricate patterns. From minimalist forms to sculptural statements, they reflect the possibilities of 3D printing in interior design, bringing art and technology together.

Designer: Oliver van Herpt

Olivier van Herpt, a Dutch designer based in Eindhoven, integrates advanced 3D printing with natural materials to bring craftsmanship back into digital design. His custom machines are tools of precision and expression, allowing for ceramic vessels that reflect innovation and human touch while pioneering a new direction in home decor innovation and digital fabrication in interiors.

Focusing on porcelain’s untapped potential, Van Herpt created a process for producing large, ultra-thin forms from pure, hard-paste porcelain without compromising its properties or form. To ensure stable, uniform firing, he developed digitally controlled drying chambers and 3D-printed saggars, which are protective containers used in kilns to shield delicate objects from direct flame and uneven heat. His method enables unsupported, asymmetrical pieces over a metre tall, including mirrored designs, pushing porcelain beyond its traditional limitations and opening new possibilities.

• Printed Patterns for Modern Tiles

3D-printed tiles are transforming modern interiors by introducing custom shapes, textures, and intricate patterns that conventional tiles can’t replicate. In addition to visual appeal, these tiles promote sustainable 3D printing by using eco-friendly or recycled materials. Whether for walls, floors, or accent features, 3D-printed tiles are shaping the future of stylish, sustainable interiors.

Designer: bioMATTERS

MYCO-ALGA tiles are a revolutionary blend of biotechnology and interior styling. Made from 3D-printed mycelium and algae, the tiles reflect the possibilities of 3D printing in interior design. Using upcycled organic waste and computational design, they form 100% biodegradable, non-repetitive patterns inspired by natural fungal growth. Waste is transformed into a paste, inoculated with mycelium, and 3D printed into custom panels that grow and self-bond.

Once dried in convection ovens, the tiles are finished with algae-derived bio-pigments that introduce natural green and off-white hues. The result is a lightweight, velvet-textured surface with ecological and aesthetic value. As an example of sustainable 3D printing and home decor innovation, MYCO-ALGA offers a forward-thinking alternative for eco-conscious designers and homeowners.

Dividing Spaces with 3D-Printed Panels

3D-Printed Panels and Partitions are offering highly customisable, lightweight, and sustainable solutions for modern interiors. Using advanced 3D modelling for home design, these elements can feature intricate patterns, organic textures, and modular configurations that suit residential and commercial environments. 

Beyond visual appeal, 3D-printed partitions serve functional roles—dividing spaces while maintaining a sense of openness and light flow. 

Designer: Aectual

Aectual is a design-focused company exploring the use of 3D printing in interior design to create architectural and interior elements from recycled materials. Their panels combine computational design with sustainable 3D printing, allowing for fully customisable textures, patterns, and sizes. These panels are suitable for a range of interior applications, aligning with interior design trends that prioritise flexibility, innovation, and sustainability. Aectual’s approach also supports DIY design, enabling individuals and professionals to co-create and adapt panels for unique spatial needs.

Panel options include Weave Panels, featuring textile-inspired layered structures that are lightweight and bendable. Gradient Panels come with adjustable louvers to manage light and privacy levels, while Wrap Panels, made from recycled beverage cartons, display distinctive linear textures and support a closed-loop recycling system. Designed to work with 3D printed furniture and other elements, these panels reflect broader shifts toward digital fabrication in interiors.

Empowered by digital tools and green materials, individuals can now craft customised, eco-friendly creations using 3D printing. As homes become hubs of creativity and production, the future of design is becoming more democratic, personal, and technologically driven.

FAQ’s

What are the benefits of using 3D printing in interior design?

3D printing in interior design allows for greater customisation, reduced material waste, and the creation of intricate forms that are hard to achieve with traditional methods, while speeding up the design process.

Can DIY enthusiasts use 3D printing tools for home decor?

Yes, modern tools and open-source designs have made DIY interior decor more accessible. Individuals can now create personalised lighting, wall panels, and accessories from home using affordable 3D printers.

Is 3D printing sustainable for interior design projects?

Yes, when using recycled or bio-based materials, 3D printed furniture supports sustainability by reducing waste, enables on-demand production, and encourages local craftsmanship.

How is 3D printing changing the future of interior design?

It’s driving home decor innovation by merging creativity with technology. As part of evolving interior design trends, 3D printing empowers individuals and professionals to design tailored, future-ready spaces.

Step into the future of interiors where 3D printing and DIY creativity bring form, function, and quiet luxury to life.