Screenshots, Pinterest boards and AI: How social media now drives UAE home design

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UAE consumers now arrive at showrooms with saved images and AI-generated layouts, as designers say social media shapes the starting point for home spending ...

Social media has become the first stage of the home design journey in the UAE, with consumers walking into showrooms carrying saved images, lookbooks and even AI-generated layouts, say industry executives.

Joe Tabet, founder of architecture firm JT+Partners, said social media’s influence on consumer taste is very strong, given the amount of time people spend on these platforms. “That’s where the first appetite will start,” he said.

Azhar Sajan, founder of Casa Milano and director of Danube Hospitality, said Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok have become “digital design discovery platforms”.

He added that customers now arrive with curated references, screenshots and videos showing what they have in mind. Some use AI-powered tools to recreate their existing spaces and visualise options before looking for specific materials and finishes.

“Tech and social media have changed the starting point of the showroom conversation,” he said.

Abdallah Massaad, CEO of RAK Ceramics, said tiles and sanitaryware typically account for 5 to 10 per cent of a project’s construction cost, depending on what is selected. He said average spending is increasing year on year.

Tabet said the GCC and the UAE have been heavily influenced by design over the past 20 years, with projects launched alongside interior design photography. He said spending on décor and furniture remains high and continues to increase.

The comments were made on the sidelines of Downtown Design 2026 at Dubai Design District, where RAK Ceramics Group’s Kludi brand showcased bathroom collections developed with Tabet.

According to Mordor Intelligence, the UAE interior design market was valued at $1.77 billion in 2025 and is estimated to grow from $1.94 billion in 2026 to $3.11 billion by 2031, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.83 per cent.

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