Kitchen & Bathroom Renovation Preview: A Step-by-Step AI Guide

To preview a kitchen or bathroom renovation with AI, take one photo of the room, choose what to change (cabinets, countertops, backsplash, tile, fixtures, lighting, flooring or walls), pick a material and a tone, and generate. In Roomagen's renovation modes each run changes one element, usually finishes in under a minute and costs 2 credits, and the result can become the starting photo for the next change.

Previewing first makes sense because planning usually takes longer than the construction itself. In the 2026 U.S. Houzz & Home Study, kitchen projects averaged 9.5 months of planning and 5.8 months of construction, and the 2025 median spend was $24,000 for a kitchen and $15,000 for a primary bathroom. AI is already part of that planning for many households: in Houzz's 2026 State of AI survey, 22% of renovating homeowners had used AI tools for their project, most often to get ideas (64%) and to visualize concepts (58%).

This guide gives the order to work in, the options in each of Roomagen's kitchen and bath renovation modes, photo tips, the limits of a generated preview and the rules for renovated images in property listings. It is written for homeowners and for everyone who shows renovations to other people: kitchen and bath designers, remodelers and contractors, property managers, hotel and rental operators, builders and agents.

How AI Renovation Preview Works

Every preview follows the same loop:

1. Upload a photo of the kitchen or bathroom (JPEG, PNG or WebP, up to 50 MB), or pick one from your Library.
2. Choose what to change, for example Cabinets or Bath Tile.
3. Pick a material or style from the swatch tiles, then a tone from the color circles.
4. Generate. The result screen shows a before/after comparison.
5. Compare or continue. Download the image, run the same step again with another option, or use the result as the input for the next step.

Three ways to preview a renovation in Roomagen

The whole-room tool is told to keep the room's layout and its window and door positions, so one run shows whether a style suits the space. The single-element modes are where the actual decisions get made.

Isolation: one element per run

Each single-element mode tells the model to change only its target and to keep everything else as it was. Cabinets, for example, changes the cabinet doors, drawer fronts and hardware, and it is told to leave the countertop, backsplash, sink, faucet and appliances alone. That is what lets you build a renovation one decision at a time.

Isolation is an instruction, not a guarantee. Each output is a newly generated image, so nearby details such as a faucet's shape, the edge of a range hood or a grout line can shift. Compare the before and after at full size, and run the step again if something you meant to keep has changed. Refine, the correction editor, works on empty-room staging, Empty Room, Remove Item and Time Shift Interior results but not on renovation modes, so use the Design Companion for a targeted fix.

Why order matters

Each step's result becomes the next step's input, so work from the largest surface to the smallest detail. To layer, open the next mode and choose the previous result from the My Results tab of the Library picker. Results are filed automatically in the folder of the photo they came from, so one folder per room or per client keeps every variation together.

Kitchen order: Cabinets → Countertops → Backsplash → Kitchen Fixtures → Lighting → Flooring → Walls

Bathroom order: Bath Tile → Bathroom Fixtures → Cabinets (vanity) → Lighting → Walls

If you change the flooring first and the cabinets last, the floor you picked may no longer suit the new cabinets, and you would have to redo that step. Working in this order keeps reruns to a minimum.

Why Preview First: 2026 Renovation Data

A preview covers the decisions almost every remodel involves. Among the 1,780 renovating homeowners in the 2026 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study, 91% upgraded countertops, 85% backsplashes, 85% sinks, 84% cabinets, 82% faucets, 78% lighting and 65% flooring.

Two patterns matter for planning. Decisions take longer than the build, so anything that settles a material choice early saves calendar time. And a modest project can pay back well: the midrange minor kitchen remodel is estimated to recoup more than its cost, so previewing what to change, and what to leave alone, is as useful as previewing a full gut job. For the full cost and ROI comparison, see virtual renovation vs real renovation.

Kitchen Remodel: The Step-by-Step Workflow

A full kitchen preview uses up to seven modes in this order. Skip any step you are not planning to change.

Cabinets usually take up the most space in a kitchen photo, so they set the palette. Countertops are chosen against the cabinets, the backsplash bridges the two, fixtures and lighting add detail, and the floor and walls finish the room.

