How to know you do NOT need an interior designer - 3 KEY VARIABLES

Over 20 years in the industry, I’ve identified some specific variables in clients that ultimately lead to a lack of efficiency on a project. In this quick article, I will share these and hopefully give a little clarity on how a functional designer-client relationship works.

1.        “I know what I want”

It's funny how anytime I hear this now, I inwardly groan. Many seem to have the impression that a designer will delight upon hearing these words. This is a key difference between salespeople and designers. Salespeople want someone to decide quickly, buy the product/s in question, and then leave. If you can use this phrase confidently, chances are you don’t need a designer—or rather, are not compatible with the ideal designer-client dynamic. Designers are really geared towards clients who know LESS about what they want, have zero spare time to figure it out, and need a professional to assess the distinct patterns of their preferences, and through experience and listening, identify what sort of design and approach will make that client happy.

I have found that when a client calls me and says "I know what I want" or "I know what I like", what they are really looking for is a bit of validation. The same sort of validation you'd get from a friend, but from an industry professional. If you do call an interior designer for unbiased advice, you should opt for a paid consultation, so that you can receive truly productive advice, not just advice geared towards closing a sale. See our Services page for the One & Done service if you are sure you need a designer, not a salesperson. Make a punch-list of specific questions and issues, and review with an experienced designer who has a portfolio you love.

2.        You spend a lot of time shopping around on Wayfair, Home Goods, and Williams Sonoma companies.

If you have the time and enthusiasm to shop for anything other than groceries, you probably aren’t going to be able to fully enjoy the ultimate designer-client experience. Legit designers get paid to shop for their clients and remove that stress and decision fatigue from the equation of decorating a home. They take their clients straight from the problem to the solution, eliminating a lot of the legwork and hassle for the homeowner.

If you enjoy shopping and the challenge of problem solving, and don’t mind endless trips back and forth to initiate returns, or dollars down the toilet when you haul a truckload of pieces that didn’t work to the local donation center, then lovely. You can do it! Just keep at it, and eventually you will succeed. But if you feel like you are prepared to delegate, at that point call a qualified designer, pay their fee, communicate your needs and wishes clearly, and then LISTEN TO THEM.

3.        You are over analytical

This is a funny one, because I have worked with many, MANY over analytical clients. What I have found is that they tend to have difficulty trusting, and successful designer-client relationships are heavily dependent on trust. They take what should be a quick and concise process and drag it out substantially, deteriorating the return on investment for all parties. If the client questions every single designer proposal, and constantly suggests alternatives, the designer is going to lose energy, enthusiasm, and patience very quickly.

Designers ARE analysts. We analyze the space. We analyze the client. We analyze each challenge. But we have one ability that many analysts don’t have—the ability to VISUALIZE. To actually see the finished results, and understand that YES, it is going to work. Thanks to 3D rendering software we can more easily translate the proposed design to the client and help them see for themselves how nice the results will be. But for some hyper-analytical clients, who must see every option under the sun, and then compare and contrast for themselves before they settle on a decision, employing a designer is likely a waste of effort and money.

My company’s niche is working with busy professionals who have no time (or enthusiasm) to commit to home improvements. Stay tuned for my next article which reviews the flip side of the designer-client coin.

Follow me on IG. @getitdonedesigner 

High quality 3D Rendering is part of our "Road Map" service, as well as our "Get It Done" service. For those who cannot visualize, this can be help you graduate more swiftly from theory to execution.