The Prompting Mistakes That’s Costing Designers Hours
Tired of getting weird AI designs? Learn the 5 common prompt mistakes and how to fix them with a simple formula. Get better, faster results from Spacely AI and other tools—no more guesswork, just clear, creative outcomes.
I once typed a 200-word prompt into Spacely AI, hit Generate, and waited in excitement. What I got instead? A bright yellow sofa… and a purple ceiling fan floating in mid-air.
Funny? Definitely.
Helpful? Not at all.
This made me wonder—if I, someone who works on the product, can mess up a prompt this badly, what about everyone else?
So we did what any team would do when something doesn’t feel right: we opened up the data.
We looked at everything—pricing, the user interface, even the model itself. But after analyzing over 10,000+ prompts, something clicked:
Most people using creative AI tools have never learned how to write a good prompt.
And that’s not their fault.
Prompts sound simple—but writing a clear one is actually a skill.
The good news? It’s a skill you can learn in five minutes.
So… what even is a prompt?
A prompt is just a short text instruction that tells an AI what to create. But not all AIs create the same type of content. Here's a quick cheat sheet:
| AI Type | What You Give | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT, Gemini (text) | words | words |
| Spacely AI, DALL-E (image) | words | pictures |
| Voice / Video models | words | sound or video |
💡 Think of it like ordering from a bakery.
- “I want a wonderful cake” – the baker’s left guessing.
- “I want a chocolate fudge cake, 8-inch round, with ‘Spacely AI’ on top in white icing” – that’s clarity.
The second one is a good prompt. AI works the same way.
🧠 What We Found: The 5 Common Prompting Mistakes
After studying thousands of prompts, we saw five common patterns that often lead to confusing or low-quality results.
| ❌ Prompt Fail | Real (funny) Example | Why It Bombs |
|---|---|---|
| Instructional, not descriptive | “Change wall to white, move bed to right, delete lamp.” | AI doesn’t execute steps; it snapshots the final scene. |
| Contradictory constraints | “Big but tiny, open yet closed.” | The words cancel each other—AI shrugs. |
| Missing context | “Nice vibe, cool colors.” | No clue whether it’s a kitchen, barn, or spaceship. |
| Overloaded / bloated | Paragraph listing every Ikea item ever made | Too many details—AI drops half at random. |
| Generic / vague adjectives | “Make it luxurious, amazing!” | “Luxurious” means 100 things to 100 people. |
Some of these were so vague, we couldn’t even guess what the user wanted—and we’re human.
So if these don’t work… what does?
✅ Flip Those Fails Into Wins
Here’s how we turned bad prompts into great ones. Use this as your go-to checklist every time you open Spacely AI:
| DO THIS | NOT THIS |
|---|---|
| Describe outcomes: “Bedroom with sage-green walls, bed centered under a window.” | “Move bed, paint walls nice.” |
| One clear idea per line. | “Big open loft that’s also small and cozy.” |
| Lead with context: “Modern kitchen…” | “Marble counters, oak stools…” |
| Limit yourself: 1–2 key materials, 1 color palette, 1 mood word. | Endless furniture list + 12 color swatches. |
| Swap vague for specific: “Brushed-brass faucet.” | “Fancy faucet.” |
This works not only in Spacely AI, but in DALL·E, Midjourney, and any other AI that needs words to create.
🧱 Use This Prompt Skeleton
We built this based on what works across thousands of successful Spacely AI renders. It's simple, repeatable, and works like magic:
[Room/Scene] + [Style] + [Key Materials] + [Palette] + [Lighting/Ambience]
Example Prompt:
“Minimalist living room, Scandinavian style, light-oak furniture, neutral palette, soft natural light.”
No fluff. Just clear, visual instructions.
🚀 Quick Tips Before You Prompt Again
- ✅ Start with the room type (context is king!)
- ✅ Use specific materials, not just styles
- ✅ Keep it under 30–40 words
- ✅ Avoid giving instructions like a to-do list
- ✅ Review your prompt before hitting generate—does it paint a picture in your head?
💡 Final Takeaway
AI can lift the heavy stuff. But you still steer the ship.
Think of prompting like setting your GPS: the clearer your destination, the smoother the ride.
Whether you’re using Spacely AI to design a new room, or prompting an image generator to create marketing assets—clear intent in = clear results out.
Try the five-part skeleton on your next render.
Then tag us or send your best before-and-after.
We love a success story—especially if it doesn’t involve a purple ceiling fan.