Cabinets: 5 Styles, 8 Colors and Hardware

The Cabinets mode changes cabinet doors, drawer fronts and hardware (handles, knobs and pulls). It is told to keep the appliances, countertops, backsplash, sink, faucet, walls and floor as they are. The mode also works on bathroom vanities.

Colors: White, Cream, Natural Wood, Dark Wood, Gray, Navy, Sage Green and Matte Black, shown as color chips.

What renovators actually chose: in the 2026 Houzz kitchen study, wood overtook white as the most chosen cabinet color (29% vs. 28%), led by medium wood tones (15%). Off-white held at 15%, and green (6%) edged out gray (5%). About a quarter of homeowners (24%) chose contrasting upper and lower cabinets; white was the most common upper color (40%) and wood the most common lower (37%).

Hardware has no separate picker. The model is told to match handles and knobs to the door style, for example edge pulls or a handleless look on Modern Flat doors and bar pulls or knobs on Shaker doors. For a specific hardware finish or a two-tone scheme, describe it in the Design Companion: "Make the lower cabinets natural walnut, keep the upper cabinets white and use brushed brass pulls."

Step by step:

1. Open the Renovation card, choose Cabinets and upload the kitchen photo.
2. Pick one of the 5 styles and one of the 8 colors.
3. Choose 2K, or 4K on the Pro and Business plans, and generate.
4. Use the result as the input for the Countertops step.

Countertops and Backsplash: Materials and Tones

These two modes work on neighboring surfaces but run separately. Countertops changes every visible countertop surface. Backsplash changes the wall area between the countertop and the upper cabinets (or the ceiling where there are no uppers), and it is told to keep outlets and switches in place.

Countertop materials and the tones offered for each:

The model is also asked for an edge profile that suits the material, such as an eased or ogee edge on marble and a square edge on butcher block, so the counter reads as installed rather than pasted on.

Backsplash materials and tones:

What renovators chose in the same Houzz study: white was the most chosen countertop color (37%), ahead of off-white (26%). Tile still dominated backsplashes (72%), but 28% chose a slab backsplash, most often engineered quartz (39%) or quartzite (33%). When the island top contrasted with the perimeter counters, butcher block or wood slabs led (44%).

Two of those looks need the Design Companion. Countertops changes every visible counter, so a wood island with stone perimeter counters is a plain-language request. A quartz slab backsplash that continues the counter material is too; the Marble Slab preset covers the grout-free marble version.

Combinations to test

These starting points use only preset options. Run two or three on the same photo and compare them side by side.

Kitchen Fixtures and Lighting

Kitchen Fixtures changes one fixture type per run: Kitchen Faucet, Kitchen Sink, Range Hood or Garbage Disposal. Every other fixture and surface is meant to stay as it was.

• Finishes: Chrome, Brushed Nickel, Matte Black, Gold / Brass, Copper, Oil-Rubbed Bronze and Stainless Steel. Run the faucet and the sink separately with the same finish for a consistent look.
• Sink style: the Kitchen Sink option renders an undermount sink by default. For an apron-front (farmhouse), workstation or double-bowl sink, describe it in the Design Companion.

Lighting replaces the light fixtures already visible in the photo with one of 7 types (Pendant, Recessed, Chandelier, Wall Sconce, Vanity Light, Track Lighting, Flush Mount), in one of 6 optional styles (Modern, Industrial, Traditional, Minimalist, Farmhouse, Mid-Century). Each style comes with its own finishes; Traditional, for example, offers Antique Brass, Oil-Rubbed Bronze and Polished Nickel. The mode is told not to add light sources that aren't in the original photo. To see pendants over an island that has none today, ask for them in the Design Companion.

Bathroom Remodel: The Step-by-Step Workflow

Tile is usually the largest surface in a bathroom photo, so it comes first.

Walls changes every visible wall surface. In a bathroom with partial tile, check that the tile you chose in step 1 is still there, and run the step again if the model painted over it.

What people change: in the 2026 Houzz bathroom study of 1,619 homeowners, 38% upgraded the bathtub and 26% removed one; when a tub came out, 79% used the space to enlarge the shower. Among homeowners adding or replacing a tub, 72% chose a soaking tub. The most common reason to renovate was simply disliking the old look (47%).

