3D printing or additive manufacturing: the new (still largely unexplored) tool in interior design

In recent years, we have heard a lot about 3D printing, but almost always from afar: laboratories, prototypes, engineering, industrial manufacturing…

The funny thing is that, when you take a closer look, you discover that this technology is already entering our homes, although in interior design, honestly, we are still only scratching the surface.

Why? There is still very little information available.
Private customers don’t know what 3D printing is, many professionals haven’t explored it, and in the construction sector, it seems somewhat “distant” because we lack references and real examples. And that’s where we want to contribute: because, as with any change, you either join in… or watch it pass you by.

What is additive manufacturing applied to interior design?

In simple terms: it involves creating elements layer by layer, adding material to shape something, rather than removing it.
This makes it possible to design objects that were previously impossible or to make them more sustainable, by using only the necessary material without generating waste.

Applied to interior design, it allows you to create:

• Decorative objects (vases, lamps, sculptures)
• Custom furniture
• Panels, lattices, and complex architectural elements
• Technical pieces: handles, supports, spare parts, or connecting details
• Prototypes to validate ideas before manufacturing them in the traditional way

And this is where it gets interesting.

How 3D printing can change a project:

1. Customization: Whatever you imagine can be manufactured. A unique, tailor-made piece.
2. Geometries impossible with traditional methods: Organic pieces, curved structures, parametric patterns… This technology is now interior architecture, not just decoration.
3. Less waste and cleaner processes: Traditional manufacturing often involves cutting and discarding. Additive manufacturing, on the other hand, uses only what is necessary.
4. Lighter and stronger pieces: The interior of the pieces is optimized without compromising their strength. This is invaluable for large furniture or suspended elements.
5. Rapid prototyping and more confident decisions: Print, test, adjust.

If the potential is so great… Why do we feel that “this is still a long way off”?

Part of the answer is that there is a lack of accessible information. In interior design, we constantly talk about trends, materials, kitchens, or lighting… but very rarely do we explain how additive manufacturing works when applied to homes.

Furthermore, it is a young technology within the sector. Today, it is mainly used for special pieces, iconic installations, or very specific elements, not to solve the day-to-day issues of a project, which is why it is not yet part of the usual workflow of most interior design studios.

Added to this is a key point: profitability. For 3D printing to be viable on a large scale, the companies that offer it must be exclusively dedicated to it, have their machines working all the time, and optimize both the material and the time spent on the production of each piece, as well as the energy required to do so.

That is why companies such as R3direct stand out, capable of manufacturing complete furniture using recycled waste converted into printable granules. Or Nagami, which we saw up close at Casa Decor, where they produce furniture, parametric structures, and sculptural pieces thanks to robots that print non-stop.

And if we broaden our focus to architecture, the progress is even more evident: walls, stairs, facades, and complete building modules are already being printed. Some with concrete and others with natural materials such as clay or rice, such as the IAAC project in Barcelona (2022).

In short: the technology exists, it works, and it is advancing rapidly. What is missing is for it to reach the hands of those who design and those who live in the spaces. And that is where the great opportunity lies.

Voxel Chair v1.0: Manuel Jiménez García – Gilles Retsin x Nagami

And what does all this mean for a renovation or interior design project?

It means that today we can produce complex, unique pieces, custom-designed for a specific space, with a precision that was previously unthinkable. We can adjust the weight, strength, and aesthetics of a single object. What’s more, we can do so by incorporating more sustainable solutions, manufactured on demand and with less waste.

At Sezam Studio, we are already exploring this, starting with decorative pieces such as vases and small-scale elements, but we sense that this is only the beginning.

3D printing is not here to replace trades or craftsmanship. It is here to expand the range of options: more tools, more possibilities, and new languages with which to design.

And what is clear is that understanding this change now opens up new possibilities that can easily be an advantage, whether competitive for businesses or economic for consumers.

Looking to the immediate future

On December 3, we will participate in the III Annual XaRFA2MaRKET Conference, an event dedicated to analyzing how additive manufacturing is transforming design, architecture, and research. It is an ideal opportunity to continue learning, share what we are discovering, and continue to pave the way.