A tub-to-shower conversion is a layout change, and no preset covers it: the fixtures modes keep each fixture at roughly its original size and position. Describe the change in the Design Companion, treat the result as a concept, and confirm the layout with your contractor.

Bathroom Tile: Choosing Area and Style

Bath Tile changes tile in one area at a time, so the first choice is where.

Whatever the area, the toilet, sink and vanity, bathtub, shower head and handles, mirrors, towel bars, doors and windows are meant to stay unchanged. A practical approach: test two or three styles on the shower surround alone, then run Full Bathroom with the winner.

Bathroom Fixtures: Sink, Tub, and Shower

Bathroom Fixtures changes one fixture type per run: Bathroom Faucet, Bathroom Sink, Shower System, Bathtub, Toilet or Towel Bar. The other fixtures, the vanity, the wall and floor tile and the surfaces the fixture is mounted on are meant to stay as they are.

• Finishes: Chrome, Brushed Nickel, Matte Black, Gold / Brass, Copper or Oil-Rubbed Bronze. Use the same finish for the faucet, shower system and towel bar runs so the hardware matches.
• Defaults to know: the Bathroom Sink option renders an undermount basin by default, and the Bathtub option a freestanding soaking tub. If you want a vessel or pedestal sink or a clawfoot tub, or only want to refinish an alcove tub, describe it in the Design Companion instead.
• Size and position: a new fixture is drawn at roughly the same size and in the same place as the old one. The bathtub is the exception, because a freestanding tub can take a different shape from an alcove tub.

Flooring and Walls: The Finishing Layers

Flooring changes only the hard floor surface: Hardwood, Tile, Marble, Laminate, Vinyl, Carpet or Concrete, each with its own tones (12 for hardwood, from White Oak to Espresso and Gray Washed). Rugs, furniture and appliances are meant to stay exactly where they are, and the new floor appears only around them. The virtual flooring replacement page opens the same mode.

Walls offers six treatments:

Walls treats every visible wall and is told to leave cabinets, the backsplash, windows, mirrors and appliances alone. For a single feature wall, choose Wallpaper with Accent Wall. For a paint-only change you can also use virtual wall repainting. In the 2026 Houzz kitchen study, off-white (29%) and white (21%) were the most chosen kitchen wall colors.

Best Practices for Renovation Photos

Every mode works from what is visible in the photo, so the input decides most of the result.

Kitchen Photo Tips

• Capture the full counter run in one frame, with cabinets, countertop and backsplash visible.
• Shoot from a corner or the opposite wall at about chest height (4–5 feet), with the camera level.
• Keep the appliances in frame. The mode needs to see them to know what to leave alone.
• Switch on under-cabinet lights so the countertop and backsplash are evenly lit.
• Clear the counters. Small appliances and clutter hide the surface you want to change.

Bathroom Photo Tips

• Show the whole zone you are changing: the full shower for shower tile, the whole tub profile for a bathtub.
• Include the vanity and toilet for context, even if you are only changing tile.
• Light the room fully, with the overhead and vanity lights on.
• Close the toilet lid and remove towels and toiletries.

Universal Tips

Prepare the Photo With AI First

If the room is not photo-ready, clean it up before you renovate it:

• Virtual decluttering (AI Declutter in the app) with Tidy only — add nothing clears counters and shelves without adding decor.
• Object & item removal (Remove Item in the app) removes single objects you mark on the marking screen, which has a brush, an eraser, three brush sizes, undo and zoom.
• Empty Your Space (Empty Room on the app dashboard) asks "What kind of space is this?". The Kitchen answer keeps cabinets, counters and built-in appliances, and the Bathroom answer keeps the bath, shower, toilet and vanity while loose items go.

Pre-Upload Checklist

• The full target surface is in frame, not cropped
• All room lights are on, with daylight supplementing
• The camera is level, at chest height, from a corner or the opposite wall
• Counters and the vanity are clear of small items
• You are using the original file: JPEG, PNG or WebP, under 50 MB
• The photo is in a Library folder for this room or project

Using Previews With Clients, Guests and Buyers

For professionals, a preview is a conversation tool. Houzz's 2026 State of AI report found that pre-project visuals are designers' most concentrated AI use case, with 82% of firms applying AI to develop and refine a concept before work begins. Among homeowners whose pro used AI, 76% said it helped them visualize their project.

• Kitchen and bath designers, remodelers and contractors: show two or three options per decision, each next to the original photo, and keep one Library folder per client. A preview settles the direction; samples and measurements still settle the order.
• Property managers and landlords: compare finish packages for a unit turn on a photo of the actual unit before ordering materials in bulk.
• Hotels and short-term rentals: for identical rooms, batch processing runs one mode on several photos at once (3, 7 or 20 per batch on Starter, Pro or Business), so every bathroom is run with the same tile and tone. Each photo costs the usual 2 credits, failed photos are refunded, and the batch folder can be downloaded as a ZIP.
• Builders: for rooms that are still at the studs-and-drywall stage, construction interior visualization shows the finished room instead.
• Real estate agents and investors: previews help buyers picture what a dated kitchen could become, but check the listing rules below before you publish one.
• Software teams: the documented virtual-renovation tool in the Virtual Renovation API takes a style and a roomType, and the first API key includes 50 free images.

Listing Photos: MLS and Disclosure Rules

A renovation preview changes the property itself, which puts it in a different category from virtual staging with furniture. Rules vary by MLS and by state:

• CRMLS (California): its guidance says users cannot add, remove or modify "any real part of a property such as wall color, flooring, cabinets, wall dimensions, landscaping", and that a violation brings a warning first, then a $250 fine if it isn't corrected in time. Rule 11.5.2 makes an exception only when the property will be improved to match the altered photo by closing, as part of the listed price.
• California law (AB 723): since January 1, 2026, a real estate licensee's ad that includes a digitally altered image must say so and link, by URL or QR code, to the original. The statute's definition names fixtures, appliances, flooring, walls and paint color among the changes it covers.
• California rentals (AB 2025): signed in September 2026 and taking effect on January 1, 2027, the new law requires anyone who uses a digitally altered image in a California rental ad to disclose it on or next to the image. When an existing photo was altered, the ad must also include the original or a link to it, as the California Apartment Association summarizes.
• NAR's REALTOR® News: an August 2026 article puts the condition plainly: AI can show what a dated kitchen could become, "as long as buyers understand the image is a visualization and not the home's current condition."

In practice: keep renovation previews out of the main listing gallery unless your MLS clearly allows them, label them as concepts wherever they appear, show the original next to them, and follow your state's disclosure rules. Roomagen does not add disclosure labels by default, so labeling is up to you. You can turn on a small “AI” badge for downloads in Settings (“AI label on downloads”); it does not replace the label your MLS or state asks for. For the details, see AB 723 explained and the MLS photo requirements guide.

What a Photo Preview Can't Tell You

• It is not a measurement. A generated image gives no dimensions, quantities or prices. Get those from your designer or contractor.
• Materials are approximations. Veining, grout widths and metal finishes are drawn by the model, not taken from a product catalog. Check physical samples in the room's own light before ordering.
• Results vary between runs. The same settings run twice give two different images. That is useful for exploring options, and a reason to check the details.
• Layout changes need a plan. Moving a sink, adding an island or taking down a wall is beyond a photo edit. Sketch the new layout and turn it into a clean plan with sketch to floor plan, or into a dollhouse view with floor plan to 3D. Both produce images, not CAD files, and the AI redraws any text, so check the numbers.
• Expectations matter. In Houzz's 2026 survey, visualization was the area where homeowners most often said AI fell short of their expectations (26%). Treat a preview as the start of a conversation with your pro, not a final render.

What It Costs to Preview a Renovation

Each run produces one image at 2K, and on Pro and Business you can choose 4K for 4 credits. Monthly plans work out to about $0.23–$0.40 per image, and failed runs are refunded automatically. In the Design Companion, each generated edit costs 2 credits, while answers to questions are free. Free results are kept for 3 days, so download the ones you want to keep. Yearly plans and credit packs are on the pricing page.

Ready to try it? Start with a virtual kitchen renovation or a virtual bathroom renovation for a first direction, then open the Renovation card in the dashboard to test cabinets, counters, tile and fixtures one at a time.